I couldn't help but make a few comparisons between Kirk Franklin and Cece Winans concerts as I attended the Stomp Live Concert. Let me first say that both were amazing. That the two gospel singers have talent is no question. And yes, Kirk can sing regardless of what my fellow workmate thinks. He just prefers to compose the songs and work up the audiences.

When I heard Isaac Rucci say in an interview on radio that Kirk is a burst of energy, I did not put much thought into it, until I saw the artiste perform at Victoria Hall in Serena. The man was a small tornado! Mostly though, I felt that Kirk is personable. That's the difference I found between him and Cece.

There is no doubt about it. Cece sung and we were wowed. Her talent is amazing. Her backup singers were something else. When they sang Colourful World, it sounded just like it is on the album Purified, I was doubly impressed.

Cece is, if I could put it this way, a polished Black American, one of those you could say who had a good upbringing from a fairly well to do family. It showed in the way she spoke, fluent English, in the way she carried herself, and in the way she performed on stage - at least at Serena Hotel.

She kind of sneaked on the stage, sung her heart out for more than an hour and got the audience worshipping away. But she at the end, like Moses Serugo pointed out, did not introduce her talented backups and band.

And she pretty much just walked away like the star she is I suppose. No goodbyes, no thank yous. After the last song, she was out of there faster than you could shout "Encore!" And we did not get one even though we asked. Kirk on the other hand was different.

That he grew up in hard times and lived on the streets showed in the way he spoke; "Don't be cussing your parents children", "Don't let nobody tell you you are nothing". You could see it in the way he conversed with us and in the way he performed.

The difference between him and Cece was that you felt the latter was a star up there on stage, almost untouchable.

Kirk did not sing for us. He sung with us. He talked with us the whole time, walked into the crowds half the time, danced with three different ladies in different places in the crowd, called the children to come to the front and made them dance and talked to them too, hugged waiters who were serving, asked us for any special songs we wanted, introduced his band and backup singers by name and made them sing and play for us, said goodbye, waved at us, blew us kisses and left and when he was asked for an encore, came back and sung a few more and then waved goodbye again.

That's what I liked about him. He was not up there a star wowing us. He was one of us, singing with us. And he is such a performer!I was disappointed though that he performed for less than an hour and did not sing some songs we were almost completely sure he would.

At the end of it all, I concluded that though both shows were totally different, they were wonderful and we all had a good time, judging from the way we danced, sung and shouted ourselves hoarse. I can't wait for the next gospel artiste to come. Mary Mary anyone?