Monmouth University Center for the Arts is proud to present the second installment of our Virtual Living Room Concert Series – Stay Safe, Stay at Home featuring some of your favorite singers, songwriters and musicians from the Jersey Shore and beyond! The concert will premiere on the Center for the Arts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/ig8kCI861q4 on June 12, 2020 at 8 PM with a live chat from some of the artists and will be available to stream on the channel anytime afterward.
This living room concert features: Roger McGuinn, Remember Jones, Zack Sandler, Richie Furay, Joel Krauss, Ross Owen, David DeRosa, Mary McCrink, Pam McCoy, Andy McDonough, Tommy LaBella and Amy Phillips.
The concert is directed by Monmouth University Alumnus Tom Parr ’85 and sponsored in part by Riptide records.
Monmouth University Center for the Arts is proud to present the premiere of a Virtual Living Room Concert Series – Stay Safe, Stay at Home featuring some of your favorite singers, songwriters and musicians from the Jersey Shore and beyond! The concert will premiere on the Center for the Arts YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/n2m9mKRFiqk on May 8, 2020 at 8 PM with a live chat from some of the artists and will be available to stream on the channel anytime afterward.
This living room concert features: Steve Forbert, Pat Guadagno, Jessie Wagner, Marc Ribler, Harry Filkin, Carl Gentry, Bobby Bandiera, Lowell “Banana” Levinger, Sara Devine, Eddie “Kingfish” Manion, Franke Previte & Lisa Sherman.
The concert is directed by Monmouth University Alumnus Tom Parr ’85 and sponsored in part by Riptide records.
What happens after you reach the top? From international number one singles to obscurity and addiction to the simple song of salvation, follow the inner journey of a singer–songwriter reborn by singing his truth. Colin Hay – Waiting For My Real Life is the inspiring story of Colin Hay, an acclaimed solo artist and former Men At Work frontman, and his personal and artistic journey from dizzying heights to staggering lows to finding salvation through song. We follow the surprisingly swift rise to superstardom of his band Men At Work, to that band’s equally surprising demise, to his long, slow climb back to relevance and resonance. Ultimately, commitment to his craft and the development of a truly one-of-a-kind stage show set Colin on the path that leads to a deeply satisfying solo career – one that is still ascending. With sold-out shows, critically acclaimed albums and a word-of-mouth reputation for providing one of the finest nights out a music fan could ask for, Colin finds himself at the top of his abilities and is just getting started.
Colin Hay- Waiting For My Real Life weaves its story around intimate footage from Colin’s successful 2013 world tour. It features interviews with close family and friends as well as celebrity admirers Hugh Jackman, Mick Fleetwood, Zach Braff, Sia Furler and many others reflecting on the impact of this powerhouse singer on their lives and work – giving a glimpse into the heart of one of the most successful songwriters of the 20th century.
The Ladies of Laughter Funny & Fabulous Tourincludes winners and the best talent from its national competition. What started out as an annual videotape comedy competition over 20 years ago in New York to honor a fellow women in comedy who helped so many women get their start, has established itself as the CAREERBUILDER FOR WOMEN IN COMEDY.
Since its inaugural year when the contest went “live” in a YWCA in New Jersey, The Ladies of Laughtercontest has visited legendary venues including legendary theaters, Caesars and even Madison Square Garden. Past participants include Amy Schumer, Tammy Pescatelli and “Big Bang Theory” star, Melissa Rauch, among countless others. This show will include:
Robin Fox
Winner of the 2012 Ladies of Laughter Competition held at Gotham Comedy Club, NYC, New Jersey Stand-Up Comedian, Robin Fox spent 17 years as a full-time mom and dieting. Then one day, Robin gave up dieting and decided to make her life long dream of being a comedian a reality. Today she is happier than she can ever remember and will never look back! Original and funny, she talks from her heart about the frustrations of suburban living, marriage, and raising a family. No longer is she willing to just be the funniest mom on her New Jersey cul-de-sac. This New Jersey mom is now a regular on the comedy scene playing at the top clubs in NYC and surrounding areas.Robin rose through the comedy ranks very quickly and has been a finalist at several prestigious comedy contests and festivals including Philly’s “Funniest Comedian” contest, and Baltimore’s “Funniest.” She was a runner up at “The Laugh Off” at Caroline’s in NYC. She also has been seen at the NJ Comedy Festival and at the NY Underground Comedy Festival. Robin can be heard on XM and Sirius satellite radio and has been a guest numerous times on the “Joey Reynolds Show” on WOR coast to coast. Robin has been on We Entertainment television and on Lifetime TV. Robin was a “Hot Topic” of Conversation on ABC’s “The View.”
