John Legend singing soul at The Pearl

Last time he was in town, John Legend was warming the stage for Sade like a Bunsen burner boiling a vat of adrenaline.

Legend's nouveau soul is plenty smooth and supple, a kiss, a caress, when it needs to be.

But the man is also capable of some serious funk fireworks, pounding his piano to kindling as he testifies like a preacher on judgment day.

As such, he's a consistently compelling live presence, by turns understated and overblown, as full of kinetic energy as a boulder rolling down a cliff.

Get down or get out of the way.

Contact reporter Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476.