BEEFCAKE, BRAVADO

Gwen Guthrie surrounded herself with six good-looking, nattily-attired male musicians and two scantily-clad male dancers Friday night at the Universal Amphitheatre. But the stout chanteuse didn’t really need all that beefcake to add to the bravado of tunes like her recent disco-flavored, man-baiting hit “Ain’t Nothing Goin’ on but the Rent.” Just the sound of her growling, “Getcha polyester outta my closet!” was a big-enough attention-getting device. Conversely, it was when Guthrie toned down the bluster for a poignant “Next Time I’ll Be Sweeter” that her depth and vocal prowess really became apparent.

Headliners Ashford and Simpson came across--once again--as two of the most consistently excellent stage performers in black pop. Singing a snippet of “Don’t Need No Help,” the gospel-tinged song she recorded back in 1971 as her attempt to launch her own singing career, Valerie Simpson proved she still has the better voice of the duo. But Nick Ashford, with his preening, dominating stage presence, has a leonine grace that works well against her more kittenish charm.