Holiday Express Benefit Concert. December 18, 2014.

Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ.  Balcony (Seat K-106, $52.)

Lorinda and I have the same birthday, and she decided that we should celebrate it together by inviting Anne and me to dinner at Soul Kitchen and this benefit concert.  Traffic in Red Bank was congested during the evening rush hour, so we got to the restaurant late.  This restaurant is founded by Jon Bon Jovi’s wife as a charity where people who cannot afford to eat out can do so by working for the meal (one hour’s work for a dinner for four.)  Those too lazy to work can pay $10 each; those more generous are welcome to pay more.  Having said all that, it looks like everyone that evening was ready to pay for their dinner.  The food is best characterized as “diner quality.”

Holiday Express has been operating in New Jersey for over 20 years, yet this was my first encounter with them.  I had not been to a pop or rock concert all my life, so didn’t know what to expect.  This one started at 7:45 pm or so, and went non-stop until about 10:15 pm, and it was loud, very loud.  No wonder people can lose their hearing if they go to these events too often.

The songs are season-appropriate; I was surprised that some were overtly religious (e.g., Silent Night.)  Not a follower of the pop or rock and roll scene, I didn’t know how well-known the performers were (and still don’t.)  After the first half-hour or so I came to the conclusion that being able to carry a tune was optional, and being overweight helped.  As I got into it, I began to appreciate the stamina involved, most of the performers had to stand there either playing their instruments or singing backup, for over two hours.  And there were some individual instrument and vocal numbers that were quite well done.

In the middle and towards the end of the program several people in wheel chairs were brought out and they joined in the singing.  I am usually uncomfortable with having these displays that in my view don’t show enough respect for the dignity of the unfortunate.  However, seeing them in real life and how they enjoyed themselves, perhaps it was good that for a few moments they could forget their problems and got into the spirit of the season.  In any case, as people (myself included) go about enjoying this time of the year, it is good to remind them that we should remember those in need.

There were at least a few widely known performers in the group.  One of them was Mary D’arcy who among other roles played Christina in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.  The other was Ben E King who wrote the well-known song “Stand by me.”  There were announcers and DJs from a local FM station 101.5 FM.

At the end of the evening, Anne and I thanked our hosts Lorinda and Henry for a lovely evening, and that I got to experience something new.