The Spinners and Little Anthony & The Imperials performed at Kupferberg Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 8.
The auditorium flooded with people as Little Anthony and the Imperials opened up the show. The doo-wop band included four band members, Robert DeBlanc, Earnest Wright, Johnny Britt, and Little Anthony Gourdine.
Little Anthony and the Imperials formed in 1958 in New York City. The original members were Clarence Collins, Earnest Wright, Glouster “Nate” Rogers and Tracey Lord. They were indicted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.
Earnest Wright, founder of the Imperials, Robert DeBlanc has sung with Aretha Franklin, an American singer who started her career in 1956.
The band performed songs such as their 1960’s hit “Shimmy Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop,” their 1982 release “I’m on The Outside Looking In,” their 1962 release “Hurt So Bad” and their song that sold more than two million records in 1966, “Take Me Back.” Flashing rainbow lights were displayed throughout the performance as fans danced in their seats as the crowd watched the performance. The singers were accompanied with a band in the back which included a trumpet player, saxophone players, electric guitar players, and a keyboard player.
Desiree Benn, a member of the audience from Ridgewood, Queens said “Little Anthony and the Imperials were really entertaining,” he continued, “Even though this music isn’t from my era, I really did enjoy it. I will definitely look to see where Little Anthony and the Imperials will be playing again and I will go see them.”
Marie Esposito is an alumna at Queens College who attended the performance. She said she and her husband have attended many other events at the Kupferberg Center such as the Vienna’s Boy Choir and Gladis Knight.
“The show was amazing,” Esposito said. “My favorite part was Little Anthony and the Imperials playing their original music.”
Towards the end of the show, the Spinners came to the stage dressed in light pink suits, accompanied by five vocalists, Charlton Washington, Marvin Taylor, Jessie Robert Peck, Ronnie Moss and Henry Fambrough, along with two electric guitar players, drummer and a keyboardist.
The Spinners sang their 1973 hit “Could It Be I’ve Fallen in Love,” “It’s a Shame” which was released in 1970, and “I’ll Be Around,” from 1973.
The audience sang along to the music in their seats as the Spinners danced in unison and brought jubilance throughout the theater.
The Spinners is a rhythm and blues band that was formed in Detroit Michigan in 1954. Their first single was the song “What Girls are Made for” in 1961.
The band was nominated to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. The original member and last living member of the original vocalist from the group from the beginning is Henry Fambrough.
Victor Linnares was an attendee of the show from Long Island, who said this performance was a birthday present from his wife. “The show was beautiful,” Linnares said. “I remember the 1960’s. I wish we could have more of these performances like this all the time.”
