Kirk also danced, giving David a run for his money during several parts of the show and appearing at times as a sanctified Michael Jackson. etc) and he made time for favorites from his current, Grammy winning album Losing My Religion including вЂњWanna Be HappyвЂќ, вЂњPray For MeвЂќ, вЂњMiraclesвЂќ, вЂњMy World Needs YouвЂќ, and вЂњWhen.вЂќ FranklinвЂ™s deft mix of medleys allowed him to highlight much of his back catalog (вЂњI SmileвЂќ, вЂњStompвЂќ, вЂњNow Behold The LambвЂќ, вЂњMelodies From HeavenвЂќ. You were probably thinking вЂWhatвЂ™s Kirk going to do? Talk to me for two hours?вЂ™ He even joked about that onstage at one point: вЂњYвЂ™all took a chance on me, and IвЂ™m grateful for that. I STILL play his debut album - a new era masterpiece that features the timeless вЂњWhy We SingвЂќ and вЂњSilver & GoldвЂќ along with 90s era choir scorchers like вЂњHe Can Handle ItвЂќ and вЂњHeвЂ™s Able.вЂќ But IвЂ™d never seen the artist live, and wasnвЂ™t exactly sure what to expect from a live Franklin show, as heвЂ™s as much preacher as singer. IвЂ™ve been a fan of FranklinвЂ™s since the beginning of that career. Then, Franklin told us he had to вЂњmess it up and dance.вЂќ After that, Franklin launched a gloriously long, raucous ride through the first two decades of his groundbreaking career. FranklinвЂ™s Saturday night performance may well have been the best concert - of ANY genre - IвЂ™ve ever seen.ДЄfter an engaging albeit brief opening set by the Bay AreaвЂ™s Lawrence Matthews, the lights dimmed and we were treated to a timeline of the best of gospel music, with snippets of classics by legends like Edwin Hawkins and Andrae Crouch. IвЂ™ve been blessed to see many of the great live performers of my lifetime. Well, now that I think about it, I may have never seen anything like FranklinвЂ™s show. Franklin closed his 20 Years In One Night Tour in the Bay Area, and the 3,000+ who packed OaklandвЂ™s Paramount Theatre were treated to a show the likes of which I havenвЂ™t seen sinceвЂ¦

Gospel superstar Kirk Franklin has done the latter, and I got to do the former in Oakland, California last Saturday night.

ItвЂ™s even more rare when an artist peaks more than 20 years into a career. ItвЂ™s rare that you get to see an performer at their artistic peak.

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