OAKLAND — With five albums through the years, Maxwell has plenty of material to pull from, even though his last release was back in 2016. The Grammy-winning vocalist brought his Serenade Tour to Oakland Arena on Friday, on a self-proclaimed mission to “bring real singing back.”
Maxwell’s set kicked off with his band, led by guitarist Hod David, on a black multitiered stage. All were dressed in sand-colored outfits, matching Maxwell, who popped up on a smaller stage behind the floor seats, his silk robe billowing thanks to some well-placed fans in the floor. He descended the smaller stage, singing Al Green’s “Simply Beautiful” as he slowly made his way through the crowd.
Upon reaching the main stage, he continued with “Get to Know You,” from 2001 album Now. He looked to be in good spirits, smiling and dancing, and his voice seemed unaffected by vocal injuries that required surgery a few years ago.
“Lake By The Ocean” from 2016’s blackSUMMER’snight, got an added flair of Caribbean rhythms as Maxwell danced, dipping lowin the process. He singled out one backing singer, performing a seductive dance with her…