Tower of Power is a group who provides both funk and soul in their performances. Commanding the stage with a saxophone, tenor sax, trombone, trumpet, rhythm guitar, bass, keyboards, drums and vocals, they brought their signature sound to the Wilbur Theatre last Wednesday night. With no opener, they got right down to business, giving the auditorium something to groove to. It was a no frills set of stripped-down, pure and simple music. With the exception of LB on lead vocals (who replaced Lenny Williams), the band looked like they rolled out of a van and on to the stage. It almost didn’t matter what they were wearing. The solos were dynamic, even explosive. Each musician was dripping in sweat shortly after the first handful on songs. They played together, building a connection with the audience with each smile, note and beat.
Tom from Saugus was seated in the orchestra, “There’s nothing like this band. There’s nothing like this horn section. This horn section blows every other away!” He continued, “I wish I could have seen one show of the original band, from years ago. Every one of these guys is talented, but I’m used to seeing the old guys play. Some have left, some came back – but it would be amazing to see the entire old band, all back together again.” Over the past 40 years, a ton of talented musicians have joined the Tower of Power ranks. For the most current line-up, check out the official website.
Some of the songs for which they are famous are:
“Sparkling in the Sand”
“You’re Still a Young Man”
“What Is Hip”
“Soul Vaccination”
The Wilbur Theatre hosts weekly shows, including a huge line-up of comedians. Be sure to check out their website for upcoming events.
*Correction*: Tower of Power's lead singer's name is Larry Braggs, sometimes referred to as "LB". Not "TC", who replaced Lenny Williams. Lenny Williams left TOP in 1974 or 1975, and there have been many singers in between. Larry has been with the band about 10 years.
Comments