With the Aberdeen Jazz Festival just around the corner, what better way to whet our appetites and kick off a month of fantastic live music in the city than a love letter to the music of Motown where I was fortunate enough to attend last weekend.
Now in their 21st year, Motown: How Sweet It Is returned to Aberdeen's Music Hall, attracting a diverse range of ages to boogie on down to timeless classics of the legendary artists of yesteryear. With a five-piece band of male vocalists all rotating in energising and exuberant solos throughout the set, accompanied by a top-flight live band giving a stellar perofrmance to a packed Music Hall audience with a set list of hits from the likes of The Four Tops, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and many more.
The night started with Papa Was a Rolling Stone, setting a foreboding, somber mood before Motown's classic hits asserted themselves. Marvin Gaye to The Temptations, Smokey Robinson to The Jackson 5, all songs were sung with ability and intensity. Each of the five vocalists had his own unique voice, but as they blended together, the harmonies became unrecognizable.
Particular stand outs including covers of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On, which was both powerful and intimate, and The Four Tops' Standing In the Shadows of Love, which carried a heaviness of emotion that made the entire room feel it. While the majority of the setlist stayed true to Motown's 60s and 70s heyday, the concert also featured some 80s R&B earworms from the likes of DeBarge and Luther Vandross. These additions gave the set a broader scope, showing how far the label had come without sacrificing its trademark soul sound.
And then there was the Jacksons section. I have to say, the lead vocalist had a surprisingly close effort with the tone of Michael himself. Blame It on the Boogie was a particularly infectious highlight of the night, and the crowd gave a particularly ecstatic reception to those segments.
By the time the encore arrived—an energetic, full-throated version of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's Ain’t No Mountain High Enough—the entire audience was up on their feet and fully caught up in the music, sending the crowd home with an unforgettable, high-energy send-off.
Motown: How Sweet It Is was an excellent celebration of the genre’s rich legacy, bringing timeless classics to life with energy and passion. Whether you are a lifelong fan or a newcomer to Motown’s influence, this show is an experience that resonates with all. As Aberdeen’s music scene heats up with the upcoming Jazz Festival, this performance set a high bar for live music in the city.