From out of the floating white flurries and salt swept highways Hall & Oates came home to the UIC Pavilion bringing their soul-rock blend of elevator music right to your stocking. In reflecting on a musical history that has included over forty years of hits these two men certainly have proven the legitimacy of their music. Yet you just can’t help but giggle at the overall kitsch of their easy listening legacy.
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Hall & Oates
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 Entertainment
 Art
UIC Pavilion
Chicago, Ill.
November 30, 2007
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Oates, still brandishing the bizarre Jheri Curl that made him an icon for simian looking white men proudly took the stage. Mr. Hall. Looking marvelous for someone close to collecting on social security (not that he’d need it) calmly started the completely sober crowd on a Christmas journey through several merry tunes.
The night began with a crisp version of “The First Noel” and “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” which wooed the crowd. ‘No Child Should Cry On Christmas” a Hall & Oates original, serves as a kindly reminder that not all boys and girls are having a blast during these holiday times with a call to “Turn this world around”. “Home For Christmas” the title track from their latest album once again pulled back the fond memories that most would have in a somewhat functional family (as long as your in-laws are not utterly insane and you didn’t have to bail anyone out because of a domestic dispute.) I suppose Holiday memories are all relative to the kind of childhood you’ve had.
The majority of the crowd seemed quite pleased with the experience. Slowly with each passing holiday song Hall & Oates began to ratchet up the anticipation for the hits that made them famous. “Mary Had A Baby” with Daryl Hall on keyboards shook with a Gospel core that jostled the drowsy crowd awake to clap along. “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” and “Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday” went on and on and the audience became like an impatient child on Christmas Eve thirsty for those eighties hits that were playing on the stereo while they were getting it on in the back seat of their Datsun. “Holy Night” completed that lengthy holiday themed first half.
A small break interceded which allowed everyone in the audience to jabber about their fondest Hall & Oates memories. “Out of Touch” began the second and much more pleasing half of the evening. Followed by “Say It Isn’t So” that pushed the soul right back into the creaking knees of the mostly older crowd. Everyone began to stand and due to the lack of any real security, herd right up to the stage to wave vintage head shots of the duo right back in their face.
When Daryl decided to take a request from an overanxious fan for “It’s A Laugh” Oates seemed to hesitate as if to say “are you serious?” “Sara Smile” written for Hall’s former girlfriend Sara Allen was one of their biggest hits and still resonated deeply with the crowd. In an amazing extended version of “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) Saxophonist Charles DeChant (eerily reminiscent of Bill Clinton) and guitarist Tom “T-Bone” Wolk (no G.E. Smith here!) had a musical duel that engaged the fantastic four piece string section and brought the house down.
In a well deserved encore that you knew was coming, Hall & Oates jammed out “Rich Girl”, “Dreams” and a simply perfect version of “Jingle Bell Rock” that caused it to start snowing fuzzy little snowflakes on the crowd from huge blowers in the rigging.
The respect shown by every single member of the audience for this cheesy connubiality of Holiday decadence was astounding. Children and adults the same were grinning ear to ear as they walked out into the cold Chicago night.
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What?
Written by Guest on 2007-12-13 14:51:43
There's nothing worse than reviewers who trash/like a show... "Elevator music"? Yeah, that's why they're in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Oh, and don't forget to bash John Oates.  |
Monkeys & Muzak
Written by Guest on 2007-12-14 10:08:36
Need I say more... |
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