Fantastic! Would Go Again!
by GSK815 on 4/5/17Town Hall - New YorkSilent-era classics accompanied by Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks. Great combination. Laura & Hardy was great. The Camerman was even more so.
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Silent-era classics accompanied by Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks. Great combination. Laura & Hardy was great. The Camerman was even more so.
Loved watching Buster Keaton with live music from Vince Giordano. An incredible experience.
The combination of Buster Keaton, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, and Bill Irwin was perfection. Love their work separately, and together, they made for an afternoon's entertainment I won't forget. Needed a good laugh, and left the theater feeling happy and lighthearted, a rare experience these days. Great to experience this in a theater full of people of all ages.
Rarely-seen classic silent films, accompanied by live, period music by the incomparable Vince Giordano and His Nighthawks, together with a real vaudeville act by Bill Irwin--a triple-play! I'd love to see this type of show repeated!
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks are the best swing band around today. The guest performers were fabulous, especially Regina Carter, on the violin, Pedrito Martinez, on the drums, Bria Skonberg, on trumpet and vocals, and the 3 other female vocalists, Sofia Rei, Molly Ryan and Kat Edmonson.
This was the second year of Gotham Holiday Swing. Both were fine shows with some really talented performers. Now, the good, bad and ugly: Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks were great as always. Tight arrangements of standards and some interesting unfamiliar tunes made for an enjoyable evening. We especially liked the Xylopholks, Bria Skonberg, and David Johansen. Regina Carter's violin virtuosity is absolutely amazing. Kat Edmonson was new to us and her singing was delightful. I think she has a great career ahead of her. My one fault with both years shows is trying to mix spoken performance with the musical numbers. Personally I don't think it works. Stick to the music - especially holiday music, since this is what the show is all about. The one sour note, apparently shared by a number of people near our section of the theater, was by introducing some blue humor into the program. It was unnecessary and definitely in bad taste. In all fairness, this particular dialogue may have been impromptu and not part of rehearsal performances..
Vince Giordano and the NIghthawks were the centerpiece of this amazing Holiday variety show! This show had something for everyone--all of it first class! It was not just a big-band jazz concert! From the opening number (A swinging medley of Jingle Bells and Chinatown, My Chinatown) to the closing number with all cast participants (25 in all) stretched across the stage in front of the band singing White Chiristmas, it was non-stop joy. The musical acts included Latin Jazz star Pedrito Martinez, Novelty musicians The Xylofolks, singers Sofia Rei, Kat Edmondson and Molly Ryan (separate and together); Trumpet and singing sensation Bria Skonberg; Jazz violinist Regina Carter; and the amazing Buster Poindexter. Radio commentator/raconteur Ira Glass offered some wit and wisdom. And the fabulous dance duo of Monica Bill Barnes and Anna Bass performed an interpretive dance number.
Once again, under the leadership of Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, a very entertaining and delightful time was had by all at Town Hall Dec.19, 2014. All but one of the special guests turned out exceptional performances as well. Buster Poindexter, Regina Carter, Bria Skonberg Pedrito Martinez, etc were all at the top of their game and Dancers Lou Brockman and Heather Gehring added an additional touch of syncopated sophistication that was right up there with Fred and Ginger. Unfortunately, The Nebish, Ira Glass, nearly ruined the evening with a monologue in the first half ridiculing Christmas. In the second half, we saw the audience actually cringe from his disgusting monologue. Part of the material discussed how a young girl should tell her boyfriend that she wants to perform oral sex on him. You could hear people murmuring "What a Putz!" and "Disgusting!" Really, Mr. Glass.....really? This at a holiday event? Where people bring their children (our two daughters were with us) to see a Hanukkah and Christmas show, you found it necessary to use this material in your monologue? Shame on you Mr. Glass. Shame! You are a first class HAZA.
It was fabulous, except - quite amazing. Ira Glass's routines were highly offensive and one somewhat pornographic. Totally out of keeping with the spirit of Vince, the Nighthawks and the other wonderful talent gathered for this festive occasion. I attended last year as well and had the same feeling. Creative, fun, festive, with highly talented performers, some not always seen. Ira Glass's routine talking about blow jobs, pricks, penises, doing his bit with making a balloon animal and saying things to the effect - oh, you thought I was making a penis right? But, it's not hard. Etc, etc. etc. Dissing Garrison Keilor, who often appears in the Town Hall venue, etc. Last year I sat next to a family who said they make a point of coming with their kids. I saw one mother leave with a child this time around, and I did not have much of a view of the audience. There may have been others.. I listen to Ira Glass's "This American Life, and, I'm not a prude by any manner of means. But the Gotham Holiday Swing is a fresh and refreshing event, with a wholesomeness and simplicity that is not easily found. Don't spoil it, Town Hall!
It's amazing that this talent still exists today. The band, singing, and dancing were all superb and performed with warmth and joy. I left the theater feeling good.