Post by tempfan on Feb 19, 2006 17:47:10 GMT -5
TEMPTATIONS BRING HEART AND SOUL TO COAST
By PETE TATTERSALL
sunherald.com
Besides the fancy footwork, soulful sounds and now-classic tunes, the most notable aspect of the Temptations' appearance Friday night at the Saenger Theatre was it marked the first time since Katrina that a nationally known act has performed in South Mississippi.
Hosted by the Isle of Capri Casino, the concert drew about 500, who ranged in age from their upper 20s to 80-plus. Though the band's lineup has changed through the years, and only one of the original members, Otis Williams, still performs with the group, the Temptations remain a popular draw nationwide.
"It's a pleasure and honor to be here, knowing what y'all have been through," said Williams. And though it seems at times more like a franchise than an actual band, the Temptations, accompanied Friday by a 10-member horn section and whose current members include Williams, Terry Weeks, G.C. Cameron, Ron Tyson and Joe Herndon, threw their hearts and souls into the show.
"If you got a cell phone in your pocket tonight, I want you to take it out, turn it on, call someone you know, and tell them the Temptations are in town, and they're going crazy!" one member announced from the stage.
The group performed enthusiastic and impressive renditions of many of its most popular hits, including "I Can't Get Next to You," "Get Ready," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "The Way You Do the Things You Do," and the crowd's favorite, "My Girl."
The audience reaction went the gamut from simple toe-tapping to full-on boogying. There may not be many things more inspiring than a handful of octogenarians getting their groove on in the aisles, arms raised, hips swaying in time to the music.
One of the attractions of the Temptations, it seems, is the band's ties to the past, and the feelings the group's songs inspire in listeners.
"It reminds me of my school days, of growing up," said Willye Manuel, 52, of Long Beach, who attended the concert with her husband, Louis, 58. "I've got albums from way back, and know most of their songs. It was excellent."
As the show drew to a close, band members leaned down from the stage to shake hands with all comers. It was a classy move, and one the audience seemed to truly appreciate.
By PETE TATTERSALL
sunherald.com
Besides the fancy footwork, soulful sounds and now-classic tunes, the most notable aspect of the Temptations' appearance Friday night at the Saenger Theatre was it marked the first time since Katrina that a nationally known act has performed in South Mississippi.
Hosted by the Isle of Capri Casino, the concert drew about 500, who ranged in age from their upper 20s to 80-plus. Though the band's lineup has changed through the years, and only one of the original members, Otis Williams, still performs with the group, the Temptations remain a popular draw nationwide.
"It's a pleasure and honor to be here, knowing what y'all have been through," said Williams. And though it seems at times more like a franchise than an actual band, the Temptations, accompanied Friday by a 10-member horn section and whose current members include Williams, Terry Weeks, G.C. Cameron, Ron Tyson and Joe Herndon, threw their hearts and souls into the show.
"If you got a cell phone in your pocket tonight, I want you to take it out, turn it on, call someone you know, and tell them the Temptations are in town, and they're going crazy!" one member announced from the stage.
The group performed enthusiastic and impressive renditions of many of its most popular hits, including "I Can't Get Next to You," "Get Ready," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "The Way You Do the Things You Do," and the crowd's favorite, "My Girl."
The audience reaction went the gamut from simple toe-tapping to full-on boogying. There may not be many things more inspiring than a handful of octogenarians getting their groove on in the aisles, arms raised, hips swaying in time to the music.
One of the attractions of the Temptations, it seems, is the band's ties to the past, and the feelings the group's songs inspire in listeners.
"It reminds me of my school days, of growing up," said Willye Manuel, 52, of Long Beach, who attended the concert with her husband, Louis, 58. "I've got albums from way back, and know most of their songs. It was excellent."
As the show drew to a close, band members leaned down from the stage to shake hands with all comers. It was a classy move, and one the audience seemed to truly appreciate.