Don't Stop Believing

I got a Facebook notification Thursday afternoon that Retrocity is having a free concert that night at the Drake Underground. Well, I know what my plans are. I was hoping that because of the venue's small size, it will have more of a club feel. The last time at Lula Lounge, with its large space and casual diners, the concert felt like a dated Vegas lounge act.

Too bad the Drake had set up the area with lounging areas and most people keep their butts planted firmly in their seats. However, I was able to scoot up to the front. And although the crowd was sparse, they were more enthusiastic and engaged. This made the concert much more enjoyable.

Retrocity has moved away from its set list from its debut CD or older songs. Only the insipid (because I've heard it too many times) Broken Wings made the cut, although covers such as Bohemian Rhapsody or Kiss On My List are missed. The running joke of the night was that because a fan kept yelling out for the (admittedly excellent) Africa cover, every song sung was actually a "special arrangement" of Africa. They did some obscure 80s songs, Queen (Loverboy), The Police (Message In a Bottle, Don't Stand So Close To Me, etc.), and Michael Jackson. Two highlights of show were Wham's Everything She Wants and Phil Collins' (and Phil Bailey's) Easy Lover. The first for the incredibly deep baritone on the "Won't you tell me", "All to give you money" lines, which got disbelieving murmurs every time. The second for its joyous tempo and Suba's sassy lead. The evening ended with a great medley of 80s rap/dance songs including Let Your Backbone Slide, Pump Up The Volume, Push It, and Everybody Dance Now.

Given how much I enjoyed this show, I'm reconsidering their July 28th show at Lula Lounge. Apparently, the Swingle Singers will be in the audience. Does that mean that Retrocity will add even more pizzazz to their show or will there be "special guest appearances"?