Duly charmed by Hamilton's '03 album of classic soul, Comin' From Where I'm From, I ventured one Friday night a couple of years ago to see him perform at the now-defunct Ybor City club Twilight. Man, I'm glad I did. Straight away, the vibe was different; this was an honest-to-goodness R&B nightclub show, with well-dressed African-American folk dominating the crowd. Hamilton was part preacher, part sexy soul shouter. He was backed by a pliant, groove-a-licious ensemble. The show was loose and spirited — not overly scripted like a lot of R&B acts that end up in performing arts centers, and certainly not a cacophonous mess like so many hip-hop shows. Hamilton's set brimmed with authenticity, managing to be both contemporary and a spectacle of throwback soul. It was a show I'll not soon forget. Here's a chance to see him at a slightly different type venue — Jannus may not be a club, but it's known for audiences communing with artists. Could be very, very worthwhile.
Anthony Hamilton w/special guest TBA, Fri., June 16, 8 p.m., Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, $26 advance, $28 d.o.s.
This article appears in Jun 14-20, 2006.
