"SUMMER FIRE '77"

One of Pink Lady’s most memorable concerts from their salad days of the 1970’s was Summer Fire ’77, it was also their longest show, given that it was a two-disc album when it was originally released on vinyl, and on CD over thirty years later. What I found memorable about the concert was from a picture book on the concert with lots of photos of Mie and Kei “glowing” like nobody’s business from sweat during the show as they gave their all for their fans.

As for the show itself, we begin with an instrumental opening before Mie and Kei began the show with the first of three medleys with “Black Is Black”, “Love Potion Number 9”, “Rock and Roll Love Letter” and “I Believe In Music”. After enthusiastically greeting the crowd, the girls sang “Pepper Keibu”, followed by a nicely done Japanese version of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and another 60’s tune “Rock and Roller Coaster”. Next came what is now my favorite B-side, the incredibly dynamic “Your Toast Girl” which never fails to get my feet to tapping whenever I hear it. After singing what would become their first chart topping hot “SOS”, Mie and Kei did a very credible English version of The Supremes’ “Stop In the Name of Love” which I found to have been delightful. The first CD ended with the second medley of the concert featuring Motown standards “Money (That's What I Want)”, “Please Mr. Postman”, “I Want You Back” and “You Keep Me Hanging On”.

Disc number 2 began with a second live English rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” that I found charming. From there, the girls did solos, Mie covered Barbra Streisand’s “Evergreen”, and quite nicely at that, meanwhile, Kei did a version of The Eagles’ “Hotel California” that was absolutely haunting and gave me chills. Next came the last of the three medleys and the longest of the lot, more favorites from the 60’s: “What'd I Say”, “Unchain My Heart”, “Go Kart Twist”, “Route 66”, “Dynamite”, “Johnny B. Goode” and “Rock and Roll Music”. From there came “Carmen ’77” with its Latin themed flair, the beach bopping “Nagisa No Sindbad”, “It Must Be Him” and “Goodbye Jimmy” before closing out the show with “Bye-Bye Baby”. All in all, this concert was a sizzling summer treat Mie and Kei presented to their legions of fans and remains one of my favorite Pink Lady concert albums.

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