Posted June 16, 2019 by Ryan Miller Concert Reviews & Galleries

Yes, Lawd: Anderson .Paak Makes a Splash on His Second Trip to Metro Detroit

“Yes, lawd!”

This euphoric chant seems to be the capstone moment of any Anderson .Paak concert. Returning on his Best Teef in the Game tour, .Paak returned to metro Detroit for the second time this year.

Through the accompaniment of his latest album Ventura, the Oxnard singer, songwriter, rapper and drummer found a familiar groove tracing through his growing career.

The bright lights and stage set seemed very reminiscent of an arena atmosphere – however, .Paak managed to make every second of his 20-plus set. From being seated in the all-too-familiar drum set to dancing across the stage made the show seamless in its efforts to both captivate and pull the audience closer.

Similarly to his previous shows, he managed to provide time for his backing band The Free Nationals with their single, “Beauty & Essex.” However, the artist made sure to include his career highlights, including Grammy-winning “Bubblin’” and crowd favorite “Trippy.”

Whether seated at the back of the lawn to the front, the “Come Down” singer has a unique stage presence unlike others – he manages to make the audience engaged and recognized throughout. His celebration of diversity and individuality makes for true representation – and for some fun.

He asked the audience, “‘Where all my weirdos at? I want you all to howl at the moon.’” Cementing his spot as a stage stealer, the audience let out a collective – almost euphoric – howl.

Direct support for .Paak on this tour was Jessie Reyez, another artist who was making a comeback to the metro Detroit area. Reyez headlined Saint Andrews Hall late 2018, leaving fans eagerly waiting for her return.

Reyez opened her set with a political, emotional driven video montage behind her as she sang “Dear Yessie.” Her empowering set carried personable notes that brought the audience together before .Paak took the stage.

Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner opened the show. The well known bassist has flourished with his solo career. His set included tracks off of his 2017 album Drunk such as “Uh Uh” and “Them Changes.”

.Paak and the Free Nationals will be touring throughout the summer. You can find tickets here and stream Ventura here.