Itโ€™s hard to be at a Stylistics show, and not miss Russell Thompkins Jr.โ€™s sweet lead vocals (he left the โ€˜60s-โ€™70s soul group 22 years ago).

But if you close your eyes and do mental gymnastics this Sunday when the band plays Tampa’s Hard Rock Event Center, youโ€™ll swear that the current lineup is just the original in disguise. Founding members Airrion Love and Herb Murrell are still keeping the soul groupโ€™s legacy alive.

Donโ€™t expect to hear any new music from the Stylistics circa 2022, however, as there hasnโ€™t been any from the guys in over a decade.

Josh Bradley is Creative Loafing Tampa's resident live music freak. He started freelancing with the paper in 2020 at the age of 18, and has since covered, announced, and previewed numerous live shows in...