Every time the latest installment of Twilight Thursdays concert season kicks off, a time will be had. And that was exactly the case last week when the series returned to the newly renovated North Plaza last week.
St. Louisans of all ages gathered under the setting sun, wrapped in a cool breeze as they set up their chairs and blankets to see Dirty Muggs. The multifaceted R&B band has become a staple of the St. Louis live music scene over the past several years. Some came with friends, others came with family celebrating special occasions, others came alone and chatted with neighbors.
The evening opened with a welcome from hometown favorite BJ the DJ, who is celebrating his 40th year as a St. Louis radio personality. He started his career in 1985 as the mix show DJ for Majic 108. These days, in addition to being a program director, he has a popular weekend show on 100.3 The Beat.
The crowd began to cheer as soon as BJ introduced Dirty Muggs. They took the stage with a 1970s inspired set. In addition to its usual members, there were three additions. There was an extra lead singer, a saxophonist and a trumpet player that added a smooth and jazzy groove to their usual hip hop and R&B groove.
The band opened with a Stevie Wonder tribute, led by lead singer and “American Idol” finalist Nikko Smith. They started with “Master Blaster (Jammin’)” and people immediately ran to the open space in front of the band to dance along. He followed this by singing “I Wish” with expert runs that rivaled Stevie’s. Bassist Jordan Brewer carried the groove of this song and blended it with ease into “Higher Ground.”
The band transitioned into two songs by Earth, Wind, and Fire. They began with “September” and followed up with “Let’s Groove.” The latter song has recently resurfaced on Tik Tok thanks to a mashup with the classic jam and the rap song “Dumb Crasy” by So Supa. Younger audience members recorded themselves performing the viral dance moves as Dirty Muggs played.
Then the second lead singer, and songwriter – Lotty London – performed Foxy Brown’s “Big Bad Mama.” Her rhymes were followed by a rousing saxophone solo that flowed into Carl Carlton’s “She’s a Bad Mama Jama.”
“Enjoy Yourself” by The Jacksons provided the perfect opportunity for crowd engagement before the band glided into a pair of hits by The O’ Jays – “Love Train” and then “For the Love of Money.” The crowd let out a “woo” in unison when Brewer began to play the opening chords of the second song – which was elevated by the jazzy horn players who rang out the signature melody.
They bridged musical generation gaps by playing classic hits and the modern day songs that sampled them. “Backstabbers” led by Smith, slowly transitioned into “I Wish I Didn’t Miss You” by Angie Stone led by London.
She also led “Bust A Move” by Young MC. She raised the energy for “It Takes Two” by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock, and jammed along as she rapped the lyrics without missing a beat. The subtle choreography from the other band members that made the song feel like a party.
After a brief intermission, Dirty Muggs returned with a mix of modern hip hop and dance tunes. They slipped back into their earlier format when “Big Poppa” by The Notorious B.I.G. became “Between the Sheets” by the Isley Brothers. The lawn slowly began to clear as the sun slipped into the horizon. A few guests stopped to two-step and sing along as the evening wound down with “Love’s Train” by Con Funk Shun.
Twilight Thursdays will continue throughout the month of May at 6 p.m. Next up is a musical tribute to Gladys Knight & The Pips. Visit www.mohistory.org for more information.
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
