Inclement weather and the fact that the concert was held during the middle of the week did not hinder the true die hard fans of Eric Benet, Mint Condition, and Ledisi from experiencing the Sexy Soul tour. The 19-city tour kicked off on Thursday, October 29, 2009, with Houston being the first stop. The Verizon Wireless Theater was the setting for a memorable evening of love and happiness.

This was my first time seeing Ledisi live. I guess this is not too surprising since this was her first tour. Although she was new to touring, she handled her portion of the show like a seasoned pro. Dressed in all black, she showed off her personality just as much as she showed off her vocal abilities. She gave the ladies in the audience thought provoking adages on which they could base the lives like “Your walk is your insurance and stop running and let your soul mate come to you.” Playfully, she taunted the audience. “Yall didn’t come to see a real show. I am going home.” After that she walked off the stage only to come back to cheers and applause. Ledisi performed an array of R&B, jazz type ballads. Many were from her latest album “Turn Me Loose.” I started getting weary during her performance because the girl’s performance was a little lengthy for an opening act.

After what seemed like forever to change sets Mint Condition finally hit the stage. For the longest time I really couldn’t get into the music because I was too caught up in the guys on guitar. I know I was supposed to focus on the lead singer who was a great vocalist but my attention was stayed on the guitarists. One was all cool and calm and the other was hyperactive. He really enjoyed his music. The lead singer demonstrated his versatility when he hopped on the drums for a dramatic battle with the regular drummer. Very Cool! These cats are very talented but they don’t get their just due. Using the full stage as their playground, they made each lady in attendance feel as if she were the one to whom they were singing. I was expecting to hear more of their classic chart toppers, but they gave a look of new school. For the real classics, fans had to ask for an encore to hear songs like “Pretty Brown Eyes.”

It was almost midnight when Eric Benet hit the stage, but he was worth the wait. Before the concert I liked Eric Benet, but after seeing him live, I love Eric Benet. He is so cool, suave, and debonair. With a schoolboy look complete with navy blue Chuck Taylors, Benet told the audience that his music was the best part of him. I know a few ladies who might beg to differ saying that your good looks are in the race too. My two favorite songs of the night were “Chocolate Legs” and “Spanish Fly.” “Chocolate Legs” is a song that helps fellas deal with the mess of the world. They have that special someone they can get lost in and forget about their troubles and charge them to the next day. While “Chocolate Legs” may be beautiful to some, a Spanish fly is anything but pretty. According to Benet, a Spanish fly is a dried up bug that Mexicans grind up and use as an aphrodisiac. With a sneaky smile he says, “You don’t need a bug to do that, just get the new Eric Benet CD.” Besides his new CD “Love and Life” Benet also said that we needed three things to make everything alright: a positive word, to keep God in your life with a positive outlook, and to keep moving it forward. I agree with Benet.

The Sexy Soul Tour did not disappoint. I only suggest that they get a faster break down crew. The breakdown between the acts is little long. Another suggestion is to limit the time of the opening act. By the time Benet came on stage, a large portion of the audience had left. I would show pictures from the concert but sadly I could not bring my professional camera into the concert hall. I really do not understand why I was denied since I observed others who were allowed to bring in their point and shoot cameras. I didn’t understand but I followed the rules.

View pictures of the sexy soulters on their many websites www.ericbenet.net, www.mintconditionmusic.com, and www.ledisi.com.