The Gibb brothers sang ‘You Should Be Dancing’ on June 17, 2001 at the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, marking the anniversary of the final time fans would see the trio performing together.
We didn’t know it at the time, but the Bee Gees performing on day two of L.A’s Wango Tango Festival in 2001 would be the last time the brothers would be captured singing together on camera.
Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb were the closing act of the second day of the world-famous US festival, and in contrast to the acts earlier in the day – including Aerosmith who were limited to just four or five songs each – gave an impeccable 13-song performance.
Finishing the show with a rousing rendition of ‘You Should Be Dancing’ with fireworks soaring above Dodger Stadium, one eyewitness recalls the air was electric with anticipation before the show even began.
“It was a very mixed crowd with both young and old, but mostly teenagers and their response to the Bee Gees was surprisingly enthusiastic…something in the air was saying the Bee Gees were in for a dominating closing performance,” said Jim Wells from Los Angeles.
Opening with ‘This Is Where I Came In’ the Gibb’s followed up with classics including ‘To Love Somebody’, ‘Massachusetts’ and ‘I Started A Joke’ before launching into some of their greatest hits from the late ’70s.
“All of the songs received a rousing applause,” Jim Well recalled, “But it was the latter half of the set that received the biggest ovation.
“When the Saturday Night Fever songs were performed (‘Night Fever‘, ‘More Than A Woman‘ and ‘Jive Talkin’) the entire stadium was on their feet clapping, singing, dancing and being whipped into a frenzy.”
“Finally, as the show was closing and the last chords of ‘You Should Be Dancing’ were being played, the Bee Gees were thanking the audience and entertaining the crowd when suddenly the sky lit up above Dodger Stadium with a tremendous display of fireworks,” said Wells.
“It was a spectacular end to the entire performance and the crowd responded with a thunderous roar of approval.”
The sensational last performance of ‘You Should Be Dancing’ would not actually be their last as a trio, but was the final performance of the Gibb brothers recorded on video.
The Bee Gees‘ final ever performance actually came eight months later on February 23, 2002 at the Love and Hope Ball in Miami, but there is no video of the iconic last moment.
