Island residents packed each sold-out show and sang along to music from such country favorites as the Eagles and CCR, but a table of 11 Japanese line-dancing lovers — who may qualify as band groupies — provided the lions-share of participation.
The traveling dancers — who attend every GOGAP concert possible — began their love affair with kick-up-your-cowboy-boots line-dancing over 15-years ago when a Texas-trained Japanese dance coach shared her new moves with the newbies.
In the same spirit of sharing, the dancers encouraged locals to join them on the dance floor and happily taught the finer points of the side-step, grapevine, triple-step and heel-grind, to name only a few of line-dancing’s specialized steps.
Ensuring the Japanese groups’ authenticity was their head-to-toe, country-western fashion statement of cowboy hats and boots, red and white handkerchiefs coupled with crystal-studded belt buckles and GOGAP band T-shirts.
Judging by the enthusiastic response from the Saipan community to the GOGAP band and their groupies during their three-night run, another return performance would be very welcome indeed.
