Daryl Hall and John Oates Are Back and, Quite Possibly, Better Than Ever

Hall & Oates are back and quite possibly better than ever. This past Friday night, I got the opportunity to attend their latest concert on behalf of ONE37pm, and walked away feeling refreshed and inspired. The dynamic duo first captured the hearts of many across the world in the 1970s and churned out hit after hit over the years with catchy beats, live instrumentation, and melodic harmonies. After a tough 2020 in which live music was canceled or stalled for obvious reasons, it was great to be back in the concert scene. Here’s a breakdown of our experience.

The show took place at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre in Alpharetta, Georgia. Of note—the Amphitheatre is an outdoor venue which is especially important considering the fact that many aren’t still entirely comfortable with large indoor concerts yet. The employees, staff, and security were friendly, the weather was nice, and the Amphitheatre offered plenty of food and beverage options to purchase for the show.

Legendary English rock band Squeeze were the opening act for the evening, and boy did they get the party started. Their set was approximately an hour-long as they dove into their greatest hits catalog and set the scene for the evening. While fans were anxiously anticipating the arrival of their beloved Hall & Oates, Squeeze held their own quite nicely, getting fans out of the seats on several occasions.

After an hour-long set, it was time for Hall & Oates to make their arrival. The lights cut out, and fans were instantly put in a time machine that catapulted us back to the 1970s and 1980s as archival Hall & Oates footage from their many music videos and performances through the decades were displayed on the jumbotron as they made their way to the stage. The group kicked off the show with their 1982 single “Maneater,” transitioning to their massive 80s hit “Out of Touch.” 1984’s “Method of Modern Love” followed as Hall & Oates dove into some of their 1970s hits with Daryl Hall showcasing his many talents by jumping back and forth from guitar to piano, and John Oates bringing the electric guitar riffs.

The 1970s portion of the show was more chill and laid back. Fans used the opportunity to catch their breath from all the dancing while taking in the nice vibes. Of note—the audience was a nice mixture of ages. You saw parents attending the show with their 20-something children, along with couples of all ages. After slowing things down a little bit, the group jumped into their 1981 hit “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do), leaving for a few minutes before coming back for an encore. 

We don’t want to spoil the show because Hall & Oates have plenty of dates left, but it’s clear that after over four decades of massive success in the music industry, Hall & Oates have still got it, and are better than ever.