Whoever came up with The Serenade Tour is a genius, as they brought some incredible talent to the stage recently at Capital One Arena for a show headlined by soul singer Maxwell.

At Capital One Arena on Oct. 4, October London kicked off the evening with a jazz club vibe, accompanied by four friends at the club who watched the crowd sing along to all of his hits. Songs like “Back to Your Place” and “Mulholland Drive” showcased his timeless melodies and lyrics that make you want to fall in love all over again. In a heartwarming moment, a man even proposed to his longtime girlfriend on stage.

The Serenade didn’t stop there, as fan-favorite Jazmine Sullivan performed a 30-minute set. While many would say it was too short, it was just enough to leave the audience wanting more. She started off with some microphone issues, which were probably a little nerve-wracking, but the DC crowd had her back, singing along until the issue was resolved. Once the mic was fixed, her powerful notes blessed us throughout the set, featuring songs from all four of her albums and many of her singles, including “Pick Up Your Feelings,” “Girl Like Me,” and the song that started it all, “Need U Bad.”

Watch the official music video for “Need You Bad” by Jazmine Sullivan on YouTube:

I hope to see Jazmine Sullivan perform “Masterpiece (Mona Lisa),” “Excuse Me,” and of course, “Lions, Tigers & Bears” one day. I know a real singer when I hear one; I literally get goosebumps. Jazmine set the tone for the evening, and I felt chills the rest of the night.

It’s fitting that Maxwell opened the concert with “Simply Beautiful,” because that’s exactly what the audience received. The lighting and vocals were top-notch. If you want a soul and R&B concert, this is the one. You can see how Maxwell feels the music as he sings, dancing and grooving throughout the show, and those knees never letting up. He mentioned that he almost didn’t make it to tonight’s show but assured us he couldn’t miss a performance in DC. I loved all the affirmations throughout the night, as he thanked all the women for everything they go through and emphasized that without us a lot of things wouldn’t be possible.

In that moment, I thought he would sing “This Woman’s Work,” which has been a hot topic on the internet for not being included in the setlist. The DC audience was also eagerly awaiting “Pretty Wings,” even making TikTok wait after the house lights came on at the end of the show. But that’s okay; he has many more songs, including “Bad Habits,” “Sumthin’ Sumthin’,” and “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever” that made the list.

Watch the official music video for “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever” by Maxwell on YouTube:

Maxwell took a moment during the show to thank the great Frankie Beverly, sharing how he was inspired by him and aimed to create hits similar to that good ol’ soulful music. He then performed “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” and of course, you can’t come to DC without adding a Go-Go groove to at least one of your hits. Throughout the years, we have loved Maxwell for never switching up the formula, keeping his music style true to himself and the culture. I appreciated seeing some of his personality as he reminisced about his career. He thanked his band and supporting singers as they bowed and wished us a good night.

The arena had people of all ages, from the ’70s to the ’00s. Maxwell has made a name for himself as one of the defining voices of the culture. You can add him to the list of artists who create feel-good music. Many people should thank him for making their way into the world (I’m just saying).

Here are some photos of Maxwell performing at Capital One Arena on Oct. 4, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Mecie Gold.

Here are some photos of October London opening Maxwell at Capital One Arena on Oct. 4, 2024. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Mecie Gold.