Josh Groban And Jennifer Hudson Shine Bright At Grand Casino Arena
After a long and busy weekend, the Twin Cities was in need of some soulful relaxation. Good thing Jennifer Hudson in all her EGOT glory plus the incomparable Josh Groban were heading to Saint Paul for a Sunday evening of impactful tunes to a full crowd of Minnesotans.
First time going to the Grand Casino Areana since it switched over from the XCEL Energy Center, was neat to see it decked out in new signage and a bold blue tone throughout the venu e. Security was nice and tight, exactly what you want in a monster venue like GCA. Doors opened at 7pm, I arrived a bit early to make sure to score a solid meter spot. Just a ten minute walk away was Bad Weather Brewing, didn’t need much convincing to park near there for my token brew. Storms were in the forecast previously, but MN decided to spare us a thunderous wet evening and just stayed a touch muggy. Hung out with my ice cold suds before moseying over outside on the benches and people watched a tad. Great spot to chillax before an event, highly recommend the Hopcromancer IPA if you are a hops fanboy. There is some construction surrounding the arena, makeshift walkways flanked the side near Gate One where I entered. Didn’t have time to snag any food, but next concert I attend for sure will grab a bit. Everything smelled delish.
My first time photographing an EGOT winner (for those not in the acronym know, it stands for Emmy + Grammy + Oscar + Tony Award,) Jennifer Hudson of course would not and could not disappoint even the most curmudgeonly patron. Wow, her voice is out of this world. Know so many people say this, but if I had her talent, I’d be singing every moment of my life. She is a true treasure to the music industry and should be exalted as such.
Hudson came out to a black and white light pulsing stage, flanked on both sides by musicians and choir. Her set was shorter than anticipated, but she did perform ten tunes flawlessly. My favorite being “Where You At” of her personal songs, but her covers are just as magnificent. “How Great Thou Art” and “Hallelujah” brought a bit of cathedral realness into the space and were very well received by the crowd. The most sensational cover she wowed us with was by this guy you may know, Prince. The room swelled with rich violet light as Jennifer effortlessly sang a rendition of “Purple Rain” that sent shivers down my spine. I need to see her on Broadway IRL, STAT. She ended her stunning set with an ironic choice of song, “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” and then a quick goodbye and warm thank you to the audience.
Promise me you’ll see her live next time you can. It should be a bucket list act for anyone who appreciates vocal talent and gold standard of once-in-a-generation special.
Time for THE Josh Groban. Endless earworms litter his catalog, so was very excited to see which would be sung to delight us all. A little after 9pm, the lights slowly dimmed to announce the boundless baritone was about to begin. The main stage was stacked with musicians and singers, almost every instrument you can think of and maybe a few more. A fun surprise to the audience is that he started his set on the smaller B Stage near the back of the venue, a little black platform and of course a shiny piano was all there was room for. Emerging form the dark curtains, he popped up on stage with a huge smile to the almost sold out showgoers, greeting them with a banger of an opener “As Time Goes By.” After crooning to the crowd, walked down the main aisle to the front, smiling fans holding out their hands to get a little high five as he made his way through the floor.
Throughout his 18 song set, was fantastic to see how many folks in the audience were hypnotized by his voice. When you hear one of the best voices in the world, guess that’s should have been presumed but still neat every time that happens. A few tunes in, Groban spied a sign in the crowd from Carlie Besh (not sure on the spelling) that said “Sing The Prayer With ME,” a notorious Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli duet. He came down and they flawlessly sung it together (Josh starting the first line in English, then switching to Italian like a true pro.) Such a cool moment for a young singer, shoutout to you, gal!
That would not be the only infamous duet of the evening. Groban began talking about how much of a fan he is of songs from film, and wanted to share a bit of that love. Who better to bring out for a phenomenal cover of “Unchained Melody” originally sung by The Righteous Brothers and made famous in the movie “Ghost”? Of course, the magnificent Jennifer Hudson. Coming out in a romantic flowy gown to join Groban, her voice melted with his in the most perfect way. Really have my fingers crossed they do a duet album together after this tour. Even better, a Christmas album. Uhg. A girl can dream. They can read the phonebook and I’d buy a copy.
What a night of heavenly voices. The Twin Cities were treated with two amazing gifts Sunday night, one named Jennifer and the other named Josh.
