The Alley Cats at the Coleman Theatre
by Kathryn Mann
The Alley Cats are a seasoned a cappella quartet who are masters at recreating the classic songs of the late 1950s and early 60s in a pure doo wop sound. I enjoyed an extraordinary performance by these guys at the historic Coleman Theatre in Miami, Oklahoma on May 8, 2010. I am under 30 and love this kind of music. I have enjoyed performances of similar groups including the Nylons, the Bobs, Straight No Chaser, Glad, and Rockapella, but none of these acts can top the vitality, humor, and vocal quality of these four guys.
The Alley Cats have been delighting audiences since they were formed in 1987 by tenor vocalist Mando Fonseca. He has the temperament, entrepreneurial ability, and radiance to not only nurture, but be the heart and soul of the group. Royce Reynolds, The Alley Cats bass vocalist, is the other original member of the group, and gets more attention from the audience than anyone else. This is because of his natural good looks and singular comedic talents that rarely interfere with his singing. He is also an outstanding vocalist, as he demonstrated with his lead of the Temptations' classic My Girl.
Their show at the Coleman was breathtaking, and I look forward to seeing them again someday. A favorite of their set is their take on the Rogers and Hart throwaway song Blue Moon which was a hit by the Marcels in 1961. I hope Mando and Royce will someday take the Alley Cats in a bit of a new direction by doing their own Doo Wop renditions of timeless Broadway and movie musical classics. I would also love to hear them recreate the ultimate Doo Wop a cappella masterpiece, Rock N Roll Lullaby, which was recorded by the Belmonts in 1970.
Use Coupon Code kathrynmann to receive a $9.94 discount!