They toured with Frankie Valli, but The Modern Gentlemen showed Thursday that they can be Beach Boys, Beatles and Bee Gees – as well as Jersey Boys.
The quartet has backed Valli for the past decade as the Four Seasons and also appeared on PBS doo-wop specials. The group charmed a sold-out Savannah Center crowd with glossy harmony, flashy choreography and a passion for pop music history.
The Modern Gentlemen’s 90-minute concert was a joyous romp on the way-back machine, delivering such songs as “I’ll Be There,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” “How Deep Is Your Love” and “Working My Way Back to You Babe.”
“It’s an honor to be doing these songs,” said Landon Beard. He, along with Todd Fournier and brothers Brian and Brandon Brigham, will play two more shows at Savannah Center on Friday.
Those attending will receive a thoroughly entertaining musical history lesson. These fellas may be young but they are musically wise far beyond their years.
Such talent and versatility helped them be “selected by Frankie Valli to tour with him,” Beard said. “We have toured all over the world with him.”
Valli has a deep affinity for the group and has said, “These guys are really special. They’re the best singers I’ve ever worked with.”
That’s saying a lot, but Mr. Valli knows of which he speaks.
The group opened with a Motown classic, the Four Tops’ “I’ll Be There,” and showed plenty of soul. Then it was the Four Seasons with a couple of numbers: “Working My Way Back to You Babe” and “Beggin’.”
They offered a slick stage show, wearing dark suits and backed by a tight band with a rousing horn section.
“We started singing together in 2001 in a theme park owned by a mouse,” Beard said.
Then the group went back to the 1950s for some heart-tugging doo-wop, a cappella on “Sunday Kind of Love.” The vocal blend was exquisite.
They offered a delightful twist to Frank Sinatra’s “Witchcraft,” turning in an upbeat, jazzed-up version of the song.
Next, the guys tried to catch a wave with some Beach Boys’ hits. The mood was as tender as the harmony on “Little Surfer Girl.” They brought stools on stage and sat down for another big hit, “Don’t Worry Baby.” The beat picked up as the group led the audience on a rollicking sing-a-long to “Barbara Ann.” And they finished with the Brian Wilson classic “California Girls.”
Next up – the Beatles.
The Savannah Center was rocking as the guys ripped into “I Saw Her Standing There.” Then came “Twist and Shout,” as Fournier jumped off the stage and into the audience to twist with fans.
Beard showcased his high falsetto voice on the Four Seasons’ “Stay.” And Brian Brigham brought a soft, romantic style to the Bee Gees’ “How Deep Is Your Love.”
The Modern Gentleman more than lived up to Frankie Valli’s hype.
“I lived through the ’60s and this music was all good,” said Villager Tom O’Neil. “I know every song by the Four Seasons – and I love them all.”
Even without Frankie Valli?
“He’s not here but it doesn’t matter,” O’Neil said. “It’s the music that matters.”
Tony Violanti is a veteran journalist and writes for Villages-News.com.
