TV Times

Soft rock and classic pop fans got a big night out with Lobo making a rare live showing here.

He may be 60-years-old and semi-retired from the music scene but American folk rock legend Lobo proved recently in Malaysia that he still has what it takes to put up a solid two hour show.

Lobo came alive at the Arena of Stars in Genting Highlands. As soon as Lobo, whose real name is Roland Kent LaVoie, came on stage at 8.30pm with an acoustic guitar slung around him, he received a warm applause from the audience and went straight into the opening song, Rings, taken from his covers album, Just A Singer.

And when the Florida-based Lobo started singing, that distinct voice of his still had not changed from what he sounded like on his albums. Backed by a band consisting of two keyboardists, drums, bass and guitar, Lobo also brought along his long-time guitarist Billy Aerts as well. And after playing two songs, Lobo and Aerts greeted the crowd, who were very obviously staunch local fans of Lobo.

The charismatic Lobo, having just enthralled the crowd with two of his numbers, warmed up to the audience even more by cracking the first among many jokes that night. He told the audience about a woman he had met earlier that day at the lift and she had pointed an accusing finger at him saying, "I know you, I know you, you're ... Lobo's father!"

He then launched into A Simple Man, and by the middle of the next number, Stoney, Aerts announced that it was karaoke time and went down to the audience to pick a few eager singers.

As it turned out, there were more than a few who were willing to take the microphone but Aerts chose three guys who sang the chorus to Stoney. This proved to be a popular move with the audience as they too started singing along.

For Lobo's next song, he did the number Whispers in the Wind, which takes the melody from the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee's Getaran Jiwa but with a whole new set of lyrics. He then did a cover of Carole King's Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and soon took a short break with the band.

The audience were then treated to a two-piece American group known as The Remedy, whose singer Carol Lorrie provided back-up vocals to Lobo while guitarist Brennan Aerts (Aerts' son) provided the lead. They entertained the audience with two of their original songs before Lobo and Aerts alone came on.

The duo then provided an opportunity for the audience to ask for requests and Lobo's laconic response to some of them who were asking to play his hits were, "Did you really think I wasn't going to play that song? Let's wait for the band to come out." Lobo then sang a song, which he said reflected the current situation in the world, Universal Soldier, a song about soldiers of all ages and all nations.

He then covered John Stewart's Armstrong and played a handful of songs including Standing at the End of the Line and There Ain't No Way. He had the audience clapping and singing along and he didn't even need a band to back him, Lobo can very well hold his own with just his voice and an acoustic guitar.

As soon as the band came back from their break, they launched into the ever popular, Me and You and a Dog named Boo.

He continued to serenade the audience with numbers like Yellow River, Let It Be Me and It Doesn't Matter Anymore. Lobo however, saved the best for last with I'd Love You To Want Me, which received a thunderous applause from the audience.

But the song that brought the house down was How Can I Tell Her, the last song for the night, which had everyone elated and the whole audience drowning out Lobo's vocals.

As Lobo said goodbye and left the stage, the audience still clamoured for more and Lobo obliged by returning for an encore and took to the stage solo and poignantly ended it with Goodbye Is Just Another Word. And after it was all over, it was clear in the faces of all who attended the show that they had got their money's worth and more.
(Courtesy- New Straits Times)