Daryl Hall and John Oates, Resorts World Arena, Birmingham - review
They’re the best-selling musical duo of all time, with songs influencing multiple generations and genres.
And last night the iconic Daryl Hall and John Oates stunned Birmingham fans with a stellar set of beloved hits and magnificent musicianship.
The Philadelphia stars have not only succeeded in producing music which remains anything but Out of Touch, but have also seemingly managed to stop time for themselves. They are both in their 70s, yet looked and sounded decades younger - astonishingly so.
Setting the tone for the evening, the pair kicked off their superb set with their biggest number of all, Maneater, which went down very well with the lively, devoted crowd.
“How you guys doing tonight?” beamed Daryl, dressed to kill in a black leather jacket, shades and necktie.
“It’s nice to be back in Birmingham, it’s been a long time.
“Tonight we’ll be playing lots of songs from various eras.”
True to his word, the band thrilled fans with brilliant renditions of hit after beloved hit - from Out of Touch, to Method of Modern Love, I Can’t Go For That, She’s Gone and You Make My Dreams.
And on each number, Daryl and John each shone in their own right; Daryl providing the higher vocal notes as he played guitar, keys and piano, while Hall sang with a luscious, lower tone, as he performed on guitar.
They also treated the crowd to a beautiful cover of The Righteous Brothers’ You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling, on which John delivered enchanting deep vocals.
The fabulous show the duo created was a testament to their 50 years of experience in the music industry, with each of their band members shining brightly at every turn and the array of stunning backdrops creating an excellent setting for each song.
Lead guitarist from the backing group, Shane Theriot, impressed in particular, with tremendous solos and phenomenal skill.
Saxophonist Charles DeChant, meanwhile - who has been with Hall and Oates since 1976 - was also absolutely outstanding and breathed life into every number on which he performed.
Last night was the first of the band’s four UK shows and absolutely set a precedent for what is sure to be a truly excellent tour around the country.
A wonderful gig and certainly one to remember.
