June’s Sounds of the Strand
Next month, the Myrtle Beach music scene is all about the vocals, as three of the best vocal groups in their respective genres make their way to the Grand Strand in June.
It begins on Friday, June 15, 7 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre with Diamond Rio. The country group from Tennessee has been at it for 23 years, but surged in popularity by the early 1990s shortly after signing with Arista Records. Through much of the decade, Diamond Rio's rich harmonics received critical acclaim in earning the group country music's top vocal group honors, both from the Academy of Country Music (1991-1992) and the Country Music Association (1992-1994, 1997). Diamond Rio's talents are on display in this recent video for their hit single "God Only Cries."
Two nights later, the House of Blues hosts fast-rising a cappella group Toxic Audio at the "Toxic Audio Dinner Show" on Sunday, June 17 at 5:30 p.m., with multiple shows running there through mid-July. Offering a dynamic blend of improvisation, comedy and stunning vocals, the "Toxins" (as they refer to themselves) produce a mind-blowing sound without the assistance of a single musical instrument. Toxic Audio comes to Myrtle Beach after highly successful stints at Walt Disney World, off-Broadway and in Las Vegas. This half-minute performance is all you need to get a good sense of it:
To close out the month, the Alabama Theatre brings Carl Gardner's Coasters, The Original Drifters and Herb Reed & The Platters to town on Friday, June 29 at 7 p.m. These illustrious groups' doo-wop/R&B accomplishments go back five decades, but they haven't lost a step as shown in this Drifters' 2006 performance of "Save the Last Dance for Me", and this recent performance of "Only You" by The Platters.
July's slate looks absolutely loaded, kicking off with a big-hair fest (Poison with Ratt and White Lion) and following up with Little River Band, Edwin McCain, KC & The Sunshine Band, BB King, Kenny Rogers, the Four Tops and the Temptations. More on those shows in next month's edition of "Sounds of the Strand."
Enjoy the shows!
Jeez, I hope Diamond Rio’s other songs are a bit more uplifting than this one. Good sound, though.
OK, check out the Platters video, and tell me who Herb Reed looks like more—Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction, or Eric LaSalle in Coming to America?
DEFINITELY Jules Winfield!