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Motown Magic: Dale Carter, from left to right, Herbert Tims, and Gregory 'Popeye' Alexander, of Memory Lane, play hits from the '60s to the '80s. (Gary Coronado/The Palm Beach Post)
Close your eyes and pretend it’s 1970. Tune in that old AM station on your transistor radio. What do you hear? The Temptations, the Supremes, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye?
Good memories, yes?
Relive them on Friday at Motown Night in the Polo Lounge at The Colony Hotel.
“We’ve been doing it for five years and it keeps growing,” Rob Russell, the hotel’s director of entertainment, says.
The house band, Memory Lane, has been kicking it since the beginning. “It’s real feel good music,” Russell said. “People love to dance. Everyone is tapping their toes and snapping their fingers.
“But what I really love is that parents will bring in their grown children and everyone enjoys it.”
It takes about an hour for things to get hopping, Russell says. (That is, everyone has to get that first drink in ‘em so they’re not so shy!)
Here, if you need them, are three reasons to hit Motown Night at the Colony:
1 – The music.
Baby boomers agree, Motown is about as good as it gets. There’s a mix of music, from love songs to dance songs, and all the classic hits: The Temptations’ Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, Just My Imagination, My Girl, The Four Tops’ I Can’t Help Myself, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. And of course The Isley Brothers’ Shout.
2 – The band.
The West Palm Beach band Memory Lane has had a steady gig at Motown Nights and they continue to rock as the Polo’s Friday night house band under the direction of band leader Dale Carter.
3 – The setting.
So maybe you had to drive across a bridge to get there. Walk in like you belong, and you do! The Colony is a boutique hotel, small in size with a distinct personality. The architecture is British Colonial, and its charm is found around every corner. During season, the Polo Lounge expands for dancing al fresco, opening the French doors to the pool and garden.
If you go:
Motown Nights
Where: The Polo Lounge at the Colony Hotel, 155 Hammond Ave., Palm Beach
When: 9 to close Fridays
Info: (561) 655-5430; directions, invite friends, more
What about that rockin trio on Sat night? They’ve been there for a long time also. They’re as good as it gets!!I think they’re called The Switzer Trio. They play Motown, Disco, Latin Salsa,Jazz, Rock and songs from all times and they are really playing their instuments!! Not just karaoke tracks like memory lane on Friday nights!! I’ve seen the Saturday night trio back all kinds of people that just come up and sing without rehersal. You’ve got to be good to do that!!
Hey Tony! you must be a hater cause Memory Lane is the BOMB! They are Hot, Hot, Hot! T plays the sax and even though they sing to tracks it’s a great night of entertainment! No doubt, the Switzer Trio with Rob Russell is or was fun. Rich plays everything! So does Popeye though! Didn’t you hear? They’re not there Sat. cause they don’t bring in the crowd like Memory Lane does…oh well. I do hope to see them back again though, maybe in the season they will return?
I’ve seen them. You’re right they are good
Every single time my wife and I go to the Colony to experience Motown
Magic it is a wonderful. The group is fantastic. The food is great, and the crowd is dancing and really having fun. Best of all the staff at the Colony in Palm Beach are the friendliest Hotel staff I have ever met. From top to bottom Friday night at the Colony is the place to be.