Jennifer Hudson's Friday night performance at the Tower Theater began the way it ended - with the audience on its feet. As she belted out the first notes of "One Night Only" from off-stage, with house lights swirling, the crowd rose, wondering where the self-proclaimed diva would make her entrance.

Once the curtains parted, Hudson, 27, the American Idol runner-up with the golden voice that has taken her from reality-show contestant to Oscar- and Grammy-winning star, sang her way down a short staircase, using her booming vibrato to work the crowd into a frenzy.

Dazzling in a black sequined top and glossy leggings, Hudson treated the audience like family she hadn't seen in a while. Her roaring performance of "You Pulled Me Through," from her 2008 self-titled debut, seemed to thank the assembled fans for their love and support without making reference to the murder of her mother, brother, and nephew in October, and brought tears to the eyes of some in the audience.

With two backup singers, Hudson paid homage to R&B legends such as Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, and Whitney Houston with a medley of their hits. The backup singers were no match for Hudson, though, as they joined her on "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," "Sweet Thing," and "You Give Good Love."

Hudson brought on a contest winner for a vocal sparring match on "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," exciting the crowd. Hudson generously left the stage to the other singer before returning to knock fans out with an ending that would have done Jennifer Holiday proud.

Her call-and-response version of Mac Davis' "I Believe in Music" felt bland and forced compared with her mellow, heartfelt version of "If This Isn't Love." Ending with a sassy version of "Spotlight," Hudson departed somewhat abruptly. But no matter - the audience was already on its feet.

Hudson's tour mate and opener, Robin Thicke, started with the infectiously horn-laden "Magic" from his recent disc Something Else. Moving between piano and microphone, Thicke's version of blue-eyed soul came alive on the syrupy "Sweetest Love" and the emotional "Dream World."

Though Thicke spent time working his creamy falsetto to excite the crowd, it was when he sat behind the piano for his final song, "Lost Without U" that he got the chance to demonstrate the musical and vocal talents that have captivated fans.