Joan Osborne & The Crash Test Dummies at The Pollak Theater

Joan Osborne “Nobody Owns You”

Crash Test Dummies “Sacred Alphabet” 

Friday, May 3.

Pollak Theater Monmouth University 

Long Branch, NJ. 

  As the seasons change, the semester ends.

As the last weekend of shows close out the the concert series. 

Joan’s opening set is based around three themes. 

“Playing live music for live people”

We can be together, sharing each moment one song at a time.

“It’s what we do for a living” 

Raising a teenage daughter confronting the pressures of image being thrown 

at them through tech, media and marketing.

Such worldly warnings that might be ignored are messaged in the song. 

“Nobody Owns You”

“One Of Us” proves the transfiguration of inner spirit. 

As each changing phrase of range and timbre

Transcends the essence of the human voice as a pure instrument.

All three themes combined, individualize each audience member with an empirical blessing of being.

Joan closes the set with a unique take of Bob Dylan’s 

“Gotta Serve Somebody” 

“God is Good” (as good as we are towards each other)

=== 

Crash Test Dummies “Sacred Alphabet” 

The Canadian sextet has never gone out of style. 

Full band, full tour, full on fourteen song set. 

Brad Roberts. Lead vocals, guitar.  

Ellen Ried. Accordion, vocals.

Murray Pulver. Guitar, backing vocals.  

Benjamin Darvill. Guitar, backing vocals.

Dan Roberts. Bass. 

Mitch Doroge. Drums.

Delivering an exhilarated show. 

Reliving years of touring antics reflected in a present tense of experience and grace.

The three song encore is classic theater sequence.  

“Heart of Stone” and tour namesake “Sacred Alphabet”

Acapulco renditions reveals a truer identity of Brad and Ellen.

Unified in a melding gift of voice and harmony.

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm 

Once again returns the audience to its first introduction to the limitless imagination 

And eccentric characters The Crash Test Dummies

brought to life on MTV by the conceptual storyboarding of Ellen Ried. 

We exit the theater as time travelers entering the present. 

Free from this limited time on earth. 

Sighs of peace, laughter and tears

Return us home safe and inspired kind.

For that’s the power of fun !!! 

With Love and Regards unto XTC. 

 —-

Don McLean. The Starry Starry Night tour. 

Sat May 4. 

Pollak Theater Monmouth U 

Long Branch NJ.

As the seasons change, the semester ends

As the last weekend of shows closes out the the concert series. 

The near capacity, seven hundred seat theater  

Is about to hear the Gospel of  Rock and Roll !!! 

Don McLean the Seventy Four year old 

“American Troubadour” does some good old soup box preaching.  

Defending democracy while walking tall.  

Reading from George Orwells “Nineteen Eighty Four”

“There’s no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered”

 “America invented Rock and Roll”

McLean was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum 

And the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

From ballads to rockers, songs by Elvis, Roy Orbison. 

From Boogie Woogie to country shuffles.

The band is comprised of Americas finest. 

Lead by musical director Kerry Marx (past Musical director Grand Ol Opry 

and over a decade member of Johnny Cash’s touring band)

Don McLean encapsulates The Gospel of Rock and Roll. 

Singing songs of freedom and spirit perseverance. 

The death and rebirth of cultural heroes and villains.

The Beatles named their band in honor of Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

In a grown up world some try to remain forever young.

Rock and Roll will never die. 

Watch out for The Pollack Theater special show announcement May 14.