Yamin impresses in Machine Shop gig
By Doug Pullen | The Flint Journal
Elliott Yamin, the guy who finished one spot ahead of Daughtry on last year's show, came to the Shop on Saturday night, and while the turnout of about 250 could hardly be called a sellout, it was clear that the young white soul singer ...
http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/newsnow...achine_sho.htmlFLINT - The Machine Shop isn't exactly the first place you'd expect to see a performance by an "American Idol" whose last name isn't Daughtry.
Of course, the biker-themed metal club did host last year's fourth place finisher, Chris Daughtry, in a sold-out show in March. Elliott Yamin, the guy who finished one spot ahead of Daughtry on last year's show, came to the Shop on Saturday night, and while the turnout of about 250 could hardly be called a sellout, it was clear that the young white soul singer wasn't daunted by the unfamiliar surroundings.
The 27-year-old Yamin delivered an energetic hour-long set of funked up R&B and pop, much to the delight of the largely female audience, many of whom, I'd wager, had never set foot in Flint's most successful live music club. There were some nervous glances on their faces in the minutes leading up to opener Zen's half-hour acoustic set. But they were all smiles when the diminutive Yamin, a newsboy cap stretched over his famously curly locks, hit the stage.
Yamin's boyish charm didn't hurt his chances on TV's most popular show, but he backed it up with a strong, soulful voice. The massive exposure he got from the show helped set up his self-titled solo album, which has gone gold since its release in March, impressive considering he eschewed the backing and financial muscle of a major label to release it independently.
"Elliott Yamin" deftly displays his vocal versatility and showcases a great neo-soul singer in the making. On stage, Yamin and his six-piece band, which includes two keyboardists and a backup singer, more fully fleshes out his soul and funk inclinations, offering up a more muscular sound than the CD.
If he was daunted by the surroundings, it didn't show, opening with the appropriately upbeat "Alright," indulging his inner Stevie Wonder on the hopeful "Find a Way" (which he dedicated to the military), digging a little deeper on the soulful "Take My Breath Away," and showing off a more explosive side on the loose, groove-heavy "You Are the One," on which he and the band became more intensely animated.
Their set lost momentum in the second half as Yamin slowed things down on his poppy hit "Wait for You," the song that brought the diehards there in the first place, and forthcoming single, "One Word," capping off the 12-song set with stripped down cover of Donny Hathaway's "A Song for You," a crowd pleaser from his "Idol" days.
Yamin is very much a work-in-progress as a performing artist, blessed with an affecting, soul-dipped voice that seemed to waver a bit down the stretch. The band provided welcome muscle to the music, but some of its edge got lost in the slower second half.
Middle act The Last Goodnight proved a tough act to follow with its easy-on-the-ears dance pop, impressive chops (for a pop band) and smartly crafted songs. They're kind of like Maroon 5 with charm instead of pretense. Expect to hear more from these guys in the near future.
Flint heavy rockers Zen were a last-minute replacement for opener Josh Hoge, whose van broke down in Grand Rapids, prompting him to cancel at the last minute. The band, in a rare acoustic performance, did a yeoman's job. Their earnest performance and heartfelt songs, including the new "Whiskey River," gradually won over the uninitiated.
See complete review in Monday's Flint Journal