Firehall Arts Centre is an oasis of peace and joy from the holiday hustle, with its presentation of A Very Merry Motown, running until December 28. The delightful Krystle Dos Santos returns to Firehall to brighten up the East Side with a fun festive romp through the Motown holiday catalogue.
With the stage like a living room, Krystle Dos Santos is joined by local vocalist Stephen Scaccia* for the merrymaking, giving the whole evening feel like an intimate gathering of friends. Combining their soulful voices doubles the warmth as the pair surround the audience with a set of comfortably familiar Motown holiday gems. As with her very popular History of Motown, Dos Santos brings her deep knowledge of the genre to the set, performing perpetual fan favourites and soulful, swinging ballads. From The Jackson 5’s Santa Claus is Coming to Town to Stevie Wonder’s What Christmas Means To Me, or Marvin Gaye’s Purple Snowflakes the spirit of the season draws even the Grinchiest heart to grow. Merry Christmas Baby feels like a moonbeam across the snow, while Darlene Love’s classic Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) is a perfect fit for Dos Santos’ powerful vocals.
Woven throughout the set, Dos Santos ties the set together with her R&B inspired adaptation of A Night Before Christmas and the pair reminisce of their holiday memories. Along with the bandmembers – Cole Tinney (Keyboards), Gavin Youngash (Guitar/Bass), Jon Holiska (Drums) and Dominic Conway(Saxophone) – they regale the audience with their favourite things about Christmas before sharing My Favourite Things. Scaccia tells a stories of beginnings as a singer, sharing a tale of his father leading to his rendition of Let it Snow and others matching the smoothest voices of Hit City. The chemistry between the performers turns fun and flirty with the John Legend lyrics of Baby, It’s Cold Outside, and a by-request sing-along of Jingle Bells adds to the connection with the audience.
Krystle Dos Santos and Stephen Scaccia’s A Very Merry Motown delivers the joys of the season with the pair of charismatic and dynamic R&B singers kicking off the week before Christmas with feel-good festive tidings that you won’t want to miss.
A Very Merry Motown runs for 10 more shows, until December 28 (dark December 25 & 26) at Firehall Arts Centre, 280 East Cordova Street. For tickets and showtimes visit firehallartscentre.ca