Upon walking into the TLA on Philly's famed South Street to see The Brand New Heavies, I was definitely nervous. With 20 minutes until the show started, the venue was virtually empty and the few bodies that were there plastered themselves to bar stools. The show was supposed to begin at 9 p.m. with opening act Van Hunt, a band that carved a deep reputation for carrying the pure soul movement.

Five minutes before the show started fans piled in and crowded the front. Van Hunt and his eclectic band of six took the stage. They wasted no time getting into the groove. He cruised through tracks like “Dust” and a sexually charged “Seconds of Pleasure.” Not just his singing propelled him that night; the band was on point, especially the bassist, drummer and the guitarist who sent electric currents through the venue with his solos. Van Hunt also tore it up with his impromptu guitar riffs. His emotional, powerful performance helped him recruit more than a few fans that night.

As they set the stage for The Brand New Heavies, the place became comfortably crowded from the balcony to the stage. After a brief introduction, original members Simon Bartholomew, Andrew Love Levy, and Jan Kinkaid casually strolled on stage accompanied by a brass section, keyboardist, and back up singer. The crowd screamed, and The Brand New Heavies busted into the funky opener. When N'Dea Davenport strutted to the stage the crowd welcomed her with a roaring applause. While she belted “Right On,” a cut from the new album, Simon and Andrew showcased their talents on bass and guitar.

Although the trio had not been reunited in Philly for quite some time, their instruments still echoed in lyrical harmony. The horn section, which consisted of a saxophone, trumpet and trombone, gave songs such as “Let's Do It Again” and “Sex God” extra flavor. Despite the technical sound glitches most of the night, N'Dea's voice triumphed especially during the title track to the recently released reunion album, ‘Get Used To It'.’

At the golden part of the night, N'Dea beckoned Jan to come out from hiding behind her drums to accompany her in song. With infectious energy and soul vibe spilling out of each chord, the crowd treated The Brand New Heavies as if they had never left Philly. This was especially apparent during the more known classics like 'Dream On Dreamer', which was done near the beginning, 'Brother Sister', a tune that had everyone holding fists up singing the anthem, and 'Never Stop', which was played towards the end. If I remember correctly, it was in the encore, along with 'Dream Come True'. All four songs had the audience mouthing each word in sync with N’Dea. Feeding off the raw energy of the crowd, The Brand New Heavies appeared elated to take the stage. Enthusiastic and sentimental, towards the end of the show, Andrew took the hand of an audience member and whispered to her, "Thank you for knowing all the lyrics".

It was a glorious night, a throwback to the 90's when good music prevailed and the appreciation for talented musicians transcended computer generated garbarge. From the audience reaction, The Brand New Heavies were still respected for their instrumentation and group chemistry, a unique dynamic that binds the group together over a decade later. When they took their courtesy bow towards the end of a sweaty and tired night, I knew that what I witnessed was rare. Even if you didn't get that feeling immediately after leaving that night, it'll hit you sooner or later.