![\"Ari](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/PIC_4670-copy-527x276.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t OAKLAND \u2014 Neo-soul artist Ari Lennox opened her two-night Bay Area run with an expressive performance at Paramount Theatre on Wednesday, delivering a set rooted in candor and connection with her audience.<\/p>\n Ari Lennox The Oakland show set an intimate tone early, favoring live instrumentation and audience interaction over heavy production. Backed by a tight, responsive band, Lennox moved fluidly through her songbook, allowing songs to stretch and settle in ways that felt organic.<\/p>\n The stage production introduced a cohesive concept. Styled to resemble a hotel lobby, the set aligned with the themes of her latest album, January\u2019s Vacancy. Two supporting vocalists, dressed as bellhops, added layered harmonies while reinforcing the visual identity of the performance.<\/p>\n An interplay between levity and sincerity carried into more introspective songs like \u201cShea Butter Baby,\u201d where her delivery felt especially resonant.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for coming, because my motel was about to go out of business,\u201d she said at one point.<\/p>\n The band played a critical role in shaping the experience. Its arrangements allowed for flexibility, giving Lennox space to interact with the crowd while sustaining the momentum. Rich and controlled, her tone translated seamlessly, particularly on slower, emotionally grounded tracks like \u201cWhipped Cream,\u201d where the stripped-back arrangement highlighted her range and phrasing.<\/p>\n Midway through the set, the energy shifted as the band transitioned into a groove inspired by Black Baptist church rhythms, complete with swelling organ tones. The moment briefly turned the theater into a Sunday service. Lennox paused, leaning into the atmosphere.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m still catching the Holy Ghost \u2014 oh shit, I mean shoot,\u201d she said, laughing, before embracing the communal energy.<\/p>\n San Diego crooner Phabo opened his opening set by pulling from his newly released EP, 4 Play II. His recurring call \u2014 \u201cRepeat after me, do not go through that phone\u201d \u2014 prompted a playful, unified response from the crowd, especially from those who admitted they had snooped through their partners\u2019 devices.<\/p>\n Soul artist\u00a0Lekan, an Ohio-raised first-generation Nigerian American, made his Bay Area debut with a more measured, melodic approach. Drawing from For All the Right Reasons, Vol. 1, released earlier this month, he got the crowd\u2019s attention with a smooth delivery and steady pacing on songs like \u201cMake It Right\u201d and \u201cWildfire.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tPhabo performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tPhabo performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tLekan performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tLekan performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\tLekan performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n About The Author<\/p>\n ![\"Ari](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DSC_0942.jpg\")
<\/a>Ari Lennox performs at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026. Starr Lee\/ STAFF.<\/p>\n
Lekan, Phabo
8 p.m., Thursday, April 16
The Fillmore, San Francisco
Tickets: $64 and up.<\/a><\/p>\nAri Lennox performs at Paramount Theatre in Oakland on April 15, 2026.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n