Pop : En Vogue: Funky, Streetwise and Dressed to Kill

En Vogue, the sassy, stylin’ vocal group from Oakland, is constantly likened to the Supremes, and the four women must be getting tired of it: The Supremes were noticeably absent from En Vogue’s tribute to “the divas who paved the way” during the first of two shows on Saturday at the Universal Amphitheatre.

Though not inaccurate, the Supremes comparison tells only part of the story. En Vogue’s Terry Ellis, Maxine Jones, Cindy Herron and Dawn Robinson are the Supremes filtered through “Dreamgirls” and the R&B; revues of the ‘60s, incorporating vignettes on the life of a female singing group into their act and full of more funk and street savvy than Diana Ross and company could ever muster.

At the Amphitheatre, En Vogue successfully re-created the sizzling vocal harmonies and interplay that have made their “Funky Divas” album a huge hit, backed by a solid band and occasionally accompanied by five very solid male dancers. Perhaps to avoid any Supremes-like ego flare-ups, the women alternated taking the lead, and none showed herself to be significantly more talented than the others.

But music isn’t all En Vogue is about. Style plays a big role in the women’s appeal, and it was everywhere evident on Saturday. There were several costume changes from one glamorous outfit to another--one of which took place on stage behind neck-to-knee dressing stalls, prompting a chorus of appreciative hoots from the men in the audience. Don’t call En Vogue a girl group--the skin-tight red sheaths the four emerged in were most decidedly worn by women.