Bees Gees tribute band performs at Historic Ironwood Theatre

By JEAN NORDINE

[email protected]

Ironwood - The Ironwood Historic Theatre was full of fever Saturday night, Saturday Night Fever to be exact, when the Las Vegas-based, Bee Gees Gold Tribute hit the stage. The group featured John Acosta as Barry Gibbs, Daryll Borges (Randy Gibbs) and Jeff Celentano (Maurice Gibbs).

If someone closed their eyes they would swear the actual Bee Gees were in the house. The trio recreated the three part harmonious sounds of the legendary Bee Gees to perfection, from Barry's distinctive falsetto to the vibrato lead vocals of Randy and Maurice's harmony.

The Bee Gees were the only group in history to write, produce and record six consecutive chart-topping singles. There most successful hit was "How Deep Is Your Love" which spent 30 weeks on the charts.

Brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb formed the Bee Gees in 1958. Maurice died in 2003 at age 53, Robin in 2012 at age 62. Barry still performs, he is 72 years old and lives in Miami, Fl.

The group recorded 22 albums and released 83 singles. They sold more than 220 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

When the curtain went up at the theatre Saturday night, Bee Gees Gold Tribute appeared in white suits with their backs to the audience of 500 plus, striking the familiar John Travola pose from the Saturday Night Fever album. They turned around and the crowd cheered as they began to sing "Night Fever," "Listen to the ground, there is movement all around, there is somethin' goin' down and I can feel it," they sang. In March 1978 the Bee Gees held the top two positions on the U.S. charts with "Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive."

"Jive Talkin'" was the second song performed followed by "Be Tender With My Love."

Acosta told the audience "if you remember the 60's, you didn't do it right," when the group sang "I've Gotta Get A Message To You" and "I Started A Joke" both songs released in 1968.

The Bee Gees wrote all of their own hits and also wrote and produced for other artists. Their 1967 hit "To Love Somebody" written by Barry was originally meant for Odis Redding. Redding died before he could record it. Saturday the Gold Tribute sang "Islands In The Stream," a song the Bee Gees wrote for Dolly Parton.

In 1979 the Bee Gees hit the charts with "Too Much Heaven," it was the fourth of six consecutive No. 1 songs the Bee Gees had. John Acosta's version was an exact replica.

Hands were waving in the air when the crowd heard the lyrics "How can you mend a broken heart" and people began dancing in the aisles to "More Than A Woman."

Robin came off the stage to "boogie" with audience members when Gold Tribute sang "Shadow Dancin'" and everyone was on their feet for "Stayin' Alive." The crowd enthusiastically joined in singing, "Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, you're stayin' alive, stayin' alive."

Another song enjoyed was "How can you mend a broken heart," this 1971 tune was written by Robin and Barry and was the Bee Gees first U.S. No. 1 hit song.

Other popular Bee Gees hit songs performed included, "If I can't Have You," "How Deep Is Your Love," "More Than A Woman" and "Lonely Nights."

After the Gold Tribute rocked the house with "Tragedy" they exited the spot light to tremendous applause and cheers for an encore. Upon returning to the stage Acosta said, "I want to see all of you on your feet because ..." and they broke out with "You Should Be Dancin." Sure enough everyone was on their feet dancing.

As people left the show, comments such as "boy was that fun" and "they sounded exactly like the Bee Gees" and "I'm really glad I came" was evidence everyone seemed to have a good time.

Acosta, Borges and Celentano all live in Las Vegas, but travel and perform all over the world doing 140 shows a year. Their next gig is in West Virginia, then they are off to California before heading to the Philippines.