The Haygoods
Music City Centre 1835 W. Hwy 76
website: http://www.hotbransonshows.com/
The first thing I noticed at the theatre was an usher escorting a young lady in a wheelchair. The usher guided the entire family around the line of ticket holders to a door where the wheelchair could easily be maneuvered into the theatre. This is what I like to see and in Branson I’ve seen it often. And also, the usher who lead me to my reserved seat was very friendly.
At 8:07 the Haygoods took to the stage singing “How Sweet It Is” and continued with a medley of songs made famous by the Temptations. The harmony was very good and they delivered it with enthusiasm. Their energy was impressive but I thought it could not possibly last the entire show. Boy was I wrong!
The Haygoods Show is all live music. The family; Patrick, Dominic, Shawn, Michael, Matthew, Catherine, and Aaron each play several instruments. In addition to the Haygoods there is an excellent drummer, Dino Phillips, and the very talented David Brooks on keyboard.
Catherine Haygood sang “Bubbly” (a Colbie Caillat song) in a sweet, mellow voice that was absolutely charming. And with her brothers’ backup vocals this was one of my favorites. They mentioned that she plays twice as many instruments as the boys.
I won’t be naming each brother and what he performed since I lost track of who was who. There were some very good solos but, in my opinion, the family harmonies were the best.
Their music includes all genres. Imagine three brothers and a sister sitting in a semi-circle with their violins. Now try to imagine that they proceed to play “Johann Pachebel Canon in D Major”. Bravo!!! Then a brother launches into “Great Balls of Fire” on the piano with powerful guitars, drums, and keyboard accompaniment. Awesome!!! Or, the entire family singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with Catherine and the youngest Haygood, Aaron, carrying the perfect tone which blends the voices into harmony.
The imagination that went into this show is brilliant. The set décor, the black light dancing to “Mack the Knife”, the use of a clip from the Vacation Channel to introduce the “Blues Brothers”, the “Stomp (tap)” segment, and much more.
If you like doo-wop, rock, swing, classical, Celtic, piano, saxophone, harp, violins, guitars etc., in other words, if you like good music along with lots of energy, I highly recommend The Haygoods. All ages were represented in this audience. I sat next to a couple from Arizona, in their 60’s, who said they really enjoyed the show. The two young boys seated behind me, about 12 years old, said the show was “great”.
I wish I could bottle just a small portion of their energy. These guys and gal put their heart into what they do and; another thing I noticed, their smiles are genuine. I will be taking my visitors to see them, especially my teenage great-niece!
Velva Cort, Editor