Jon Bon Jovi headlined a rollicking blend of old and young Wednesday night, as the annual HOPE charity concert returned to Red Bank
RED BANK -- "Me and Bobby (Bandiera), we dye our hair gray," laughed Jon Bon Jovi, merry as Mr. Claus and rocking between two Christmas trees on the Count Basie Theatre stage.
Bon Jovi headlined a rollicking blend of old and young Wednesday night, as the annual HOPE charity concert welcomed Jersey mainstays and a chorus of teen singers back to Red Bank.
Shore fixture and fill-in Bon Jovi guitarist Bobby Bandiera emceed the two-hour medley, which offered a list of tunes also performed by Blondie's Debbie Harry, John Cafferty, Gary U.S. Bonds and more. The lineup was left a bit bare, though, as one of the bill's most anticipated acts, Southside Johnny Lyon, was sick and could not perform.
But nonetheless, Johnny's big-band rock style blanketed the soggy holiday evening, as a production with as many as 30 performers jammed gleefully for the sold-out crowd.
Over the last eight years, the yearly concert has raised millions for Jersey Shore-area charities. Proceeds from Wednesday's show benefitted Monmouth County organizations Visiting Nurse Association Health Group and 180 Turning Lives Around. It was announced early on that more than $2 million had been raised this year.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Bon Jovi employed his million-dollar grin throughout his four-song performance, and was seasonably jolly as he donned a Santa hat and revisited newer tunes "Lost Highway" and "Who Says You Can't Go Home," as well as heyday hit "Bad Medicine." He also crooned Elvis's "Blue Christmas," but the session's best bits were "Can't Go Home" and "Bad Medicine" duets with the band's backup singers. Jillian McCoy's belts through "Can't Go Home" were especially strong.
- In Southside Johnny's absence, Bandiera took on the Jersey staple's rock classics, including his most memorable hit "I Don't Want To Go Home," to a lukewarm reception. But when backed by the full band and Count Basie's teenaged Rockit program singers, Bandiera soared during his cover of Hollies' "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother." The wall of sound and massive vocal harmony was tremendous.
- One of the Jersey Shore's defining factors is authenticity, and Blondie's Debbie Harry was certainly bare bones in her performances this night. Her holiday offering was a punked-up "We Three Kings of Orient Are," and she returned later for "One Way Or Another," shimmying and looking every day of her 70 years, with full gray hair and wrinkles. But it was perfectly fine, and she still rocked the night.
- Perhaps the most awesomely random appearance of the night was a rousing duet between Jersey songwriter Frankie Previte and Lisa Sherman, who belted out Previte's "Dirty Dancing" mega-smash "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." Previte wasn't listed on the bill, and after the crowd caught on, they were on their feet and clapping as the duo wailed the 1987 Academy Award winner.
- Major kudos to veteran Rhode Island rocker John Cafferty's saxophone player Michael "Tunes" Antunes, who blew the room silly on an epic solo early in the night. By the end of the impassioned performance, he was crying, as were several audience members. And in the county best known for cultivating Clarence Clemons, his talent was wonderfully welcome.
Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier. Find NJ.com on Facebook.