That's the way uh huh uh huh I like it...

Courtesy of KC & the Sunshine Band

We've all heard the phrase you can't teach an old dog new tricks...well, I beg to differ! And I didn't really even try to teach the dog--or in this case, my husband--he just taught himself the new trick all on his own!

For those of you who know me, you know I'm big on surprising other people whenever I can--especially for birthdays. And every year for my husband's birthday, I plan a surprise trip somewhere or find some really unique experience for him--like the Dream Car Tour or like the Richard Petty Experience, or swimming with the Dolphins at Discovery Cove.

And every year for my birthday...no surprises for me. I usually have to plan my own birthday fun.

Now I'm not complaining, just stating the facts.

So a few weeks ago, my hubby Graham tells me to leave the night of December 14th open, because he has a surprise for me. Hmmmm...I'm thinking, what can he be up to? What's happening on a Sunday night around town that I don't already know about?

And I decide to just wait and see and not ruin his surprise...but I have to admit, I kind of had an idea of what it could be--and I hoped I was right!

So Sunday rolls around and we're rushing to leave the house on time (I was given a drop dead departure time of 5:00pm) when he takes me next door to our neighbors. Which confirmed in my mind that I had discovered the secret surprise--I thought maybe he got tickets to go see K.C. and the Sunshine Band, because I'd gotten an email from the Hard Rock Live about that event coming up--and it turns out, I was right! Because the only thing my neighbors usually like to do is go to concerts. And they love the old school 70's and 80's bands.

So along with 3 other couples (our next door neighbors and their family and friends), I was whisked away via mini-van to go see not only K.C., but also Kool and the Gang! I have to admit, I really wasn't very excited about seeing Kool and the Gang, but I sure changed my mind after that show.

What a far cry from my experience at the Jingle Ball the night before!! I went from feeling like the oldest person there, to just plain feeling OLD. In a nostalgic way, that is. Because I certainly was one of the younger attendees in that audience.

To begin with, Kool and the Gang had about 12 band members--not all orginal--but let me tell you, Chris Brown and those youngsters out there could learn a thing or two about performing from THESE guys! They had two separate drummers (each with their own drum sets) and two saxophone players, a trumpet player, and a trombone player...of course a few guys on guitar and then a bunch of singers (one of course was the original Kool, Robert "Kool" Bell, and also his brother Khalis Bayyan, their longtime friends Dennis "DT" Thomas and George "Funky" Brown. )

These guys are no spring chickens--but they can still groove with the best of them. The energy level was through the roof, and the audience was dancing and singing right along--myself included! It was one big dance party. They sang and danced their hearts out to all the hits, including "Celebrate", "Get Down On It", "Ladies Night", "Jungle Boogie", "Joanna", "Hollywood Swinging", and "Too Hot". I was actually sorry to see them go after their hour was up.

Then came K.C.--aka Harry Wayne Casey--I couldn't wait to see what he was going to do, because the stage hands had set up some brightly colored feather boas and I was wondering if that was for him?? Turns out they were for his dancers and back-up singers--which I believed were a ploy to get us to look at someone other than him. Because K.C.? Hasn't aged too well--and he's the first to admit it--in his comment that he started playing 35 years ago, and that he's now 58--and to quote "What the hell happened??" He asked if there were any kids in the audience, and explained that he was "your mother's In Sync" and that in 30 years this is what Justin Timberlake could look like. Great sense of humor, K.C.!

So he's a little older, a little heavier, and has less hair...and doesn't have the greatest rhythm--but he knows how to work an audience and put on a helluva good show! I was really impressed at how he got everyone out of their seats and really kept the fun and energy levels high. His dancers did some fun routines with cute costumes. His horn section was excellent--all very young guys--and he had one drummer on a regular set of drums and another on congos/bongos--and they were phenomenal. The drum solo from David Simmons was explosive, to say the least.

He sang through hits like "I'm Your Boogie Man", "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty)", "Keep it Comin' Love", "Boogie Shoes", and "Give It Up ", and when he slowed it down for "Please Don't Go" I was catapulted back to the days of my feathered hair and weekends at the roller rink, complete with my brush in my back pocket (This is a "Couple's Skate"!)

All in all the night was a very tasty slice of nostalgia pie for me...and my husband definitely got a gold star for giving me a GREAT surprise for our anniversary. Maybe not quite as exciting as driving a Ferrari, but definitely up there in my Top 10 Most Fun Concerts List.

So you see...an old dog CAN learn new tricks...and sometimes it's great fun to watch the old dogs doing their old tricks too.