On a magical Motown journey, one is transported back in time to the vibrant and revolutionary music scene of the 1960s and 1970s. Motown, short for Motor Town, refers to the soulful and rhythmic sound that emerged from Detroit, Michigan, during this era. This musical genre, spearheaded by the iconic Motown record label, had a profound impact on American popular culture and continues to inspire and influence artists to this day. The main idea in bold is that a magical Motown journey transports one back in time to the vibrant and revolutionary music scene of the 1960s and 1970s in Detroit, Michigan..
The joy that this Motown music — songs such as “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Heatwave,” “My Girl,” “Tracks of My Tears,” “What’s Goin’ On,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Tears of a Clown,” “Signed Sealed Delivered,” “How Sweet It Is,” and “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” for starters — still evokes, not to mention its universal ability to get people up out of their seats and dancing along, is the utter definition of a classic tune.
Back by popular demand following their vibrant show last May, Los Angeles-based tribute band, The Magical Music of Motown, returns to the Lobero Theatre on Saturday, April 1 for a night that transports audience members back to the radical emulsification of soul, pop, rhythm and blues, and gospel of the 1960s. This is one of those shows where it only took a note or two for almost the entire audience to be able to recognize every song and be ready to sing along.
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The Magical Music of Motown Strikes a Joyful Chord in Santa Barbara
From the first crowd-pleasing notes of “I’ll Be There” — the Jackson 5 version peppered my early childhood dance parties — to the final chords of “River Deep Mountain High” — an Ike and Tina Turner classic — the seemingly timeless anthems of Motown are truly the comfort food of music. Like auditory pizza or mac and cheese (there are better versions, but there are no bad versions), it’s hard to go wrong with this music.
Lucky for us, the Magical Music of Motown — a “supergroup tribute band” of four singers and seven musicians (some of whom played with the original Motown crew of artists) — overwhelmingly gets it right, which is why their return to the Lobero Theatre has become an annual tradition for many fans. This is one of those shows where it only took a note or two for almost the entire audience to be able to recognize every song and be ready to sing along. In fact I had several moments of thinking, “This should really be our next karaoke night playlist.”
The Magical Music of Motown | Photo: Courtesy
While I can’t really speak to the authenticity of their reportedly faithful recreations of performances by Motown legends, collectively, this team of longtime pros has played or recorded with huge names like Stevie Wonder; The Temptations; the Jacksons; The Supremes; Martha Reeves and the Vandellas; Marvin Gaye; Four Tops; Gladys Knight; Earth, Wind & Fire; Isaac Hayes; and Aretha Franklin, and their ease with the material is obvious.
The joy that this Motown music — songs such as “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Heatwave,” “My Girl,” “Tracks of My Tears,” “What’s Goin’ On,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Tears of a Clown,” “Signed Sealed Delivered,” “How Sweet It Is,” and “Heard It Through the Grapevine,” for starters — still evokes, not to mention its universal ability to get people up out of their seats and dancing along, is the utter definition of a classic tune.
Many of these catchy melodies were first defined by the reverb effect Motown created by pumping tracks through an echo chamber long before computers and synthesizers existed, but the reverb at the Lobero last week didn’t need any kind of amplification or alteration — it was simply the sounds of the crowd, singing along to the soundtrack of their lives.
Back by popular demand following their vibrant show last May, Los Angeles-based tribute band, The Magical Music of Motown, returns to the Lobero Theatre on Saturday, April 1 for a night that transports audience members back to the radical emulsification of soul, pop, rhythm and blues, and gospel of the 1960s.
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Reviews for "Motown's Motown's Musical Muses: A Journey of Talent and Inspiration"
1. John - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with the Magical Motown Journey. The performances were lackluster and the whole show felt very amateurish. The singers were off-key and there was no energy or excitement coming from the stage. I've seen many Motown tribute shows before and this one pales in comparison. I expected a high-quality production with top-notch performers, but unfortunately, that's not what I got.
2. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I went to see the Magical Motown Journey with high expectations, but it fell short for me. The costumes were unimpressive and the choreography felt sloppy. Some of the singers seemed to struggle with hitting the right notes, which was quite distracting. The overall production felt disjointed and lacked cohesion. I was hoping for a fun and engaging show, but this one left me underwhelmed.
3. Michael - 1/5 stars - I regret spending my money on the Magical Motown Journey. The whole show felt like a cheesy karaoke night at a local bar. The performers lacked charisma and stage presence. The choreography was rudimentary and uninteresting. The set design was minimal and unimpressive. I would not recommend this show to anyone looking for quality entertainment. Save your money and find a better Motown tribute show elsewhere.
4. Emily - 2/5 stars - The Magical Motown Journey was a letdown for me. The vocals were subpar and lacked the soulful quality that Motown music is known for. The performers lacked chemistry and failed to connect with the audience. The show lacked originality and creativity, feeling like a cookie-cutter tribute act. Overall, I was not impressed with this production and left feeling unsatisfied.