Retro magic

Boney M keeps young and old dancing

It was called the Seventies Retro night, and featured the legendary Bobby Farrell and a revived Boney M. Hosted by the Hotel Inter-Continental Abu Dhabi at the beach, the Seventies nostalgia night last Thursday rolled in with racy music and fast beats, with every popular band of the Seventies finding favour with the DJ. Songs of yesteryears were revived through the multi-megawatt power system, and exclamations of "Oooh, this one, ooooh that one" sprang every few minutes.

In less than two hours from the start of the party, the beachside of Hotel Inter-Continental was transformed into a groove-cave.

A few minutes into the last hour of the night Bobby Farrell and the Boney M paraded the stage amidst loud cheers from the audience, and unleashed the magic that was their music. Draped in gold and black brocade, even their costumes testified to the era they represented.

Starting with By the Rivers of Babylon, Boney M belted out at least 12 of their 25 hits, including Ma Baker, Belfast, Rasputin, Daddy Cool, and Brown-girl-in-the-ring. To the elderly, the songs brought back memories of a time that was; to the young, they were probably the first lines they hummed.

The evening was one of those rare occasions when it was the parents' turn to tap heels and rock through the night, while children stood and watched, quite confused at the excitement.

As the crowd roared with Boney M, the timelessness of their music was proven yet again. Their act lasted one hour, during which they regaled the crowd with every chartbuster of theirs and repeated at least three of them.

At the end of their show those near the stage tricked the security into a cheeky hug and kiss from the artistes, and little babies were embraced by Farrell, long known for his love of children.

Boney M sang songs for the masses, and sang songs the masses could sing. They picked simple tunes, crafted ideas around them, and blended in words. That was their success.

Each of their songs is a tale about a place, a practice, or a person. Brown-girl-in-the-ring is dedicated to brown-skinned people of the Carribeans, who, at a certain time were made fun of, because of the colour of their skin. Ra Ra Rasputin immortalised one of the most scandalous figures in Russian history, Rasputin who was finally shot by government authorities.

When they had first grouped in the Seventies, Bobby Farrell was responsible for building up Boney M's on-stage image. He acted out the songs of his band and stunned audiences with his elastic movements. Two decades later, Bobby Farrell is unchanged. At 52, Farrell maintains the same charm with his audience.

Boney M first toured the UAE 20 years ago as the original group. The only common entity between that group and the present is Bobby Farrell; other members are Edwina, Marilyn and Chestney. Brought to the UAE by the Talent Brokers Association, Boney M brought back a glimpse of a golden era, one that they had symbolised.