Saturday, September 19th was a night steeped in music history at the First Horizon Coliseum—formerly the Greensboro Coliseum—as the second leg of the 4 Queens, 1 Stage tour kicked off before 15,000 fans. Starring four legendary voices in R&B—Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills, Patti LaBelle, and Chaka Khan—the three-hour concert promised a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
For me, it was more than a show. I attended with my dear friend Jeremy Miller, and as a lifelong fan of these women, seeing them all on one stage felt like a tremendous gift. I’d dreamed of catching each artist live, but witnessing them together was a rare, special gift.
Despite serious sound mix issues—the loudest concert I’ve ever attended—the evening was worth every cent of the $113 ticket price. Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan each delivered full, hour-long sets, while Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills opened the night with tight, 30-minute performances.
At 81, Gladys Knight showed why she remains the Empress of Soul. Without banter or filler, she launched straight into a medley of classics: “Taste of Bitter Love,” “Love Overboard,” “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination,” “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me,” “If I Were Your Woman,” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” My favorite moment was “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye),” sung with minimal backing vocals, allowing her voice to shine. The crowd jumped to their feet, bringing Knight to tears.
She closed with “That’s What Friends Are For,” and, of course, “Midnight Train to Georgia.” One of her backup singers also offered a stirring rendition of Donnie McClurkin’s gospel hymn “Stand.” Knight’s commanding voice soared above the overpowering band, delivering a master class in soul performance.
Stephanie Mills, the youngest of the four at 68, brought funky, infectious energy. She opened with “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’” before moving into “You’re Puttin’ a Rush on Me,” “Something in the Way You Make Me Feel,” and “I’ve Learned to Respect the Power of Love.” Her son, Jason, led the background singers in a falsetto run that added a personal, emotional touch.
Mills saved her biggest hits for last, thrilling the crowd with “Never Knew Love Like This Before” and her signature number from The Wiz, “Home.” Her voice was strong and clear, closing out the first half of the show on a joyful note. When Patti LaBelle took the stage, the audience roared. At 81, she remains a force of nature. Her hour-long set mixed powerhouse vocals, heartfelt tributes, and moments of pure showmanship. She opened with my favorite, “Love, Need, and Want You,” followed by “If Only You Knew” and her iconic duet with Michael McDonald, “On My Own,” performed beautifully alongside her backup singer. From there, she dove into “The Right Kinda Lover” and “My Love, Sweet Love” from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack—a performance that brought me to tears, thinking of my wife, Emily, and wishing she were there beside me.
Other highlights included “Somebody Loves You Baby” and a stirring gospel medley led by her backup singers: “Something About the Name Jesus,” “Lead Me Lord,” and her own “You Are My Friend.” During this segment, a video tribute honored LaBelle’s late friends Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, and Natalie Cole.
Midway through, LaBelle surprised the audience with a costume change, swapping her glittering gold gown for a black pantsuit with an oversized collar. At one point, the diabetic singer was handed orange juice on stage, briefly alarming the crowd as she caught her breath and appeared winded. For one number, she left the stage while her dynamic horn section stole the spotlight with a fiery, choreographed instrumental of “Can We Talk For A Minute?” LaBelle returned to deliver a rousing “Lady Marmalade,” bringing the audience to its feet and closing her set with electricity.
When Chaka Khan emerged, anticipation was sky-high. Unfortunately, the sound mix hit its worst point during her opening songs, “This Is My Night” and “Do You Love What You Feel.” The volume was so extreme that it shook the floor and sent many fans covering their ears or leaving their seats. Thankfully, the levels were later adjusted, improving the experience for songs like “What Cha Gonna Do for Me.” Khan, 72, included deep cuts like “Stay” and “Everlasting Love” and even stepped behind the drums for “I’m a Woman, I’m a Backbone,” showcasing her versatility. However, parts of her set faltered. “Sweet Thing” was disappointing, with Khan splitting vocals between the audience and a backup singer. “Through the Fire” fared slightly better, but her rendition of “My Funny Valentine” was so loud that her trademark wail—once likened by Miles Davis to a trumpet—came across as painful rather than powerful.
As the set dragged, many fans began leaving. Khan herself acknowledged the problems, candidly telling the crowd, “We could have done better. We know that.”
Then came redemption. Closing with “I Feel for You” and “I’m Every Woman,” she reignited the audience. Just as I thought I’d be cheated out of my favorite Chaka Khan number, for the encore, she launched into “Ain’t Nobody,” bringing the remaining crowd to its feet in a joyous frenzy. It was a thrilling finale that ensured the night ended on a high note.
Despite uneven moments and sound issues, seeing four queens of R&B share one stage was unforgettable. It wasn’t just a concert but a celebration of soul music and living history. I felt deeply grateful. For $113, I hadn’t just bought a ticket to a show—I’d purchased a memory that will never be repeated, a once-in-a-lifetime evening of legends united in song.
