This year has been unusually blessed with significant pop anniversaries: 50 years since “Jailhouse Rock,” 40 since Sergeant Pepper’s, 20 since the Smiths broke up, ten since Spice Girls mania, etc. And 30 years ago, John Travolta and the Bee Gees altered the course of music history with a white suit and some nifty shadow dancing. The year 1977 marked disco’s zenith, and as the Solid Gold Dance Party pulls into the Woodlands Saturday, the bands on the bill show it’s still with us in myriad ways.
Artist: KC & the Sunshine Band
Song(s): “Shake Shake Shake (Shake Your Booty),” “I’m Your Boogieman”
Importance: Established boogie shoes as essential ’70s footwear.
Artist: Village People
Song(s): “Y.M.C.A.,” “Macho Man,” “In the Navy”
Importance: Made America a more tolerant nation, one awkward stadium sing-along at a time.
Artist: Peaches & Herb
Song(s): “Reunited,” “Shake Your Groove Thing”
Importance: Paragon of chart-topping matrimonial bliss until supplanted by Ashford & Simpson.
Artist: Thelma Houston
Song(s): “Don’t Leave Me This Way”
Importance: Gave birth to Whitney “Hell to the No” Houston. ‘Nuff said.
Artist: A Taste of Honey
Song(s): “Boogie Oogie Oogie”
Importance: Esoteric, evocative name crucial to development of emo and indie rock.
The Solid Gold Dance Party kicks off at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, 281-363-3300.
This article appears in Jul 26 – Aug 1, 2007.
