James bounced on stage and joined her five-piece band for a rocked-out version of "Long Time Coming" from her 2005 debut A Change Is Gonna Come. Her segue into "Good Time" confirmed that a celebration of soul was about to kick into high gear. James put seat-dwellers on notice, declaring, "If you didn't come to party, you might as well just go."

Sporting a black-and-white glove in homage to Michael Jackson, James and her background singer shimmied, rocked, and two-stepped their way through Rick James' "Give It to Me Baby" before acknowledging James Brown with soulful renderings of "Funky Good Time" and "It's a Man's Man's Man's World."

Filling her set with audience favorites such as "Soul Food" and "My Joy," James packed the evening with tributes to soul dignitaries - her latest release, Let's Do It Again, is full of definitive rhythm and blues remakes. "I'd Rather Sing the Blues," her twist on Bootsy Collins' "I'd Rather Be With You," was delivered with all the passionate coos and buttery growls that the classic warranted.

Audience participation went full throttle when James invited fans on stage for a dance party while belting electrifying renditions of "Joy and Pain" and "I'll Take You There." Ending her ode to the past with a funky up-tempo version of Phyllis Hyman's "You Know How to Love Me" cemented the diminutive singer's position as a keeper of the soul.

Neo-soul veteran Dwele found his flow three songs into his set, after a much-needed sound adjustment. Enthusiastic female fans stood and swayed as he moved through "Body Rock" and "Cheatin'" from his latest album, Sketches Of A Man. His closer, melding "Find A Way" with Michael Jackson's "Heartbreak Hotel," proved to be the highlight of a set that never fully ignited.