Al Green

AL GREEN

The Stiefel Theatre

Salina, KS

© Lydia Lowe 9/23/2012

Al Green . . .The Stiefel Theatre was nearly at capacity on Sunday night for the Al Green show.  The lights dimmed down and the band took the stage one by one and began to play.  The back-up singers took their places as the audience eagerly awaited the appearance of Al Green.  Everyone was on their feet by the time Al Green arrived on stage.  The audience was clapping, hooting and hollering most of the way through the first song.

After that the audience quieted down and took their seats, the concert began in earnest.  “Take me to the River”, the second song in the set got the audience mellowed out.  Several songs later and Green sang a version of “Amazing Grace” and his back-up singers, who turned out to be his daughters, sang the the second verse in perfect harmony.  

Green sang all his hits and the audience joined in singing with him.  It was hard not to.  “Love and Happiness”, “How Do You Mend A Broken Heart”, and “Here I Am” were just some of the songs that the audience knew by heart.  Throughout the show, Green passed out long-stemmed roses to ladies in the crowd and at one point he walked off the stage and into the crowd, up the aisles where ladies swarmed him, hugging him.  

When Green took the stage again, he did a medley of some of his other hits.  The medley did not disappoint as he gave his all to each snippet of song.  “I’m So Tired of Being Alone” was the next full song that he sang, along with “Still In Love With You”, which worked up to the final song of the set and his most well-known song of all time, “Let’s Stay Together”.  By now the crowd was on its feet again, sensing that the show was nearly over and this was the big finale.  

Green sang one more song, “God Bless Our Love” which was the final song.  His manager came out on stage and walked him off the stage while the band continued to play and the back-up singers continued to sing.  Eventually the back-up singers wound down, and left the stage and the band members finished their parts of the set and left the stage, as well.  It’s safe to say that a good time was had by all.