Stevie B Prospers In a Woman’s World

Dance music is a genre that is mostly saturated by flowery, baby-voiced female artists such as Paula Abdul, Sweet Sensation and the Cover Girls, but Stevie B (nee Stevie B. Hill) lends a decidedly macho perspective. Supported by three muscular, pin-up perfect dancer/back-up singers, Stevie B wasn’t a model of flowery charm--or creative substance--at the Palace on Friday night.

This Florida-based performer wasn’t above throwing out some brusque, four-lettered admonitions to his followers when their response to the cuddly warmth of “Spring Love” and “In My Eyes” didn’t reach a fevered pitch quickly enough to suit him. Stevie B’s lyrics are as innocent- sounding as those of The Cover Girls, but he punctuated them with an overt sexuality. Crass, yes, but effective. He eventually got fans on their feet and dancing. Still, his success seems largely due to the fact that he is one of the few men in a woman’s musical world.