G. Love and Special Sauce make a welcome return home

The most personable G. Love and Special Sauce were home again, and it showed in spades during the first of two Beantown shows.

G. Love is really a Philadelphia native, but the blues/soul/hip hop/folk singer also lived here for few decades and the city where he first forged a musical presence on a bigger stage.

While he has certainly played bigger venues (the Orpheum), the few hundred or so were treated to a lengthy – two hours worth over the course of two sets – show showing the musical dexterity of G. Love.

Backed by a bassist and drummer, one could label G. Love a musical chameleon, but the fact was he was adept at whatever style he choose. He dug into hard blues with the opening "Sweet Sugar Mama" in what was to be a harder-edged part of the night. G. Love and Special Sauce generally stuck to that vibe throughout the set, delving into a bit of soulful and hip hop moments with a touch of jazz thrown in for good measure.

His longstanding rhythm section hit the right notes throughout the night with G. Love adding a bit of spikey guitar.

For something completely different, after a break, G. Love came out solo acoustic, saying he also dug folk music. In fact, he said all kinds of music, which was to be believed. Quite the contrast, G. Love more than showed his talents on the folk side of the musical spectrum as well with "Cape Cod Winter Blues" a particular highlight.

G. Love may have been serious about the music, but he also had a humorous side with his yarns about life in the Bay State. With an animated delivery, it was clear G. Love was grateful to have nights like this. He got personal at one point, greeting a few fans by name. It was that kind of ultra-intimate show.

G. Love changed gears yet again for the final stretch of the night, getting a bit funky and vibey with Jack Johnson's "Rodeo Clowns" (G. Love also had a good story about recording this song with Johnson as a duet because Johnson, who apparently was an unknown at the time did not want G. Love to record the song on his own).

He then covered Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," putting his own mark on the hit instead of merely being a copy cat. Seemingly as a bookend to the start of the night, G. Love and company ended with the thick as stew "Baby's Got Sauce" with his drawl of a vocal leading the way.

G. Love and Special Sauce were home, and this was a most welcome return.