Grammy-winning singer Chrisette Michele performed two shows at City Winery at City Foundry STL on August 7th. The New York-born vocalist has been lauded as the next Billie Holiday. She has an impressive range and her phrasing is perfect.
Stunning in a white beaded suit, Michele treated us to some soul, some neo soul, and some jazz. In particular, her version of “Summertime” was sung beautifully with an operatic flair. It was impressive not because of her range, but because the emotion that song carries was delivered to us perfectly. She sang songs from her first album, I Am, her second, Epiphany, and her newest album, 2016’s Milestone, showing a wonderful variety of music. Her band was tight and followed her cues beautifully.
Her lyrics covered the full spectrum of love. From heartache to flirtation, love to lust, her songs are relatable and the crowd was enthusiastic. I caught her early show, and left feeling a little disappointed. The opening singer/DJ/sound guy at City Winery was very high energy. He had the crowd singing along to old favorites and even sang a hilarious break up song of his own. He started the show with such high energy that it felt like Ms. Michele was having an off day. She was still in good voice, but wasn’t connecting emotionally with the audience. Perhaps she was saving her energy for the second show. The end of the show felt rushed, as the excellent servers had to prepare for the next show. There was no encore and the whole experience felt a little lesser because of it. It almost felt perfunctory at its close. | Melissa Cynova
Chrisette Michele on tour:
08.30.24: Montgomery, AL @ Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
10.12.24: Huntsville, AL @ AAMU Event Center
11.07-08.24: San Fransisco, CA @ Yoshi’s
11.30.24: Bethesda, MD @ Bethesda Theater
12.01.24: Birmingham, AL @ Sheraton Birmingham
01.02.25: Boston, MA @ City Winery
01.03.25: New York, NY @ City Winery
01.10.25: Philadelphia, PA @ City Winery
01.11.25: Pittsburgh, PA @ City Winery
01.14-16.25: Atlanta, GA @ City Winery
01.18.25: Nashville, TN @ City Winery
01.22-23.25: Chicago, IL @ City Winery
01.25.25: St. Louis, MO @ City Winery
