Daryl Hall and John Oates, better known as Hall & Oates, performed at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse Saturday night.
The duo kicked off the night with "Maneater," filling the Central New York air with their biggest hits as the sun set on the water. Behind them, video screens transported the audience back to the '80s, showing live footage on stage mixed with cheesy effects reminiscent of MTV's earliest music videos.
"She's Gone," their first song to reach the Billboard charts in 1973, drew a standing ovation. Two songs later, "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" brought the crowd of roughly 8,000 fans back to their feet as they danced to the six-piece band backing Hall and Oates.
But the star of the show was easily Hall, still one of the best voices in soul, pop and rock music at age 69. The keyboardist and guitarist naturally casts a shadow on Oates, who's almost 10 inches shorter, but also outshined his songwriting partner on nearly every song of the night, including 1976's "Sara Smile."
Oates, 68, even sounded timid as he introduced a cover of The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." He remarked at how excited they were to play at a new venue, contrasting it with an "oldie" that they turned into a hit of their own in 1980.
Even saxophonist Charlie DeChant stole the spotlight from Oates at times, thanks to his glittering gold jacket --it sparkled, thanks to the venue's lighting system -- and jazz-flavored sax solos on "Say It Isn't So" and other songs.
Hall and Oates are still a team, though, with championship caliber even if one player has to be LeBron James and the other is Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love. They delivered slam dunk after slam dunk, closing their 90-minute set with two encores: "Rich Girl" and "You Make My Dreams," followed by "Kiss on My List" with "Private Eyes."
Mayer Hawthorne, a Motown-flavored pop-soul singer from Detroit, opened the show. Highlights from the 45-minute set included a cover of the funky "Backseat Lover," the Bruno Mars-esque "Hooked" and a cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way."
On "Get You Back," Hawthorne drew cheers when he changed a line to "I got on a plane to Syracuse" (instead of the original lyrics' Miami).
Clips from "Live at Daryl's House," Hall's online video series filmed at his Upstate New York home, played on the screens between Hawthorne and Hall & Oates' sets. It was fitting, because the whole night felt like we were in Daryl's House.
Maneater
Out of Touch
Did It In a Minute
Say It Isn't So
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
Las Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song)
She's Gone
Sara Smile
Do What You Want, Be What You Are
I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)
Encore
Rich Girl
You Make My Dreams
Encore No. 2
Kiss on My List
Private Eyes