“Did you enjoy the concert? I know this is a show for old people.” A fellow concertgoer asked me on the way to my car, to which I responded with a laugh and a resounding “yes.” I had only heard so much about these groups before attending the December 3rd show – I had figured this funk-dance soul was a thing of the past compared to contemporary soul, a genre I love. Yet as soon as I walked into Smart Financial Centre, the crowd noise was deafening – and that was just from DJ Cazel’s changeover set. I knew I was due for an entertaining night.
The S.O.S Band went first in what ended up being the best performance of the show. They performed well-known hits such as “The Finest,” “Just Be Good to Me,” and “Take Your Time (Do It Right), all of which encapsulated a feel-good vibe to get the night going. The standout track, however, was the slow jam “Tell Me If You Still Care.” The instrumental melodies alone got everyone in the crowd to stand up and groove with their partners, and the angelic vocals allowed you to close your eyes and just listen to the pure passion of SOS.
What frustrates me, as a younger fan, is most of their discography cannot be found on streaming apps such as Spotify or Apple Music – I have to go to Youtube, Wikipedia, and even 90s R&B artist Monica (who did a cover of the aforementioned slow jam) to enjoy their work outside of the concert. But as far as the show is concerned, I enjoyed this group the most because they represented something more contemporary than the others – I could simply enjoy their work without adjusting my perspective.
Zapp’s fresh energy and light-hearted performance were praiseworthy (praise that both the band and Thomas Troutman noticed on my Instagram) for energizing the crowd. With a techno-funk sound I was not raised on, I had to adjust for a bit before I could truly enjoy their work. But once their hit records “Computer Love,” and “More Bounce to the Ounce,” played, my vibes mirrored a day one Zapp fan.
Their performance style was similar to that of a Black Church, with multiple references to God, praising Him, and eternal gratitude to their fans for keeping the sound alive – as I said on my Instagram, soul music and gospel can turn the most extreme atheist into a believer real quick. Their music was the least contemporary of the three, but I believe their pure musical talent was good enough to deliver a solid outing.
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake 
Zapp – Photo by Jennifer Lake
Cameo, the night’s headliner, swooped in to wrap things up. They had about a 50/50 split between contemporary and retro, and I enjoyed the contemporary tracks more by far (Single Life, Sparkle, Candy). Persevering through faulty mics, Cameo delivered on their promise to “keep the party jumpin’ tonight” and, as I witnessed, also delivered in the hearts of longtime Cameo listeners.
All 3 bands, even with many original members still maintaining a presence on the stage, provided a pronounced sense of youth and energy that crossed age, race, and gender barriers. Although I was in quite the distinct minority, I felt welcomed and energized by the positivity of funk music and the vibes of an audience that danced to literally everything.
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