It took an EGOT winner like R&B singer and pianist John Legend to bring concerts back to the Muny for the first time since 1991.
Accompanied by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Jesse D. Williams and Total Praise gospel choir, and Legend鈥檚 band, the singer drew 10,334 attendees to the Muny for 鈥淎 Night of Songs and Stories鈥 on Sept. 7. It was Legend鈥檚 first time performing with the SLSO, but you couldn鈥檛 tell as the musical components meshed with ease.
The evening was not a thorough review of Legend鈥檚 catalog, rather it was a blend of songs that were impactful to Legend throughout his life, with many of his own compositions and collaborations mixed in. All were punctuated with stories about his life, which allowed the audience a personal, cabaret-like experience with one of music鈥檚 biggest stars on a trip through their own personal music nostalgia.
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Legend had a lot of ground to cover through his stories. He has been a voice in R&B and American songwriting for more than 20 years. His debut album 鈥淕et Lifted鈥 was released in 2004, winning Legend three Grammy Awards in 2006 including Best R&B Album, Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. In 2016, Legend won an Academy Award for Best Original Song after co-writing 鈥淕lory鈥 with hip-hop artists Common and Rhymefest, which was featured in the 2014 film 鈥淪elma.鈥 Legend released his first children鈥檚 album 鈥淢y Favorite Dream鈥 in August 2024, just a few weeks before his Muny performance.
Although some guests hadn鈥檛 yet made it to their seats, the concert began promptly at 8 p.m. Legend鈥檚 excitement was evident as he walked on stage in a classic black-and-white tuxedo and bow tie. He asked the crowd if the stars were out as he sat at his grand piano to perform his song 鈥淥oh Laa鈥 which samples 鈥淚 Only Have Eyes for You鈥 by the Flamingos.
Legend expressed how much he鈥檇 missed performing in St. Louis before launching into a unique rendition of 鈥淭onight.鈥
His performance was split into acts, beginning with his upbringing in Springfield, Ohio. He credited his maternal grandmother as the catalyst for his musical talents. He鈥檇 grown up in the Pentecostal church and joined the choir at age 7 to sing alongside his mother and grandmother. For this portion of the story, he and the choir sang 鈥淢ary Don鈥檛 You Weep.鈥 The orchestra joined in for renditions of 鈥淭ake My Hand Precious Lord鈥 and 鈥淏ridge Over Troubled Water,鈥 a personal homage to his grandmother鈥檚 influence before she died when he was 10 years old.
This was an evening of musicianship. Legend鈥檚 intense, soulful vocals were clear and controlled, and the SLSO was the ideal accompaniment. Occasionally, they were overpowered by Legend鈥檚 band and the choir, but more often than not, the orchestra had a majestic effect that added a new dimension to Legend鈥檚 original songs and covers.
Legend鈥檚 stories covered his mother鈥檚 drug addiction and his years in college, with each anecdote being accompanied by a relevant tune. A black ribbon spun on the video backdrop as Legend performed Stevie Wonder鈥檚 鈥淩ibbon in the Sky,鈥 which Wonder unexpectedly performed at Legend鈥檚 wedding to Chrissy Teigen in 2013.
The audience shouted in excitement when Legend played the first few chords of the Lauryn Hill song 鈥淓verything Is Everything,鈥 and he revealed he was the pianist on the 1998 record, credited under his real name, John R. Stephens. He closed out the first half of the show with 鈥淪tay with Me.鈥
In true Muny fashion, there was a 25-minute intermission. Legend returned to the stage in an all-black yet-subtly-sparkly tuxedo to perform an a cappella version of 鈥淕od Only Knows鈥 and a cover of Bruce Springsteen鈥檚 鈥淒ancing in the Dark鈥 with the orchestra. His acoustic rendition was heartfelt and expressive, stripping the rock song down to its most intimate melodies as fireflies floated across a video backdrop and illuminated the night.
From there, Legend took concertgoers into the more familiar parts of his biography as he described his 鈥済raduation鈥 from being an unknown talent to a force in entertainment. He painted a melodic picture of meeting rapper Kanye West in 2001 by singing pieces of songs he and the Chicago rapper collaborated on like 鈥淛esus Walks,鈥 鈥淣ever Let Me Down鈥 and 鈥淎merican Boy,鈥 with singer Estelle. Legend also reminded the audience of other popular songs featuring his background vocals, including Jay-Z鈥檚 鈥淓ncore鈥 and Alicia Keys鈥 鈥淵ou Don鈥檛 Know My Name.鈥
Legend then performed 鈥淯sed to Love U,鈥 after explaining how he acquired his stage name from other musicians calling him 鈥渁 legend鈥 around the recording studio. He asked the audience to sing along as he performed his 2004 hit 鈥淥rdinary People鈥 with the orchestra. For this and 鈥淎ll of Me,鈥 the houselights came up to cue the audience to sing during the refrains, and Legend praised everyone鈥檚 singing voices.
After singing 鈥淲onder Woman,鈥 Legend used some of the concert鈥檚 final moments to share his political stances. He performed last month at the Democratic National Convention, and he leans left politically. He also performed a solo piano version of Bob Marley鈥檚 鈥淩edemption Song鈥 and 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Going On鈥 by Marvin Gaye before singing 鈥淕lory,鈥 which he says was in part inspired by the Black Lives Matter protest that took place in Ferguson.
Before concluding the night, Legend talked about his wife and performed the hit song he wrote for her, 鈥淎ll of Me.鈥 Fireworks exploded above the stage after Legend performed 鈥淪o High鈥 as the finale. He asked the audience, 鈥淒on鈥檛 you want to go?鈥 as he exited the stage.
The experience was intimate and organic with Legend remaining engaged with the audience from beginning to end. Legend鈥檚 performance sets a high bar for future concerts at the Muny 鈥 one that, hopefully, the Muny will rise to meet again and again in the coming years.