Shades of Soul's NYE goal: Get people dancing

After a break from playing music while helping to raise his family, Bill Shivelbine decided he wanted to get back into it. That was the start of Shades of Soul in 2012.

More than a decade later, the band is full of soul and ready to usher in the New Year at Scout Hall in downtown Cape Girardeau.

"We played and had so much fun. Everybody said we should do this more often and that was the beginning of Shade," Shivelbine said about the music session that kick-started the band.

Shivelbine said band members loved to play soul, R&B and anything to get people up on their feet dancing. His wife suggested the name Shades of Soul.

From the first time the band played together, Shivelbine said they had musical chemistry.

Shades of SoulSubmitted

Shades of Soul is a cover band with a twist. The band decided when they played covers they would play them as close as possible to the original band or song as they could. This is why the band is large and includes two trumpets, saxophone, a bass guitar and two singers. They needed to be able to cover as much of the background track as they could for when the singers sang.

"Pretty much the focus on Shades is dance music; that's anything from the '70s all the way up to pop — Bruno Mars, that kind of stuff. So if it has a great beat, if it's a dance beat, you know, and it's something that people are gonna like, that's what we play," Shivelbine said.

Some of his favorite songs to cover come from the band Earth, Wind & Fire, saying they really get the crowds moving.

Shades of Soul has been playing around the region for many years, but has mostly been performing for corporate events and private parties. Many community members who have not been a part of those parties or events have not heard their music but have the opportunity to on New Year's Eve.

Shades of Soul will perform with a new band named Next of Kin at Scout Hall to ring in the new year. Shivelbine said he hopes those attending will dance into the new year and enjoy the music during the night.

"We hope the crowd gets sore feet, but to be honest, if your feet are not hurting, you weren't dancing enough. We just play music, and once we get playing music, we don't really much even care about what's ever happened in the room," Shivelbine said. "I think it's going to be a really fun night. The hors d'oeuvres -- don't expect Beanie Weenies and Ritz crackers; it's going to be a nice walk-around hors d'oeuvres served. So I think the night paints a place of just wanting to be together. It's going to be people that know each other that are ready to dance and have a fun night and not worry much."

The New Year's Eve event will be at Scout Hall, 420 Broadway. The doors will open at 7 p.m. with Shades of Soul starting their show at 8 p.m.. There will be a champagne toast to ring in the New Year.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/shades-of-soul-next-of-kin-new-years-eve-dance-party-tickets-772638190627.