As you may also be aware, I'm not particularly a fan of either 80s nostalgia or juke box musicals, and let's just say I went in with very low expectations.
The short version: To my delighted surprise, it's absolutely wonderful. Smart, very very funny, and with (obviously) lots of great music -- and believe it or not, none of the songs feel shoe-horned into the plot. Which is to say the after-the-fact storyline that's been concocted for the thing really works. I mean you actually care abut the characters, which is the last thing I expected.
Yeah, yeah, I know -- I wouldn't have thought it possible, either.
I should add that the choreography is to die for; in particular, the first act number where all the characters line up to dance on an unrolled length of bubble wrap(!) is a genuinely hilarious show stopper.
As for the music, you know going in just how good the Lewis/News hits are, and that they've stood the test of time, but I must say that "The Only One" -- which I had forgotten about, and which figures prominently in the show's most poignant scene -- is just freaking great.
(Slightly off topic digression: I should also add that I'd TOTALLY forgotten just how interesting a guitarist The News' Johnny Colla was. I mean seriously, not only does he have an absolutely gorgeous instrumental tone, but his solos on that track sound like the ones I always wished I was good enough to invent back in the days when I fancied myself the Jewish Keith Richards/Mick Taylor but wasn't.)
In any event, trust me -- if you're in NYC and somebody gives you a pair of tickets, get thee to the James Earl Jones Theater pronto. You won't regret it.
And a big tip of the PowerPop hat to my old college chum Michael J. Nugent and his pal Andrew Perez, without whom etc.
7 comments:
Simels: Thank you Steve. I am delighted you are delighted. A boy genius writer in college. I recognized it then and continue to admire your craft. I only wish I could have joined you for the show. I was in New York, but not for fun. We must meet again! Mike
The great guitar work on this cut is by Chris Hayes..Johnny Colla did some guitar parts but mostly all the great sax stuff..Chris is the brother of Bonnie Hayes.
Huey Lewis played the scorching harp parts in Phil Lynott's great 'Ode to a Black Man,' so salaam to that.
I remember seeing him at the airport in San Juan, PR. He was constantly spitting tobacco juice into a cup- which I guess is a great way to keep people from borrowing your harmonica.
I regret the error about Johnny Colla.
I should add, however, that Huey's pre-News band -- Clover -- provided the brilliant backing (uncredited, if memory serves?) on Elvis Costello's debut masterpiece "My Aim is True." Cooler than that it doesn't get.
- Huey on the Clover/EC thing if memory serves
I saw them touring 2nd album right when it came out . went 4 the Clover connection. song that still hits me romr it & the show is "Tell Me A Little Lie".
Alzo - The Phil Lynott ODE TO A BLACK MAN is an all-time Killer track, and like you say, Lewis is partly responsible.
Mark - Detroit legends The Dirtbombs did a faithful, high-energy cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABpDxzZLvV4
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