Leighann Lord
Smart, sexy, savvy, and funny, Leighann Lord’s “heads up humor” is stand-up comedy at it’s finest. Inspired by the brilliance of George Carlin, the smooth jazz style of Franklyn Ajaye, and the elegance of Rita Rudner, Leighann has crafted her own unique brand of Thinking Cap Comedy. It’s no wonder she received the NYC Black Comedy Award for “The Most Thought Provoking Black Female Comic.” And for two consecutive years, Leighann was Harlem Week’s official comedian. (The only other comedian in Harlem Week’s history to earn that distinction was Richard Pryor.) Leighann has performed around the world. In London she appeared at The Comedy Store, and on the BBC show Blouse and Skirt (think Politically Incorrect meets BET). In The Netherlands, she was a guest on the popular late night talk show Raymann is Late! and The Comedy Factory. A festival favorite, Leighann has been featured in the Trinidad, Montreal, Winnipeg, Halifax, Boston, Detroit and NYC Underground Comedy Festivals. She also entertained U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia during Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as troops helping the Haitian earthquake relief effort (Operation Unified Response)
Erin Maguire
Erin Maguire is a NYC based stand-up comic, actor, writer, and emcee. Her stand-up was recently featured on Gotham Comedy Live for the Oculus/NextVR Network. She also recently wrote for the Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin. Erin has appeared at the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, among some of comedy’s greats. She has also been featured at Women in Comedy Festival, Laugh Your Asheville Off, Boston Comedy Festival, and Woodstock Comedy Festival. Erin has frequently worked for ESPN and the Game Show Network. Her comedy advice podcast, Dear Pod, charted in Apple’s top 100 comedy pods in America within two months of its debut. Stay tuned for live pod shows, coming in 2020! Any night of the week, you can catch her at clubs throughout NYC, or angrily tweeting about the state of public transit.
The three-day Woodstock music festival in 1969 was the pivotal event of the 1960s peace movement, and this landmark concert film is the definitive record of that milestone of rock & roll history. It’s more than a chronicle of the hippie movement, however; this is a film of genuine historical and social importance, capturing the spirit of America in transition, when the Vietnam War was at its peak and antiwar protest was fully expressed through the liberating music of the time. With a brilliant crew at his disposal (including a young editor named Martin Scorsese), director Michael Wadleigh worked with over 300 hours of footage to create his original 225-minute director’s cut, which was cut by 40 minutes for the film’s release in 1970.
The film deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, and it’s still a stunning achievement. Abundant footage taken among the massive crowd (“half a million strong”) expresses the human heart of the event, from skinny-dipping hippies to accidental overdoses, to unpredictable weather, midconcert childbirth, and the thoughtful (or just plain rambling) reflections of the festive participants. Then, of course, there is the music–a nonstop parade of rock & roll from the greatest performers of the period, including Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Canned Heat, The Who, Richie Havens, Joan Baez, Ten Years After, Sly & The Family Stone, Santana, and many more. Watching this ambitious film, as the saying goes, is the next best thing to being there–it’s a time-travel journey to that once-in-a-lifetime event.
This three-part lecture-demonstration focuses on Jimi Hendrix and his contemporaries. Told through photographs and guitar technique demonstrations Jimy Bleu focuses on Hendrix’ rise to super-stardom, his tremendous impact on Popular and ‘serious music’, his indefinable musical style, his virtually unknown potential as a spiritual leader and his political awakening which coincided with the turbulent times of that era in the United States. Bleu’s research, documentation and musical illustrations stand alone in presenting the most comprehensive and at times unheard viewpoints and topics about this remarkable musician. Learn why almost 50 years after his death the iconic Jimi Hendrix is still incredibly relevant and named “The Greatest Guitarist of All Time”!
Leonard J. Eisenberg tells the story of Jimi Hendrix through photos taken by him at three concerts in the 1960’s and recently published in his book “Photographing Jimi Hendrix.” In 1968 Leonard was three feet away from the guitar god at The Boston Garden allowing him an unprecedented point of view. His photos of Hendrix at Woodstock have been seen around the world and photos from The Carousel in Framingham, MA are renowned. Hear the stories of how these amazing images came to be.
Join Elliott Landy, official Woodstock 1969 photographer as he presents a journey highlighting Jimi Hendrix, iconic photos of Woodstock and the events and personalities of the historic late 1960’s era while telling the behind the scenes stories captured by his camera lens. His instantly recognizable photographs of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Band, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, pre Vietnam protests and legendary performers still resonate with audiences today.
