Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell With fireworks for a backdrop, Walter "Clyde" Orange, and William "Wak" King of the Commodores take the stage at the 2009 Riverbend Festival.

People were packed head to head Wednesday night in front of the Coca-Cola Stage to get close to Riverbend Festival headliners The Commodores.

“They are the bomb, I’m telling you,” said Sam Willis, 52, of Chattanooga. “They were the top of the charts in the ’70s.”

Shoulders shimmied and hands waved as the Grammy-Award winning performers broke into their hit “Too Hot Ta Trot.”

Karyoll Pulley, 66, of Dalton, Ga., danced in her smock and glasses.

“I used to take awards for dancing when I was younger,” she said. “I’ll be dancing to their music all night. I can’t help it.”

Jeffery and Gwen Johnson were among hundreds of fans arriving at the riverfront festival site more than four hours before the Commodores hit the stage to make sure they got a good seat.

“We were singing their songs in the shower,” said Mrs. Johnson, while marking her spot in front of the Coca-Cola stage.

The Dalton couple of 27 years said they’ve been fans of the rhythm-and-blues band since the late 1960s when the Commodores started performing at Tuskegee Institute.

The group, which sold more than 60 million records for Motown, is known for hits such as “Brick House” and “Three Times A Lady.”

Sweat poured down Tina Anderson’s face at she sat near the stage hours before showtime waiting for the band.

“I don’t want to miss anything,” she said while holding an umbrella to shield herself from the sun. “This is the one group I truly wanted to see.”

Earlier Wednesday, Mason Vail’s shirt waved in the wind as he clapped, jumped and kicked while dancing as the Simplified Band performed a mixture of rock, reggae and blues tunes. He said he enjoyed the group, but he especially was waiting to see the Commodores.

“Brick House,” he yelled when asked his favorite song. “I’ll be right here.”

Earlier in the evening, a man threatened to jump from the Olgiati Bridge downtown before thousands of festival spectators. Police talked him down and took him into custody for evaluation.