Daryl Hall & John Oates at Honda Center

Daryl Hall and John Oates at Honda Center

Daryl Hall & John Oates, Train, Kandace Springs, Honda Center, May 6, 2018

Daryl Hall & John Oates

It was definitely a night of classic music and vivid memories as the legendary duo of Daryl Hall & John Oates made their way to Honda Center in Anaheim to present the show of a lifetime. The fans were multi-generational, demonstrating just how truly timeless the legacy of Hall & Oates remains to this very day. With the cavernous Honda Center packed to the rafters and beyond, Hall & Oates presented a thrilling show, with highlights from all over their grand and brilliant career.

Opening their set with the dazzling refrains of Maneater from their landmark H2O endeavor, Hall & Oates had the entire Honda Center auditorium on their feet and singing alone very early on. And the hits just kept right on arriving tenfold, with selections such as Out Of Touch, Did It In A Minute, She’s Gone, and Sara Smile enrapturing the audience. Featured within the many highlights of the show was a performance of Is It A Star from the War Babies album, with John Oates assuming lead vocals with a soulful conviction. Another powerhouse moment arrived when Hall & Oates and their absolutely first rate band made I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) into an extended jam session, highlighting the vast and magnetic talents of each and every ensemble member. Especially notable was longtime saxophone player Charles DeChant, whose exuberant energy and massive talent could warrant his very own stage production.

Hall & Oates and the direct support act Train recently collaborated on a brand new single entitled Philly Forget Me Not. And what a delight it is was to witness Train’s charismatic front man Pat Monahan arrive onstage to perform not only that, but two other songs in what would be another exciting highlight of the night. Also included in this very special amalgamation of talent were inspired renditions of the Hall & Oates song Wait For Me as well as the Train classic Calling All Angels.

Monahan would soon depart from the stage, and it was time for two of the biggest Hall & Oates hits ever – Kiss On My List and Private Eyes, leading right up to a very well deserved encore. Rich Girl and You Make My Dreams were unveiled in the final moments, songs which surely left an everlasting impression of the Honda Center attendees. Daryl Hall & John Oates are consummate performers who really know how to deliver the hits, rendering these treasures so very much alive and vibrant after all of this time. Along with the participation of Train, this is certainly a cross country tour that is not to be missed!

Train at Honda Center

Train

And speaking of the almighty Train, the Bay Area based collective presented their own stunning set of rocking tapestries, commencing their set with the spacious refrains of 50 Ways To Say Goodbye from their California 37 magnum opus. Train definitely had a good number of fans in the crowd, cheering and singing along to all of the favorites. Call Me Sir was a brand spanking new selection about to be released from the Train brigade, and it received a very positive reaction from the burgeoning Honda Center attendees.

And of course the reaction was thunderous when Train launched into the hits such as Save Me San Francisco, Marry Me, and especially the wildly infectious Hey Soul Sister. With their own collection of seasoned musicians and an stunning live show to back it all up in nothing short of an epic way, Train is at the very pinnacle of their creativity. Stay tuned, as Train is proceeding full speed ahead and their luminous tunes and live shows dazzle the senses!

Kandace Springs at Honda Center

Kandace Springs

In the grand tradition of Roberta Flack and Sade arrived Kandace Springs at the very beginning of the evening, weaving her own auditory spell upon the early arrivals. In addition to her own original compositions, Ms. Spring presented inspiring covers from other artists, rendering each and every song her very own. Whether it was a sparking rendition of People Make The World Go Round by The Stylistics or an imagination performance of The World Is A Ghetto by the legendary War, Ms. Springs enveloped the Honda Center with her own rapturous vocals and keyboard interludes.

Also featured within the Kandace Springs power trio are Chris Gaskell on bass and Connor Parks on drums – tremendously versatile musicians whether they are subtly unveiling the goods or rocking it all out! And what a mesmerizing grand finale Kandace Springs delivered, with a tremendously poignant cover of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack. The quietly emotional tapestry had the entire auditorium paying attention! Expect to hear a whole lot more from the supremely gifted Kandace Springs in future days ahead…

(Review by Ken Morton – Photos by Jack Lue)

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