Reviews

GRAND PRAIRIE – "How do you like the gown?" Aretha Franklin asked as she sat on the piano bench before an adoring crowd of more than 2,000 fans at Nokia Theatre on Wednesday night. "When you're plump and you sit down, everything rolls out, but there are some brothers out there who love the plump girls, so I got to give them somethin' they can FEEL!"

CHERYL DIAZ MEYER/DMN

Aretha Franklin entertained with strength, soul and conviction Wednesday night at Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie.

Dry wit, down-home candor and her magnificent voice propelled Ms. Franklin's shy-of-two-hours set, and the Queen's loyal subjects showered her with love from the moment she stepped out onstage with her lavender shoulder wrap and white, sequined spaghetti-strapped gown.

Her orchestra kicked off with "Deep in the Heart of Texas" and segued into a mini-medley of hits before she opened with a cover of "Higher and Higher." In a way, it set the tone for the first half of the set, because her mike's volume was noticeably lower than her background singers', which diluted the obvious thunder she put behind beloved classics such as "Think" and "Respect."

The 66-year-old was every inch the diva, strolling the stage and rocking her neck and hips to the beat while fans swayed and waved their hands in exaltation. No matter what she sang – the plaintive "Call Me" or the regret-filled "Chain of Fools" – it was full of strength, soul and conviction.

The delicate timbres and textures of her voice became more apparent in the second half of her set, thanks to the increased volume of her mike and complemented nicely with a special appearance by the Temptations' Ollie Woodson for a pair of duets, "I Remember" and "Precious Moments."

"Freeway of Love" was an appropriate finale, since it brought everyone bursting out of their seats and zooming to the edge of the stage, where many admirers were lucky enough to shake the bejeweled hand of musical royalty.

Lorrie Irby Jackson