LaBelle, Levert Give R&B; a Shot of Maturity

“It’s a LaBelle moment,” declared Patti LaBelle after struggling with an errant bra wire and chatting about menopause from the Universal Amphitheatre stage. “I’m letting you know all about me!”

Friday’s performance actually was all about “l’amour,” as the 54-year-old soul diva and opening act Gerald Levert each offered dynamic views on love’s many splendors and sorrows. With her powerhouse contralto showing no sign of wear, LaBelle upbraided unfaithful lovers and celebrated true devotion in a loose 90-minute set drawn from her 37-year career.

At 32, Gerald Levert is already a veteran himself, with a strong appreciation of R&B; history that informed and enriched his hour-plus set. Charismatic and casual, the singer-songwriter-producer communicated subtle emotions and fired up the crowd with dramatic moves that recalled legendary soul men Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. Aided by brother Sean Levert and father Eddie Levert, he also highlighted his own past recordings with his dad, a founding member of veteran vocal group the O’Jays, and with the groups Levert and LSG.

Yet the songs from his third solo album, “Love & Consequences,” proved most emotionally satisfying. As the title suggests, they largely dealt with romance, but Levert’s take on such mature themes as divorce and infidelity was deeper than much of modern R&B;’s superficial begging. And when he performed the socially conscious “No Man’s Land,” the urgency of his words was both moving and convincing.