Harv Roman
Radio Personality : WCEV 1450 AM Chicago
Belated review...
Before you go off to see Cynthia for the second time in a month;
Boy, what you missed if you weren’t at the last WCYC Reunion event held at Chicago’s Studio 63 (the club formerly known as the Prime and Tender)…
Presented by WCYC’s Majic Juan Suarez and Studio 63, the event was hosted by Harv Roman, also formerly of WCYC (and currently of WLUW). This was truly a “reunion” style event as I was approached by several former WCYC listeners who used to go out as teenagers to events held at the Prime and Tender, the Oak Theatre, the Riviera Nightclub, the Aragon Ballroom, Navy Pier Ballroom, etc. who wanted to relive the good old days when they represented their Party Crews and used to battle it out for what turned out to be rather meaningless (yet fun) titles.
One woman took a while trying to get me to remember her and her DJ friend who apparently used to hang out at clubs like Rick’s on 51st Street. I tried to be nice and remember, but my age kicked in and didn’t allow me to remember the couple. She asked me how old I was and I didn’t want to tell. When she volunteered that she was now 44 years old, I felt all the much better. Another woman tugged at my jacket to get a glance at my name (I felt like an old geezer still wearing his old high school sweater). After accidentally (I think) spilling a beer at my feet, a tattoed woman (but it was a nice shoulder “Lita” style tattoo) approached me and started to dance around me-even rubbing up on me a bit. I had to politely tell her that I just wasn’t cut out to be a dancer. She politely moved on with a smile…do you think that she was flirting and that I was too blind to see it?
Anyhow, the crowd of over 900 was awesome. They reacted to songs as they were mixed in-just like the old days. One girl started to do the perculator-then had a little trouble getting up to her feet…these were the kids with the foot-high hair dos who carried around the extra large can of Final/Aqua Net to keep things in place. These were the same kids who had to go to juice bars back in the day-but not on this night. They toasted the night with Corona’s and had themselves a blast. It’ll take me a while to forgive them for their Casper Slide performance, but oh well.
Cynthia performed a solo show which took a little getting used to without Carlos, Wilson, Freddie, Jasmin, etc. But she did a tremendous job on keeping the crowd juiced-even during the time that the music wasn’t quite cued up. She still looks incredible and she can still get the crowd going with her on and off stage personality. She performed her greatest of hits and the crowd sang along. There was a segment of the crowd who couldn’t keep up with Cynthia when she performed her “Robbins” tunes like “Thinking About You” but there was a good number who sang along with “How I Love Him”. Once Cynthia took command of the stage, it was all hers. Afterwards, she hung out a bit and signed autographs and posed for pictures as she always does. I’m telling you, these fans who are now in their late 20s and early 30s were completely blown away by Cynthia. They cried and forgot to take pictures…they were so excited. It kind of leads to to think that 80s Freestyle music is kinda like the Beatles were to our folks back in the 60s. I can see Freestyle artists continuing to perform for years to come. And if they all stay in shape as Cynthia has (even after two children), we have plenty to look forward to.
The double secret super surprise mystery guest turned out be (not Nelson Cruz, who got stuck in New York working), but Troy Guy of D’Zyre fame. He was accompanied by Mario 5Starr and their respective fiancées (nice to meet you). Mario whispered in my ear that maybe I should bring Troy on stage to day a little hello…what started off as a hello turned into an accapella performance by the man who made “Forever Amour” a household phrase. One again, the crowd ate it up. Troy may have been embarrassed a bit, but it had to feel good to get the type of response that he received. Which leads me to announce…
…sorry you’ll have to stay tuned for the follow up to that one.
So, if you’re planning on going to see Cynthia return to Chicago for the BMX show, you won’t be disappointed. Add to that the T…the K… and the Always killer George Lamond, the show promises to be packed with outstanding performances-let’s hope that the Aragon turns out to be just as packed.
The next WCYC Reunion show is scheduled for sometime in November. Keep logging in for details.
