Review: Good memories and good lovin' with The Rascals at Ruth Eckerd Hall

Who would have ever thought that The Rascals— the dynamic New Jersey pop/soul quartet that dominated AM radio waves in the mid-1960s — would ever reunite and decide to go out on tour? The band dissolved in the early 1970s amid personnel shifts, lawsuits and acrimony, and seemed like one of the unlikeliest candidates to ever kiss and make up. Never say never. Thanks to the persuasive ways of E Street resident and mega-fan Steven Van Zandt, The Rascals found a way to mend their differences and give this rock 'n roll thing a whirl again. And for the near-sell out crowd at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall who got to witness the band in action last Thursday night, the wait was well worth it.

The Rascals rivaled The Beatles and all the great Motown groups for chart position just prior to the Summer of Love, but hadn't performed together in nearly 40 years before this tour. Van Zandt came up with a brilliant idea for a vehicle that would not only allow the band to get back into the duty of playing live music, but explain and detail their history and how they rose to fame. The idea blossomed into a Broadway-like program titled "Once Upon A Dream," and it hit the Great White Way a few months ago for a three-week run, to rave reviews. The logical next step: bottle the good vibes and positive reactions, and take the show on the road to all the major US cities. Luckily, Tampa Bay made the cut.

The feeling of a stuffy, closely-scrutinized Broadway presentation seemed to fill the air before the non-stop (intermission-free), two-hour performance and it grew after the stage announcements. But when a voice with a thick Italian/Jerseyan pumped through the PA, announcing, "you can take pictures and post them to Facebook...the guys would love that...you can do whatever the f*ck you want!", a sense of relief fell over the hall and the anxious crowd reeled with delight.

And just after 8 p.m., house lights dimmed as images and clips of the original four members of the band — Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere, Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli — were projected on the massive curtain that draped the stage and met with fanatical screams and whistles. As the momentum built, the curtain opened to reveal the original four, along with backup singers and a couple of additional musicians, onstage and ready to roll out their massive backlog of hits.

Opening with "It's Wonderful"— a single off the band's fine 1968 album Once Upon A Dream and namesake of the tour — The Rascals sounded bold and bright. A stellar mix really showed off individual instrumental parts and projected all vocals incredibly clearly, helping boost the excitement level and quickly erasing any trepidation. Forty years is a long time to not perform together; there had to be a feeling of uneasiness among plenty in attendance. Luckily, those feelings were washed away by the evening's second number. To say the band "nailed it" when they performed a downright stellar version of "(I've Been) Lonely Too Long" would be an understatement; vocalist Felix Cavaliere's rich, soulful rasp sounded fine as ever and untouched by age.

On a sparse stage that allowed for massive projections to be beamed at the rear, the band guided us through a virtual time capsule of their history aided by film clips and spoken recollections that were as informative as they were comical. On paper, the concept might seem hokey but the re-enacted vignettes from the band's history that were interspersed throughout the evening enhanced the concert and explained a lot of unknown details.

All of the band's massive hits were faithfully represented and sounded as fresh and as energetic as the first time we heard them. The classic "Good Lovin'" was strong enough to get the mostly middle-aged and above crowd up and out of their seats to dance and move along and recall their younger, more carefree days. And that's really what the underlying message of the evening was: a flashback to a simpler time aided by the soundtrack of those times — the unforgettable music of one of America's finest pop bands, The Rascals.

The social issues and the turbulent times the band lived through were addressed head on, and in this warts-and-all sort of presentation, the band's story gained added appeal and a firm sense of realism. It was the music, though, that the people came to hear. And for two solid hours, The Rascals gave them what they wanted and reestablished their place in rock 'n roll history, as well as in the hearts of the many fans who have never forgotten about them after all these years.

Set List
It's Wonderful
I've Been Lonely Too Long
What Is the Reason
You Better Run
Carry Me Back
Slow Down
(Larry Williams cover)
Mickey's Monkey
(Smokey Robinson & The Miracles cover)
Turn On Your Love Light
Mickey's Monkey (reprise)
Come on Up
Baby Let's Wait
Too Many Fish in the Sea
(The Marvelettes cover)
If You Knew
Hold On
I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
Good Lovin'
Love Is a Beautiful Thing
Groovin'
Do You Feel It
Away Away
It's A Beautiful Morning
Sueno
Find Somebody
A Girl Like You
It's Love
How Can I Be Sure
People Got to Be Free
Heaven
A Ray of Hope
People Got To Be Free (reprise)
Encore:
See

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