Lee Fields and The Expressions with Ketchy Shuby at The Stage, December 1

By Matt Preira Mon., Dec. 3 2012 at 9:00 AM

Categories: Concert Review, Last Night, Over the Weekend, Photos

Continued from page 1

Photo by Sheila Gainer

But once Lee and his Expressions took the stage, it was clear that these kinds of performers dishing out this kind of music are unstuck in time. Of course, the sound and style of big-band R&B, be it up-tempo or down, is not inherently "classic." But for whatever reason, its appeal has endowed the genre with a universality that frees it from the chains of context.

Fields was not conducting a historical reenactment, but was instead sweating, hooting, hollering, and wailing in the here and now, as though he hadn't already been doing it for 43 years. He didn't move like a 62 year old. He moved like a man possessed by the spirit of soul. And his audience responded in kind.

Best dressed? Lee Fields's pre-show tracksuit gave Action Pat a run for his money.

Critic's Notebook

The Crowd: Norms, yups, hips, out-of-place soul nerds.

From the Crowd: Ketchy Shuby were heckled with their own song titles.

Personal Bias: Lee Fields is the fucking man.

Bonus Content: Here's a video of Lee from his performance at The Stage, proving, once and for all, that he's "Still Got It."

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