The Stylistics brought their timeless soulful charm to the New Theatre on 12 November as part of their Greatest Hits Tour. The iconic Philly Soul group – who have been through a number of line-up changes during their 56 years of performing – delivered a glorious evening of greatest hits and plenty of nostalgia.
It was evident from the average age of the crowd that I was a couple of decades too young to be a real Stylistics fan (almost everyone else there that I spotted who were under the age of 50 seemed to be accompanying parents or grandparents). And it’s true – I only discovered Philly Soul at all during an extended virtual YouTube crate dig during lockdown. The lush string arrangements and comforting harmonies were a real balm for me during lockdown (which already feels like a lifetime ago). While I might not have been harking back to discos in the 1970s, seeing the Stylistics live was still a bit of a nostalgic experience for me.
Before we get to the band, I want to mention the support act – an “El-Tom John project” fronted by Tom Cridland. Tom apparently learned to play the piano during lockdown, specifically to play Elton John songs and tour them around the world. He’s also the presenter of The Greatest Music of All Time podcast (and fashion designer with his own sustainable fashion label?). He’s unfathomably tall and wearing a suit covered in sparkly stars, and warms the crowd playing a series of early Elton classics on a keyboard.
My 70 year old mother (who is my date for this outing) comments, rather unkindly, I think, “don’t give up the day job”. But she’s lucky enough to have enjoyed Elton as a performer throughout her whole life (I really only got him from the second outing of Candle in the Wind onwards). I still don’t like Candle in the Wind, but I do listen to Tiny Dancer on repeat for the whole of the next day.
Then it’s time for the main event. Advertised as a Greatest Hits Tour, the group doesn’t disappoint, with a show packed full of “old school disco bangers”, as the lady from Ebbw Vale sat behind me calls them.
Formed of two members of the original line up (Airrion Love and Herb Murrell) and two “newer” members (Bo Henderson and Jason Sharp), the group shoops, boops, and sways gently through 85 minutes of classics. Their choreographed dance moves are impeccably timed (although having been performing as a band for 56 years, you’d hope they’d have got the timings down for these). They bring the house down with You Are Everything, along with other classics I’m Stone In Love With You and Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love) (which was a hit single in the UK back in 1975).
My personal favourite is Betcha by Golly Wow, which follows a little preamble with the band talking about how long they’ve been performing and touring, and how old they are now (and how, with the help of “that little blue pill”, everything still works – just not the way it did when they were 50. There are screams and whoops of laughter and delight that ring around the venue, as you might imagine).
Even with the two original members performing at the ripe age of 75, the band are still oozing charisma and charm (and can we talk about the vocals? It’s like having double cream poured into your ears). I’m guessing the dance moves are probably a little less enthusiastic than they were 40 years ago, but they’re still delivered with style. By the end of the show, pretty much the entire crowd is on their feet, clicking their fingers, clapping, swaying, and singing along. It’s a feel-good show that proves The Stylistics are still one of the greatest soul groups of all time. For soul fans of all ages, if you get the chance to catch them on tour, I recommend it.
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