Eric Burton has A VOICE, a powerful, soul-filled voice, a mix of legends like Al Green and Otis Redding; a voice that can bring a room to its knees, bring tears to your eyes, and at the same time cause you to break out in dance, sweat and sing and shout.
This voice, along with Adrian Quesada’s old-school guitar slinging on his Fender Jaguar provides the basis for the psychedelic soul of Black Pumas. On Friday night, Burton and Quesada brought that voice and guitar to Globe Hall, along with an equally talented backing band, for the first of three sold-out shows. Opener Neil Frances, joined by a horn section comprised of members of local band Motet, warmed up the audience.
Black Pumas ran through the entirety of their first album, sprinkling a handful of covers and unreleased songs into their nearly two-hour set. Highlights from the night include fan-favorite “Colors”, which saw Burton, mostly focused on vocals throughout the evening, strap on a guitar and jam out with Quesada; “Eleanor Rigby”, their closing song of the evening, showcased the bands psychedelic chops in their interpretation of The Beatles classic; “Know You Better”, highlighting the vocals of backup singers Lauren Cervantes and Angela Miller.
Burton, a master showman, commanded the stage, leading the audience on a ride throughout the night; he jumped into the audience on three different occasions to dance and sing and shake hands, reciprocating the love that the audience gave the Black Pumas during the night. He stopped numerous times to thank the Denver audience for welcoming the band with open arms. The band matched his energy and graciousness, too; Cervantes and Miller poured every ounce of their energy and vocal power into each song; Quesada, drummer Stephen Bidwell and bassist Vince Chiarito, and keyboard player JaRon Marshall delivered a solid groove throughout the night. This solid foundation gave Burton and the Pumas the chance to shine on the first night of their stop in Denver. (photos/review: Manuel Aragon)
Setlist
Intro/Next to You
More Than a Love Song
Black Cat
Old Man
Know You Better
Black Moon Rising
Mrs Postman
Desperate Situation
Stay Gold
I Am Ready
Fire
Oct 33
Colors
Encore
Ain’t No Love
Eleanor Rigby
