The Commodores

The Commodores
with Special Guests Evelyn King

		Photo from the 1981 Monticola
SHOW DATE: Saturday, September 26, 1981 • 8pm
The Commodores are one of the greatest Motown and R&B funk artists of all time, having sold 70 million albums and charted seven No. hits. Their 1981 concert at the WVU Coliseum generated rave reviews.   "The Commodores, perhaps the premiere crossover group on the charts today, rocked, socked, and boogied a Coliseum crowd of more than 11,000 out of their seats and on to their feet for 90 minutes. It was the most recep­tive, vocal, and unrestrained concert crowd this University has seen for some time," wrote Mark Schaefer, Entertainment Editor (1981), "The Daily Athenaeum." In 1981, the now-legendary Lionel Richie was the lead singer of The Commodores.  Of his performance, Schaefer wrote, "Richie showed why he is regarded as one of the best showmen and entertainers on the music scene today. He won the enthusiastic crowd with humor, an infectious energy level and references to the football victory over Colorado State." Richie would not begin his solo career until 1982.
The Commodores performed "Brickhouse" to open the concert.