Hollywood-reared Lenny Kravitz – now 16 years into his recording career, the guy whose entertainment family allowed him the chance to rub elbows with the likes of Duke Ellington and Sarah Vaughan – remains the consummate showman.
Funk maven Nikka Costa warmed up Kravitz’s stage Wednesday during a packed show at the Fillmore Auditorium. Like Janis Joplin crossed with Macy Gray, Costa unfurled a shake-out-the-cobwebs performance.
Kravitz proceeded to build more crowd anticipation than usual for the Fillmore by cloaking his stage in a heavy black curtain and blocking the building’s rear hallway during the set change, making bathroom and pretzel access a hassle.
And despite the more-persnickety crowd management than during The Shins’ sold-out show the night before, these music fans had a high that no uptight security guard could douse. Their extra fashion flair in Kravitz’s honor told the story: fresh pedicures in platform sandals, peek-a-boo sequin tops, metallic heels and handbags, belts pulled taut around pear-shaped waistlines.
A groovy version of the score from “2001: A Space Odyssey” marked the beginning of the concert. Then, dressed in black with thick silver-sequined cuffs, a bulky crimson scarf and his familiar bug-eye sunglasses, Kravitz launched into a bass-heavy rendition of “Minister of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” the opening track from last year’s release, “Baptism.”
The song’s stylized vocals and over-the-top 1970s-style guitar sequences made it an ideal opener for this party. Kravitz’s sizable band, punctuated by gospel-savvy backup singers, provided meandering jazzy solos that seemed to reveal the good that has come from Kravitz’s significant time spent living in “Nawlins” in recent years.
With a huge “LK” logo blinking behind him that sporadically flooded the crowd with light, Kravitz kept up his rock ‘n’ preacher schtick while his band kicked in fiery, psychedelic solos, making each song stand out from its recorded counterpart.
Kravitz took off his glasses before leading the room in a devotional, amped-up version of “Let Love Rule.”
And while this review was due long before the show had ended, it seemed clear he intended to take this crowd on a wild rock ‘n’ roll ride.
Staff writer Elana Ashanti Jefferson can be reached at 303-820-1957 or ejefferson@denverpost.com.
