R&B legend Etta James at Chastain Wednesday night.

An unexpected bond formed Wednesday night among the music fans lugging coolers and candelabras into Chastain Park Amphitheatre. A wave of doubt hung in the air, co-mingling with the humidity, as to whether R&B legend Etta James, on a double bill with fellow soul icon Al Green, would actually emerge on stage.

Like many of the other skeptical concert-goers, Buzz too owns a sock drawer full of tickets from the soul diva’s multiple cancelled Atlanta shows over the years.

James not only showed up (in blonde tresses, blue eyeshadow and a slather of bright red lipstick, mind you) but the 71-year-old brought her sexy growl of a voice and an attitude to match.

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As The Roots Band churned behind her, James opened her 45-minute set with the seductive “Come to Mama,” from her 1989 album, “Seven Year Itch.”

While the singer remained seated during her numbers, James swiveled in her seat and repeatedly scissored her legs throughout the show much like a ThighMaster spokeswoman.

The gyrations prompted even the most devout potato salad slurper to put down their forks and give James her props.

James paid tribute to her late pal Johnny “Guitar” Watson, singing his trademark “I Want to Ta-Ta You Baby,” a song that cannot be fully explained in a family newspaper.

The singer then reached way back in her catalog to treat the crowd to her 1967 Chess Records hit, “I’d Rather Go Blind, followed by an audience-enhanced sing along cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” and a rendition of Kiki Dee’s obscure (on this side of the Atlantic, at least) “Sugar on the Floor.”

But it was James’ delightfully deliberate deconstruction of the soul classic, “You Can Leave Your Hat On” that most mesmerized the audience.

“They don’t knoooooow what looooooove is,” James moaned, before screeching, “I know what it is!”

She gazed out with a smirk and said: “You have to be 71 to know. I made it!”

James ended the set with her biggest hit, “At Last.”

Thankfully, the spitfire singer couldn’t resist the temptation to offer yet another piece of commerntary about singer Beyonce, who portrayed her in 2008’s Chess Records bio pic, “Cadillac Records” and later serenaded the President Barack Obama and wife Michelle with James’ signature song at the inaugural ball in January.

“I’m gonna do a song you might know,” James told the audience. Mischieviously looking around the stage, James added: “Where’s what’s her name? Where’s Beyonce?”

James paused for effect and added: Well, I’m the real thing, baby! I don’t mean her no harm. I just wanna whoop her [posterior] a little!”

Looking at the band, James laughed and said: “I’m gonna hear it from them later!”

The song generated a standing ovation and James returned in a cherry red Rascal scooter for a final victory lap and a last wave to the crowd.

Soul singer and preacher Rev. Al Green at Chastain.

And then it was Rev. Al Green’s turn to treat the treetops to his trademark falsetto. Dressed in a black suit, a red tie and matching vest and armed with roses for the ladies, the singer opened with “L-O-V-E,” the lead-off track from his 1975 Hi Records album, “Al Green is Love.”

As he danced across the stage and doffed and donned his jacket, Green ran through his biggest hits, including “Let’s Get Married,” “Let’s Stay Together,” and “Here I Am,” along with selections from his critically acclaimed 2008 album “Lay It Down.”

While performing the title track, the soul man did precisely that on the stage, much to the shrieking delight of the ladies down front.

“I’ve got Georgia on my cotton-picking mind!” Green yelled, beaming.

The preacher then wove a rendition of “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright (He’s Coming Back),” a selection he only sporadically performs live, culled from his 1986 album, “Soul Survivor” and “Amazing Grace” into the soul revue.

The evening ended with an extended groove of Green’s classic, “Love and Happiness.” The spent 63-year-old  singer, jacket over his arm, slowly soaked in the standing ovation and then delivered one final rose on his way off stage.

To see a complete photo gallery from the show, click here.