Back in the day there was a wonderful multi-plex cinema and entertainment centre called the Rosebank Theatre. This magnificent facility stood on the hallowed ground where the Rosebank branch of the Bank of Butterfield stands today. And from time to time, this very special place would host an amazing event that became known as The Rosebank Revue.

The good folks at Treble Clef Productions remember the Rosebank Revue fondly, and on Saturday night, brought back their immensely popular tribute to the once treasured local entertainment showcase.

The-room-formerly-known-as-the-Empire-room at the Fairmont Southampton Princess was filled to the absolute brim on Saturday night, and the atmosphere was electric from start to finish.

The proceedings began sometime around 9.20 p.m. with a heartfelt tribute to a Rosebank Revue staple: Mr. Charles Michael Clarke, better known as Michael ?Curtis? Clarke (a nickname attributed to the fact that his guitar playing style was reminiscent of the legendary Curtis Mayfield). The tribute to Mr. Clarke consisted of a heartfelt PowerPoint presentation (which was accompanied by an in-depth biography that was read live by Ms. Sherry Outerbridge) a celebration of the Clarke legacy, a very special performance by Michael?s three daughters (Karen, Keisha, and Kimberly), and a touching presentation to the Clarke family.

The accolades for Mr. Clarke were many, and the audience ?cooed? and ?aahed? like they were listening to the achievements of a dearly departed friend throughout the presentation. They were. Every member of the capacity crowd appreciated the Clarke tribute, and by the end, we were all very ready to revisit the Rosebank Revue one last time.

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was the inimitable Gene Steede, who brought humor and class to the show like no other could. He had the audience rolling in the aisles every time he took the stage, and enjoyed himself just as much as any audience member he may have entertained that night. And believe you me; he entertained every single person in that room on Saturday night.

The James Richardson Band backed every act with skill and precision, and every act delivered a performance to remember. Sia Spence was the first to perform, and she left a considerable portion of the audience absolutely breathless. Sia opened with a polished rendition of the Mini Ripperton staple ?Loving You,? which sent chills down more than a few spines. The entire audience wasn?t quite touched, however, until she belted out the Etta James classic ?At Last.?

Her rendition was sultry, sensual, and fully deserving of the first of many standing ovations awarded that night. Sia was very impressive; making full use of the ample stage and delivering the kind of performance that would have stood out at the original Rosebank Revue, and the kind of performance that was a definite highlight of this writer?s Saturday night.

The next act to grace the stage was the first of the male quartets; the marvellous Euphonics. They enjoyed a good reception throughout, and delivered standards like ?The Way You Do The Things You Do,? and the heart wrenching ?Since I Lost My Baby? with considerable flair. The highlight of their set, however, came with their rendition of the classic Negro Spiritual ?Old Man River,? which they delivered to great effect.

Spellbound (formerly known as Ovation) was next, and they were the pick of the quartets for me. They were immaculately outfitted in white with lavender trim, and delivered a seamless performance that featured a plethora of finely tuned classics and impressive vocal stylings. The bouncy ?Backstabbers? opened the set, followed by the brilliant ?You Make Me Feel Brand New,? which pulled the second standing ovation out of the thoroughly smitten crowd. Every song of their thirty minute set was a highlight of the evening, and when they told the band to take five and broke into the magnificent ?Daddy?s Home? , it was over! The reception was thunderous, and had the show ended at that moment, I?d have had no complaints what-so-ever.

The show went on though, and Spellbound was able to deliver the upbeat ?Rock The Boat? and the teary-eyed encore, ?On The Outside Looking In? with all the panache they could muster, and they could muster a lot!

After a short intermission, the hilarious Gene Steede introduced the final quartet of the evening: the legendary Stevie and the Atells. Stevie delivered an impressive vocal performance, and the group left their many fans decidedly satisfied on Saturday night. I quite enjoyed their renditions of the beautiful ?You Are My Shining Star,? and the smooth ?I Left My Heart In San Francisco,? and I was not remotely alone.

The audience loved this group, and many paid tribute by dancing in the aisles like they would certainly have done at the old Rosebank Theatre.

The final act of the evening was a young lady who has been making a career in show business abroad over the last few years. The lovely Wanda Raynor stalked the stage like a wily veteran, using every ounce of her performing ?chops? to win over a somewhat skeptical crowd. And win them over she did! She delivered a sizzling rendition of the seductive ?I Got Love On My Mind,? a fabulous performance of ?This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)? and an amazing duet of ?Ain?t No Mountain High Enough? with Stevie (of Stevie and the Atells). Wanda put every note she had into her performance that night, and then put together an unrehearsed encore of the stunning ?Summertime? to satiate the now fully enamored audience.

This was another exceedingly successful tribute to the majestic Rosebank Revue, and clearly something that Treble Clef Productions can bring back again and again. Well, I?ll tell you this much for free: if this show is ever presented again, you would be an extremely unwise person to miss it!