Must See: The Rascals On Broadway April 2013
A hundred bucks for the last row? Man these tix are pricey. If it was some other New Jersey band… nearly any NJ bnd. But the (Young) Rascals are one of the greats, playing the Stones to the Four Seasons the Beatle, the great 60s band.
The Rascals started life as a tough minded garage rock band but instead of veering into psychedelia they turned sideways into blue eyed soul and reeled off a handful of classic singles before trailing off. Those songs you know: "Groovin'", "Feeling Groovy", "People Get Ready" (they refused to play segregated shows!).
On a busmans holiday from the Wrecking Ball tour, long term fan of all things garage Steve Van Zandt put together a part "Jersey Boys" part concert got together with the four men from the Rascals and had them perform together for the first time in 40 years last in a mix of rock and Broadway show "Once Upon A Dream" (nearly, they showcased last year). And what is costing me $100 will be Steven and Maureen Van Zandt presenting "The Rascals: Once Upon a Dream" at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on 46th Street in Manhattan. Between April 15 and May 5, "Dream" will run 15 times. Original Rascals Felix Cavaliere, Eddie Brigati, Dino Danelli, and Gene Cornish will all be there so this is really a slice of history and good history as well.
Listening to this old time blue eyed soul today is a wonder of songwriting prowess, Felix and Eddie shared songwriting and vocal chores and there is that Jersey magic all over the songs which have lived on decade after decade with very little push from the band themselves till another Jersey boy added his clout.
I am going on Saturday April 20th and it really is a pricey show. You can buy tix off Ticketmaster or go to the theater itself, but I bet you can't buy any of the $35 seats they've mentioned.
Still,it is like the original Four Seasons starring In "Jersey Boy'!
