It’s 7:55 pm on August 16, 2016.
As people make their way down the aisles of the beautiful Bergen Performing Arts Center (BergenPAC), one can see that many look like they’ve walked straight out of the late-1960s and right into the theater. Some are wearing tie-dyed clothing, denim jeans, and long hair; others are dressed in leather; and some even sport wreaths of flowers in their hair — but all are wearing smiles.
Why?
A prerecorded message by radio personality Shadoe Stevens provides us with a hint:
“Ladies and gentlemen. The show will begin in FIVE minutes!”
A swirling kaleidoscope of colors shifts on the large screen above the stage as the audience gets ready for the exciting evening of music they’re here to experience.
And, before you know it, the crowd hears Stevens’ voice again over the PA system:
“4 minutes… 3… 2… 1… 30 seconds…”
And then it’s show time.
The 2016 edition of the world-famous Happy Together Tour is about to begin!
This year’s edition of the tour features an appealing collection of talent:
Spencer Davis of the The Spencer Davis Group
The Cowsills
Gary Puckett of Gary Puckett and The Union Gap
Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders
Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night
And…
The Turtles.
Oh, yeah!
The fans are clapping even before the first performer takes the stage. Hands overhead, keeping time to the beat, they smile as Spencer Davis appears and begins to rock the rafters with his 1966 #1 UK hit, “Keep on Running.”
The audience cheering, his voice growling, Davis, 77, continues with a rollicking version of another 1966 #1 UK hit, “Somebody Help Me,” and then he keeps the good vibrations flowing with his infectiously rhythmic Top Ten US smash, “I’m A Man.”
With a smile on his face, Davis takes a short break from the music to inform the audience that when he started his music career as a teenager in Wales, he was only 16 and he didn’t even have a driver’s license!
Davis, of course, is the founder of the 1960s-era rock phenomenon, The Spencer Davis Group — a band which featured a 15-year-old Steve Winwood on guitar, organ, and lead vocals. Davis goes on to reveal a secret to the crowd: “The Cowsills are hiding behind the curtain with tambourines and shakers” all ready to help him play his final number of the evening.
With that, the audience hears the soulful wailing of a ‘60s-era Hammond B3 organ and then, that famous jackhammer percussion riff which fills the concert hall as Davis plays and sings his 1966 Top 10 US hit, “Gimme Some Lovin.”
With images of a young Spencer flashing on the screen behind him, “the temperature is rising” and everyone’s got their “feet on the floor” for this classic tune that transcended generations when it was re-recorded in 1980 by “Joliet” Jake and Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd), also known as The Blues Brothers.
Like “crazy people rockin’ ’cause they want to have some more,” the excited crowd gives Davis a standing ovation for his spirited performance as the spotlight shines directly on them.
And right behind Davis on the Tour comes Susan, Paul, and Bob Cowsill — The Cowsills.
“We’re having a great time visiting 56 cities!,” announces Bob Cowsill, a broad smile on his face.
At this point, the group launches into their 1967 #2 smash hit which the three siblings dedicate to “all the flower girls” in the audience, “The Rain, The Park, and Other Things.” As they sing the lyric, “I love the flower girl,” images of dancers twirl on the screen above their heads.
Moving on to their 1967 Top 40 hit, “We Can Fly,” mod images of models with slick ‘60s hairdos flash behind them as the audience smiles and nods.
Then, the group goes on to play Susan Cowsill’s favorite song when she was eight years old — their 1967 Top Ten hit, “Indian Lake.”
The family band that provided the inspiration for TV’s The Partridge Family, The Cowsills mention that their brother, John, is currently on tour as the drummer for The Beach Boys. Then, performing a TV theme song they recorded back in 1969, The Cowsills treat the excited crowd to an energetic live version of the tune, “Love American Style.”
Closing with their biggest hit, 1969’s “Hair,” audience members literally dance in the aisles as images of bangs, bobs, finger curls, and tresses of all different lengths and colors are shampooed, teased, and sprayed on the screen overhead.
Spinning around, high-fiving, and flashing peace signs as the Cowsills exit the stage, the crowd goes crazy for this fantastic family band!
