The Stylistics

The Stylistics play the Princess Theatre on Monday 16 November, one of 22 UK dates they're taking across the country this autumn. They're Philadelphia soul pioneers, and the set will be a run through the classic catalogue that made them known.

To get a sense of where they come from, you have to go back to 1966. The group formed when two bands, The Percussions and The Monarchs, merged while their members were being drafted. The original line-up was Russell Thompkins Jr., Herb Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith and James Dunn. Their first song, 'You're a Big Girl Now', hit number one in Philadelphia, and producer Thom Bell shaped the debut album that followed, which gave us 'Stop, Look, Listen To Your Heart', 'You Are Everything' and 'Betcha By Golly Wow'.

In the early 1970s, they went on a run of ten consecutive Top Ten hits, and the Grammy-nominated 'You Make Me Feel Brand New' is still one of their most enduring. Original members Airrion Love and Herb Murrell are still at the heart of the group — they were even pictured on Soul Train back in 1974, and they're the ones bringing that sound to Torquay as part of this autumn tour.

The show starts at 7:00pm at the Princess Theatre, and tickets are from £42.48.