Harv Roman
Before you go off to see Cynthia for the second time in a month;
Boy, what you missed if you weren’t at the last WCYC Reunion event held at Chicago’s Studio 63 (the club formerly known as the Prime and Tender)…
Presented by WCYC’s Majic Juan Suarez and Studio 63, the event was hosted by Harv Roman, also formerly of WCYC (and currently of WLUW). This was truly a “reunion” style event as I was approached by several former WCYC listeners who used to go out as teenagers to events held at the Prime and Tender, the Oak Theatre, the Riviera Nightclub, the Aragon Ballroom, Navy Pier Ballroom, etc. who wanted to relive the good old days when they represented their Party Crews and used to battle it out for what turned out to be rather meaningless (yet fun) titles.
One woman took a while trying to get me to remember her and her DJ friend who apparently used to hang out at clubs like Rick’s on 51st Street. I tried to be nice and remember, but my age kicked in and didn’t allow me to remember the couple. She asked me how old I was and I didn’t want to tell. When she volunteered that she was now 44 years old, I felt all the much better. Another woman tugged at my jacket to get a glance at my name (I felt like an old geezer still wearing his old high school sweater). After accidentally (I think) spilling a beer at my feet, a tattoed woman (but it was a nice shoulder “Lita” style tattoo) approached me and started to dance around me-even rubbing up on me a bit. I had to politely tell her that I just wasn’t cut out to be a dancer. She politely moved on with a smile…do you think that she was flirting and that I was too blind to see it?
Anyhow, the crowd of over 900 was awesome. They reacted to songs as they were mixed in-just like the old days. One girl started to do the perculator-then had a little trouble getting up to her feet…these were the kids with the foot-high hair dos who carried around the extra large can of Final/Aqua Net to keep things in place. These were the same kids who had to go to juice bars back in the day-but not on this night. They toasted the night with Corona’s and had themselves a blast. It’ll take me a while to forgive them for their Casper Slide performance, but oh well.
Cynthia performed a solo show which took a little getting used to without Carlos, Wilson, Freddie, Jasmin, etc. But she did a tremendous job on keeping the crowd juiced-even during the time that the music wasn’t quite cued up. She still looks incredible and she can still get the crowd going with her on and off stage personality. She performed her greatest of hits and the crowd sang along. There was a segment of the crowd who couldn’t keep up with Cynthia when she performed her “Robbins” tunes like “Thinking About You” but there was a good number who sang along with “How I Love Him”. Once Cynthia took command of the stage, it was all hers. Afterwards, she hung out a bit and signed autographs and posed for pictures as she always does. I’m telling you, these fans who are now in their late 20s and early 30s were completely blown away by Cynthia. They cried and forgot to take pictures…they were so excited. It kind of leads to to think that 80s Freestyle music is kinda like the Beatles were to our folks back in the 60s. I can see Freestyle artists continuing to perform for years to come. And if they all stay in shape as Cynthia has (even after two children), we have plenty to look forward to.
The double secret super surprise mystery guest turned out be (not Nelson Cruz, who got stuck in New York working), but Troy Guy of D’Zyre fame. He was accompanied by Mario 5Starr and their respective fiancées (nice to meet you). Mario whispered in my ear that maybe I should bring Troy on stage to day a little hello…what started off as a hello turned into an accapella performance by the man who made “Forever Amour” a household phrase. One again, the crowd ate it up. Troy may have been embarrassed a bit, but it had to feel good to get the type of response that he received. Which leads me to announce…
…sorry you’ll have to stay tuned for the follow up to that one.
So, if you’re planning on going to see Cynthia return to Chicago for the BMX show, you won’t be disappointed. Add to that the T…the K… and the Always killer George Lamond, the show promises to be packed with outstanding performances-let’s hope that the Aragon turns out to be just as packed.
The next WCYC Reunion show is scheduled for sometime in November. Keep logging in for details.
Harv Roman