The Stylistics performing their Greatest Hits Tour at The Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Thursday 2nd December 2021



Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

The Stylistics came to the Royal Concert Hall on Thursday night and delivered an evening of pure 70’s sophisticated soul. With two original members, Airrion Love and Herb Murrell, still strutting their stuff after 53 years together, they treated this near capacity crowd to a slick and professional performance which took them all on a trip down memory lane.

Warming the audience up were Heatwave with their own brand of funk and disco. With no original members in the line up, this was a tribute band, albeit a good one. Their versions of Mind Blowing Decisions and Always And Forever had the crowd on their feet before Boogie Nights had them dancing in the aisles.

But the night truly belonged to The Stylistics, whose harmonies, dance moves and beautiful lyrics have clearly stood the test of time. With their talented band behind them they rolled out all of their hits. There was Rockin’ Roll Baby, Break Up To Make Up, Stop Look Listen (To Your Heart) and the flawless You Are Everything had the crowd singing along.

Delivering such love songs such as the beautiful You’ll Never Get To Heaven (If You Break My Heart) and I’m Stone In Love With You showed that vocally they can still hit the spot. Reminding everyone of just how successful they were, hit followed hit. The tempo was really slowed down for the likes of Betcha By Golly Wow , Let’s Put It All Together and their 1974 huge chart success, You Make Me Feel Brand New which saw couples dancing in the aisles.

Bringing it all to a close with the wonderful Can’t Give You Anything (But My Love), The Stylistics had given this appreciative audience a fabulous night of sheer entertainment and nostalgia and showed that age really is just a number.