KEM
taking the hometown crowd on a
musical journey back to his
first studio album, “Kemistry.”
After singing “Heaven” and
“Matter of Time,” he presented
his own tribute to the Queen of
Soul by featuring Beth Griffin.
(Photo by Montez Miller/Tell Us
Detroit)
“I'm
retiring
from the
radio,”
Joyner
said to
the
crowd as
he
accepted
an award
for his
years of
work in
higher
education.
“I'm
retiring
from
getting
up at 3
o'clock
in the
morning.
I am not
retiring
from
seeing
our
students
(go) to
HBCUs!”
(Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us
Detroit)
KEM, Tom
Joyner
celebrate
opening
night at
The
Aretha
By
Ellen
Chamberlain
Tell Us
Detroit
Entertainment
DETROIT
- The
Aretha
Franklin
Amphitheatre’s
season
opened
to a
sold-out
crowd on
Saturday
night.
The
debut
concert
at the
newly-rededicated
space
featured
Robin
Thicke,
with
Detroit’s
own KEM
headlining.
The show
marked
the
latest
stop on
Tom
Joyner’s
“One
More
Time
Experience”
tour,
celebrating
his 25th
year in
syndication
and his
upcoming
retirement
in
December.
“I'm
retiring
from the
radio,”
Joyner
said to
the
crowd as
he
accepted
an award
for his
years of
work in
higher
education.
“I'm
retiring
from
getting
up at 3
o'clock
in the
morning.
I am not
retiring
from
seeing
our
students
(go) to
HBCUs!”
“It’s an
honor to
hold
this
name and
to hold
this
space,”
says
Shahida
Mausi,
president
of The
Right
Productions,
Inc.
“And
this is
the way
to start
it: with
a full
house
and a
hometown
star.
We’re
really
grateful
and
we’re
looking
forward
to a
great
season.”
(Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us
Detroit)
The
Right
Productions
delivered
in its
usual
meticulous
style,
both
rocking
the
crowd
and
thoughtfully
considering
its new
namesake.
“It’s an
honor to
hold
this
name and
to hold
this
space,”
says
Shahida
Mausi,
president
of The
Right
Productions,
Inc.
“And
this is
the way
to start
it: with
a full
house
and a
hometown
star.
We’re
really
grateful
and
we’re
looking
forward
to a
great
season.”
A
younger
Franklin
family
member
is the
owner of
CFranks,
an
apparel
company
highlighting
Detroit
and
imagery
of her
late
aunt.
She says
that she
is
excited
for the
chance
to sell
her
creations
at the
renowned
venue.
“I’ve
been
blessed
to have
the
Queen
Edition
here at
the
Aretha
Franklin
Amphitheatre,”
Franklin
says of
her
limited-edition
collection
featuring
an
artistic
image of
a young
Aretha.
(Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us
Detroit)
Franklin
and her
CFranks
collection
will be
at The
Aretha
during
concerts
every
Wednesday
and
Saturday.
Rain
threatened
the
event
from the
moment
excited
patrons
lined
the
sidewalks
to enter
what was
once
Chene
Park.
The rain
made
good on
that
threat
less
than an
hour
into the
show –
changing
absolutely
nothing.
The
seats
were
packed,
the air
was
electric,
and the
artists
gave
impressive
performances.
Even
half-a-dozen-or-so
boats
braved
the
choppy
waters
to enjoy
the
show.
The
crowd
was on
its feet
before
Robin
Thicke’s
introduction
was
complete.
The
crooner
delivered
an
energy-packed
performance
that
slowed
just
enough
for the
crowd to
catch
its
breath
as
Thicke
sang
from a
baby
grand
piano,
centerstage.
(Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us
Detroit)
The
crowd
was on
its feet
before
Robin
Thicke’s
introduction
was
complete.
The
crooner
delivered
an
energy-packed
performance
that
slowed
just
enough
for the
crowd to
catch
its
breath
as
Thicke
sang
from a
baby
grand
piano,
centerstage.
If it
seemed
like the
crowd
was
there
for
Thicke,
that was
corrected
when
Joyner
introduced
KEM. A
deafening
roar met
the
Detroit
native
as he
and his
band
descended
on the
stage.
The
performance
was as
visually
appealing
as it
was
sonically
moving.
KEM
taking
the
hometown
crowd on
a
musical
journey
back to
his
first
studio
album,
“Kemistry.”
After
singing
“Heaven”
and
“Matter
of
Time,”
he
presented
his own
tribute
to the
Queen of
Soul by
featuring
Beth
Griffith
Manley.
(Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us
Detroit)
KEM
wore a
dapper
teal
suit and
bejeweled
Louboutin
loafers;
a
striking
contrast
to the
white
tuxedoes
with
black
accents
that his
band
wore.
The
atmosphere
seemed
carefully
constructed;
the
thunder
now
acting
as a
soothing
backdrop
rather
than a
gloomy
distraction.
“There’s
no place
on Earth
that I’d
rather
be right
now,”
KEM said
during
an
intimate
moment
with the
audience,
“Than
right
here at
home, in
Detroit.”
The
setlist
was
designed
for home
with KEM
taking
the
Detroit
crowd on
a
musical
journey
back to
his
first
studio
album,
“Kemistry.”
After
singing
“Heaven”
and
“Matter
of
Time,”
KEM
presented
his own
tribute
to the
Queen of
Soul by
featuring
Beth
Griffith
Manley.
After
singing
“Heaven”
and
“Matter
of
Time,”
KEM
presented
his own
tribute
to the
Queen of
Soul by
featuring
Beth
Griffith
Manley. (Photo
by
Montez
Miller/Tell
Us
Detroit)
Manley,
who has
been
singing
background
vocals
for KEM
for
years,
recently
competed
on the
16th
season
of NBC’s
singing
competition,
“The
Voice.”
She
belted
out
“(You
Make Me
Feel
Like) A
Natural
Woman,”
a song
that was
co-written
by
songwriting
icon
Carole
King and
went on
to
become
one of
Franklin’s
signature
ballads.
Satisfied
patrons
raised
their
umbrellas
and
stepped
out into
the rain
after a
night
filled
with
good
music.
The
Wednesday
night
jazz
series
at The
Aretha
kicks
off on
June 5
with
Damien
Escobar.
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