If you’re like me and only know Hall and Oates because of their feature of “You Make my Dreams” in the movie 500 Days of Summer, then driving forty-five minutes out to see them perform probably isn’t at the top of your to-do list. The American musical duo from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania made a stop on their North American tour in Austin to perform at the H-E-B Center on September 22, with an opening performance by St. Paul & the Broken Bones.
St. Paul is an up & coming soul band based out of Birmingham, Alabama and lead singer, Paul Janeway, seriously knows how to get a crowd moving. Honestly, when’s the last time you can remember going to a concert where the opener basically steals the show? Now you wouldn’t expect such a man as Paul himself to have such a voice as he did, but when he belched out those vocals, it was quite evident that those high notes struck every single person in that crowd. His voice wasn’t just fascinating because it basically takes you back to the glory days of Otis Redding, but because you can feel the passion in his lyrics and in his voice. The man heedlessly laid down and cried during his performing of “Broken Bones & Pocket Change” for crying out loud – which might explain where the band got their name from. They say the best songs come from a broken heart, and St. Paul & the Broken Bones is prime example of this statement. The bands rhythm and soul presence on stage will stick with me forever, as this is the best opening performance I’ve ever seen to date. They finished off their performance with a standing ovation from the crowd, and even a rose or two being thrown at the gold, star embroidered, loafers that graced the feet of Paul Janeway.
Daryl Hall & John Oates took the stage not even twenty minutes after, and made sure the crowd stayed moving after such an opening performance. The beloved duo was warmly greeted by a crowd of older fans taking a stand as soon as the overheard lights shined down on the stage. It’s safe to say, they still got it. The crowd favorite was “Maneater” – finger snaps and hip swings galore as the duo performed the hit song featured on their eleventh studio album, H2O.
Leaving the H-E-B Center that night, I was pleasantly surprised by this concert. Hall & Oates didn’t need to do much moving around on stage to please the crowd, it was their everlasting musical duo chemistry that really got everyone going. It’s evident that they still have such a loyal fan base, because they’re still as delightful as they were in their glory days. And no, I wasn’t all that thrilled to make a twenty six mile drive from my apartment, but I am so glad I did.
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Coverage By: Angel Ulloa | Instagram :@angenelli |Exclusively for @Music, Why Not! – All Rights Reserved-
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