The group, and their excellent five-piece band, are slick, professional but exude a warmth and a refreshing sense of joy in what they do. With a setlist with solid-good smashes such as All American Girls, Good Times (sadly without the camp “Roller skates, roller skates” lyric) and Le Freak, this is an evening of pure entertainment and one that delighted the audience of all ages.
He’s The Greatest Dancer features a dance break from David Sledge who moves while great fun also suggest that he probably wasn’t the inspiration for the titular character. The group’s 1985 foray into bubblegum pop, Frankie, makes a brief but enjoyable appearance.
The show’s singular misstep comes with the introduction of special guest Niels Lan Doky with whom Debbie has previously performed jazz concerts. Their performance of an underwhelming trad jazz Summertime simply didn’t fit the disco party remit and momentarily lost the audience. Thankfully, the relief of Thinking About You (arguably Sister Sledge’s best-written song), with Debbie effortlessly scaling the vocal heights, got the show immediately back on track.
The times we live in are often fraught with stress and difficulties so it is an absolute pleasure to spend an uplifting evening with Sister Sledge. They know how to put on an irresistible party where you can park your worries for a night and happily get lost in music. A positive triumph!