Is anyone here a fan of the old school concerts?

Summer is coming and I'm starting to see the ads. I HATE these shows with multiple artists on the bill. I know these folks have to eat and it's extra change in thier pocket. I'm not being insensitive at all, so don't get me wrong. I just have NO desire to ever purchase tickets to see them, even though I love their music and the songs.

I hate them because:
1. You only hear two or three songs (and it's always the hits)
2. If you're lucky, you may see ONE original member (and it's the one you don't
recognize)
3. I don't want to see how these folks have aged and some NOT WELL! (I was a teenager when these songs were popular and these artist were already in thier 30's and early 40's!
4. THEY DON'T SOUND THE SAME OR EVEN CLOSE TO SOUNDING GOOD!
5. I don't want to be reminded that I'm getting OLD too!
6. It's always the same acts! Sos band, Maze, Lakeside, Heatwave, etc, etc....

Last summer, I saw The Stylistics and Cameo. One of the best shows I've ever seen. Russell Tompkins' voice was perfect. Every time I see the Dells or BB King, I'm never disappointed either.

I'm sorry, but I LOVE a good old skool MAZE concert

I LOVE THE OLD SCHOOL CONCERTS! I usually attend atleast 1 every summer! The "Old School Funk Fests" in particular. SOS. Cameo, Ohio Players, The time, Bar-Kays, etc. They're all great to see!!

We had Loose Ends, The Time, and some other acts out here last summer

Stymie said:

I got the '70's Soul Jam vol.1' DVD and, man, Russell hasn't lost it one bit. He still sounds very good, and heck, he doesn't even look that old.
[Edited 3/9/08 1:56am]

As for me, I'd LOVE to see some of these Ol' School shows, but unfortunately I don't live in the States so that's not gonna happen.
I know that most of the guys won't sound the same and yes, they are old, BUT they are still 1000 times more interesting than seeing any current artist perform.
[Edited 3/9/08 1:57am]

FuNkeNsteiN said:

So you know what that means....MOVE YO ASS TO THE STATES NOW!!

Then we can finally stop Timbaland and his reign....

I love ol skool shows...I saw Jeffrey Osbourne 2 weeks ago and the brutha still got it!

bboy87 said:

the problem with me is that barely any of these old-school shows come to minneapolis. trocaderos is starting to pick up on it a little bit (escape ultra lounge did too, before they closed up), and that's good...but all the really cool folks totally bypass us.

BSK3478 said:

That's a shame. Now there are some novelty acts you would swear that you aren't missing a thing if you saw them live, b/c they've lost their thunder. While, they are still sound sound artist around who still jam live & giving these fly by night pop artist a run for their money.

babynoz said:

OOOH! That sounds like a good one! Did he sing any of his LTD stuff? I would love to hear him do "Back In Love Again" live

I went to one of these concerts a few weeks ago.It featured Blue Magic,Barbara Mason,The Moments,The Intruders,Eddie Holman,Atlantic Starr and Honeycone.I go to these shows every year and I always have a great time.No,you don't always get the original members,but the performances are usually very good anyway.Atlantic Starr really kicked ass! I'm happy to see that they're still around,performing and doing their thing.

SoulAlive said:

I remember seeing a more current clip of Eddie singing 'Hey There Lonely Girl' and he still sounded fucking awesome. Was he in good shape in the concert you saw?

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Absolutely He sounded great!

Ottensen said:

I saw Jeffrey with Rachelle Ferrell two years ago. He did Back In Love Again, Love Ballad, and Concentrate on You. He sounded and looked great.

Stymie said:

Are you sure it was really Russell Thompkins? The reason I ask is because,there are actually two versions of The Stylistics these days.Russell tours with a few new guys,billing themselves as "Russell Thompkins and The New Stylistics".Meanwhile,the original members recruited a new lead singer....a younger guy with cornrows who sounds just like Russell.They bill themselves as "The Stylistics".

Many years ago,Russell and the original members had a bitter falling-out,and that's why we now have different groups.This situation happens alot with these Old School groups.There are currently two versions of the band War on the road right now.It's ridiculous.

SoulAlive said:

Oh I am positive it was Russell. The MC made a huge deal about it and wantedto make sure we all knew it was Russell. I was thrilled.

Stymie said:

I love Old School concerts. Unfortunately, not too many of them come to my area because a bunch of dead asses live here. Even though my city is 80% black, the older crowd would rather spend their money on these silly ass gospel stage plays than to see a funk group perform. When concerts are well attended, it is usually someone boring as hell like Keith Sweat or Freddie Jackson.

The funk groups usually come to my area at the festivals. Usually, they may have two or three funk groups on a particular night performing right after each other. However, if it's not some sort of R&B festival, the act might be sandwiched between some rock or country acts. I remember one year, I wanted to see The Barkays and Con Funk Shun. After The Barkays, some country act came on and I just left. As far as the festivals themselves, I only come to see a musical act I like. Unlike many other of the festival goers in my area who have never heard of some of the acts but just want to be "seen at the festival". The hell with that.

Ottensen said:

Yes girl, he did quite of bit of LTD stuff including Back In Love Again.

He opened with "When we party, we party hearty" and it was on. He also did Concentrate On You, The Woo Woo Song, Stay With Me Tonight and On The Wings Of Love.

I have always been in love with that man's voice! My friend worked the show and gave me a backstage pass so I met him and he even let my friend take a crappy cell phone pic of the two of us.

He saved Love Ballad for last and I nearly died 'cause that's my fave. Then he took off his shirt and underneath was a black mesh t-shirt. Like I said, he still got it...

He was very relaxed and gracious, autographing cds and talking to people for almost an hour...then the cops shut it down after they got pics for themselves, LOL!

babynoz said:

That man's voice seems to get BETTER with age!

I saw Hubert Tubbs from Tower of Power recently and I will see him again soon.

There are a few of those shows scheduled for L.A. this year

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
War (That means Lonnie Jordan and some other dudes)
Tierra

On Saturday, May 24th add:
Malo
Thee Midniters

On Sunday May 25th add:
The El Chicano Reunion
The Chris Montez Show
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
June 7th

KC & The Sunshine Band
The Hues Corporation
Evelyn Champagne King
Musique
The Solid Gold Dancers w/Deney Terrio
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
July 19th

The Stylistics
The Chi-Lites
Bloodstone
The Main Ingredient
Billy Paul
Carl Carlton
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
August 9th

Morris Day
S.O.S. Band
Zapp
Midnight Star
Con Funk Shun
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
November 28th

The Temptations
The Four Tops
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
They're even stacking up New Wave bands

August 5th

The Human League
Belinda Carlisle
ABC
Dead or Alive
Naked Eyes


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

SoulAlive said:

This got me thinking... the dude in '70's Soul Jam' is a bit young-ish, but he sounds exactly like Russell, has the same moustache as he had and he even kinda looks like him. He also didn't have cornrows
I just assumed it was Russell. Could be it was this new guy..

Oh well
If you guys think these shows are stale, you should try the crap they serve up in New Zealand, what do we get lets see .... Boney M for the 10th time since 1992 (Liz Mitchell version, the other three are "new members" they change with each tour.
Last year The Drifters okay decent group but arent they like 75.

Who else, Whitesnake, Kiss, George Benson (Ok he was still quite good). And who now, Duran Duran yet again and then Leo Sayer!!!!! Are they fucking serious
Its obvious, you only play New Zealand when no one else wnats you

tane1976 said:

Hey, hey, HEEEEY!

You can't include George Benson in this group . Dude, it's

George.
Benson.

Ottensen said:

I freakin love George Benson.