Gig Alert: Raphael Saadiq Tonight at House of Blues

By Darryl Smyers Tue., Nov. 24 2009 at 12:55 PM

Patrick Michels

Saadiq at ACL last month

Sure, it's the day before the day before Thanksgiving and most folks are either packing up for a trip or thawing out the big bird, but there are still some musical happenings worth looking out for.

Case in point is old school soul/R&B singer Raphael Saadiq who makes a stop at House of Blues tonight.

Folks may know Saadiq from his days in Tony! Toni! Toné!, but the guy's got a lot more going on than a popular past. In 2008, Saadiq released The Way I See It was another perfectly crafted tribute to the likes of Al Green and The Temptations. Saadiq's got the pipes and the passion to pull off old school soul without sounding like a retread. Songs like "Just One Kiss" (featuring Joss Stone) and "Never Give You Up" (featuring Stevie Wonder) show that Saadiq's quite comfortable living in two different eras.

Opening tonight is Anjulie, a Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter who's no slouch in the groove (or looks) department. Seeing that her parents emigrated from Guyana, it's not surprising that Anjulie incorporates some world beat influences into her soul-laced pop.

Together, Saadiq and Anjulie could provide the perfect send off to a family vacation or a nice appetizer for a gluttonous meal.