Joe: Tiny Desk Concert

R&B veteran Joe Thomas earned every chain and stripe on his body as he stepped behind the Tiny Desk. For every Usher, Ne-Yo, and Leon Thomas who has played in our office, fans of one of their archetypes wondered when he would get his shot. We saw the petitions and social media posts, but trust: We chased for years. Before the music started, the singer-songwriter and producer explained: “Where have I been for the past few years? Well, I’ve been on the road touring. I’m here with you all today, and I wanna do a few songs throughout the catalog.”

Each of the “few songs” Joe refers to is a chart-topping, gold and platinum-selling smash from the ‘90s and early 2000s. At the Desk, Thomas proves the time away hasn’t diminished anything. He quickly gathers the entire audience in one hand, blazing through songs like “Good Girls,” “The Love Scene” and the dirty macking anthem, “All the Things (Your Man Won’t Do).” Joe closes the set with a tender moment, inviting his daughter, Kayla, to sing background on his biggest hit, “I Wanna Know.”