Grooving with Brian McKnight

A SIMPLE stage, a good band and an amusing singer sometimes make for a much more enjoyable show than one with an elaborate stage and frivolous dancers.
The recent ­concert by American R&B singer-songwriter Brian ­McKnight at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, proved just that.
It was certainly a charming and intimate performance.
McKnight was specially brought to Malaysia for the one-night-only More Than Words – An ­Intimate Evening with Brian McKnight concert.
The 45-year-old crooner showcased his velvety smooth voice on stage with his own lyrics and songs that offered a delightful up-close and personal ­experience for some 2,000 fans that night.
Sharp on the dot at 8.45pm, McKnight ­displayed his powerful ­vocal with a slew of hits from his 12 studio albums in his over 20 years in the music industry.
Starting with Find Myself, ­McKnight soon had the ­audience ­following the groove of the ­music by ­clapping and singing along with him.
He then moved on to Don’t Stop, Love of My Life and Only One while being cheered on by the crowd whenever he showcased his strong falsetto range. ­
McKnight also encouraged his audience to sing right along with him, entertaining the crowd with not just his music and songs but also his humour and friendly banter in-­between songs.
That night, ­McKnight even made a smooth move on one lucky lady among the ­ squealing crowd.
For a good five ­minutes, he ­declared his ‘love’ to the woman by presenting her with a bouquet of ­flowers and then serenading her with Another You.
To show that he’s truly a ladies’ man, he even ­ended the song with a smooch on her lips.
McKnight also showed off his various musical skills on the instruments for a few songs during the night.
He sang Crazy Love, My Kind Girl and 6 8 12 ­accompanied by an ­acoustic guitar and then performed Rest of My Life and Anytime on the keyboard.
Addressing his fans later, he expressed his excitement to be back in Kuala Lumpur after a long 14 years.
He joked: “In case you have no idea why you are here, who you are seeing tonight and for those who remember me as well as those who don’t, my name is Brian ­McKnight.”
Of course, the singer ended the night with the biggest hit of his career, Back at One, which was certified triple platinum in the US with three million copies sold.
For the encore, he gave the crowd Made For Love and Still. It was truly one of the most entertaining live performance that I’ve seen so far.
­McKnight handled his audience much like his close friends and left the stage only once before coming back for an encore.
He is definitely one of those rare ­performers who you’d enjoy seeing in ­person rather than just listening to his CDs.
It was definitely a night to remember for many, especially the lucky lady who went home with not only a bouquet of ­flowers but also the memory of being kissed by Brian McKnight.