It was a little chaotic and definitely noisy when we walked in- it reminded me of a cross between a small Italian diner and a mild version of an Ed Debevic's in Chicago. There wasn't a whole lot of order in the place- lot of shouts from waitress to kitchen to waitress across the room, people shuffling by each other through the narrow aisles. It was a good thing we were looking for pizza because that was the only thing on the menu. No salads, no breadsticks, no calzones. Just pizza. But I guess the best way to get good at something is to just make that one thing. The pizza was delicious... nothing you'd eat if you were on a diet, but they had the crust thickness to edge ratio down just right (thinner bottom of the pizza with a little more lip on the outside).
We got to Regina's just in time- when 6:00 PM rolled around, the line was already out the door.
After dinner, we headed off to Wilbur Theater in the Theater District of Boston to see Tower of Power. Originally from Oakland, California, Tower of Power is a funk and soul group that has been around for over 40 years. Not very many people know about them, but the ones that do tend to follow them around (I hate to say cult, so we'll call them "groupies," even though I don't think that is the right word, either). Tower of Power (of ToP, as they are often abbreviated) rarely come to the Midwest, so when my Mom saw that they would be in Boston, she jumped on the chance to get tickets for my Dad as a special present.
Here is a bit of the history on the theater from their website:
The Wilbur Theatre was built in 1914 by the Shubert brothers who named it for their friend and theatre manager A.L. Wilbur. It was built on the site of the former Winthrop School for Girls. The Wilbur was the first Boston theatre to draw its inspiration from American Colonial architecture rather than from European sources. It was designed by architect Clarence H. Blackall. To ensure authenticity, the porticos on the front of the theatre were copied directly from the 1837 Thomas Bailey Midrich House at 59 Mt. Vernon Street on Beacon Hill. This Federal Revival style is characterized by a quiet simplicity and intimate, almost home-like atmosphere. Architectural historian Douglas Tucci said of the Wilbur, "The auditorium is in its chaste way the handsomest of any Boston playhouse."
They didn't allow any photographs to be taken inside the theater (I hate this- can totally kill a blog post), which is shame because it is so beautiful. All of the original architecture is still intact. The building has lavish details such as filigree molding (is that a real thing?), a crystal chandelier, and a crest emblem with a gold "W" that I coveted the entire show. (FYI- for those of you that don't know, I am obsessed with monograms!)
There are three levels inside the theater- the top two had stadium seating that you would see in a movie theater today. We had seats on the first floor and were only about 30 feet away from the stage. It is a small venue (probably holds about 500 people), but they definitely pack you in like sardines. They had tables and chairs for seats on the first floor- bigger tables of 12 in front, and rows of chairs on the sides. The numbers of the seats were a little confusing, even to the staff. (I swear they had no idea what they were doing.) Not only did we get seated incorrectly (well, we actually sat ourselves), three other groups around us were put in the wrong seats by the ushers. Right up until the show started there was always some kind of commotion going on in our section about whose seats were where, what seats were extras, blah blah blah- it was hilarious.
Even if you wouldn't choose a funk and soul band to see in concert as your number one pick, Tower of Power is a great show if you love live music. You don't see a 10+ member band with a 5-horn section very often these days, and let me tell you, these guys can cook! I brushed up on some of the best of ToP the week before the concert- I mean, who doesn't love to sing along at a concert?
They didn't allow any photographs to be taken inside the theater (I hate this- can totally kill a blog post), which is shame because it is so beautiful. All of the original architecture is still intact. The building has lavish details such as filigree molding (is that a real thing?), a crystal chandelier, and a crest emblem with a gold "W" that I coveted the entire show. (FYI- for those of you that don't know, I am obsessed with monograms!)
There are three levels inside the theater- the top two had stadium seating that you would see in a movie theater today. We had seats on the first floor and were only about 30 feet away from the stage. It is a small venue (probably holds about 500 people), but they definitely pack you in like sardines. They had tables and chairs for seats on the first floor- bigger tables of 12 in front, and rows of chairs on the sides. The numbers of the seats were a little confusing, even to the staff. (I swear they had no idea what they were doing.) Not only did we get seated incorrectly (well, we actually sat ourselves), three other groups around us were put in the wrong seats by the ushers. Right up until the show started there was always some kind of commotion going on in our section about whose seats were where, what seats were extras, blah blah blah- it was hilarious.
Even if you wouldn't choose a funk and soul band to see in concert as your number one pick, Tower of Power is a great show if you love live music. You don't see a 10+ member band with a 5-horn section very often these days, and let me tell you, these guys can cook! I brushed up on some of the best of ToP the week before the concert- I mean, who doesn't love to sing along at a concert?
A picture of the sign outside Wilbur Theater
An old photo showcasing the interior
I probably took about 30 (illegal) pictures during the concert, none of which turned out. On top of that I didn't remember that I had a video function on my camera until the last minute of the concert when I saw a woman taping the show on her phone. I mean, I probably wouldn't make any money from selling it, but it would have been fun to have, especially since they were playing my dad's favorite song, You're Still a Young Man.
The best picture I got all night! Just a reminder that there's nothing like the real thing...
Click on the following links to experience a little ToP from your own home...
-Soul with a Capital S (my favorite)
-You're Still a Young Man (Dad's favorite)
-What is Hip (I love this video- it is from 1977! There are still 3 original band members playing today- isn't that amazing?)
-Diggin' on James Brown (Another crowd pleaser)
We definitely had a blast at the concert- thanks for the tickets, Mom!
More to come tomorrow about Dad and I in Newport...
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