by Perri Moran

On Friday, October 15th, the Grammy-nominated soul/R&B group Black Pumas returned to Madison for a sold-out show at The Sylvee.

The Black Pumas were last in Madison in January 2020 for an energetic, sold out show at Majestic Theatre, and this time around they brought the same energy to a much larger space.

At one point, Burton jumped off of the stage and hung over the barricade, shaking hands and singing face to face with the masked audience.

The Black Pumas, Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada, and their band entered in darkness as applause grew in the room. The lights flashed onto singer Burton and the band erupted into song. Know You Better, from their debut self-titled album Black Pumas, blared through the speakers as Burton stood tall, as close as possible to the edge of the stage. With his microphone in hand, he looked over the 2500 person crowd. His stance and expression radiated confidence.

Within a few moments, the stage became very dynamic. The colored spotlights changed hues and danced in sync with the music. The band's supporting singers, Lauren Cervantes and Angela Miller, moved in sync and sang soul harmonies that you'd expect with this genre of music.

Burton gave a very compelling performance. His natural charisma and constant movement from one side of the stage to the other made it a challenge for the photographers in the pit not to trip over each other, but kept the audience engaged and excited.

Black Pumas co-founder and lead singer Eric Burton

Quesada, the other half of the founding duo, stood to stage right, still and looking focused. His sunglasses remained on for the duration of the performance, consistent with his usual stage appearance.

Black Pumas co-founder and lead guitarist Adrian Quesada

This show at The Sylvee stood out, as expected with this band. Since I first saw them perform at The Backroom at Colectivo in 2018, the Pumas have brought an unmatched energy and intimacy into venues, regardless of their size.

Burton's narrative, band introductions, unpredictable movement and ventures off the stage (this show provided The Sylvee's first balcony performance with Burton's cover of Tracy Chapman's Fast Car), made it effortless to stay present with the performance.

Even with Burton's captivating act, the talent of the touring band is what made the show what it was. With the kind of success the Black Pumas have had over the past three years, it's no surprise that they've hired such technically skilled musicians to play with onstage.

The coalescence of JaRon Marshall's keyboards, Brendan Bond's bass, and Stephen Bidwell's drumming created a groove that could be felt, literally. This atmosphere provided the foundation that Burton needed to really put on a show.

The show closed with a cover of The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby, which is a bold move, but the Pumas managed to pull it off. Burton was first to exit the stage as the band went into a minutes-long jam, Quesada and Bond turning toward each other and head-banging as they gave their instrumental closing remarks. Then, they muted their instruments, set them down, and walked offstage nonchalantly as the crowd screamed.

Overall, the concert lived up to my expectations, having seen the Pumas three or four times before. They maintained their intimate and fiery energy even in a bigger room and maintained their humble yet performative demeanor in the wake of Grammy nominations and inaugural performances.

LIVE REVIEW: Black Pumas at the Sylvee

At one point, Burton jumped off of the stage and hung over the barricade, shaking hands and singing face to face with the masked audience.