A double dose of bass-heavy R&B shook the Taste of Chicago on the first of July, as rising stars Keri Hilson and Ne-Yo took the stage. These two were representing the best of 21st century R&B, as everybody shook their heads to the beat.
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Ne-Yo with Keri Hilson
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 Entertainment
 Art
Petrillo Music Shell at Taste of Chicago
Chicago, IL
July 1, 2009
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Hilson came out first, saying: “Everything I sing about is real”. The intensity in her voice and stage presence drove this point home, as she belted out the piano-driven “Energy” and independent woman-supporting “Get It Girl”.
Cuts of songs by the genre’s trailblazers Aaliyah, Left-Eye and of course the late Michael Jackson were sung in tribute.
More promiscuous-yet-fancy footwork was delivered courtesy of Ne-Yo. The spiffy gentleman solidly sold his latest album Year of the Gentleman. In both performers, talent was obvious. Everything from the dancing to the singing and even the crowd-pumping showed why R&B still lives.
Horns, piano, and rollicking drums supported Ne-Yo in “So Sick”, “Why Does She Stay” and “Lie to Me”. White clad dancers created a synchronized pattern for each song, as styles changed from blues to jazz, and from rap to Latin.
Ne-Yo wrote a few mega-hits in his expanding career, including Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable”, which showed up here. A classy twist was added with a soprano sax solo in one song, all elements coming together in modern big band form.
For everything being on target and manicured to perfection, it’s hard to criticize the performance. Entertaining it was, but as far as art goes, there lie a few questions. Take the lyrics. Most are about heart break or love, a staple of the genre. But this subject can only take you so far – if art requires deep analysis of meaning and that indescribable “it” that captures one’s imagination, Ne-Yo and Hilson simply do not go into that territory.
Yes, the words are about real situations and dilemmas, but the form is still pop. Pop has to appeal to a mass audience; it has no time or intention to craft a work of complex meaning. It has to razzle, dazzle and be relatable. It has a different goal than art. And who can’t relate to the themes present at this show?
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