Concert Review: Billy Ocean and The Pointer Sisters
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going
While growing up in the 1980s, I can’t say I exactly appreciated The Pointer Sisters or Billy Ocean. Sure, their songs were part of the soundtrack of my youth, and they were songs I enjoyed, but I didn’t really understand just how special the artists were.
We heard them at the roller rink. We heard them at my seventh-grade dance – where nobody danced, and everyone awkwardly looked at each other across the gym. We saw them on “Solid Gold” or maybe even “Dance Fever.”
Even if I was more into bands like Huey Lewis, Def Leppard and The Hooters, I couldn’t avoid Billy Ocean or The Pointer Sisters. Their music was everywhere.
I had an epiphany about a decade ago. I won tickets to an 80’s music concert sponsored by Sirius XM. Along with some questionable versions of The Motels, Starship and Naked Eyes (the same band, with typically one original member singing), Billy Ocean was the headliner.
To say that Billy Ocean stole the show is an understatement. The man absolutely blew me away with his smooth, velvety voice and endearing shuffling dance moves. So, when he came back around, this time with The Pointer Sisters, I was a day one buyer.
What. A. Fun. Show.
At 74, Billy Ocean exudes cool. His trademark beaming smile, his long grayed dreads, and his dapper gray suit all present a coolness factor many new artists couldn’t pay for even if they tried. The man’s personality fills that stage.
And then he opens his mouth and sings. Billy’s soulful style mixed with his humble and positive attitude, could make anybody melt. He certainly made the ladies melt, with many yelling, “I love you, Billy” throughout the evening.
At one point, Billy even joked that another woman loved him more when she yelled louder than the first.
Kicking off with one of my favorites of his hits, “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car,” Billy immediately got the crowd moving. It’s pure 80s and very much a relic of the decade, but there’s no denying it’s a wonderful pop song.
There will never be a better use of backup singers than the line “Beep beep, yeah.”
Billy sang his biggest hits of the day, including the rock-tinged “Loverboy,” “Jewel of the Nile” soundtrack hit “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Gets Going” and, of course, “Caribbean Queen.”
Then there’s his R&B material, like “Love Zone,” “There’ll Be Sad Songs to Make You Cry” and “Suddenly.” It can be easy to overlook such songs because his biggest hits were more pop-based, but they showcase Billy’s vocals brilliantly.
Billy also sang two impressive covers: Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” and Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.”
Billy is simply smooth and suave on stage. He smiles infectiously throughout the evening, constantly moving from one side of the stage to the other with a quirky shuffle. He takes time to praise Christ. He interacts with the crowd.
He is one cool cat with one hell of a set of pipes.
Billy was the headliner, but opening act, The Pointer Sisters, is just as influential from the decade of neon.
The Pointer Sisters opened the concert with a set of its lively hits. In some ways, it’s more appropriate to say “Pointer Sister” - Ruth Pointer is the only surviving original member. Anita died in 2022, Bonnie (who left the group before its 1980s renaissance) died in 2020, and June died in 2006.
It is still, however, a family affair. Ruth is now joined by her daughter, Issa, and granddaughter, Sadako.
At 78, Ruth still has an incredible voice. While the start of the show was a little more subdued with such songs as “Happiness,” “He’s So Shy,” “Automatic” and “Fire,” Ruth showed she still is full of energy for the show’s end. “I’m So Excited,” “Neutron Dance” and “Jump (For My Love)” closed out the set in a burst of 80s R&B pop bliss.
Issa and Sadako have strong voices that honor the legacy of the original material. At 40, Sadako brings a level of (middle-aged) “youthful” energy and sexiness to the stage. Issa is not far behind at 46, and both brought the dance moves. Not that Ruth didn’t – but maybe with a little less vigor.
The Pointer Sisters successfully blended genres—bringing gospel-rooted harmonies to pop hits. Watching Ruth perform with her daughter and granddaughter felt like witnessing a living legacy, a family tradition of excellence being passed on stage.
I honestly forgot about several of the group’s hits, like “He’s So Shy,” and to hear the 80s hits back-to-back reminded me how – for a time – the group was everywhere on the airwaves. I only owned one Pointer Sisters album over the years – I won “Contact” on vinyl in a radio contest – but I rectified that after the show.
In an age where music is often streamed and disposable, there’s something deeply grounding about seeing these legends live. It’s a reminder of the time when music felt like a shared experience, not just a private one through headphones.
Going into shows like this, there’s certainly a draw of heavy nostalgia. But the talent is what will resonate as you walk out. See artists like this while you still can – they just don’t make ‘em like they used to.
The Pointer Sisters Setlist:
Billy Ocean Setlist: