SOMETHING
BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUES by Paul Freundlich
Sometimes
we don’t fully appreciate what we have. Not too many years ago, a
few local musicians playing for a local dance was what we could count
on. A traveling troupe was an extraordinary event. Now, we take for
granted that the most wonderful artists in the world are at our
fingertips, courtesy of recording and playback.
But it
still comes down to that local dance, gathering together to let it
rock ‘n roll. In Middletown, Vinnie’s Jump and Jive is that
community dance hall, and this Saturday night, folks will have the
best of the both worlds: great music and a great community time.
What
inspired me to put together the music for this event was the Midnight
on Main, New Year’s Eve celebration in Middletown. It was live
bands and a ton of people dancing to covers of rock ‘n roll
classics. It was a re-education in the power and delight of the great
music that moved a generation. For the veterans of the ‘60s and
‘70s, it might be a bit of nostalgia, but younger generations also
embraced the heyday of rock ‘n roll.
If both
old and young and middle-aged were tuning in to classic rock or
trouping off to concerts with $100 plus tickets, why couldn’t we
take the brilliant library of music and construct our own event?
Aretha Franklin and Credence Clearwater as headliners. A supporting
cast of Stevie Wonder, Janice Joplin, Bob Seger, the Doors, Los Lobos
and Annie Lennox. Treat it like a concert, with a block of songs by
each artist, with a chance to get into that special groove, before
moving on to the next. Wrap it up at the end with a medley of them
all.
Vinnie’s
is a great space, brilliant sound system, and that’s where it’s
happening – tonight.
See you
there, if you dare.
Dance
Party, featuring the music of Aretha Franklin, Credence Clearwater,
Stevie Wonder and more.
Where: Vinnie’s Jump and Jive, 424 Main Street,
When: Saturday night, June 9, 8:30 – 11pm
$10 at the door, half for
students and seniors
If you're going to raise the ghosts of the music past, let's check our spelling:
ReplyDeleteCreedence Clearwater Revival
Janis Joplin
Two of the truly great bands of the late 60's/early 70's and I caught them both live in their heyday.
What a great idea! I missed this one, but I hope there will be another one!
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to be reading this a day late' We do live in an extraordinary town with so much to celebrate and in this case dance to.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be great if Vinnie's had a one-month open house, open doors (free for everyone), with good music, and let everyone come in and see how great a space Vinnie's is??
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be great if we had time to come forward as a clientele? to kind of get acquainted with Vinnie's? I think a free month open house might lure me in any number of times!
What do you think?