The Return of Hall & Oates - Box set, shows, more

Hall & Oates are gettin' it on again. The great songwriting and performing duo that hit big in the 1970s and 1980s are back in a pretty big way (read below), though they never really stopped performing individually. They were always up to their solo things, most recently with Darryl Hall's Live from Darryl's House (which is a pretty cool view).

Their press kids write: "From the success of the web TV series Live From Daryl’s House, to the dance scene in the recent film (500) Days of Summer featuring “You Make My Dreams Come True,” to constant touring including one of the last concerts at The Spectrum in Philly on Oct 23rd, and leading right up to the release of the 4 CD box set Do What You Want, Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA/Legacy) on Oct 6th, Daryl Hall and John Oates’ relevancy in pop culture is as strong in 2009 as it’s ever been."

No doubt about it - both musicians look and sound great, and there's no reason why they can't do huge business. The duo is playing shows and making people sing along - too bad the Phoenix show got cancelled.

Hall & Oates' deluxe box set called "Do What You Want, Be What You Are" comes out on Oct. 6. Darryl Hall told The Daily News this last week:

"It was a really interesting process in putting together this box, because I controlled the songs. A lot of times, with box sets, it's what the record company thinks is important. I thought it was important that we put on the songs that define the arc of our creative career, and not just the hits. The hits are there. But much more, much deeper than that. To hear songs that I had almost forgotten about, and to hear it all in a big gulp like that, I sort of became objective about my own music ..." Hall said. "We have done some amazing work, I have to say. It astounds even me."

I saw Hall & Oates once live, back on their Big Bam Boom tour in the mid-'80s - I was up front in the first 15 rows (a sweet ticket gift from a friend) and the band rocked it out and the girls wet their pants. Me? I likely just sang along.

Here's a great clip from Hall & Oates' Los Angeles concert last week: