Shalamar 2024 - The Greatest Hits

As 36,000 Radio 2 listeners soon realised when watching the band at this years sold out ‘ In The Park Festival in Leicester, SHALAMAR have not lost any of the charisma or performing power over the years and still pack a ‘80’s funk & soul punch’ when it comes to live shows. 

The groups line up still boasts  2 from 3 original members of their golden era of 1979 - 1983 with lead singer Howards Hewett, ably assisted by Jeffrey Daniel – the man who via Top of The Pops introduced the ‘Moonwalk’ to the British public in 1982. The duo are joined by Carolyn Griffey, daughter of the bands original record label ‘Solar Records. Founder Dick Griffey. For live performances they have a specially assembled 7 piece band who certainly know how to ‘lay down the beat’!  

The Greatest Hits Tour will be a feast of non stop veritable ‘80’s Shalamar dancefloor classics”, complemented with silky smooth ballads from original member from 1979 onwards - the golden voice of Howard Hewett – one of the greatest Soul/ R&B singers of all time. With 11 top forty – of which 4 went Top 10 chart smashing singles and over 25 million records sold, the group are one of the most successful soul acts of all time. This will be an evening to make everyone dance and will definitely be “A Night to Remember”!! 

The group will perform their greatest hits such as “A Night To Remember“, "Take That to The Bank", "Second Time Around", "Make That Move", "Dead Giveaway", “Disappearing Act”, “Dancin’ In The Sheets”, “Over and Over”, “Friends” and many more.  

Shalamar were also synonymous with a huge dance craze that had never been seen before in the UK. Jeffrey Daniel brought the body popping phenomenon into Europe and performed the first moonwalk on European TV. This performance changed music culture forever. Jeffrey has been an inspiration to millions of people across the world including the man he mentored - Michael Jackson.  

In 2023 Shalamar were awarded a stone on the Camden Music Walk of Fame and were Soul Act of the year at the Boisdale awards. Backed by a solid 7 piece band they are guaranteed crowd pleasers and headliners at many Summer Festivals.  

Special guest is GWEN DICKEY – The Distinctive Voice of 70’s super funk group Rose Royce – who themselves enjoyed 5 Top 20 UK chart hits “"Wishing On A Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", “Car Wash”, “Is It Love You’re After” and ‘Makes You feel Like Dancing’. 

Gwen Dickey is one of the finest female vocalists of her generation – she is the voice of Rose Royce who released their first single "Car Wash" in 1976. The single peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and sold over a million copies in United States alone. Rose Royce's debut album Car Wash was released the same year and sold over two million copies worldwide, winning a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album in 1977. The album's final single "I'm Going Down, peaked at number 70 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number ten on the R&B singles chart. The group's second album Rose Royce II: In Full Bloom became a platinum-seller in the United States, topped the R&B albums chart, and peaked at number nine on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The album spawned three successful singles: "Do Your Dance (Part 1)", "It Makes You Feel Like Dancin'", "Ooh Boy", and "Wishing on a Star". The song became an international pop hit and garnered a certified silver certification in the United Kingdom.  In 1978, Rose Royce released their third album Rose Royce III: Strikes Again! which was certified gold in the United States. The album spawned two top-ten R&B singles: "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" and "I'm in Love (And I Love the Feeling)". In 1979, Rose Royce released their fourth album Rose Royce IV: Rainbow Connection, the final album to feature vocals with Gwen. 

Let’s go back in time to the 80;s when life was just so much easier – here’s a review from The Guardian – November 1982 – Review of Shalamar 

“The hottest ticket in town at present is not for ABC, Yazoo or any other of the leading lights of the British "new pop" movement but for the Los Angeles based group Shalamar.’ 

This is a concert and it is possible that other audience members may stand up and dance during the event.