Dig those boogie shoes and bell bottoms out of the closet! It’s time to relive the 1970’s! The disco ball is twirling above the stage, colorful feather boas are hanging on the microphone stands and the crowd is ready for KC & The Sunshine Band to hit the stage!
OK, I can hear some groans, and maybe even a “Disco Sucks!” Granted, this isn’t the type of show I normally cover, so you can stop reading if you want to. But I enjoy all types of music, and it is a treat to shoot different types of shows. Life needs a little variety, something different to keep things interesting. Besides, disco has had a significant impact on the music of today. I even heard one of KC’s songs in a commercial recently, so disco isn’t dead.
The crowd was a little older than I am used to, and a little more sedate. I’m used to being on my feet from before the first song until after the encore. Apparently, that’s what KC wanted to see, because, shortly after taking the stage, he started coaxing everyone to their feet. Eventually, most everyone was on their feet and even dancing in the aisles.
KC hit the stage with the entire band – percussionists, brass, guitars, keyboards - and a group of dancers/background singers dressed in the style of the disco era. KC may be a little older, but his voice hasn’t lost much. He may be a little heavier, but he still has the moves and had no trouble keeping up with his dancers. In fact, I think he had more energy than a lot of the folks in the audience. Granted, if you are looking for a perfectly choreographed troupe of dancers, outrageous stage sets and more background tracks than live music, then this isn’t the show for you. If you enjoy a good live show in an intimate setting, with musicians jamming together and enjoying what they do, then KC & The Sunshine Band will provide it.
They played most of their biggest hits. Some had a little different arrangement than you will hear on the recordings and they sounded great. They also did covers of some other disco hits, and some tunes from their upcoming. The set list included “Shake Your Booty”, “I’m Your Boogie Man”, “Keep It Coming Live”, “Rock Your Baby”, “Stand By Me”, “Give It Up”, “Brick House”, “Shake Your Body Down To the Ground”, “That’s The Way I Like It”, and “Get Down Tonight”. His duet, “Yes, I’m Ready”, was beautifully done, and “Please Don’t Go” took me right back to the skating rink, hoping the cute boy would ask me to skate with him.
Between songs KC spent some time telling stories, and he wasn’t afraid to laugh at himself a bit. He enjoyed interacting with the audience as well, and even teased a few folks – me included, as I waited patiently between songs two and three. It’s obvious that he’s out there because he loves the music and he loves playing it. He also loves his fans, and stayed signing autographs for anyone that wanted one. I was lucky enough to get to meet him and get a photo with him. As long as they keep doing shows, I’ll keep going to see them. It was just that fun!
