Hall & Oates

Photo by John Anderson

Hall & Oates

It was midset, during the extended sax solo of "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," that everyone finally let loose. Women were popping out of strapless dresses; men threw off their dinner jackets with abandon. Witnessing Daryl Hall & John Oates play Austin for the first time since, according to Hall, the Armadillo in 1974, was surreal. That they happened to be playing the Long Center's glitzy second anniversary party was even more so, especially when they played "Rich Girl." Hall & Oates know a little something about irony and subtlety, though, having tapped into a part of the collective pop consciousness without much rock posturing or sweaty glad-handing. Hall was wearing a black motorcycle jacket and sunglasses, and paired against Oates' crisp white linen shirt, their yin and yang were right there in front of us. Opening with "Maneater," the duo and sixpiece backing band sounded nearly flawless, Hall's voice still reaching the high end on "One on One," "Sara Smile," and "Say It Isn't So." They laid out mostly 1980s fare but doled out a few songs from 1973's Abandoned Luncheonette ("When the Morning Comes," "She's Gone") for good measure. By the double encore, which featured "You Make My Dreams," "Kiss on My List," and finale "Private Eyes," old Anglos and teenagers alike were dancing in the aisles. H&O always transcended class and genre, and for an hour and a half, they were the great equalizer. "You guys were unbelievable," Hall said, giving us the Fonzie thumbs.