Alicia Keys’ performance was good, while it lasted.
The 20-year-old R&B phenom, who sang Thursday night to a crowd of 700 packed into the E2 nightclub on South Michigan Avenue, played songs from her top-selling debut album, “Songs in A Minor.” But with a set lasting only 20 minutes, she left some fans disappointed.
With a smile, the newcomer greeted the crowd, some of whom sported Keys-inspired zig-zagged cornrows with beads dangling at the ends.
“You know what I got for Chicago?” Keys shouted from a stool behind a keyboard. She answered her own question, pounding out the familiar melody of “Real Love” by another New Yorker, Mary J. Blige.
The keyboard was Keys’ only accompaniment during most of the “Afterwork Set,” sponsored by WGCI (107.5 FM). But Keys, who majored in choir in the Professional Performance Arts School in Manhattan, made up for the lack of instruments with her powerful voice.
After warming up with Beethoven’s “Fur Elise,” Keys sang her rendition of Prince’s “How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” complete with spine-tingling moans and her best effort at the screaming/singing the Purple One is known for. Without trying to seem too disappointed, Keys told the audience that to be in Chicago, she had to pass up an opportunity to perform with Prince in his hometown, Minneapolis.
Keys looked comfortable with the mass of mostly female crowd , standing up and pacing the stage in tight-fitting black pants, a black lace one-sleeved topand a gold scarf covering her braids and gold hoop earrings. She shared a story about a no-good boyfriend who gets 2 a.m. phone calls from women. “I think I’m jealous of your girlfriend,” she mused.
“Girlfriend” is the second single from Keys’ album, which has topped sales charts since it was released June 26 and is currently No. 3.
Her current No. 1 single, “Fallin’,” was the only song Keys performed with recorded music. As her fingers pounced up and down on the keys, an instrumental version of the song blasted from the speakers and some sing-a-long members of the audience belted out the chorus so loud, Keys had no need for backup singers.
Then at 9:05 p.m., 20 minutes after her big entrance, she was gone. At least one person who paid $25 to see the show, which also featured J Records labelmate, Jimmy Cozier and lasted 50 minutes, asked for her money back. The audience had trouble seeing Cozier because the spotlight didn’t come on until his final song.
On Friday, Keys and Cozier performed for free in front of the NBC Tower, as fans in the plaza clamored for pictures and autographs from the stars.