SOME 46 years have passed since The Real Thing had their glorious number one love hit You To Me Are Everything. Countless relationships were forged – and consummated – on the back of this exquisite love song. For many, it was one of the defining songs of the 1970s.
The soul band, credited with restoring Liverpool’s reputation as a home of music after the phenomenal success of the Beatles, went on to enjoy further success with a string of hits. Joyous music. Joyous vibes.
Today, The Real Thing survives and thrives, although it’s a pared down version of what went before. Original band members Eddy Amoo, Ray Lake and Kenny Davies have all sadly passed away, leaving Eddy’s brother Chris and Dave Smith to continue to fly the flag.
Yet, supported by a fine band, The Real Thing remain the real deal, entertaining all before them. At Pizza Express Live Holborn in London on Bank Holiday Thursday, they did their own version of jubilant Jubilee celebrations as they got the audience off their seats and dancing right from the word go.
Joy flowed through the predominantly female audience as everyone was transported back to a time when they were lighter on their feet and the world was their oyster.
Yet the passage of time didn’t stop many from bouncing up and down like teenage yo-yos. By the time the show was drawing to a close with a thumping Can You Feel The Force, everyone was on their feet. It was an intimate experience in a venue designed for intimacy.
Dressed in white, Amoo and Smith set the scene, moving like gazelles despite being a little thicker in the frame than back in the 1970s.
They showed off their dance moves which the audience copied. It was an hour and a quarter of non-stop music, enthusiastic audience participation and songs that made (and continue to make) The Real Thing so loved – the likes of Can’t Get By Without You, Whenever You Want My Love and of course You To Me Are Everything.
Probably the most tender song of the evening was an emotional Children Of The Ghetto – a song Amoo dedicated to children everywhere. ‘No matter who you are, you can do what you want to do,’ he said.
Amoo (oozing charm) and Smith (coolness personified) are a class act. Surrounding themselves with great musicians, The Real Thing packs a mighty punch. They’re a whirlwind and with a new album out (A Brand New Day) there ain’t no stopping them.
A tour de force. Magnifique. Touring for the rest of the year, they could just provide you with the pick-up you are desperately seeking in these rather challenging times. Just remember to take your dancing shoes.
Visit PizzaExpress Live – https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com
For more of The Real Thing – https://therealthingofficial.com