Loverman

John Legend with Robin Thicke. At the Arlington Theatre,
Friday, November 17.

Reviewed by Charles Donelan

People danced in their seats and the
aisles for most of the night at this concert, a rare local
appearance by a Top 40 soul artist. Standing or sitting, the crowd
showed their love for these singers by keeping up a steady stream
of squeals from the girls and encouragement from the guys.

Opener Robin Thicke has a local connection through dad Alan and
a very polished and high-impact set to promote his new CD, The
Evolution of Robin Thicke on StarTrak/Interscope, Pharrell’s label.
Justin “Timberlite” jokes and John Legend’s momentary confusion
about his name aside, Thicke has a great voice and lots of stage
presence. His style favors Marvin Gaye, and he didn’t miss a note
in some very challenging arrangements. Whether or not the world
really needs a white Usher, right down to the
heart-on-the-Gucci-sleeve confessional songwriting style, is up to
you and everyone else on iTunes; but if the answer is yes, Thicke
is the man for the job.