Thursday night, the 30th Annual Twilight Concerts at Santa Monica Pier closed out their season. It was a strong run with an eclectic selection of artists spanning from Cults to La Santa Cecilia. Last night’s roundup included King James & The Special Men, in addition to Charles Bradley.

A modest crowd forms as the sun goes down and King James and co – a whopping seven bodies in total – take the stage. They bring a lively taste of classic New Orleans style R&B to the best coast. Jimmy (aka “King James”) has a shockingly unexpected appearance. He dons a tomato red Dickies jump suit, a hot pink trucker cap and sunglasses like a raver plumber. Though he sticks out from the rest of the group like a sore thumb as they go for a more obvious approach in all black, the group’s talent transcends their physical representation. King James’s music provides a jazzy upbeat martini lounge vibe with a heavy blues influence that is ideal for a summer concert at the beach. It’s something that anyone can dance to. Jimmy blatantly expresses his eagerness when picks up a guitar and starts strumming along like there is no tomorrow. Knee knocking and head shaking aside, the man can play. He notes between songs how he is the best tambourine player in his neighborhood “which is about four to five blocks.” Silly references like this collectively convey Jimmy’s lighthearted approach which brings frequent comedic satisfaction to the performance. The swingy tunes are tasty enough without the added seasoning, but they sure do have more pep with the colorful commentary.

Next up, Charles Bradley’s accompanying band enters a long warmup intro before Bradley takes the stage. He looks super fresh in a metallic indigo suit, and he knows just how to work the crowd. Bradley is a rapturous vintage blend. Having been a former James Brown impersonator, his concert repertoire precedes him. It is more than blatant that he sings with every fiber of his being. His raspy voice carries so much soul that it can be heard across the beach. Bradley has more stage presence and energy than most performers half his age. His hip thrusts and kicks give all the pep anyone could ask for in a show. Between songs, he engages the audience asking multiple times, “Do you feel like going to church? I’ll take you there.” Later, he sweetly mentions how grateful he is that the people picked him up off the streets and brought him here. He exclaims that no matter how big or small your dreams are, never give up on them.

Certainly, after a long hard journey to the stage life, Bradley has built enough wisdom to be a truly soulful artist. His music is so powerful it makes an entire pier shake. Aside from the showy wardrobe changes and large accompanying group of musicians, Bradley just embodies everything that funky soul music exhibits. He sings of love loss, love growth, life struggles and even his personal journey. With his eyes closed tight most of the evening, he really sings what he feels. He cannot say enough how much he loves everyone. At the breakdown of “Let Love Stand a Chance,” the charismatic frontman jumps into the crowd and literally gives fans the love. The band quickly exits for a short break. Meanwhile, actor Craig Robinson comes on stage and revs the crowd to yell, “We love you Charles! We need you Charles! We want you Charles!” One last quick wardrobe change, and Bradley is ready to close with his heartfelt “Why Is It So Hard.”

Setlist

Instrumental intro
Heartaches and Pain
Love Bug Blues
The World (Is Going Up In Flames)
How Long
You Put the Flame on It
Instrumental break
Ain’t It a Sin
Lovin’ You, Baby
Strictly Reserved for You
Confusion
Let Love Stand a Chance

Encore

I’ll Slip Away
Why Is It So Hard
Outro