It was a soul-stirring experience. Standing center stage, she sang her songs of forgiveness and redemption like a seasoned diva. Backed by a solid four-piece band including keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and three backup singers, Arie made good on her promise to "spread love and healing through the power of words and music.
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There was also a lot of good plain fun, beginning with the opening song, "I Am Not My Hair," which echoed the sentiments of her first single, "Video." Part of Arie's appeal is a refusal to give in to stereotypes "You thought that was real?" she laughed, pulling off a Macy Gray-style wig to reveal her dreadlocks.
"These aren't either," she joked, then wrapped up her hair and got on with the show.
"I'm here to share my testimony with you," she began, playing keyboards on a lovely version of "This Too Shall Pass." The audience was with her every breath as, for the next hour, she took them on her personal journey through loss and recovery.
"These Eyes" was compromised by the miming of a relationship crisis between her and a backup singer, but the quality and earnestness of the song itself overcame the somewhat corny "acting out." The "Testimony" ended with a cover of Don Henley's "Heart of the Matter."
Then Arie strapped on an electric guitar for seven more songs, three from each of her two previous albums, and a moving version of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song.
" She encored with "Ready for Love," from the "Miami Vice" soundtrack.
Leroy Bell, one of Seattle's rising stars, opened with a set of mellow and melodic soul that was warmly received by the crowd.
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