ROCK-O-LLECTIONS – The Warwick Valley Dispatch

By Frank “Smokin” Truatt

KC and the Sunshine Band performed at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey last Friday. The last time I saw them in concert was 20 years ago in Dover, New Jersey at a small theater and I really enjoyed the show. If I’ve seen an artist before, I usually don’t see them a second time unless they put on such an impressive show that I feel like I just have to see them again. KC and the Sunshine Band were good the first time around, but not memorable.

If you add a few decades between performances, this expectation is reduced considerably, but there is already a while between concerts. I like their music and was hoping their performance at the Mayo Performing Arts Center would make a difference with their great sound system and comfortable seating. Before the show I noticed that the audience was a little old. Could the 1970s be that far back? The show began with the keyboardist singing an energetic new tune to an amazing soundtrack that energized the audience. Shortly afterwards the band took the stage and started playing. It wasn’t just any band, it was the Sunshine Band, all ten of them with a horn section and colorful outfits. Out came four dancers, also in colorful outfits, of different ages and full of energy! Then KC arrived and the crowd resounded to the sounds of the 1970s. The audience was on their feet as they played our 1970s soundtrack as well as all five of their number one Billboard hits. KC interacted with the audience throughout the evening and at one point joked about his weight gain, which he attributed to his sedentary lifestyle during Covid. Weight gain or not, KC danced from one end of the stage to the other the entire evening. They played a number one song by George McCrae called “Rock your baby.” I never knew that KC co-wrote this song and that it influenced John Lennon’s writing.Whatever gets you through the night.” The Sunshine Band was one of the tightest bands I’ve ever heard. A few times KC left the stage to let the band jam and they brought the house down.

We always say when we leave the Mayo that a performance is the best we’ve ever seen. In this case we could say that again. It was a special evening with a band giving their best in front of an audience who knew they were part of something very special. We may all be a little older, but we all felt youthful that night, and with his performance on stage, KC did too!

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