*Earlier this month, the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles was jammed packed, as a sold-out crowd came out to experience a night of music legends such as the Dramatics and Delphonics celebrating the milestone of another music legend, Brenton Wood: 50 years of non-stop performing in the music industry.
The evening began with the weather Gods playing tricks on the few hundred concertgoers who were anxiously waiting the doors to open. It rained off and on before the doors opened and although there were very few umbrellas around., getting a little wet did not faze the crowd; already buzzing about the evening ahead.
The Floaters sang two songs, one of them being their hit, “Float On.” They were a nice starter act, but not very memorable. Speaking of unmemorable, I don’t know who followed the Floaters to the stage. I know they were a replacement for the Intruders, who were snowed in and unable to attend. I am serious! Everyone I asked had no idea who the performers were. At the end of their set, they said who they were, but nobody caught it; at least nobody I asked. Sad, I know, but honest. Obviously, they too were unmemorable.
I have always liked the Delphonics, so seeing them sing some of my favorites, including, “Trying to Make a Fool of Me,” was a real treat. The same can be said for the Dramatics, who sang hit after hit, including “Whatcha See is Whatcha Get,” “In the Rain,” and “Me and Mrs. Jones.” Yarborough and Peoples’ “Don’t Stop the Music” and “Guilty” took me back to my clubbing days. More than thirty years later, those songs still made me move around.
The most energetic award goes to Lisa Lisa. Her dancers were off the hook. They made me exhausted just looking at them. There was a modern dancer prancing across the stage, as well as hip hop dancers going on and off the stage. “I wonder if I take you home” and “Can you feel the beat” were performed with as much vigor and zest as in the days past. Watching Lisa Lisa and company was very entertaining.
I was beyond curious to see how Zapp would do without Roger Troutman. They more than held their own. The talk box was on point and “Computer Love” and “More Bounce to the Ounce” sounded pretty amazing. I was a Roger Troutman fan, so I was pleased to see his legacy continues, both through Zapp and others who use the talk box, including MC Magic, who also performed that evening, as did Little Willie G, another performer very popular with the predominantly Latino crowd.
Although there were several acts on the bill, all of whom held their own, the evening belonged to Brenton Wood. The evening’s tribute began with a video showing one of his many appearances on American Bandstand, as well as photos of the past 50 years.
From the moment the 76-year-old music legend got on stage until the moment he left, the crowd was standing, fixated and mesmerized. They helped him sing all of his songs, including his hits, “Oogum Bogum Song” and “Gimme Little Sign.”
At the end of his set, the Microsoft Theater presented Brenton Wood with a plaque commemorating 50 years of Brenton Wood music. I may a tad partial considering Brenton Wood is my father; however, I am going to say the tribute, the honor, the plaque and the accolades are well deserved. As Dad would say, “Catch you on the rebound.”
Marilyn Smith is a Los Angeles based writer/reviewer. Contact her via [email protected].
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