Hey Santa! Hey Santa, Hey Santa, Hey Santa!
Thanksgiving week turned out to be a week for TCBMAMA to be thankful for. It was a week chock-full of Holiday spirit, great memories and fabulous music. The "Cris & Jim Show" hit Sergio’s Restaurant on Thanksgiving Eve to check out my buddy TCB Steve. Even though I was "elbow deep" in preparations for the next day, I snuck out to join them. When Elvis calls…I answer. Jumping forward in to the weekend, the TCB Family gathered with friends at the Tree and Menorah Lighting in Massapequa Park that Saturday night. As far as I’m concerned, there IS no other event in town that exudes family and a tight knit community. The holiday spirit sparkles down from the strung lights in town, the presence of Santa beams out the windows of all the little holiday houses on Park Boulevard and the spirit of giving is spread with complimentary hot cocoa. All are in such a great mood that no one ever seems to mind the man in the Mets jacket that sells overpriced glow necklaces. The night commences with a small parade headed up by the Massapequa cheerleaders and kick line in their best "elfin" wear, followed by the likes of Frosty, Rudolph, Elmo and Santa himself on a sleigh!
Bubbling over with Christmas tidings, I head off to Westbury North Fork Theater to check out Massapequa native Brian Setzer. It was his 5th Annual Brian Setzer Orchestra's Christmas Extravaganza! (BrianSetzer.com) An annual sold-out show, I highly recommend adding it to your holiday traditions! Even though I have been a life-long fan of Brian Setzer, you need not even know who he is to enjoy this "extravaganza." Requirements for attendance would be: a love of rock n’ roll and a love of Christmas music. Setzer and company put on such a performance that is virtually impossible to sit still! I was wiggling, bouncing and dancing in my seat all night. I didn’t want it to end. Although widely devoted to the Christmas theme, Setzer threw in some Stray Cats tunes to fill our stockings. I was floating in a sea of Rockabilly holiday goodness. The music alone held it’s own extravagance, but Setzer (being the showman he is) went one step further: in attendance for cameo appearances were Elvis Santa (complete with fur-trimmed, red velvet cape), The Grinch and snow! Yes, snow, came fluttering down during "White Christmas."
The opening act for this show seemed to pale in comparison. A Rockabilly trio called "The Marauders" kicked off the evening (TheMarauderSpa.com). They are a local Pennsylvania group. Not a bad set, but I personally feel a stronger sounding act would have enhanced this venue (I'm thinking of the local Long Island band, The Buzzards or Pompadour Pussycat). I bumped in to Mike LaRocka from The Buzzards at the show, and I don’t think he would disagree that New York fans would find The Buzzards (TheBuzzards.com) or Pompadour Pussycat (PompadourPussycat.com) to be a more suitable warm up gig. Okay, so maybe next time around if The Buzzards don’t get the billing, LaRocka can at least be consulted for costuming...THIS boy has the best Rockabilly Rock Star shirts ever!
The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s Christmas Extravaganza is one to mark on the calendar for next year. However, you can still catch a glimpse of the act either on the Rachel Ray show in mid- December- date TBA, Wednesday November 29th on Conan O Brian. I’m not positive, but most likely at the tree lighting in NYC and Christmas Morning on the "Today Show." If you are totally obsessive (like me) you own the Christmas CD’s and DVD. Have a Rockin’ Holiday!
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