At the end of Friday night's Mighty Clouds of Joy Festival concert at Ruth Seaton James Auditorium, members of the audience were on the stage. They were invited on during the finale to do the Holy Ghost stomp with the Clouds. In the auditorium and the balcony people were on their feet clapping and swaying.

Half way through the first half of the performance this would have seemed unlikely.

A Gospel concert is almost a contradiction in terms. Are personal testimonies, however couched, meant to be taken as a part of the performance? Certainly a large portion of the audience would have welcomed this and seen it as right and proper. Others will no doubt have come for the music alone.

Backed by an excellent musical unit, the Clouds moved through a safe mainstream repertoire of their hits.

The evening began with the Clouds minus one ill member walking on stage and going straight into "Let's Praise His Name''. The sound was not all it could have been -- there was an irritating hum from the system, but it seemed not to deter lead singer Joe Ligon.

Joe was in large measure the show, singing the lead in almost every number.

Backed by the exceptional tenors, 1st and 2nd respectively of Tim Woodson, whose brief moment later in the show electrified the audience, and heir apparent Ron Staples, Ligon moved the show along gently with some homely talk of his origins and experience through the years. "Y'all got to let us know how we're doin''.

Judging from the audience they were doing all right. He kept his audience amused. "More light. It's like a night club in here'', set of a ripple amongst the faithful.

The Mighty Clouds offered "See what the End's Goin' Be'', "In His Will'', and an a capella version of "Working on A Building''. I must confess that I had some difficulty hearing the lyrics, an experience I later found out was not unique to me.

The event was still fairly ordinary when the group offered "At The Meeting'', "The Old Camp Ground'', and a religious reworking of "Wings Beneath My Wings''. All credit to the excellent band who accompanied with taste keeping well within themselves, letting the blending of the background vocals come through clearly. This was standard fare, middle of the road stuff, and not what is referred to as Contemporary, which is where the real innovations and cross-fertilisation in Gospel are taking place. A passing reference to "Take 6'' was a bit disingenuous, since that group's innovations pushed Gospel to redefine what's possible, harmonically, in a capella gospel singing.

Ron Staple's rendition of "Another Blessing'' a gently rocking 6/8 number took the pleasure level higher. He's got a fine tenor voice that needs to be heard more often.

It seems that the concert began to catch fire from then. "Ride The Mighty High'' with the band doing the hip riffs, "On A Sunday'', with Ron getting the audience responding with his Holy Ghost stomp, and the band members getting a chance to show their ability, brought the first half to a rousing end. Although the programme said there was no intermission there was one, and after 15 minutes the Mighty Clouds were back. They seemed stretched for material in this half, the highlights for me being a truly inspiring version of "Love Train''. I felt this was Gospel at its best; purposeful positive lyrics and high musical values. Tim Woodson's falsetto was all too briefly featured, but just long enough to send spasms of delight through the audience, particularly, it seemed, the female section, some of whom were on their feet by now. "You Are so beautiful'' and "I'm Not Ashamed'', then a Sixties and Seventies medley of Clouds Hits "Friends Pray For me'', "There's a Bright Side'' and the powerful "Will The Circle Be Unbroken'' revved the audience up again.

There was a wry little coda on "I want to Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself Again'', and an invitation to come on down, which four members of the audience took up.

They gave a good account of themselves especially the one lady in the red and black top who put on her own show. This called forth some fancy stomping from Staples, and the audience was on its feet clapping and cheering. Was it a concert? Was it a show? Was it a service? Does it matter? Most of the customers got what they wanted, even if it wasn't everyone's cup of tea. The diversity and spontaneity of the audience was a revelation. And that's a gospel effect, I don't doubt, and a hopeful sign for all of us.

Ronald Lightbourne Mighty Clouds of Joy: Judging from the audience they were doing all right.

REVIEW REV THEATRE THR