Next up is Gary Puckett, the original lead singer of Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, a group which, in 1967, produced more consecutive gold records than the Beatles!
Dedicating his first song to all who serve in the military, Puckett opens with a powerful version of his 1968 #2 hit, “Lady Willpower.”
Moving on to a tune where Puckett croons, “Why am I losing sleep over you? Re-living precious moments we knew?,” by the time he reaches the irresistible chorus, the audience cheerfully joins him in singing this 1968 Top Ten hit, “Over You.” When the song’s over, Gary compliments the crowd on their impeccable vocals.
Puckett reveals to the audience that the jacket he’s currently wearing originally appeared on the 1968 Young Girl album cover, “and I can still put it on!,” he adds excitedly. He goes on to entertain the excited audience with a compelling version of his 1969 Top Ten smash, “This Girl Is a Woman Now.” As he does, many of the mature females in the audience swoon and sing as if they’re young girls again.
“What a crowd!,” declares Gary, reacting to the audience’s hearty applause.
Puckett goes on to explain to the audience that, “Tomorrow — August 17th — will be the 49th anniversary of my 1st record, which came out in 1967,” adding that, “At the time, it cost 39 cents for a record…and you bought one and a half million of them!”
Singing the powerful melody of “Woman, Woman… have you got cheating on your mind?,” simply by observing the fans’ expressions and body language, it’s obvious they are truly moved by Puckett’s music.
Following enthusiastic cheers, Gary exclaims, “You are a fantastic crowd,” and invites everyone in the house to “Sing with me!” on his 1968 #2 record, “Young Girl.”
After joining him — several times, in fact! — on the the well-known chorus, “Young girl, get out of my mind/My love for you is way out of line/Better run girl/You’re much too young girl,” the entire audience is on its feet as Puckett concludes his portion of the evening with a well-deserved bow.
Following a short intermission, Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders takes the stage asking, “Englewood, NJ — are you here?,” to which the crowd responds with exuberant cheering and clapping.
“I’m glad you’re here — I think we’re all here for the party!,” declares Lindsay. “Not the Democratic Party or the Republican Party…,” he adds, “…the Happy Together Party. So if you’re ready, let me take you where the action is!”
Going on to perform The Raiders 1966 Top 20 hit, “You’re Just Like Me,” images of go-go dancers in knee-high boots, turtlenecks, and flip hairdos dance across the screen enveloped by psychedelic swirls.
“Are you having fun yet?,” asks Lindsay, to which the crowd emphatically claps and cheers!
Moving on to his 1969 solo Top Ten hit, “Arizona,” Lindsay figuratively takes off his “rainbow shades,” and at the age of 74, shows the audience just how dynamic and energetic a performer he truly is.
Asserts Lindsay, “It’s not the numbers on paper that determine your age, it’s how much rock ‘n roll is left in your soul!”
And as if to prove it, Lindsay goes on to perform a simply smokin’ version of the Raiders’ 1966 Top Five smash, “Good Thing!”
Telling the audience that his next number was Columbia Records’ “biggest-selling single for almost 30 years until Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’ took that honor,” Lindsay sings a song which he says has “a message that needed to be told.” His version of “Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)” — a song that, with the Raiders, went on to be a certified platinum #1 single — has the audience clapping along and singing. It also features Happy Together band leader and guitarist Godfrey Townshend rocking out on a steamin’ guitar solo with Lindsay right behind him adding encouragement!
Ending his segment of the evening’s festivities with the Raiders’ 1966 Top 5 hit written by songwriting couple Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil — “Kicks” — Lindsay finds men and women dancing in their seats and in the aisles as he high-kicks his legs practically up to his shoulders along with each bass drum kick.
“Rock ‘n roll keeps you young,” exclaims Lindsay to tumultuous applause!
Following Lindsay and his powerful performance on stage is Chuck Negron, one of the founding members of a group that had 12 Gold LPs and 21 consecutive Billboard Top 40 hit songs in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, Three Dog Night.
Opening with the lyric, “This is the craziest party I have ever seen,” Negron knocks the audience’s socks off with his authoritative version of the Randy Newman-penned 1970 chart-topping hit for Three Dog Night, “Mama Told Me Not to Come.”
