You know it’s summer at the Jersey Shore when thousands of music lovers arrive in Seaside Heights, NJ to experience live music by the sea. This Thursday, July 20, 2023 summer’s eve, the area in front of the Beach Stage near Blaine Avenue is jammed with fans here to enjoy the sound of the Billy Joel tribute band, Captain Jack.
Beach chairs and coolers cover the sand as fans relax and chat before NJ101.5 FM radio DJ Big Joe Henry welcomes the crowd to tonight’s presentation.
Announcing, “It’s such a beautiful night!” Henry calls Seaside Heights’ summer line up of tribute concerts “the best collection of tribute bands on the East Coast,” prior to sharing jokes and introducing tonight’s headliners, Captain Jack.
The Captain Jack musicians — pianist Christian Macchio, guitarist Sal Locascio, bassist Will Shelley, drummer Sal DiMarco, and a horn section featuring Adam Seely and Greg Grispart on woodwinds and Ed Leone on trombone — take the stage.
Opening with “Allentown,” lead vocalist Christian Macchio sings “Well, we’re living here in Allentown” as he deftly accompanies himself on the piano.
Music lovers nod their heads in time to the rhythm and the hometown crowd cheers when Macchio sings “Spent their weekends at the Jersey Shore.”
Macchio greets the crowd asking, “What’s up, Seaside Heights?” before he and the band perform Billy Joel’s “Somewhere Along the Line” as the colorful lights of the rides on Casino Pier provide a shimmering backdrop to the group’s dynamic performance.
Macchio announces, “It’s a beautiful summer night here at the Jersey Shore!” and he and his bandmates launch into “My Life” while seagulls call overhead as they soar through the ocean haze.
The crowd cheers, and Macchio reveals, “This is our seventh year coming to Seaside Heights,” noting, “For us, this is the center of the universe!” prior to adding, “For the first time, we have a three-piece horn section.” The horn players are featured on a rockin’ rendition of Joel’s “Half a Mile Away” where concertgoers enjoy the ocean breeze as mechanical whooshes from the thrill rides on Casino Pier punctuate the music.
Following a reimagined medley of “For the Longest Time” and “Don’t Ask Me Why” — which features more than a hint of an island vibe — Captain Jack performs a highlight of the evening’s set with its rendition of “Angry Young Man.” On this number, Macchio’s piano playing shines as he accurately recreates Billy Joel’s iconic high speed piano intro as a tilting carousel of swings spins behind him.
Continuing with Billy Joel staples including “Say Goodbye to Hollywood,” and “Movin’ Out,” Captain Jack also plays its namesake tune from Billy Joel’s 1973 album, Piano Man. Then, on “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” the bluesy sound of a saxophone wafts across the sand and Sal Locascio strums his guitar as the band recreates this mini-suite from Joel’s 1977 effort, The Stranger.
Beachgoers hoot and holler and Macchio responds,” Thank you for your energy! You’re a great crowd — we appreciate you!” before performing such Joel classics as “She’s Always a Woman,” “Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway),” and “I Go to Extremes.”
Another highlight of Captain Jack’s set is the group’s authentic interpretation of Joel’s 1977 radio hit, “Just the Way You Are,” which features the swirling sound of a Fender Rhodes keyboard and an impressive Phil Woods-style sax solo by Greg Grispart.
The crowd sings along on “Keeping the Faith” and audience members dance in the sand to “Uptown Girl.” On “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” concertgoers smile when Macchio sings, “Hot funk, cool punk, even if it’s old junk/It’s still Billy Joel to me!” and Captain Jack wraps up the night with tunes including “Big Shot,” “You May Be Right,” “Piano Man” and “Only the Good Die Young” as the summer sun sets over the Jersey Shore.
To learn more about Captain Jack, please go to captainjacktributeband.com. For info on upcoming tribute concerts on the beach in Seaside Heights — including Return to Paradise’s tribute to Styx on August 3, Classic Stones on August 10, Kick it Out’s tribute to Heart on August 17, and a Steely Dan tribute by Reelin’ in the Years on August 24 — please click on exit82.com.
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