MIDNIGHT STAR REVISTED

On Friday night Official Midnight Star overcame the opening act curse and ended up getting a much deserved standing ovation.
I have been friends with this band since I first recommended them to the owner of the Mark IV Lounge on East 38th Street near Pendleton Pike. This was in 1977 if memory serves me correct. Two years later they would be signed to SOLAR Records and in 1980 their debut album THE BEGINNING was released. wedding wear options for older and mature brides
Their second album STANDING TOGE ... THER saw them come to Indianapolis to headline a show that had April as the opening act. This was 1981.
I have no memory of a 1982 show, but I do recall them doing a show with Klymaxx and Shalamar at the now defunct Market Square Arena which was in 1985 I believe.
They have also played for the Indiana Black Expo Music Heritage Festival 3x that I can recall, once in the Hoosier Dome, and twice for the American Legion Mall free concert in 2002 and in 2013.
In 2008 they played a special show at the Indiana Roof. The year 2011 saw a special concert outside for Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. In 2015 they played for the Soul Food Festival at Lafayette Square.
I have seen five of these shows over the years. The one constant is their professionalism and they execute well.
This past Friday's show was just a 40 minute set and some of their chestnuts like "Electricity"and "Headlines" were left out due to timing, but nevetheless they made sure they got all of the essentials in.
Singer/guitarist McArthur (Melvin Gentry) made sure the Indianapolis audience knew their Naptown connection as he introduced native son keyboardist Bill Simmons , an alum of Shortridge High. He also reminenced about their cutting teeth days at the Mark IV Lounge. Gentry does the lead vocals on "Curious: and "No Parking On The Dance Floor".
Two members are from Louisville, Kentuck, singer Belinda Lipscomb , who gave a very emotive reading of her calling card number "Feels So Good" from the triple platinum NO PARKING ON THE DANCE FLOOR album, and bassist Kenneth Gant , who also does the superlow bass vocal parts as well.
Singer/keyboardis Bo Watson , is from Flint, Michigan, just like Gentry. Bo does the high falsetto parts on "Slow Jam" and does the lead vocals on "Wet My Whistle" and "Midas Touch".
Rounding out the group is drummer Bobby Lovelace, who hails from Atlanta, Georgia. He joined the group in late 1982 and first appeared on record for the NO PARKING ON THE DANCE FLOOR album.