KID CREOLE AND THE COCONUTS IN CONCERT:
From the moment he arrived on New York City's downtown scene in the early '80s, Latin disco legend Kid Creole, aka August Darnell, has been an underground icon beloved for his dazzlingly theatrical performances, colorful stage designs, and over-the-top fashions. Three decades later Darnell and his three glamorous backup ladies The Coconuts continue to embody the funky, free-wheeling spirit of New York's underground, delivering party-worthy performances of brass-heavy tropical tunes like "My Male Curiosity" and "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" that always get ticket buyers dancing. From the rhythmic pulse of the band and the energetic choreography of The Coconuts to the many costume changes of Darnell himself, Kid Creole and the Coconuts serve up an outré and fun-loving concert experience unlike any other.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Bronx-born August Darnell grew up in the city's multicultural mix immersed in a melting pot of musical styles that included disco, Latin pop, and big band. In the mid-'70s he and his brother formed Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, a swing-influenced disco outfit that topped the dance charts and earned a Grammy nomination with their 1976 hit "Cherchez La Femme". In 1980 Darnell adopted the name Kid Creole and began giving elaborate, carnivalesque performances with a trio of beautiful backup singers known as The Coconuts. The group made their debut that same year on legendary dance label Ze Records with the critically acclaimed album Off the Coast of Me. Their 1981 sophomore album Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places achieved moderate chart success, but it was 1982's Tropical Gangsters that really put them on the map. That album peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart, ultimately reaching Platinum status thanks to hit singles like "Stool Pigeon" and "Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy". By the mid-'80s their outrageous live shows had made them a staple of New York night life, paving the way for their continued success through the '80s and '90s. After a 10-year studio hiatus, Kid Creole and the Coconuts made a triumphant return in 2011 with their fourteenth studio album I Wake Up Screaming. They remain an emblem of early '80s New York club culture, treating concertgoers to a wild walk down memory lane every time they take the stage to perform their infectious tropical disco classics.
