What’s in a name? Everything.
If I told you that Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Hall & Oates were performing at the Mid-State Fair, thousands would be jumping on their computer or smartphone ready to snatch up tickets the second they went on sale.
Well, that’s not gonna happen again, but for 300-plus local music lovers who ventured out on a warm, winter Tuesday night to check out half of that iconic pop duo at the Clark Center, they were richly rewarded.
Billed as “an evening of songs and stories,” John Oates and his talented three-member backing band entertained and inspired the sparse crowd for nearly two hours with a magical journey of American musical history.
The bottom line is that no matter if it’s Arroyo Grande or the Hollywood Bowl, this musician/songwriter/storyteller remains a headliner anywhere.”
Following an acrimonious split with Daryl Hall, the 76-year-old Oates—legacy intact—seems comfortable in his own skin (having the artistic and financial freedom that comes with dozens of pop-charting singles) to do whatever the hell he wants. Even if that means performing small venues along the way.
The show started a bit slowly with country and bluegrass songs, owing to the Philly native’s relocation to Nashville about 15 years ago. It was all intermixed with stories about songwriting, like the time he met a famous country songwriter and showed up hungover. “What you got?” his friend asked. “Nothing,” replied Oates, so that’s how “Lose It in Louisiana” was created.
These cool tales lent context to his solo tunes, building momentum as he featured original tracks from his 2024 Reunion album and performed other fresh ones like “Mending” and the catchy, melodic “We Really Got a Good Thing Going On”—neither released yet.
The dreaded new material or deep tracks can sometimes be a red flag with so-called nostalgia acts, but in pre-show interviews Oates was honest about his plans to offer a mix of solo tracks, covers and the occasional classic hit. On this night, nobody seemed to mind.
Plus, it helps if that new material is strong and capable of engaging the audience, which it certainly was.
You’re gonna miss out if you always wait for the weekend to get your live entertainment fix.”
Oates really hit his stride with an excellent rendition of the Elvis song “Little Sister” that got everyone grooving and clapping enthusiastically. A pair of other covers by the legendary Smokey Robinson, whom Oates helped induct into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, followed, including the soulful “Tracks of My Tears.”
He eventually got to his big pop hits like “She’s Gone,” accompanied by a funny backstory about meeting a girl at the Pink Teacup in NYC on New Year’s Eve in 1972, only for her to stand him up later that night. I guarantee you never heard that perspective at a sold-out Hall & Oates arena concert.
Unique arrangements of 1980s favorites followed: “Out of Touch,” “I Can’t Go for That” and “You Make My Dreams.” The bottom line is that no matter if it’s Arroyo Grande or the Hollywood Bowl, this musician/songwriter/storyteller remains a headliner anywhere.
So what’s the takeaway from this one-off, under-the-radar show at the Clark Center? You’re gonna miss out if you always wait for the weekend to get your live entertainment fix.