Robin Thicke, SWV, attract the largest crowds ever to the annual event
by Shawn Nowlin
While inclusive of everyone, the Henry Street Heritage Festival is an annual celebration of African American culture. Known for attracting some of the best talents in the world of R&B.
Every year attendees also get a chance to explore a variety of vendors, participate in educational forums, experience ethnic delicacies, and much, much more.
Breathtaking…that’s the word Jayla Walker used to describe this year’s festival, explaining, “Everything was beautiful beyond words. The smiles were bright, the vendors were creative, the activities were enjoyable and all the acts were delivered. On top of that, conditions couldn’t have been more perfect weather-wise.”Now in its 32nd year, the festival returned to Elmwood Park in full force on Sept. 17 after two years of COVID constraints.
The festival opened with a line-up of musical groups who performed on a stage set up on a blocked-off section of Franklin Road just outside the park. Roscoe McFadden, Ascension Project, Macklyn Mosley, ToNY CaMM & The Funk Allstars, and Harvest Blaque provided four hours of free entertainment as folks danced in the streets.
Although there were only two big-name acts headlining this year’s big show on the main stage, SWV (Sisters With Voices) and Robin Thicke literally worked their magic on the excited crowd that packed the park to capacity. Collectively, the two national acts have released 13 albums and sold close to 30 million records worldwide en route to earning numerous awards and accolades. All of the SWV fan favorites: “I’m So Into You,” “Magic,” “Human Nature” and “Weak” were performed to perfection as hits that have fueled their 30-year R&B legacy.
This year’s event was a collaboration between Berglund Center and the Harrison Museum of African American Culture along with major support from a host of corporate sponsors. The festival is considered to be the biggest yearly fundraiser for the museum. Reportedly more than 2,000 tickets were pre-sold this year, setting a festival record.
Getting a chance to see SWV perform live is something one very enthused fan, Kimberly Eliacin, 46, never thought she would experience.
Since they burst on the music scene in the early 1990s, Eliacin has supported every project the timeless R&B supergroup has ever been a part of. “I often talk music with my teenage daughter and tell her how SWV influenced many of today’s female singers,” she said. “When we were driving home after the show, she finally said, ‘I guess you have a point, mom.’”
Song after song, Thicke, a true showman, proved his ability to control a crowd. He performed many of his chart-busting hits like Blurred Lines, Sex Therapy, and Lost Without You, a song seemingly dedicated to ex-wife Paula Patton and one of several songs the crowd joined him in singing. Thicke has been through a lot of changes throughout his career and had no problem mentioning it onstage that night. Yet he moved with the finesse of a seasoned pro throughout his energized performance – gyrating all over the stage and at one point he descended into the audience to the delight of a swarm of swooning ladies.
Speaking to the crowd halfway through his set, Thicke said, “I’ve been through a lot the last few years. I went through a divorce, was involved in a nasty music lawsuit, and lost my dad who was my best friend.”
He continued, “My mom is here today so y’all please give her a warm Roanoke welcome. I felt like giving up at times, but it was the support of my fans that pushed me through. Today, I have three beautiful children and a new house currently being built. Take it from me, just because things may appear dark in your life right now, if you keep God first and surround yourself with positive people, you can overcome anything.”
All things considered, Thicke’s finale created an extraordinary close to what organizers call the biggest Henry Street Festival yet.
