No band, no problem

I had some tasty lemonade on Friday night.
I was at the Chrisette Michele show at Grand Central. It was after 10:30, and neither Michele nor her opening act had been on stage yet. In fact, her opener never made it to the show.
And that was a problem, since singer Peter Hadar and his band also had planned to back up Michele during her set.
Unfortunately, he and all but two of his band's members were in Virginia Beach, and were so behind schedule driving to Charlotte that promoter Mike Kitchen said he told them not to come. Only two members -- who drove separately -- made it.
So instead of performing with a full band, Michele and her background singers did their thing with two musicians and instrumental tracks.
Michele, a Def Jam artist, is known for singing hooks with Jay-Z and Nas. This was her first Charlotte appearance, and she was promoting her new album “I Am.”
Once Michele took the stage about 11:30 p.m., the crowd forgot the long wait and it looked as if everyone knew all six of the songs she sang. The show only lasted about 25 minutes, but the capacity crowd seemed satisfied.
Despite the glitches, Michele filled the stage with gracious energy and gave fans an intimate show worth talking about. She didn’t complain. She served lemonade that quenched fans’ thirst for soulful R&B.
Did you go to the show? What did you think? Post your replies below.

Q Tip opening for Common

Rapper Q Tip, of a A Tribe Called Quest, will open for Common.
The two will be performing at Amos Southend on Sept. 27. Common's new album, "Finding Forever."
Advance tickets are $35 and are on sale. www.amossouthend.com.