EARTH ANGEL
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and if you want to treat your honey to a feel-good hoot, pick up a couple of tickets to the upcoming “Best of Doo Wop Vol. IV” at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
Every year around this time, music legends and one-hit-wonders from days gone by take the stage for a blast-to-the-past celebration. Even though most of the performers donning those turquoise polyester suits and frilly tuxedo shirts are in their 60s and 70s, they’re still singing and dancing up a storm to adoring fans.
You never know who’ll be making the “Doo Wop” line up, but it’s always a good time. Last year’s show featured Doo Wop kings, including The Del Vikings in their white suits and raspberry ruffled shirts. With unforgettable lyrics like “Dom, dom, dom, dom-dee-doobie, dom…,” these guys still know how to wow the crowd.
Sixties girl groups, including The Chiffons, played a medley of tunes that made them famous, like “He’s so Fine” and “One Fine Day.” They wrapped up their act with “My Boyfriend’s Back,” which only goes to show you that they had the market cornered on “Hey Now” long before the “The Larry Sanders Show” made the scene. Other highlights included The Coasters’ quirky hits, like “Yakety-Yak” and “Charlie Brown.”
What delights about Doo Wop are the fun-filled lyrics. Consider the song about a man killer dubbed “Poison Ivy.” Dressed in their look-alike suits and with smooth moves, The Coasters warn:
You’re gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion.
You’ll be scratchin’ like a hound
The minute you start to mess around
Late at night when you’re sleepin’
Poison Ivy comes a creepin’
Arou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ound
Last year’s show was right out of American Graffiti and “where were you in ‘62.” The Tokens had folks of all ages dancing in the aisles with legendary hits like “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
The old timers will be breaking out the Motrin again this year, with a line up that includes Danny and The Juniors, The Safaris and The Pentagons. So put a little doo-lang, doo-lang, do lang in your ba-ba-ba-baran and head for memory lane. The Legends of Doo Wop comes to town on March 28.
PEPPERDINE PERFORMANCES
It should come as no surprise that Amy Grant is quickly selling out for her upcoming performances at Pepperdine, but if you can’t snag a seat for AG there are a lot of other options on tap. On Valentine’s Day, you can hear great guitar sounds from Parkening Competition Gold Medalist Emanuele Buono. The Soweto Gospel Choir is coming to town in March, followed by the Pepperdine Choral Masterworks Concert. So let the music begin!
Got a hot happening or cool event? Send the 411 to kimdevore@malibutimes.com.