One Last Bikini Bottom Day

     SpongeBob SquarePants the Musical played its final performance last night. What a remarkable show.

     Sad to see it leave Broadway. It's sad that a show that it so creative, so original, could not find a bigger audience.

     Ethan Slater and company gave an amazing final performance, and were rewarded with ovation after ovation for almost 3 hours.

     Director Tina Landau gave a touching post show speech thanking the crew, the cast, the creators, the fans for everything they had contributed.

    

Curtain Call

Director Tina Landau

David Byrne - OceanFirst Bank Center, West Long Branch, NJ, 9/7/2018

           David Byrne never disappoints.
           Back in the early 1990's I saw David Byrne perform 2 shows at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank New Jersey. The shows were filmed and were used in his concert film Between the Teeth. The tour was for his album Uh-Oh. I thought those shows were amazing and he would not be able to top them. I was wrong.
           I purposely did not read any reviews of this new American Utopia tour so there would be some sort of surprise element. I was hooked from the first moments straight through to powerful final song.
           The stage was empty bare with the exception of a card table and chair for the opening and a stand up lamp used later in the show.
            The 11 piece band entered during the second song and moved around the stage during each song, never stationary for too long. Simple lighting effects brought intensity to songs like Blind and Burning Down the House.
             The songs presented a real and also idealized version of America, without getting preachy or making simplistic critiques. It was powerful and, I think, hopeful, without bypassing some of the issues which are in the news day after day.
             His solo songs and Talking Heads songs blended together seamlessly.
             As the lyrics for Everyday is a Miracle say, "Everyday is a miracle, love one another".
              Simple, but spot on.

             I hope that after the tour finished in Europe, he brings this to a Broadway theatre for a limited run. This would play perfectly in a small theatre.

                                Here
                                Lazy
                                I Zimbra(Talking Heads song)
                                Slippery People(Talking Heads song)
                                Dog's Mind
                                I Should Watch TV
                                Everybody's Coming To My House
                                This Must Be The Place(Naive Melody)(Talking Heads song)
                                Once in a Lifetime(Talking Heads song)
                                Doing the Right Thing
                                Toe Jam
                                Born Under Punches(The Heat Goes On)(Talking Heads song)
                                I Dance Like This
                                Bullet
                                Everyday is a Miracle
                                Like Humans Do
                                Blind(Talking Heads song)
                                Burning Down the House(Talking Heads song)

                                Dancing Together
                                The Great Curve(Talking Heads song)
   
                                 Hell You Talmbout(Janelle Monae cover)

In Memoriam - Burt Reynolds

                                                                  Rest in Peace

                                       A true hero. A true American. You will be deeply missed.
                                                                        Rest in Peace.

In Memoriam - Aretha Franklin

                                                                     Rest in Peace

Adam Ant - Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ 7/21/2018

  I can't recall if Adam Ant had ever played in New Jersey during the last 30 years. Adam Ant and Adam & The Ants were a regular fixture on MTV when I was in High School. I loved the Epic sound of his music and had always wished I was able to see him.

  Luckily this summer his Anthems Tour came to the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park this past weekend. The show was great.

   He sounded much better than I had expected. He never seemed to have the strongest voice in the concert clips I had seen. His band was tight, heavy on guitar and drums, as expected.

   The setlist was pretty much split between his solo work and his catalog from Adam and The Ants.

   Here is the setlist.

                            Best My Guest(Adam & The Ants song)

                            Vive Le Rock

                            Dog Eat Dog(Adam & The Ants song)

                            Apollo 9

                            Friend or Foe

                            Ant Music(Adam & The Ants song)

                            Room At The Top

                            Desperate But Not Serious

                            Car Trouble(Adam & The Ants song)
                            Young Parisians(Adam & The Ants song)
                            Prince Charming(Adam & The Ants song)
                            Zerox
                            Gotta Be a Sin
                            Puss 'n Boots
                            Can't Set Rules About Love
                            Christian D'or(Adam & The Ants song)
                            Strip
                            Kings of the Wild Frontier(Adam & The Ants song)

                            Greta X

                            B Side Baby(Adam & The Ants song)

                            Stand and Deliver(Adam & The Ants song)

                            Goody Two Shoes

                            Lady/Fall In(Adam & The Ants song)

                            Red Scab

                            Physical(You're So)(Adam & The Ants song)