Joking with the crowd, telling them, “I feel like a rock star… but I’m 74… so that can change pretty quickly,” Negron sings Three Dog Night’s first million seller, 1969’s “Celebrate,” while many in the audience “dance to the music.”
He follows that up with the group’s 1969 Top 5 number written by singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson, “One (Is the Loneliest Number),” as the crowd goes wild for his amazingly full and dynamic vocal performance.
Taking the time to thank the other original members of the group which catapulted him to stardom, Negron salutes Three Dog Night’s Danny Hutton and Cory Wells, introducing their 1969 Top Ten hit, “Eli’s Comin,’” by saying, “This one took three guys to sing — and I’m only one.” At this point, he invites Happy Together band leader and guitarist Godfrey Townhend and drummer Steve Murphy to join him on lead vocals to perform a thrilling version of this Laura Nyro classic. The crowd reacts with a spectacular standing ovation.
Thanking the grateful audience for a wonderful evening, Negron concludes his portion of the program by singing 1971’s Record of the Year, “Joy to the World” — the entire audience, singing, swaying, dancing, and wearing grins from ear to ear!
Rounding out tonight’s show is The Turtles featuring Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan, also affectionately known as “Flo and Eddie.” They open their portion of the program with a zany parody of Adele’s “Hello,” complete with hair blowing in the wind courtesy of Vollman’s bad wig and a cheap industrial fan.
Following peals of laughter, Volman and Kaylan, both 69, perform a spirited version of The Turtles 1967 #3 hit, “She’d Rather Be With Me,” and follow that up with their 1965 hit written by Bob Dylan, “It Ain’t Me Babe,” teaching the audience to sing the ubiquitous “No, no, no, It ain’t me, babe” chorus.
“They really know how to sing here in New Jersey,” exclaims Kaylan who, although seated on stage as a result of a recent foot injury, still gives the audience 110% on the Turtles 1968 Top Ten smash, “Eleanor.”
To conclude their segment of the show, The Turtles — along with all the Happy Jerseyites already on their feet in the audience at BergenPAC — cheerfully sing the group’s 1967 chart-topper, “Happy Together.”
“Did you have a good time tonight?,” shouts Kaylan.
Following a resounding “YES!,” the individual artists, one at a time, return to the stage so they can each do a snippet of one of their biggest hits and, then, they all sing “Happy Together”…
…happy together!
The audience —still on their feet and smiling — cheers for this sensational concert! Many can be heard humming as they make their way up the aisles, while some stop to chat about their joyful experience here at BergenPAC tonight.
Robert and Patti, a NJ couple, for instance, say they always “love this annual get-together at BergenPAC.” Explaining that, to them, “it feels like going back in a time machine to the 60s and 70s” — a “beautiful” and “fun” time — the couple go on to reveal that they own all of the performers’ albums at home “on LP!” and even “play them before coming to the concert to ‘warm up’ and renew the words and music” in their memories before each year’s show!
But it’s not only the fans who love this music.
Tessa — a 21-year-old college intern spending her summer break with the Happy Together tour at the HTT merchandise table — says that, despite hearing the same tunes night after night, she feels lucky to be enjoying the “music my dad and grandma played” and “experiencing the 60s every day” during her self-described “Summer of Love, 2016.”
And, beyond that, one of the stars of the show, Bob Cowsill — out in the lobby posing for photos and signing autographs for fans after the concert — takes a moment to weigh in on his experience with the 2016 Happy Together Tour.
“Musicians do these kinds of shows for lots of different reasons,” explains Cowsill, but goes on to confess that he and his colleagues are a part of this special event simply because they love it.
“There will never be another tour like this,” asserts Cowsill.
Why?,” we ask.
“Because,” as Bob replies with a twinkle in his eye, “We’re in it for the music.”
For more information on the Happy Together Tour, please go to theturtles.com. For more on great upcoming programming at BergenPAC — including —Tommy James & The Shondells with Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals, on Sept. 16, Roger McGuinn on Sept. 30, and Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone with The Buckinghams on Nov. 17 — please go to bergenpac.org.
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