Motown in Downtown this Saturday
Published 10:43 pm Wednesday, April 11, 2018
- Masters of Soul will perform Saturday at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts.
Fans of some of the best Motown and soul music of yesteryear will enjoy an exciting tribute show this weekend.
The Masters of Soul group will bring its 90-minute show back to the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts at 110 W. Finney Ave. at 8 p.m. this Saturday. The 10-person group from Virginia Beach has brought its fully-choreographed, lavishly-costumed performance to sold-out crowds across the country.
“We do a tribute to Motown and all the hitmakers of the ‘70s,” John Hodges, bass singer and group leader, said in a phone interview.
Formerly known as Masters of Motown, three male and three female vocalists backed by a four-piece band cover icons from the ‘60s and ‘70s, like Gladys Knight and The Pips, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Diana Ross and The Supremes.
“We filter that with a little of the ‘70s funk, like Dionne Warwick, James Brown and Tina Turner,” Hodges added.
Dario Outlaw, who co-founded the show with Hodges, will get the crowd going with a lively rendition of James Brown. Ron Smitty Smith will bring his silky-smooth voice to the classics of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
“I’ll do a little Barry White and Isaac Hayes for the ladies,” Hodges said.
These performers pattern themselves after the great Motown acts that worked to see who could get the crowd the rowdiest, according to Hodges. Their competition gets the crowd on their feet clapping and moving.
“It’s pretty much like if you were going to a show at the Apollo,” Hodges said.
Tickets are $26 for SCCA members and $35 for non-members. Call 923-0003 or visit suffolkcenter.org for more information.