The New Stylistics featuring Russell Thompkins

Does anyone remember Members Only jackets? Bell bottom pants? Flower patterned shirts and pastel sports jackets?
Listening to their music will do this to you. On a cool Saturday evening in downtown San Francisco, a packed house relived these memories as they enjoyed the New Stylistics and Russell Thompkins Jr. () sing at the Rrazz Room. Seeing him many years ago at Kimball’s East, I quickly purchased tickets for this performance after it was announced. The crowd was mixed, mostly over forty. As we entered the venue, Game One of the Phillies/​Giants series was concluding and cheers sounded as Brian Wilson struck out the last batter. The performers were chillin’ at the bar, likely disappointed since they are from Philly. When they started the show at 8:20 pm, the audience was ready and warmed up for the following songs:
1) Stone In Love with You (
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2) You Are Everything (
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3) Betcha By Golly Wow (
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4) People Make the World Go Round (
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5) Break Up to Make Up (
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6) Stop Look Listen (
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7) and, of course, You Make Me Feel Brand New (
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Various audience members stood up and danced to their tunes while others, including myself, just sang along. Shortly after the aforementioned Kimball’s performance, the group broke into two groups with two original members touring as the Stylistics and Russell Thompkins, the lead singer, with the New Stylistics. Sadly, two of the original members have passed, most recently Airron Love (low voice on song #7). Though Thompkins still has the sweetest falsetto voice and is able to carry the group, the background singers are just okay. The group performed only one set for around seventy minutes. Minus half star for the short set (audience wanted more) and another half star to the background vocalists. Sad that the originals will never perform together again, but glad that Thompkins keeps their legacy alive.