(KEYPORT, NJ - DECEMBER 6, 2008) Review of Jon Caspi's CD Release Party for "Eddie Knows!" at Trinity, Keyport, NJ
There's definitely something special about seeing Jon Caspi perform in Keyport, his adopted hometown. He has a huge base of fans there and they all come out for his shows knowing every word to every song - even on nights like this one where Caspi is celebrating the release of a new CD. Caspi chose Trinity, a former Church converted into an upscale restaurant/night club, as the site for the party this time around.
Trinity was an interesting experience. Described to me by Caspi as a swanky, NYC styled venue, it certainly lived up to its billing. From the outside, Trinity still looks every bit like a church built a hundred years ago, but the inside contains a blend of sin and decadence to go along with the remnants of its religious past. One of the coolest things about the new venue is the way it sort of gives off the vibe of a very small Radio City Music Hall with its tiny stage and curtains and a huge upstairs that lets people have a balcony view. Caspi definitely looked as though he thoroughly enjoyed having the entire place there to see him - including those in the upper tier.
As for the show, it was probably the best sounding concert I've heard from Caspi. The acoustics at Trinity really impressed me. The band was tight and glided in-between originals and covers. As with any Caspi show, he pressed often to get the crowd involved in singing along and the hometown audience was more than willing to do so. Covers included "She's The One", "This Magic Moment", "Blister In The Sun", "Ring of Fire", and "American Girl" among a few Christmas songs and a 50s medley. Jon's original tunes included cuts like "Rising Above", "Big Change", and "Brand New Heart" off the new CD and older favorites like "We Don't Talk About It", "Down In It", "Maybe I", and "What Does Eddie Know?" - the song that inspired his new disc. It was a nice blend of tunes for a show that ran from around 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. with one break in between.
"Eddie Knows!", the new CD by Caspi is unusual in that all of the songs are not only related but each tell the chapter for what amounts to an entire novel. Listening to it sort of reminds me of Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell" record in that while the songs all tell a story they easily stand on their own as well.
Overall, a totally enjoyable night. The band was into it, the crowd was into it, and the music left me anxious to hear the new disc in its entirety - what more could you ask for with a CD release party?
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
