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With the success of American Idol on a downswing, the average concert goer must be forgiven if they don't expect a lot from a live show from one of the show's recent winners. However, Phillip Phillips stands tall above other winners of the last three seasons. His coronation song "Home" has sold more than five million copies making it the most successful coronation song in American Idol history. HIs follow up single "Gone, Gone, Gone" sold two million and he has released two top 10 charting albums.

With this wind at his back, Phillip Phillips took the stage at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee in support of the Behind the Light album November 22, 2014. 

The first surprising element of Phillip Phillips in concert is that his show is clearly designed to showcase his band instead of focusing on him as the sole star of the concert. In addition to guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, he brought along two uniquely talented musicians to add brass and cello to the instrumentation. Joel Behrman, playing trumpet and trombone, is an accomplished jazz musician leading his own Joel Behrman Sextet and has played with a wide range of R&B legends from Gladys Knight to the Four Tops and Temptations. Perhaps most notable was cello player Dave Eggar. He is one of the most in demand studio players in pop and rock. It is Dave Eggar's cello which kicks off Coldplay's #1 hit single "Viva La Vida."

Every song performed gave the band plenty of space to demonstrate their musical chops. At times it seemed almost as if Phillip Phillips couldn't wait to get his singing out of the way to enjoy the playing of his band.

The high quality of musicianship led to unexpected stylistic diversity. Early in the show the scratchy, funky guitar could have come out of mid-70s soul classics. Later in the evening keyboardist Bobby Sparks got to stretch out with organ sound that brought back the spirit of late 60s R&B and rock. The quality of the live band expands upon the more sterile recordings from Phillip Phillips two albums to deliver a sound that is much richer and more immediate.

Phillip Phillips roused the audience with hits like "Gone, Gone, Gone" and the recent "Raging Fire," but it was moments like his segue into a brief portion of the Red Hot Chili Peppers's classic "Give It Away" that brought unexpected moments of musical connection. Those who attended the concert expecting simply a blend of a little Dave Matthews homage and Mumford and Sons style nu-folk that both come through strongly on record, left the show having seen a much deeper exploration of American pop, rock, and soul.

Phillip Phillips saves the best for his encore guaranteed to send the most skeptical of concert audiences home happy. Steeped in Southern blues style, brief segments of the lullaby "Hush Little Baby" and Rick James' "Super Freak" lead into an effortlessly sexy version of Marvin Gaye's classic "Let's Get It On." Although his voice and musical style were well suited to the last, he appeared slightly uncomfortable in such erotic territory and quickly launched into a rousing sendoff of his big hit "Home."

Outside of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, American Idol has not produced other enduring stars in its 13 seasons. However, Phillip Phillips has shown significant signs of breaking that pattern. His live show, filled with crack musicianship gives ample indication why.