All-Star Gospel Show Hits the Top

An extraordinary battle climaxed the benefit concert Thursday night at the sold-out Shrine Auditorium.

At the tail end of the rousing, four-hour gospel show, which raised money for the Minority AIDS Project, Patti LaBelle and Tramaine Hawkins one-upped each other. Judging from the audience response, LaBelle was the winner.

Gospel star Hawkins has a wide-ranging voice and sings with stunning conviction. With her subtle magnetism, she pulled the audience into her tension-packed musical mini-dramas.

Many were in tears after her brief set. But they hadn’t seen anything yet.

Wearing a tight red dress, LaBelle came on like a Red Tornado, and with just one song--”I Believe”--blew the audience away. With her singing and dramatic antics she had the audience standing, screaming, crying and cheering.

Despite that memorable singing by LaBelle and Hawkins, Thursday’s true star was Dionne Warwick, who helped organize the show, whose lineup also included Clifton Davis, Billy Davis Jr., Cissy Houston, Natalie Cole, the Caravans, Howard Hewitt, Linda Hopkins and the Pentecostal Community Choir.

Warwick was aided and inspired by the Rev. Carl Bean, the executive director and founder of the Minority AIDS Project (MAP), a 3-year-old local organization that educates minorities about AIDS and provides services to minority AIDS patients. During the show, Bean said he organized MAP because other organizations weren’t focusing properly on the AIDS problem in minority communities.

Though occasional solemn speeches reminded the audience of the purpose of the organization, the event was generally high-spirited.

All the performers sang one to three songs, backed by a huge choir that sat on stage throughout.

But one number from Natalie Cole, who revved up the audience with her fervent singing and impromptu dancing, wasn’t enough. And the few stirring songs by Cissy Houston, who puts daughter Whitney to shame, merely whetted your appetite for more.

LIVE ACTION: Crosby, Stills & Nash will be at the Pacific Amphitheatre on Sept. 10. Tickets are on sale now. . . . Also on sale now: Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Fabulous Thunderbirds at the Greek Theatre, Oct. 5-6. . . . An Aug. 14 date, with two shows, has been added to Laura Nyro’s stand at the Mayfair Theatre. . . . Barry Manilow has added shows Sept. 21 at the Greek Theatre and Sept. 24 at the Pacific Amphitheatre. . . . Tickets go on sale Sunday for Toni Childs at the Roxy on Sept. 1. . . . The Vinnie Vincent Invasion will be at the Palace on Aug. 24. . . . Pere Ubu’s David Thomas plays McCabe’s on Aug. 26. . . . Full Force will be at the John Anson Ford Theatre on Sept. 2.