Lighthouse Festival bringing music of Motown to Port Colborne (Welland Tribune)

Live show will see singers perform everything from the soulful grooves of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave  to Isaac Hayes.

September 9, 2024

Welland Tribune

By Welland Tribune Staff

“Memphis to Motown: from Soulsville to Hitsville” brings the sounds of two of America’s most influential musical cities to Port Colborne’s Lighthouse Festival next month.

From the creator of the 2022 hit “Glory Days,” Chris McHarge, the live music show will see singers perform soulful grooves of Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Isaac Hayes. Add in the harmonies of The Staple Singers, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops and others.

“It feels so good to be back at Lighthouse, my creative home and base for so many years,” said McHarge in a Lighthouse release.

Lighthouse Festival operates the theatre at Roselawn Centre at 296 Fielden Ave.

McHarge said the inspiration for creating the show goes back decades for him. 

He said with rhythm and blues, everyone always thinks of Motown in the 1960s, but another studio was making amazing music, Stax in Memphis — known as Soulsville, U.S.A.

The release said McHarge has crafted a show that pays homage to the iconic artists. 

“We want (audiences) to feel as if they’re experiencing these songs for the first time, all over again,” he said.

He’s curated a selection of songs that showcase the breadth and depth of talent that emerged from Memphis and Detroit during that era of music. 

Derek Ritschel, Lighthouse Festival’s outgoing artistic director, said McHarge has a unique ability to connect with audiences through music. 

“His passion and vision for “Memphis to Motown: from Soulsville to Hitsville” aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing top-quality entertainment. We’re excited to bring this blockbuster production to our community and can’t wait for audiences to experience the thrill of these unforgettable performances.”

The show runs Oct. 2 through 13 with day and evening performances.

Tickets are on sale at lighthousetheatre.com or by calling the box office at 1-888-779-7703.