Singer-songwriter Colin Hay is most beloved for his intimate, confessional live shows but most widely known for being an influential and celebrated frontman of Men at Work, responsible for penning several pop hits of the early ’80s including (The Land) Down Under and Who Can it Be Now. After Men At Work, Hay embarked on a solo career, debuting in 1987 with Looking For Jack and continued to release critically acclaimed solo material throughout the 2000’s, Hay contributed I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over You to the soundtrack of Garden State and has had roles in other cult movies and television shows. In 2017, Hay recorded and released his 13th solo album, Fierce Mercy.
MEET & GREETS ARE NO LONGER ON SALE. ALL MEET & GREET DETAILS WILL BE EMAILED TO PURCHASERS NO LATER THAN 3 DAYS BEFORE SHOWTIME.
“The Smithereens roared into the breach. They are one of those rare bands who produce great-sounding recordings… and sound even greater live.” -Kevin Coughlon
Special guest vocalist Marshall Crenshaw will be joining Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros of The Smithereens.
Known for their catchy 1960s-influenced power pop that inspired countless alternative rockers, The Smithereens gained popularity with “11” the album that spawned college campus favorites “A Girl Like You”, “Blood and Roses” & “Blue Period”. In April of 2011 Smithereens released “2011” their first album of new material in 12 years. Produced by Don Dixon (who helmed “Especially For You”, the group’s breakout debut), the seminal New Jersey rockers picked up right where they left off: with irresistibly catchy hooks and rapturously fuzzed-out guitars. Now they’re back on the road with their catalog of classic hits as well as new favorites. Following the sad passing of lead vocalist Pat DiNizio in 2017, original members Jim Babjak (guitar & vocals), Dennis Diken (drums & percussion) and Mike Mesaros on bass guitar carry on the Smithereens legacy.
Over the course of a recording career that’s spanned three decades, 13 albums and hundreds of songs, Marshall Crenshaw’s musical output has maintained a consistently high level of artistry, craftsmanship and passion, endearing him to a broad and loyal fan base. After getting an early break playing John Lennon in a touring company of the Broadway musical Beatlemania, Crenshaw began his recording career with the now-legendary indie single “Something’s Gonna Happen.” The Eighties saw Marshall hit the charts again with “Someday, Someway,” “Cynical Girl,” “Whenever You’re On My Mind,” “Maryanne,” “You’re My Favorite Waste of Time” and more compositions covered by artists including Ronnie Spector, Gin Blossoms and Bette Midler. Crenshaw is recognized as one of the era’s preeminent rock ’ n’ rollers, confirmed by such subsequent albums as Field Day, Downtown, Mary Jean & 9 Others, Good Evening, Life’s Too Short, Miracle of Science, #447, What’s in the Bag? and Jaggedland.
Starring the author and Broadway star of the show, Steve Solomon. This show has now become one of the longest running one-man comedies in history! The show just celebrated its four thousandth performance.
In My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m in Therapy! – using dialects, accents and sound effect, Steve brings to the stage dozens of wild characters we all relate to; all brought to life by Steve’s comedy magic. His four shows have had audiences in three countries guffawing since 2003. Almost one million people have seen his shows. The audience follows along on this wonderfully funny journey about growing up, mixed marriages, ex-wives, dogs, cats, dieting, and dozens of other side-splitting situations we can all relate to.
You don’t have to be Italian or Jewish to love Steve Solomon — all you need to know is what it’s like to leave a family dinner with heartburn and a headache. Prepare to laugh until you cry as Steve brings to life over twenty wacky characters in a show that’s one part lasagna, one part kreplach and two parts Prozac.
Max Hatt / Edda Glass have “an incomparable spook” (Nashville Scene) and “a unique sound” (Larry Groce, NPR), comprised of Glass’s unmistakable voice and Hatt’s lyrical guitar. Originally based in Montana, their award-winning original music and unique interpretations of American and Brazilian standards have taken them all the way to New York City’s Lincoln Center, DC’s Kennedy Center, NPR Mountain Stage, Sundance Film Fest and Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival. Praised for her “impeccable vocal command” (PopMatters) and compared to a gamut of singers from Astrud Gilberto to Billie Holiday, Glass’s voice is ultimately “one of a kind…you cannot confuse her with another artist” (New York Theatre Guide). Hatt’s equally distinctive guitar work combines the harmonic innovations of jazz with the melodic resonance of folk, creating music that’s “subtly poignant, elegantly funky, and haunting without trying to be” (Nels Cline, Wilco). Together, Max Hatt / Edda Glass evoke a world that stretches from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to the prairies of the American west, telling stories of little people on great plains, and leaving audiences with a feeling both light and deep.
