KC and the Sunshine Band – Get Lifted! World Tour 2026
Mayo Performing Arts Center – Morristown, NJ – May 8, 2026
Review & Photos – Rebecca Wolf
https://www.instagram.com/rebeccawolfconcertphotos/
KC and the Sunshine Band, continues to sell out performances more than 50 years since it was founded by Henry Wayne Casey in 1973. Devoted fans take the opportunity to pack venues at every tour stop in order to sing and dance along to the band’s bright, joyful, funky music….music that’s withstood the test of time. “Withstood the test of time” might mean to some that it remains popular and meaningful to new generations. However, I believe withstanding the test of time also means it hasn’t lost its significance to the generation where it originated. It didn’t fade away like a memory from a distant place and time. The connections remain. Its these connections, that have withstood the test of time and continue to lure fans in, ready to fully immerse themselves in the beloved memories of years (decades) gone by.
On May 8th, at Mayo Performing Arts Center, fans of KC and the Sunshine Band were thrilled to “Get Down Tonight,” wearing their “Boogie Shoes.” The crowd was buzzing with energy awaiting the onstage arrival of the band. Seventies music playing over the theater sound system set the vibe, as audience members made their way to their seats. KC’s voice suddenly coming through the speakers, announcing he’d be joining everyone soon, revved up the crowd even further. The final number, The Village People’s “YMCA” magnified the energy in the crowd, as audience members sang along and performed the number’s iconic arm movements.
As the house lights darkened at the end of the song, a brief hush fell over the crowd. This darkness was quickly interrupted by the vibrant, neon-colored lights, illuminated backdrop and enormous, sparkling disco ball that enveloped the stage, as band members and dancers arrived in equally spectacular psychedelic-colored clothing. The 14-person Sunshine Band immediately set the scene for the electrifying musical performance to come, as they performed a dynamic, KC and the Sunshine Band opening medley that lifted the energy in the theater to the perfect level for the arrival of the star of the show. Dancing and twirling his way across the stage, KC displayed exuberance that clearly displayed his continued joy in performing.
While KC no longer resembles the version of himself fans may remember from “back in the day,” he was the first to joke about it. Poking fun at his appearance and weight, he laughed to the crowd, “Maybe I should be called KFC now!” He quickly followed that up with a reminder of just how long he’s been entertaining audiences. “I’m not 30 anymore,” he quipped. “Add another 20…and another 20…and another 3….and another 2!” Even while making light of getting older, KC clearly wanted younger concertgoers to understand his place in pop music history. With a grin, he explained to the those in the audience, “I’m basically your parents’ Justin Timberlake!”
No matter his age or physical transformation, KC’s stage presence remains undeniably impressive. Throughout the performance, lasting over two hours, he danced, spun, strutted across the stage and commanded the audience’s attention with the enthusiasm and endurance of someone decades younger. Matching his energy step for step was a talented 14-piece ensemble of musicians, singers and dancers whose tightly choreographed routines and synchronized movements brought constant excitement to the stage. Though this lineup is not made up of original Sunshine Band members, they’ve clearly embraced the music as their own and performed it with genuine passion and infectious joy.
That excitement radiated throughout the audience, as hundreds of devoted fans spent much of the night on their feet, dancing, clapping and singing along, happily revisiting a long gone era. The setlist featured all of KC and the Sunshine Band’s hits, including “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty,” “Boogie Shoes,” “Please Don’t Go,” “I’m Your Boogie Man,” “Keep It Comin’ Love,” and “That’s the Way I Like It.” The band also delivered a spirited performance of George McCrae’s 1974 hit “Rock Your Baby,” the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper written and produced by KC (Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch) that helped launch his remarkable songwriting career. KC proudly noted that, “John Lennon once said ‘Rock Your Baby’ was a song he wished he’d written.”
More than five decades after launching KC and the Sunshine Band, Harry Wayne Casey continues to have every reason to celebrate his enduring legacy of disco and funk classics. His music has “withstood the test of time.” It hasn’t lost its significance to the generation where it originated. It didn’t fade away like a distant memory. Rather, his music continues to bring a sense of connection, nostalgia and a whole lot of happiness to those who grew up during the height of the band’s popularity and want to again immerse themselves in the beloved memories of decades gone by. So, if you are one of those nostalgic individuals, “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty” to the next KC and the Sunshine Band show that comes through your way because if “That’s the Way I Like It,” chances are you’ll like it, too.
SET LIST
Opening Medley
Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty
Boogie Shoes
In the Back of My Cadillac (NYNE cover)
I Hear a Symphony (The Supremes cover)
Yes I’m Ready (Barbara Mason cover)
Please Don’t Go
I’m Your Boogie Man
Keep It Comin’ Love
I Like to Do It
I Get Lifted
Rock Your Baby (George McCrae cover)
It’s the Same Old Song (Four Tops Cover)
Give It Up
Brick House (Commodores cover)
Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground) (The Jacksons cover)
Drum Solo
Foxy/Play That Funky Music
That’s the Way (I Like It)
Get Down Tonight
So Glad We Got Together
I Gotta Feeling/Please Don’t Go
