Gladys Knight @ Artpark, Lewiston, New York 8-20-13

Gladys Knight, known to many as the “Empress of Soul,” graced the Artpark stage this past Tuesday. In a wonderful mood and smiling from ear to ear, Knight gave the audience one of the more memorable performances of 2013.

Knight, who just came out with her latest offering titled “Another Journey,” told her fans that she listens to them and she wants feedback on it. The first track “I love You” reminded me why she is one of the most revered R&B singers of all time. It’s classic Gladys at her best and her voice and songs hold up as much as anything she has ever done. Gladys interjected candid humor throughout her performance. She also talked about her “Dancing with the Stars” participation and poked fun at herself but said she did it to give all people her age (she is 69) the will that they can do anything.

She had the crowd dancing the entire night and one showed his true appreciation for her. She was given a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses before she went into Al Green’s “Love and Happiness.” Her brother Bubba came out and played off of Gladys and performed a few Sly & the Family Stone songs. They both then finished “Love and Happiness.”

Knight left the stage and as her team started to put things away, she decided to come back and give the crowd one more song. Looking at her band and management’s reactions, you could tell this was totally unexpected. She gave a great rendition of the Gloria Gaynor hit “I Will Survive.” Judging by her performance and the crowd reactions, I think this was a fitting closing for sure!

Set List:

I Love You
If I Was Your Woman
You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me
I Hope You Dance (Lee Ann Womack cover)
I’ve Got to Use my Imagination
The Way We Were (Barbra Streisand cover)
Heard it through the Grapevine
Neither One of Us
Love and Happiness (Al Green cover)
I Want To Take You Higher (Bubba Knight on vocals-Sly & the Family Stone cover)
Dance To the Music (Bubba Knight on vocals-Sly & the Family Stone cover)
Love and Happiness reprise (Gladys knight and Bubba Knight -Al Green cover)
Midnight Train to Georgia