Originally announced in January of 2020, pop rock pioneers Hall & Oates paid visit to Summerfest’s newly refreshed amphitheater to perform their catalog of hits after the show was rescheduled and postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philadelphia duo was worth the wait, as fans danced and sang along throughout the entirety of the evening.
Here are four reasons you shouldn’t have missed Hall & Oates Saturday night performance at the new American Family Insurance Amphitheater:
1. The setlist was full of hits
Not many artists churn out hit singles like Daryl Hall and John Oates. No duo has sold more than Hall & Oates and the numbers don’t lie. Of the 14 tracks that the legendary pop duo performed last night, six reached number one throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s – which doesn’t even include “You Make My Dreams," a classic record that has withstood the test of time.
Fans joined in on the vocals throughout the entire performance, not only for the number one hits like “Maneater” and “Sara Smile” but for the B-side hits that were sprinkled throughout the setlist like “She’s Gone” and “Back Together Again."
2. Charlie DeChant
Hall & Oates is more than just a lead vocalist and a guitarist. The duo’s band behind and beside them played major roles in making the duo sound as good as the live recordings from decades ago. Third on our bill for the night was Charlie DeChant who killed it on the saxophone throughout the entire performance. His sax solo on “Maneater” to kick off the set was the biggest highlight from the evening from anyone not named Daryl Hall or John Oates, and his talents shined during other records that followed.
3. It was the perfect night out if you couldn’t wait for Summerfest
Summerfest is less than a week away and fans couldn’t be more excited. It’s been 784 long days since the last day of Summerfest so if you didn’t want to wait a few more, there was no better way to spend your Saturday night than with live music by the lake from a couple of Songwriting and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers. There was a lot of fun to be had in Milwaukee this weekend – and Hall & Oates at the Amphitheater was at the top of our list.
4. An encore worth the price of admission
Again, Hall & Oates have a musical resume unmatched by most artists, and although the main portion of the duo’s performance had its share of massive singles, their four-song encore alone was worth the price of admission.
Kicking off the encore with “Rich Girl," the 1977 hit actually inspired by a rich boy who is the son of the founder of the Wilmette pancake chain Walker Brothers Pancake House, the encore set concluded with three more classics: “Kiss on My List," “Private Eyes” and “You Make My Dream," a perfect ending to an already memorable evening.
Even if you showed up to the concert an hour late, you would have been treated to some of the biggest songs from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s and left the amphitheater fulfilled.
