LIVE: SHALAMAR – Detroit, MI, USA – August 29, 2024

Venue: SoundBoard at MotorCity Casino

City: Detroit, MI

Dates: August 29, 2024

Review and Photographs by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur (www.toddstarphotography.com)

Sliding out from underneath the warm blanket of metal and rock n’ roll, I ventured to MotorCity Casino’s Sound Board Theater to check out a classic Soul & Funk staple from my youth… Shalamar.  After a short opening set from a local performer and some final prep for the headlining set, the lights dimmed, the band took their places on stage, and the hit-filled evening began.  Shalamar – Howard Hewett, Jeffrey Daniel, and Carolyn Griffey – hit the stage and we were off and running.  As the trio ripped the evening open with “Make That Move,” I found myself enjoying song after song, even with a camera in hand.  There was a ton of singing, dancing, smiles, and cheering.  The only question is who had more fun song after song, the energetic singers and their band or the energetic crowd that turned the Sound Board into a club on a Thursday night.  While the vocals seemed as clear tonight as they did on all the records and hits I grew up listening to, there was no mistaking the trio has matured and grown together as performers.  Other hits and fan favorites dotted the evenings musical landscape, but I found myself slipping between the late 70’s / early 80’s and 2024.  The band supporting the three was spot on from the guitar work to the keyboard magic and the bottom end that anchored the set.  From hits that packed dance floors to various soundtrack hits, Shalamar was one of those groups that seemed to appeal to everyone, and tonight was no different.  Howard Hewett controlled the flow of the show and provided lead vocals that were spot on as if the last 40+ years didn’t pass by.  Toss Jeffrey Daniel and his moves into the mix as well as songs like “Dancing In The Sheets” and “This Is For The Lover In You” and you have the makings of a dance party that checks a lot of musical boxes as well.  The final piece of the evenings puzzle was Carolyn Griffey and her lush vocals that helped offset the male vocals of Hewett and Daniel.  The three performers worked the crowd, the stage, and the set seamlessly and put a lot of smiles on faces and helped create more memories linked to their music.  So many bands and groups from the late 70’s and 80’s are billed as nostalgia tours, but after witnessing this performance, I can say they are going strong and hopefully bring their show back to the US again sometime soon.  As I left the theater, there was no mistaking, Shalamar gave us all “A Night To Remember”… you can take that to the bank.

[Show as slideshow]

COMPLETE SET OF SHALAMAR PHOTOS

SHALAMAR LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

INSTAGRAM – FAN PAGE

INSTAGRAM – HOWARD HEWETT

INSTAGRAM – JEFFREY DANIEL

INSTAGRAM – CAROLYN GRIFFEY

Tags: featured

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries