Tanglewood, the venerable summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1940, tucked into 525 bucolic acres in the heart of the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts, has for many years kicked off its season with a series of popular music performances before the BSO heads west for the season. This popular preamble typically features nostalgic acts combined with a sprinkling of current artists.
Such was the case this year, when the 2024 Tanglewood season opened on June 20 with John Fogerty, frontman of the iconic 1960s band Creedence Clearwater Revival. In this stormy start to summer, when New England was hit with a double weather whammy — the heat dome which sent temperatures into the 90s for several days, plus a series of powerful thunderstorms — it was an appropriate act for the soggy season, given two of Fogerty’s many iconic songs: “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and “Who’ll Stop the Rain.” In fact, the weather was so bad that Tanglewood lost power soon into the evening’s opening act as a tempest swept through the Berkshires.
Roger Daltrey, famed frontman of The Who, was luckier when he took the Tanglewood stage two nights later. After storms again raged through the Berkshires on the afternoon of June 22, the skies cleared for his evening show. I’m not sure whether it was planned or not, but perhaps in a nod to Fogerty’s previous show, Daltrey included “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” in his set.
Between the searing heat, oppressive humidity, impending rainstorms, and tornado warnings, Kool & the Gang drew a smaller-than-expected crowd for their Sunday matinee performance on June 24, but those who braved the weather were treated to an all-out good time, a literally hot, virtually non-stop dance party. As we took our seats in the Shed, the usher surprised us by handing out ear plugs; given our proximity to an imposing stack of speakers, I was glad he did.
The show opened with R&B trio En Vogue — currently consisting of Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Rhona Bennett — an iconic “girl group” that has been churning out dance hits since the 1990s. The current configuration — backed by a sharp trio of musicians on drums, guitar, and keyboard — gave their all, and the audience gave it right back, singing and dancing along to the sassy songs. Sporting coordinated (but not uniform) outfits of short pink skirts and black bustiers with black boots of varying heights, the ladies strutted onto the stage, accessorized with beaded glasses and silver accordion hand fans, diving right into their 1992 hit “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” from their second album, Funky Divas, then seamlessly segueing into “You Don’t Have to Worry” and “Lies” from the group’s debut album, Born to Sing.
The three singers rotated in the role of lead vocalist throughout their set, delivering searing, soulful anthems and soaring harmonies, serving up sing-along favorites including “This Is Your Life,” “Love Don’t Love You,” “Whatta Man,” and a banger version of “Free Your Mind.” They segued into an extended medley of Motown and disco classics, with quick, propulsive renditions of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock Steady,” Cheryl Lynn’s “Got to be Real,” Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls,” Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell,” The Emotions’ “Best of My Love,” Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “Heard It Through the the Grapevine,” Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade,” Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good,” The Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited,” and other rousing hits— offering up an encyclopedic survey of diva-driven chart-toppers, plus another perhaps-unintended call-back to Fogerty with Creedence’s “Proud Mary” in the mode of Tina Turner.
En Vogue’s high-energy set ended as the trio expressed heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the audience before launching into an a capella intro to their first #1 hit, “Hold On,” getting the crowd back on their feet to the funky beat.
The concert resumed after intermission when Kool & the Gang marched out from the wings, horns blaring, shirts sparkling, setting the stage for the band’s ecstatic Tanglewood debut. They launched into the high-energy “Open Sesame,” and never stopped moving and grooving for the duration of their tight set. Robert “Kool” Bell, the last of the original band members still alive, emerged strumming his bass to the funky instrumental “Pneumonia.”
There have been many lineups of the Gang since the group formed in 1964, including scads of top-notch musicians. Bell remains the heart of the band, and the septuagenarian’s chops on bass still stand up with the best of them. Onstage, he’s not the frontman, but even as he recedes center stage near the drummer’s platform, he’s irresistible in his golden garb, wielding that bass with a huge smile on his face, which becomes even larger when he steps forward to jam. Adding to his joy is the recent news that Kool & the Gang is finally being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, along with fellow legends such as Dionne Warwick, Peter Frampton, and Cher.
The band has a big, imposing funk sound, driven by hardcore brass and searing guitars. Many of the band members play double or triple duty, taking up horns, keyboards, and vocals throughout the set. They also perform simple, appealing choreography, stomping around the stage and swaying with their instruments to the relentless beat. They took turns taking the mic to tell stories, introduce the other players, and rouse the audience into clapping to the rhythm or singing call-and-response style. Each musician had the chance to shine with consistently masterful solos that vastly extended the songs. The band clearly enjoyed interacting with the crowd, often venturing to the edge of the stage and locking in on enthusiastic individuals.
Amidst the musical assault of funk, jazz, and full-on rock, there were moments of calm and tenderness, including the hit songs “Joanna,” “Cherish,” and the very appropriate “Too Hot.” The set was devised to turn down the heat and then bring it up again, and the slower songs and instrumental segments allowed band members to rotate off stage and take a much-needed break. The Shed nearly came to a boil with the band launched into “Jungle Boogie,” seamlessly segueing into “Hollywood Swinging.” At this point, it was impossible to remain seated; nearly the entire audience was up and dancing, singing along with the chant-like lyrics. From our vantage, we could see the ladies of En Vogue in their “civilian” clothes, largely hidden behind the speaker stack, joyfully dancing along to the infectious songs.
Near the end of the set, the rain rolled in and most of the audience members seated on the lawn danced into the Shed for shelter, just in time for the finale. As hinted at during the beginning of she show, Kool & the Gang saved three of their biggest hits for last, ending the show with “Ladies Night,” “Get Down on It,” and the irresistible party tune, “Celebration.” From the standpoint of the exuberant crowd, the entire show was one big celebration. Apart from being great fun, it was probably the loudest Tanglewood show I’ve attended; despite the plugs, my ears were ringing late into the night.
Up next in Tanglewood’s popular artist series, I’m excited to see multiple Grammy Award-winning artist and former Colbert Show bandleader Jon Batiste, having recently watched the beautiful Oscar-nominated documentary, American Symphony, which tracks how his greatest artistic triumphs coincided with devastating tragedy in his personal life. On June 29, Trey Anastasio plays with the Boston Pops; Brandi Carlile returns to Tanglewood on June 30; Jason Mraz does a Pops gig on July 2; and James Taylor celebrates his 50th year headlining Tanglewood on July 3 and 4; all before the BSO sets up camp for opening night on July
More popular artists are scheduled later in the summer, including the Pretenders on July 16; Beck with the Boston Pops on July 23; and an all-star lineup of Judy Collins, Indigo Girls, and Rufus Wainwright on August 30, before the season closes on August 31 with Dispatch and the Boston Pops.
The Tanglewood season runs now through August 31. Click here for tickets and information.
Splash Magazines
Be the first to comment