Old-school R&B makes a return on the live front

The excitement that greeted the announcement of En Vogue’s upcoming show at Dublin’s Vicar Street on April 6th will not come as news to any pub or club DJ from the last few years. Those of us who’ve worked behind the decks will know only too well that a bit of En Vogue will rescue any situation.

Indeed, the tracks that have the most resonance on any given night come from similarly seasoned performers. Put on any hip-hop or R&B track from the 1990s and you can be sure of a full dancefloor of people. Forget the new school, it’s the old school that always work their magic. (And Beyoncé – you can never go wrong with Bey.)

It’s the same findings from the data metrics we’ve mined about karaoke preferences countrywide. There’s something about R&B queenpins such as En Vogue (and TLC, Destiny’s Child, Salt N Pepa and SVW, while we’re at it) that turn your amateur tune-slinger into a diva, at least in their own heads.

All of which indicates a trend that we’re probably going to see more of as these acts come to a live venue near you. R&B groups such as En Vogue are simply emulating what pop and rock acts are doing by getting with the touring and reunion programme. There’s zilch cash to be made from making a new record – and let’s face it, most of the fanbase don’t want a new record . So those acts who are still on speaking terms with one another and can hire a new agent, are dusting off the old photos and hitting the road.

Meanwhile, promoters wondering which acts they could book to do the business could do worse than ask their local pub DJ or karaoke operator about what’s currently shaking the dancefloors.