It’s the end of a very long week in what has been a very long month during a very long quarter. In other words, I’m a bit tired and in need of a break. My plan was to use this weekend to do nothing and relax, but before doing that, I’d had plans to go to see the Art Laboe Connection: Remembering Art show at the YouTube Theater with friends, and I’m glad I did.
The show featured a classic array of throwback artists, leaning heavily into soul and funk, the kinds of oldies but goodies the L.A. radio legend, Art Laboe, was known for playing before he died last year. Evelyn “Champagne” King and Rose Royce were among the standouts of the night, but the most fun was the band Zapp, formerly known as Roger and Zapp. The were structured pandemonium. The band strutted out, marching like drum majors at an HBCU, they had moving podiums that some members stood behind, they had several costume changes within just a handful of songs, and there was at least one guy scooting across the stage on heelies, all while playing a catalog of talkbox-driven funk hits that west coast gangsta rap was partially built on. My friends and I danced for the entirety of their performance. They were the jolt of adrenaline that this tired Pettie needed.
