Sunday, November 25, 2007

Here & There Column 11-27-07

Johnny Maestro and several members of his band "The Brooklyn Bridge."
Maestro Just Great At the Paramount

Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge played the historic Paramount Theatre in Middletown on Friday night November 16 to what appeared to be an older crowd who had lots of great memories of this group that spans virtually the entire rock era.
The crowd was enthusiastic and knowledgeable as they applauded Maestro and his great hits including "Sixteen Candles", "The Angels Listened In" and "The Worst That Could Happen."
It began in the latter half of the 50's, as the marriage of swing, blues and country music was giving birth to rock n' roll and itcontinues today, with The Brooklyn Bridge, through new recordings and in one of the strongest and most popular stage shows available.
In their Friday night appearance at the Paramount The Bridge took the audience on a tour through history of the band and its members and also offered a glimpse of its current musical direction all while showcasting the power and artistry of the incomparable Johnny Maestro.
The man and his great band still have it folks, he can still reach those high notes with perfection and we complment the Historic Paramount Theatre for bringing great acts like this to the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountain area.
It was healthy to see some white haired heads bobbin to the beat of this music and it clearly fits in with the old saying "there may be snow on the roof but there's a fire in the furnace."
What a great facility the now historic Paramount Theater is. It looked like every seat in the audience was a good seat and the theatre also features a balcony with a total buidling capaticy of 1,095.
The Paramount was first opened on June 12, 1930 and after a succession of operators over the years it closed in 1978 and the City of Middletown took ownership of the theatre for back taxes in February 1979.
In January of 1984 the City of Middletown sold it to the Art Council of Orange County who restored the theatre and opened it as a Performing Art Center in September 1985.
Thousands who have attended performances at the Paramount give both the theatre and the Art Council of Orange County rave reviews.
One show not to miss is the upcoming "All New Jimmy Sturr Holiday Spectacular" with special guests including the fabulous Mills Brothers on December 1 at 3 p.m. Reservations can be made at 346-4195 or by visiting their website at http://www.middletownparamount.com/




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Here it is--May 2009, and Johnny Maestro and The Brooklyn Bridge are still selling out concerts and delighting their audiences of all ages. Forty-one years together as a group, and still going strong.