Talib Musiq Soulchild’s shining performance at the PAC on March 22^nd was the quintessential R&B concert. The sold out crowd welcomed a humble and lighthearted Musiq who entered the stage in a dapper gray suit and introduced himself.

Starting with songs from his Luvanmusiq album, which he has been on tour to promote since its March 2007 release, he worked the crowd like the seasoned performer he is and had everyone clapping their hands in participation. Groups of people remained standing during the entire show, swaying gently to the beat. Even more people were singing along to every track verbatim.

Though a part of the audience was unfamiliar with his Luvanmusiq album they watched avidly while he sang “Ridiculous” and “Ms. Philadelphia. There seemed to be a bit of disconnection between some parts of the audience, not because they weren’t receptive to the new album, because they had difficulty hearing the lyrics on occasion.

This only seemed to be a bit of a hindrance during the first segment, because when he started singing familiar classics from his latter albums, everyone knew all the lyrics by heart and the tempo of the show skyrocketed.

After introducing his new album, Musiq took the audience on a sentimental journey through each one of his prior albums by singing a few standout tracks such as “Half Crazy” “Just Friends” “Soulstar” and my personal favorite, “Don’t Change”. He captivated the audience with his smooth textured and soulful voice, while creating an atmosphere that had everyone dancing in wild frenzy by the finale.

Known for his signature neo-soul style and 70’s inspired R&B vocals, Musiq’s strengths are in his ballads. When he sang “Love” a cappella it was one of those vulnerable performances you don’t usually get to see in person. It almost seemed invasive, like eavesdropping on someone singing in the shower.

As the hour concluded, the whole entire crowd was up on their feet singing their hearts out and dancing feverishly. The applause resonated wildly throughout the Atwood Center.

Musiq’s iconic performance once again proves that BD Productions continues their endeavor of “redefining entertainment in Alaska”