R&B band to celebrate gallery’s 60th

Some of the island’s top musicians are joining forces for a concert in celebration of the Bermuda Society of Arts 60th anniversary year.

The Front Line, featuring drummer Howard Rego, will perform a set made up of rhythm and blues and soul songs including covers of Al Green, Earth Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder.

They will also include some rock and roll songs including covers by Elvis Presley.

The event, Art and Soul Live Music Revival, takes place at the Bermuda Society of Arts on the third floor of City Hall this
Saturday from 9pm to 12pm.

The five-piece rhythm and blues band is made up of John Woolridge on piano, Stan Gilbert on bass guitar, Tim De Huff, Ronnie Lopes on vocals and conga drums, and Rego on drums.

Many of the band members were part of Rego’s former band the The Booze Brothers, (pictured) who also performed a fundraising concert for the art gallery previously.

Rego, whose former bands also include Red Alert and The Savages, is the husband of BSoA gallery director Leslie Rego.

He told the Bermuda Sun: “Leslie and I cooked this up again as part of an anniversary offering and fundraiser for the BSoA.

“This is just one event of many that they will be putting on throughout the year so in the spirit of our show and in the spirit of it being a 60th anniversary, it will be a good party.

“The band is in the same spirit as The Booze Brothers and Red Alert — it is all the same people putting on these things.

“There are different musicians but they perform on the same level — it will be very polished and powerful music coming off the stage.

“The last BSoA fundraiser was 60s Rock and then Soul and Motown. R&B was our choice this year because of the danceability of the music — it is very funky and conducive to dancing and it has a good, strong pulse.”

Rego added: “This one is less focused on ‘come and see us’ but rather ‘come and see yourself’ and enjoy some dancing and have some fun. We encourage you not to come and look at us all night — we want you to come and hang out and enjoy dancing.”

Art and Soul Live Music Revival takes place at the Bermuda Society of Arts on the third floor of City Hall this Saturday from 9pm to 12pm. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are $50 for members, $60 for non-members. Call 292-3824 or visit www.bdatix.bm.