Chitavi Maulloo / Photographer
“This is the twerk of my time!” senior Enrique Reyes proclaimed onstage, putting on his best Ray Charles and burning through the American icon’s tune “Mess Around.” Reyes’ performance was just one of many highlights from No Jackets Required’s “Soul Train”-themed show, which took place on Saturday Oct. 18 in the May Room. For three hours, the student-run rock group played covers from both soul icons old and new: Earth, Wind & Fire, Etta James, Cee-Lo Green, and Beyoncé, to name a few. Colorful, engaging, quirky, and moving, “Soul Train” stood out as one of NJR’s strongest shows to date.
“Soul Train” was maximalist in all the right ways. The show featured a grand array of student musicians, all of whom had an important place in the band’s sound. Covers like Etta James’ “At Last” showcased delicate string arrangements, while Earth Wind, & Fire’s “September” was rich with its horn section. Aside from sound, the show was engaging in spirit – in fact, if you disregarded the night’s “Soul Train” theme, it was essentially a funky costume party, with students like senior Shane Saxton donning a Hawaiian button-up shirt, Woody Allen undershirt, and sailor cap. Whimsical vibes were the name of the game with “Soul Train” – and it only made the show better.
In typical NJR tradition, the night showcased impressive chops from student musicians. sophomore Megan Kibler led the band through “September” with an impressively-controlled and highly expressive vocal performance. In addition, Sophomore Kyle Bokert’s virtuosic drumming stood out during the night, adding punch and slickness to many of the tunes.
Previous NJR shows have delivered in fun factor and provided respectably tight performances. However, “Soul Train” stands out in that it showcased a level of execution unprecedented for the group while at the same time taking the fun factor to new heights. With its cohesive theme, no-holds-barred mission statement, and meticulously arranged performances, “Soul Train” was a night to remember. NJR is on its game this year.
Howard is a member of
the class of 2017.
