The seated crowd was in for a treat as Grammy-winning Macy Gray’s sweet, sultry, sexy, soulful vocals shone bright at The Pageant on this steamy July Friday night in St. Louis.
On tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of her On How Life Is album release, Gray’s 95-minute show began strong with the emotionally raw, spoken-word “The Way” and skyrocketed from there into “Sweet Baby” and the boppy “Relating to a Psychopath.” She packed in a couple of covers to everyone’s delight with the classic Bobby Hebb’s “Sunny” and a gorgeous rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep.”
The second half of her set included a costume change from an all-black feathered gown to a brighter bombshell of a flowing full-length, pink-hued gown trimmed in pink ostrich feathers with a black boa draped around her neck. This section of the night was devoted to On How Life Is featuring nearly the entire album. From the ’70s-inspired “Why Didn’t You Call Me,” to the funk-ladened “Do Something” to “I Can’t Wait to Meetchu” which Gray introduced her band and sweet-talked the audience with her soft, raspy voice into introducing themselves all at once.
While the evening was wonderful and Gray’s vocals filled the venue and she effortlessly included the crowd, it would have been exceptional to experience the night in a more intimate setting.
Opening for Gray was her protégée Terra Renae. Hailing from Louisville, Renae brought 30 minutes of contemporary pop to the stage accompanied by two dancers and a DJ/guitarist (who turned out to be her husband). Starting her musical career a bit later in life, Renae is more proof that it’s never too late to start down a new path. Her songs included “Over and Over Again,” the upbeat, soulful “Best Revenge,” and “Lights Down Low,” a tribute to her husband.
St. Louis’ jazz and soul band Playadors, headed by Dave Grelle, began the night with 30 minutes of their take on mostly covers that included Sly & The Family Stone’s “Thank You” and Allman Brothers Band’s “Midnight Rider.”
See all photos from the night here https://bit.ly/MacyGray25cz
Setlist https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/macy-gray/2025/the-pageant-st-louis-mo-3b59b810.html
