slides: Live Review: Darlene Love Brings Christmas Cheer to Cranston
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Ken Abrams, GoLocalProv Music Critic
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Darlene Love Performed her Holiday Show Friday night at the Park Theatre (photo: Rick Farrell)
Legendary singer Darlene Love brought her band to Cranston’s Park Theatre Friday night December 9th for her annual Christmas show. It was an evening of great music, revealing stories, and a lot of holiday cheer. The 75-year-old singer, famous for her “Wall of Sound” vocals, performed like an artist half her age. Music Critic Ken Abrams and Mojo Photography's Rick Farrell were there to capture the magic.
Related Slideshow: Darlene Love Brings Christmas Cheer to Cranston
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Darlene Love
The mood was festive as Love and her 11 piece band entertained the near sell out crowd. Her "Love for the Holidays" show included her early hits (“we call them classics, not old songs,” she noted playfully), new tunes from her recent album Introducing Darlene Love, and of course, Christmas songs. (Photo: Rick Farrell)
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Wall of Sound
Love reached deep into her catalog on songs like “Wait Till My Bobby Gets Home,” an early hit with absolutely perfect harmony. It’s a song will "take you back,” even if you’re too young and weren’t “there” in the first place. The audience joined the band for another early classic “Da Doo Ron Ron” another early 60’s favorite. (Photo: Rick Farrell)
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Versatile Singer
Other highlights included her #1 hit, “He’s a Rebel,” which was also the first #1 of legendary producer Phil Spector. A gospel heavy “Marvelous,” along with “Listen to the Bells," a duet originally sung with Luther Vandross displayed Love’s vocal range. Among her new songs, "Forbidden Night," written by Elvis Costello, was a standout. (Photo: Rick Farrell)
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Christmas Music
She covered several from Phil Spector’s Christmas Gift, a 1963 album that was originally scheduled for release the day after the Kennedy assassination. Highlights included a jazzy version of “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” and “Winter Wonderland,” a “song I sang at the White House when Clinton was President.” While Love was offstage, backing vocalist Milton Vann delivered a soulful version of “Oh Holly Night.” (Photo: Rick Farrell)
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Backup Singers
The former back up singer achieved notoriety recently when she was featured in the 2013 Academy Award winning documentary “Twenty Feet From Stardom.” She sang back-up on so many hit songs in the 1960’s and 70's that she can’t even recall all of them. Her own back-up singers were featured prominently Friday night. (Photo: Rick Farrell)
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Baby Please Come Home
She closed with the classic “Wall of Sound” gem, “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home,” “David Letterman’s favorite,” the singer noted. It’s become her signature song, one she sang annually on the Late Show from 1986 until 2014, prior to Letterman's retirement. If you missed it Friday, you can see it live on The View on December 16th. (Photo: Rick Farrell)
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