Reviews

REVIEW

Soul Classics get audience on its feet

The History of Motown Tour, Royal Wanganui Opera House, Thursday March 15 2007. Reviewed by David Charteris.

There are several hundred disappointed people in Wanganui today. They are the silly schmucks who didn’t go to what had to be one of the most entertaining and joyous concerts I have ever been to.

William Hicks and his group, the Soul Satisfaction (Eddie Lott, Nature Boy and Errol Brown) came out vocally swinging and never let up with faultless vocals and slick, sharp choreography.
In matching cherry red suits and shoes, the four men gave us a repertoire of Motown and R&B classics.

Reach Out they sang, and the audience certainly did. I have rarely seen and heard such participation in the Opera House. With the first couple of bars of music there were “ohhs” of recognition.
One of the classic songs says “It’s the same old song with a different feeling” – no way, the Tamala Motown feeling was pulsing right through that audience.

The big man with the big voice, William Hicks, never let the energy level fall and gave great vocals on Higher and Higher and a smooth-as-chocolate Unforgettable.

Standing in the Shadows of Love was a standout. The three backing singers all took leads, and each was appealing and engaging.

I didn’t take any notes in the second half, as I was too busy dancing my socks off – me and most the audience.

Thanks, guys, for an exceptional concert.

It's The Same Old Song....
So Reach Out and I'll Be There...

And judging by last night's sell out American Four Tops Show, more than 450 Motown-loving, mostly 40-somethings, would without hesitation Second That Emotion.

Tamla has a timeless appeal and William Hicks tribute show to one of Motown's most consistent hitmakers since the sixties is a surefire winner.

Testimony to that is the fact that this Lowther show has been a sell out for the last three years - now make it four!

Direct from the USA, via his St Annes base, William Hicks is a big frontman with a big personality and a big soul voice to match while his fellow Tops had all the silky dance moves and impressive vocals, backed by a splendid six-man band.

In sweltering conditions it was a case of 'get ready cos here they come' with the full gambit of infectious hits from the Four Tops as well as many more soul classics, though not all Tamla, immortalised by the likes of Ben E King, James Brown, and even further back in time to Nat King Cole and Ray Charles. A personal highlight was the falsetto of Sam Newman on The Stylistics' Betcha By Golly Wow.

The polished two-hour show, which has travelled the world, not surprisingly had the audiences standing on their feet, dancing in the aisles and chanting for more - despite the heat and a lack of air conditioning!

Steve Singleton
Review Blackpool Gazette July 2006