The crowd inside Englewood, NJ's BergenPAC auditorium this Wednesday, October 30, 2024 evening suddenly starts to cheer as one of the biggest hitmakers of the 1980s, British singer and songwriter Billy Ocean, takes the stage.
Accompanied by a 9-piece band featuring a saxophonist, three backup vocalists, a bassist, a keyboard player, and two guitarists, Ocean, 74, opens his set singing with soul and personality on “One World.”
As he cries, “So many people/Living in the world today/Trying to find an answer/Searching for a better way,” Ocean is deftly supported by his talented ensemble on this upbeat R&B tune.
“Good evening, Englewood,” announces Ocean, “It’s so good to be here this evening. Are you ready to rock?” The crowd responds in the affirmative and Ocean and Co. sail into his funky R&B tune, “Night (Feel Like Gettin’ Down).” The funky groove has music lovers moving at their seats as the band percolates and the backup singers accompany Ocean when he sings “It’s just one of them nights/One of them nights you feel like getting down, yeah, yeah, yeah.”
The crowd cheers and lights flash as Ocean serenades concertgoers with a funky rendition of “Mystery Lady.” He follows up with the slow R&B ballad, “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry),” where he performs with feeling and power. When a fan calls out, “I love you, Billy!” Ocean responds with an appreciative “I love you!” to the crowd.
Concertgoers avidly applaud and Ocean and the band continue with “Love Zone,” a slow funk ballad where Billy impresses with his smooth vocal and dance moves, delighting concertgoers who react with hoots and hollers.
Ocean inquires, “Will you come into my car?” as he shifts into his 1988 #1 smash, “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car.” Music lovers happily sing along on the R&B number’s famous “Get outta my dreams/Get into my car” refrain as Ocean struts across the stage under flashing lights.
“Are you feeling good?” asks Ocean, to which the crowd replies, “Yeah!” Here, he proceeds to talk about several American stops on his current tour, joking, “Some of them I don’t remember, but I know where I am tonight — I’m in New Jersey!”
The audience hoots and hollers, and Ocean moves on to a heartfelt rendition of “The Colour of Love” where he organizes a call and response which has concertgoers crooning phrases like “What is the colour of love?” and Ocean vocally ad libbing over them to audience cheers and applause.
When a fan calls out to request “Loverboy!” Ocean responds, “Loverboy’s coming,” prior to joking about himself, “Loverboy’s still here!” After rendering an appealing version of Bob Marley’s reggae anthem, “No Woman, No Cry,” Ocean announces, “I’m gonna do one of my favorite songs of all time especially for you,” and launches into a soulful performance of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” singing with conviction and power and inspiring a standing ovation.
A Latin beat characterizes “Mystery,” after which Ocean acknowledges, “It’s the 40 year anniversary of the Suddenly album,” revealing, “I was young. I was sexy. Now I’m old and guess what? I’m still sexy!” Here, Ocean tells a story about writing the album’s title track, “Suddenly,” before singing in his clear, strong voice, “Suddenly/Life has new meaning to me” on this hit 1984 ballad.
Following hoots, hollers, and cheers, Ocean dances like a robot under flashing lights on the intro to “Loverboy.” As he sings with energy and passion, “Wanna be your lover, lover, lover boy,” concertgoers move to the arrangement’s infectious rhythm.
When Ocean inquires,“ What happens when the going gets tough?” the audience responds, “The tough get going!” and Billy and the band rocket into his song, “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going.” On this 1986 Top 5 hit, Ocean gives a charismatic performance dancing across the stage accompanied by his talented band and backup singers.
After introducing his stagemates, Ocean announces, “I’m going to take you to a place where there are blue skies… beautiful beaches… and where you can drink the best rum in the world!” When a fan rushes up to the stage with a flag from Trinidad and Tobago, Ocean smiles and exclaims, “Let’s all go to the Caribbean!” and launches into his 1984 #1 hit, “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run).” On this number, music lovers stand as they clap and sing the rhythmic tune’s famous “Caribbean queen/Now we’re sharing the same dream” chorus.
Ocean thanks the audience declaring, “It was good to be with you this evening! Before we go our separate ways, let’s all sing together one more time,” and concertgoers join him in singing a reprise of “Caribbean Queen” as he vocally ad libs over top of them, “I’ll miss you” and “You’re beautiful!”
At the conclusion, Ocean waves goodnight, blows kisses to the crowd, and flashes his million dollar smile as he and his bandmates exit the stage.
Makiing their way out of the BergenPAC auditorium, music lovers comment on Billy Ocean’s performance tonight. Remarks Jessica from Harrington Park, “I thought he was fabulous — he has so much energy!” prior to declaring, “I think he has a beautiful set of teeth, and his voice is beautiful, too!” Jessica’s friend, Susan from Harrington Park, agrees, explaining, “Billy sounds just like he did in his prime — he didn’t miss a beat!”
Ronald from Englewood contends, “Billy Ocean was great! He’s classic. I really enjoyed his show,” prior to revealing, “I once drove Billy to the Grammys when I drove a limo. He’s such a nice gentleman — a class act.” Joanne from Englewood concurs, noting, “I thought he put on a fantastic concert — I enjoyed it! His band was excellent and Billy’s still got it. He was just great, period.”
Acknowledges Mark from Scotland, “I love Billy Ocean — I thought he was brilliant! He has tremendous energy and his personality comes through in his music; it’s a perfect mix of fun songs and songs with lyrics which are deep and meaningful. I thought his performance was awesome!”
Lastly, Ellen from Harrington Park, declares, “Billy Ocean was great — better than I’d ever thought he’d be! I did a report on him when I was in seventh grade, so this is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and now I can check it off my bucket list,” prior to concluding, “I wish I could go back to my seventh grade self and show her a video from today — it was totally worth the wait!”
To learn more about Billy Ocean, please go to billyocean.com. For information on great upcoming performances at BergenPAC — including The Moody Blues’ John Lodge Performs Days of Future Passed on November 15, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue with New Breed Brass Band on November 20, and Linda Eder on December 1 — please go to bergenpac.org.
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