Aretha Franklin throws down at the Fox Theatre | Detroit Free Press on Astini News

Regaling a hometown audience with reliable class and charisma, Aretha Franklin hit the Fox Theatre Friday night for a colorful survey of her half-century musical catalog.&

& She started with samplings from across her repertoire -- kicking off with a jazzy, upbeat "Get it Right"; "going back to the beginning" with 1962's "Skylark"; serving up dollops of soul with "The House that Jack Built" and "Give Him Something He Can Feel."&

& Taking the stage in a warm orange evening dress, Franklin was backed by an impressive ensemble that included a 10-piece horn group, 12-piece string section, six-woman vocal backing and nine-piece band that included two drummers, a percussionist and her son Teddy Richards on guitar.&

& "We're gonna throw down here tonight," Franklin told the relatively small but spirited audience of about 3,000 inside the 5,000-capacity Fox, on a night that often came with a comfy, informal vibe.&

& She was clearly working into her stride a half-hour into the 105-minute set, lifting the crowd from its seats with a smoldering "I Never Loved a Man," before ducking off to the wings to make way for a quick interlude that included a breakdancer at center stage. She reemerged in a white, flowing gown, sequined and sleeved, for the remainder of the night.&

& The show never quite reached the heights achieved by some of her performances last year, including a DTE Energy Music Theatre in August that had fans dancing in the aisles: Franklin seemed content Frday to drive in a steady third gear when you know the top-end transmission is equipped with a few more.&

& The restraint occasionally served her well: Light flourishes of gospel organ backed her as she took to the piano for a tasteful cover of "I Will Always Love You," paying tribute to late family friend Whitney Houston -- "one of the finest singers to step to a microphone."&

& It was prelude to the night's top moments, as she remained at the piano for what's become a live staple: "Bridge Over Troubled Water" -- backed by a cozy slideshow of friends and family members -- morphed into a full-on, improvised stretch of gospel, as Franklin turned the Friday night Fox into lively Sunday church. &

& She paused at one point to allude to the still-unidentified medical issue she confronted in late 2010, recounting the tale of a stranger who had gestured to Franklin's midsection and said, "God is working on that." Patting her torso Friday night, Franklin said it turned out "there was something there -- and I'd had no idea anything was there."&

& She and her band, joined by Detroit's St. James Choir, finished the regular set with a lengthy, rousing rendition of Beverly Clark's gospel hit "It's About Time for a Miracle." Franklin sashayed off to the wings, reappearing moments later in her gown and a blue Detroit Tigers cap, closing out the evening with a potent, brassy encore performance of "Respect."