Top 1980s hitmakers, comedian from TV, movies, coming to Wind Creek Event Center

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A female vocal group who had more than a dozen Top 30 hits in the 1970s and '80s and a singer who had more than a half-dozen Top 10 hits in the 1980s will play together at Wind Creek Event Center.

Also set to appear at the center is a comedian who with his brother had success with a 1990s sketch comedy show and a series of 1990s comedy movies.

The Pointer Sisters, known for the gold hits "Fire" and "He's So Shy" and "Slow Hand," will perform a dual-headline show with Billy Ocean, best known for his hits "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)," "Loverboy" and "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)," at 8 p.m. Oct. 24.

Also, comedian Marlon Wayans, who starred and helped write the Fox-TV sketch comedy show "In Living Color" from 1992-93 and the movies "Don't Be a Menace," "Scary Movie" and "White Chicks," will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 19.

Tickets, at $59.50-$99.50 for Pointer Sisters and Billy Ocean and $39.50-$89.50 for Wayans, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, June 28, at the event center box office, 77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, or at its website.

Pointer Sisters

The Pointer Sisters, a trio of actual sisters whose hits crossed genres including soul, R&B, pop, dance, country and rock, first hit the charts with their 1973 self-titled debut disc.

It hit No. 3 on the R&B chart and was certified gold.

In the 1970s, the group had such hits as the No. 1 R&B single "How Long (Betcha' Got a Chick on the Side)" and even won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for the 1974 Top 15 song "Fairytale."

In 1981, the group had a No. 2 gold pop hit with "Slow Hand" from its gold album "Black & White."

But the group had its biggest success crossing over to the broader pop audience with their 1983 album "Break Out," which sold triple-platinum.

That album included the hits "Automatic" and "Jump (For My Love)" — both of which won Grammy Awards — "I'm So Excited" and "Neutron Dance," all of which charted in the Top 10 in 1984.

Its 1985 album "Contact" also sold platinum, but had no Top 10 hits. It has released four albums since, most recently 1993's "Only Sisters Can Do That."

The Pointer Sisters members June Pointer died in 2006 and Anita Pointer died in 2022. The only member from the peak lineup is Ruth Pointer, who is 78. She now performs with her daughter Issa Pointer and granddaughter Sadako Pointer.

Billy Ocean, Marlon Wayans

Ocean, 74, a Trinidad-born British singer, first had success in the United States with his 1984 album "Suddenly," which hit No. 9 and sold double-platinum.

The disc included the hit "Caribbean Queen," which hit No.1, was certified gold and won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Other hits from the disc were "Loverboy," which hit No. 2, and "Suddenly," which hit No. 4.

The follow-up album, 1986's "Love Zone," hit No. 6 and sold double-platinum, with the hits "When the Going Gets Tough,
the Tough Get Going," which peaked at No. 2, and the No. 1 "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)."

Ocean had his last U.S. hit with 1988's "Get Outta My Dreams,
Get into My Car," which also hit No. 1. That was from the 1998 album "Tear Down These Walls," which also sold platinum.

He has released four albums since, with the most recent being 2020's "One World."

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Wind Creek Event Center

After starting with "In Living Color," Wayans from 1995 until 1999, he co-starred in the WB network situation comedy "The Wayans Bros." with his brother Shawn.

Marlon Wayans produced the film "Scary Movie," and was co-writer with Shawn Wayans for both that film and the sequel "Scary Movie 2."

He also starred in his own sitcom, "Marlon," in 2017. The series, which had a second season, now is on Netflix.

He most recently appeared in the 2023 movie "Air."