Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009
Killing Me Softly
It was one of those nights when we went out without much mojo, or intentions to do anything other than grab a bite to eat and a drink or two.
It was a last-minute thing and we met up at our usual haunt that summer with the usual suspects.
The exact memories are a little bit fuzzy, but it was the summer of 2006, and we'd gathered at the now-defunct Wild Wing Café at the corner of Garden City Connector and U.S. 17 Business in Garden City Beach.
Sometimes we gathered there for a full evening, other times it was a jumping off point to somewhere else - to the Causeway Grill and Raw Bar, to Murphy's Law, to the Hot Fish Club.
On this particular night, it was at the point when we were either going to go home - or go somewhere else - but we weren't staying at the cacophonous, cavernous Wing. My wife wasn't really dressed for going out, she recalled recently, donning a baseball cap - a sign that she hadn't spent any time primping.
But then there was a phone call imploring the whole posse to come further south to Marti's (when it was in the Inlet). You could hear the party atmosphere spilling out over the phone.
I was reluctant to go, but went with the flow anyway.
We got there, and it seemed like a house-party, with the wooden floorboards bending, weighted down by the crush of folks, mostly on the dance floor. The whole place seemed to be throbbing, pulsating to the beat as I bellied up to the bar for a round of beers.
The crowd was dancing to the sounds of Tru Sol.
I can't remember if I'd seen the funky, soul, R&B, disco outfit prior to this occasion, but I do remember this night making an impression.
I thought we'd be there for a drink and be gone.
But several sweaty hours later, we were still there, and I remember my wife dancing up a storm. We stayed long enough to hear Tru Sol play "Killing Me Softly'' twice, playing versions that were halfway between Roberta Flack's take and the more recent Fugees rendition. (I added the "one time,'' "two time'' parts from the Fugees cover, much to the chagrin of my wife).
A self-professed music trivia nerd, it was Tru Sol's song selection that grabbed my attention. Yes, there are some over-worked songs in the band's playlist ("Mustang Sally," "The Electric Slide" and "Proud Mary" come to mind) but I hadn't witnessed many local bands playing The Temptations' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," Earth Wind and Fire's "September" or Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative.''
The grooves kept coming, my wife stayed out on the dance floor with some friends as I retired to the bar to listen to band play on.
It was a party, and no one wanted to leave, late into the night.
And that's the thing about Tru Sol - whenever, or where ever this band plays, it's a party. Ain't no party like a Tru Sol party...
Band members are hoping that on Wednesday, it will be a party of bigger import as Tru Sol celebrates its fifth anniversary with a disco-themed bash at The Boathouse.
Five years is a long time for the life of a local, working band to keep it together and maintain a high profile and steady stream of gigs, so it's nothing to cough at. And, I made this comparison a few weeks ago in relation to the destructive element of development in our town: With Myrtle Beach's transient nature and propensity to bulldoze its past, you really have to multiply things by seven, like dog years, to get a true gauge of something's longevity around here.
So, using that equation, Tru Sol is actually celebrating its 35th anniversary.
I'm joking, but that would take us back to 1974, and Tru Sol would fit right in then.
But Tru Sol isn't just mining the past, the band is looking to the future, so we dispatched correspondent/columnist Paul Grimshaw to a recent Tru Sol gig to find out what makes this Grand Strand treasure tick, what its fans have to say, and what is on the docket for this talented group as we head into a new decade.
You can read his report, starting on page 12, and if you want to catch an upcoming Tru Sol gig, check our primer on page 16 to see what fits your calender.
Then dust off your bell bottoms, wide lapels, afro wigs, leisure suits and put on your boogie shoes.
