DATE: Friday, July 25, 1997                 TAG: 9707230122

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 20   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Music Review 

SOURCE: BY NIA NGINA MEEKS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   63 lines

OLD-SCHOOL R&B PLAYED TO A RECEPTIVE CROWD

Ain't no party like an old-school party 'cause an old-school party don't stop.

Ask any of the acts on the Mini-Fest II tour who strutted, danced and played to a crowd that bumped and boogied for almost six hours last Friday night at the GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheater.

The week's earlier rains closed the lawn, giving ticket holders better seats. In all, a crowd of some 4,500 people ranging from late 20s to early 50s stomped their feet, danced in front of their seats and sang along as Lakeside, Roger Trotman and Zapp, Cameo, Morris Day and the Time took turns reviving the funked-up R&B of the late '70s and early and mid-'80s.

The bass of Lakeside shook the foundation as the band grooved with hits such as ``It's All the Way Live'' and crooned a cover of the Beatles' ``I Wanna Hold Your Hand.'' People jumped out of their seats with the first few chords of ``Fantastic Voyage,'' ready to go ``to the land of funk.''

Next up was Roger Trotman and his famed synthesizer. With a rainbow of sequinned suits he donned in four changes, hats and Afro wigs, his group took the crowd back to the time of discos and roller-skating rinks.

He opened with ``So Rough, So Tough.'' Later, he ran across stage and into the audience, ``in search of the party.''

``This is for folks that remember 8-tracks, 45 records and black-and-white televisions,'' Trotman said.

A rendition of P-funk's classic ``Flashlight,'' ``Computer Love,'' ``I Wanna Be Your Man,'' and ``More Bounce (to the Ounce)'' followed. He closed paying tribute to Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, performing snippets of their ``California Love'' and ``Hypnotize.''

As with many multi-act tours, the intermission breaks were plentiful and lengthy. The concession stands catered to the hordes of bored and thirsty.

When people settled in their seats, blue lights and black smoke filled the stage.

Then came Cameo.

Larry Blackmon traded in his '80s high-top fade for a '90s set of locks. Of course, everything else was vintage Cameo, right down to the signature shiny red cup Blackmon wore in the front of his tight pants.

The four-piece brass section pierced the rhythm section as the band delivered ``She's Strange,'' and ``Back and Forth.'' They smoothed down the tempo for the sunny ballad, ``Sparkle in Your Eye.''

It roared back again for ``Candy'' and the audience joined the fun, yelling ``W-O-R-D Up!'' as the group closed with that hit.

After another cascade of lights and smoke, the shadowy figures in fedoras looked familiar. Up came the lights and out strutted Morris Day with the tight sounds of the Time backing him.

Guitars and bass rang as the ever-dapper Day - sporting a black-and-white print jacket, black flared pants and spats - rolled off ``777.9311.''

They then zipped into ``Cool'' as Day clowned on stage. ``The Bird'' sent arms flapping from mezzanine to orchestra pit as the group closed out its set.

Even with the orchestrated movements and well-rehearsed sound, Day and the Time fell short of the power of Cameo.

After the show ended, some remained, stunned - even after the lights came up and the stage crew began to work. The Bar-kays, Gap Band and Sugar Hill Gang, who were advertised on the bill, were no-shows, leaving some to grumble on their way out of the gates.

The rest left singing the songs that took them, for a few hours, back in time - as most good reunions do.

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