The Queens of R&B Turn Up The Heat In Charlotte

XSCAPE and SWV Bring Glamour and Romance To PNC Music Pavilion

The Queens of R&B are back at it this summer with an incredible tour featuring powerhouse rhythm and blues groups XSCAPE and SWV. What makes the tour so special and unique is of course all the artists are female, hence the queens. The tour is a testament to the power of women not only in entertainment but in our everyday world and there are no better artists to exemplify this than headliners XSCAPE and SWV. The two groups are the epitome of timeless and classic R&B and they do it with unmatched passion and glamour. These ladies are remarkable musicians bringing a showcase of female musical power to the masses. To say that fans were excited for this tour would be an understatement and the capacity crowd at PNC Music Pavilion came primed and ready for an evening of world-class music.

The tour is bringing along a host of opening acts to round out the lineup with acts like Total, Mya, and 702 gracing the stage early so if you’re heading out to catch The Queens of R&B, be sure to get there early so you don’t miss a minute of the action. The Charlotte date was lucky enough to feature an additional performer with the one and only MC Lyte added to the lineup.

With such a stacked lineup on this tour, I could go on forever but for our purposes here, I’d like to focus on two of the opening sets that made the biggest impression on me. First off, let’s talk about Mya. Ms. Mya first hit the scene running with her self-titled debut album in 1998 which spawned the hit single “It’s All About Me” and this talented lady has not slowed down since.

Not only is Mya an amazing singer, but she is also an acclaimed songwriter, dancer, actress, and producer and for her set here in the Queen City, she put all her skills on display. Mya hit the stage in full force, looking absolutely amazing in a fringed black crop top and denim shorts sporting a pair of insanely gorgeous boots. Putting us in a frenzy with her incredible dance moves and adding a chair as a prop, Mya showed us exactly why she is a force to be reckoned with in the world of entertainment. The singer was on fire as she glided through a short but wonderful set of her most well-known pop and R&B hits. Wow!

Next up and the total surprise of the night was the one and only MC Lyte. Back in the 80s, MC Lyte was an absolute pioneer of not only female rap but the rap world in general. Now let me say this, I really didn’t know what to expect from her set, but holy hell, did she kill it.

From the moment, MC Lyte stepped out on that stage, she was in full command. You couldn’t help put focus your attention on her as he wowed the crowd with old-school raps getting “Lyte as a Rock” and giving us a master class in hip-hop. It’s a good thing that there weren’t any other rappers on the bill because I don’t think anybody male or female could have follow this performance. Her set alone was worth the price of admission, but of course, there was much more music to come.

Finally, it was time for what fans had been waiting for as we anxiously anticipated the arrival of XSCAPE and SWV. The stage went dark as billows of stage fog arose from the floor. A door opened in the middle of the rear of the stage and The Queens of R&B made their appearance. Both XSCAPE and SWV came out dressed in long, black coats and came forward to greet the crowd. Everyone was on their feet hooting and hollering in appreciation of these talented women. As they all, turned their back and exited, it was time for the action to begin.

For the tour, the two headliners are rotating spots instead of each doing a full set which adds to the excitement because at any moment you don’t know if it’s going to be SWV or XSCAPE hitting the stage. Tonight it was SWV (Sisters with Voices) that got things started. As Coko, Taj, and Lelee made their way out, a huge stage backdrop was revealed. On the top of a giant LED screen that changed visuals throughout the night, there was a riser that all three members were standing on as the show began with “Can We” before coming down to the main stage area.

This trio was fierce in every way as they strutted from one side of the stage to the other, dancing and singing their hearts out. It’s really a live concert where you can separate the real singers from those who only sound great in the studio. SWV sounded amazing as their voices carried across the arena. What a start to the headline show here in Charlotte! SWV was on point and intricate in their moves on stage as they wowed the audience. It was going to be one hell of a night and we were just getting started.

So, how do we follow up on such an entrance by SWV? Let’s just leave that to the lovely ladies of XCAPE. Once again, the LED backdrop changed to showcase the letters XSCAPE as the trio appeared on that upper stage, dressed in red, sequined outfits and turning up the heat with “Feels So Good.” What an amazing entrance as they made their way down to the lower portion of the stage. Kandi, Tameka, and Tamkia are truly one-of-a-kind and they absolutely stunned the crowd with their talent.

At this point, I was wondering what would come next. Both SWV and XSCAPE would swap out randomly to perform and it was amazing on every level. They had us dancing and partying one moment and relaxing in the arms of our significant others the next as they turned up the romance. It was a great mix of sassy and sexy and beautiful, romance showing why both XSCAPE and SWV are indeed The Queens of R&B. If you’re a fan of either of these groups or of R&B in general, this is a tour that you won’t want to miss. The tour runs through mid-August so you still have a chance to grab some tickets and experience everything these women have to offer.

See the Full Gallery of the Night Here!

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