BWW Reviews: 54 BELOW SINGS HEART Celebrates the Earthy Alto

54 BELOW has a successful series of one-offs where a talented cast sings the music of a certain show or group. Last Saturday the popular venue hosted 54 BELOW Sings Heart. Taking audiences back to the late 70s and the 80s, the talented group assembled made me wonder if the concert should have been subtitled "A True Celebration of the Earthy Alto." Channeling the cherished goddesses of rock with might and candor, the cast left the audience pumped and euphoric.

Complete with a vibrant voice and a great dose of power, Stephanie Gibson kicked the evening off with a rollicking rendition of "All Eyes" (Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Holly Knight). Next up, Mary Testa gave an electrifying performance of "Barracuda" (Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Michael DeRosier, Roger Fisher). As she always does, she reinvented the song for her unique yet stellar voice, bringing a new edge and sound to the classic tune. Testa also left the audience in stitches as she stated "What does this song mean?" over the bridge. With a resplendent earthy alto instrument, a bewitching belt, and tangible energy, Orfeh delivered a soaring version of "Never" (Ann Wilson, Holly Knight, Greg Bloch).

Tackling "Magic Man" (Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson), Tyce Green performed in his lower tenor range with sultry abandon, filling the song with sex and danger. Lauren Blackman joked that the audience needed a moment to breathe, delaying her launch into a commanding interpretation of "I've Got the Music in Me" (Bias Boshell). With a tried-and-true Broadway belt, Kate Rockwell performed "Alone" (Bill Steinberg, Tom Kelly) with well-utilized levels. Testa returned to the stage, joking again about the lyrics, and brought the house down with a dazzling and truly stunning interpretation of the lush ballad "Dog and Butterfly" (Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Sue Ennis).

Natalie Hall rocked the house with her jazzy take on "What About Love" (Brian Allen, Sheron Alton, Jim Vallance), which gave the iconic tune an invigorating Broadway make over. Putting the lessons he has learned from Constantine Maroulis to superb use, Green wailed with pizazz on "Tall, Dark Handsome Stanger" (Holly Knight, Albert Hammond). With a beautiful belt, Blackman gave the audience an authoritative rendition of the beloved "These Dreams" (Martin Page, Bernie Taupin). Last but not least, Teal Wicks sublimely delighted audiences with her unfettered and unrestrained take on "Crazy On You" (Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson). With indefatigable spirit and her splendid voice, she guaranteed that the showcase had a finale that was overflowing with vocal fireworks and masterful rock singing.

The band, led by Musical Director Steven Jamail on the piano, provided dynamic accompaniment for each performance. Jeremy Yaddaw on drums and Colin Dean on bass kept the beats infectious, while Micah Burgess on guitar ensured the music was melodic and appropriately aggressive. Likewise, as back up vocalists, Arielle Murphy and Kalli Siringas both gave strong performances and rounded out the tonality of these hit numbers when signing.

To post a comment, you must register and login.