Tower of Power
Alys Stephens Center 1200 10th AVE S , Birmingham, Alabama 35294
There are few things designed better to get you up and moving like a Tower of Power show. Together since the late 1960s, the band is a 10-headed monster of funk and soul, with a full horn section blazing away over a skintight rhythm section. Whether they’re performing classic hits like “What Is Hip?” or “This Time It’s Real” or more recent material, the band, led by sax player and musical director Emilio Castillo and superb vocalist Mike Jerel, are a guaranteed good time.
And at the heart of this R&B beast, down in the engine room, if you will, sits drummer David Garibaldi. Garibaldi has been with the band for most of its five-decade career, though he’s also played with Natalie Cole, Boz Scaggs, the Yellowjackets and more. Garibaldi is an absolute all-star percussionist; in fact, back in 2016, “Rolling Stone” magazine named him on their list of the 100 Greatest Drummers of All Time.
Of course, it also helps your longevity to have a scorching hot live show that keeps people on their feet all night long, something Tower Of Power has covered. But it’s not just a “greatest hits” revue, even though you’ll hear all of the band’s soulful classics. Garibaldi says the band is constantly evolving even after 55 years. And because of that, they have a strong relationship with their audience.