MARVELLE-OUS MOTOWN SHOW WAS ‘PURE GOLD’ AT HUNTSVILLE’S ALGONQUIN THEATRE LAST NIGHT

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

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HUNTSVILLE — Listen to any rap or hip hop song and you’ll hear a sample or influence of Motown.

“A, B, C. Easy as 1, 2, 3.”

Last night’s Motown Gold concert here at the Algonquin Theatre had both.

The original Jackson Five song and snippets of many other great Detroit masters like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and Aretha Franklin.

Short and sweet. Two hours of the best of Hitsville U.S.A. that had the audience replying they didn’t want to go home.

It was enough for Gavin Williamson, Malia Love and Rudy Salerno’s Angel Wing Band that “Really Got a Hold on Me” and about 200 Motown fans with hit … after ’50s, ’60s and ’70s … hit.

Gavin Williamson and Malia Love filled the stage and Algonquin Theatre with sizzling Motown songs and sounds that were a hit with the crowd of more than 200 last night in Huntsville. PHOTOS Mark Clairmont MuskokaTODAY.com

The superstars were all heard stage, everyone from Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, the Four Tops, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Mary Wells, Lionel Ritchie and the Commodores.

It was a show that told the story of Motown, the singers and their hits that audience members grew up listening to on AM radios. It didn’t matter whether it was a transistor or later stereo the pulsing drive and lush lyrics made up for it.

Williamson’s opening set was — like the show “pure gold” — with his easy, warm, welcoming banter, which led nicely in to Smokey’s “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” and Barrett Strong’s “Money don’t get you everything … the best things in life are free.”

Then after 25 minutes he turned the stage over to Love who kicked off with the Marvelette’s classic “Please Mr. Postman,” which she definitely signed, sealed and delivered in her exhausting, upbeat and fashionable style wearing a brilliant white-sequined gown only rivalled by Williamsons’s shoes.

She had the audience on their feet for “Dancin’ in the Streets.”

Then came her sizzling “Heatwave,” which heard Love laugh “I’m workin’ it — makin’ my money.”

Love followed with a tender version of Michael’s forgotten “Ben.”

Williamson was back on the stage with Love for “It Takes Two, Baby,” the 1967 Marvin and Kim Weston Motown hit.

They followed with “My Love,” which Williamson said is believed to be “the greatest love song ever.”

Love called Lionel’s song the “greatest duet.” And the two lead singers proved it in a loving embrace of the song, lyrics and themselves.

How’s that for a first half?

Williamson and Love proved “It Takes Two, Baby” to make a great show along with a hot band and an audience up “Dancin’ In The Street.”

Love opened the second act’s hour with “RESPECT,” a too truncated version of Aretha Franklin’s anthem.

Then made up for it with 1969’s Jackson Five smash hit “One More Chance.”

Love continued her sensational opening set with the Supremes’ “Stop In The Name of Love.

Then it was a tribute to Love’s “inspiration and reason for singing,” Whitney Houston and her “Greatest Love of All.”

A great addition to the Huntsville show was “Midnight Train to Georgia,” a rousing bonus that Love and the Angel Wing Band left off their spring show in Gravenhurst.

Then it was Williamson’s turn to serenade audience member Kathy Whitehead with fun version of Marvin’s “Let’s Get It On” that included a piercing sax solo.

A cast of well-known Motown stars were on the stage includng Billy Holiday, Ray Charles, BB King, Smokey, Michael, the Jackson Five and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye and the Four Tops among countless others.

Stevie’s “For Once in My Life” and Marvin’s “Can’t Help Myself” rounded out another sold gold show before they wrapped up with an exciting performance-ending “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” that featured Williams, Love, the four-piece band and two amazing backup vocalists combining the best of their two-hour Hitsville U.S.A. tribute.

A slickly produced and presented musical journey down the decades that had the post-show crowd boasting “great, really good, lovely, awesome, terrific, wonderful.”

One person who grew up listening to three-hours a day on the school bus called it authentic and the “best show” she’d seen in Muskoka in years.

And one that fans in Bracebridge missed unless they came north Saturday night or caught them down south in May.

Maybe next year. They can only dream.

  • The show plays Picton Saturday Nov. 7 at the Regent Theatre; Saturday Nov. 14 at the Town Hall 1873 Theatre in Port Perry; and Friday Dec. 11 at the Midland Cultural Centre.

See Gravenhurst advance story and review here:

SOCK IT TO ME! MOTOWN GOLD SOLID, AS RUDY AND THE ANGELS ‘GOT IT ON’ WITH PULSATING ‘SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED’ PARTY PERFORMANCE https://muskokatoday.com/2026/05/sock-it-to-me-motown-was-gold-solid-gold-as-rudy-and-the-angels-got-it-on-as-they-signed-sealed-and-delivered-party-performance/

And pre-show interview with Rudy, Malia and Gavin here:

‘MOTOWN GOLD’ TRIBUTE TO ‘HITSVILLE U.S.A.’ GENIUS BERRY GORDY AND SIXTIES SOUL BROTHERS, SISTERS TELLS THEIR STORY THIS FRIDAY AT GRAVENHURST OPERA HOUSE https://muskokatoday.com/2026/05/motown-gold-tribute-to-hitsville-u-s-a-genius-berry-gordy-and-sixties-soul-brothers-sisters-this-friday-at-gravenhurst-opera-house/

Love was at her absolute best as usual gaining “RESPECT” and applause from the audience who adored her.
These two mothers and four daughters from Ajax made it a “Moms and Tots Weekend” when they found out Motown Gold was in town. Left, Mary Strang, her daughter, Lindsey, Kiera Whitehead, her mom Kathy Whitehead, Andrea Whitehead and Julie Strang.
Malia meets a young fan and poses for photo with admiring and aspiring singer.
The hits just kept on coming from Williamson, Love and Salerno, who greeted the enthusiastic crowd in Algonquin Theatre afterwards where they celebrated Motown and its musical legacy.

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