It’s a sold-out house this Monday, August 7, 2023 at Ocean City, NJ’s Ocean City Music Pier for a concert by American singer/songwriter Don McLean and Scottish singer/songwriter Al Stewart.
The crowd cheers as Al Stewart takes the stage accompanied by The Empty Pockets band featuring Josh Solomon on guitar, Erika Brett on keyboards, Nate Bellon on bass, Adam Balasco on drums, along with wind player Elliot Scozzaro on saxophone and flute.
After opening with the melodramatic folk-rocker, “Sirens of Titan,” Stewart jokes, “Where are we?” and the crowd happily replies, “Ocean City!”
Stewart announces, “That first song was set in outer space and based on a book by Kurt Vonnegut,” quipping, “People always ask me why I do that song first’ and I tell them, ‘Because no one ever listens to the first song.’ Instead, during the first song people are thinking, ‘Why did he pick that shirt?’”
Stewart reveals that his next song was “inspired by a continent but is really a metaphor for the cold unattainable woman the song is actually about.” On “Antarctica,” The Empty Pockets and Scozzaro accompany with precision on this story song set to a rock beat.
Declaring, “There’s only room for one historical rock musician and I’ve decided I’m it,” Stewart reveals, “This next song is about various French Revolutions” before his clear voice draws the listener in on “The Palace of Versailles” and an inspired Josh Solomon guitar solo brings avid applause from the crowd.
Stewart thanks the audience and invites them to continue to clap for all the soloists, acknowledging, “Musicians love when you clap for solos.”
Erika Brett plays the keyboard intro to Stewart’s 1978 Top 10 hit, “Time Passages.” Concertgoers bop their heads in time to the music as Stewart sings, “Time passages/Years go falling in the fading light/Time passages/Buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight.”
Solomon is featured on electric guitar as Brett’s keyboard and Nate Bellon’s bass dance to the tune’s easy groove, and Scozzaro is spotlighted on sax on this crowd favorite which has multiple concertgoers standing by the end. Looking out over the audience, Stewart jokes, “I’m going to take that to mean ‘Thank God he played something we know.’”
Stewart picks and strums a guitar intro to the dramatic “On the Border.” At first, Solomon performs the song’s piano part on electronic keyboard while Brett plays synthesizer but he soon switches over to acoustic guitar and deftly contributes the arrangement’s flamenco-style guitar part which contrasts nicely with Stewart’s smooth vocal.
A jazzy electric guitar/flute duel punctuate “Broadway Hotel” before Stewart concludes his set with his 1977 signature song, “Year of the Cat.” Stewart sings, “Don’t bother asking for explanations/She’ll just tell you that she came/In the year of the cat” before Scozzaro plays a flute interlude, Solomon contributes a fiery electric guitar solo, Scozzaro follows up with an alto sax solo, and Solomon switches over to play a keyboard solo prior to switching back to electric guitar. Before the song is over, the instrumentalists jam on an extended coda backed by Adam Balasco’s skilled drumming.
At the conclusion, music lovers are on their feet as a fan yells out, “We love you, Al!”
During a short intermission, concertgoers react to Stewart’s performance. Margaret from Ocean City declares, “Al’s still got it! His voice is fantastic,” adding, “I loved hearing ‘Time Passages’ and ‘Year of the Cat’ and I also liked how he talked to the audience — he’s very humorous! After he mentioned how no one ever listens to the first song, I realized that I, too, was wondering why he picked that shirt!”
Rich from Ocean City exclaims, “Al Stewart and The Empty Pockets were great! I think it’s so nice that Al gave us the backstory behind various songs, and I especially enjoyed it when he performed ‘On the Border.’” Angelo from Philadelphia acknowledges, “I’ve loved Al Stewart for half a century. I’ve seen him four or five times, and he hasn’t lost a step. Plus, this was the best band I’ve seen him with so far. Together, Al and the band put on a phenomenal show!”
Following intermission, a group of musicians including pianist Tony Migliori, guitarists Carl “Vip” Vipperman and Kerry Marx, bassist Dave Francis, and drummer John McTeague take the stage and Migliori asks, “Wasn’t Al great?” before announcing, “Please welcome the American troubadour, America’s legendary songwriter, Don McLean!”
McLean takes the stage and he and the band launch into their rendition of Johnny Cash’s “So Doggone Lonesome” a country two-step which features McLean’s rich baritone accompanied by his twangy acoustic guitar strumming.
The crowd cheers, and McLean acknowledges, “We’ve been advertising the 50th anniversary of the American Pie album.” Moving on to a Buddy Holly tune first, however, McLean and Co. present a country-rock version of “Fool’s Paradise” which features Carl “Vip” Vipperman playing a bluesy slide guitar solo, Kerry Marx bending his strings on an electric guitar solo, and Tony Migliori contributing a barrelhouse piano solo.
McLean follows up by performing the title song from his album, Botanical Gardens. On this bluesy rock ballad, McLean’s voice is resonant and pure and his backup band tight as lights flash on the audience. Then, the band heats up with electric guitar solos by Vipperman and Marx on a rockabilly version of Elvis Presley’s “Little Sister.”
Following avid applause, McLean’s baritone vocal fills the auditorium on his 1970 classic, “And I Love You So,” a number which was covered by such diverse artists as Perry Como, Glen Campbell, Harry Connick, Jr., Olivia Newton-John, and Elvis Presley. On this slow flowing arrangement, Vipperman’s electric guitar swirls as McLean sings the beautiful melody of this timeless love song.
The crowd cheers, and McLean replies, “It’s such a pleasure to play for you! Thank you for coming out. It touches me!” before explaining, “This next song is off my debut album, Tapestry.”
The full sound of the band supports McLean’s heartfelt vocal on “Castles in the Air.” With McLean’s fancy fingerpicking, this countryfied number with its catchy rhythmic underpinnings captures the audience with its hypnotic groove while Vipperman makes his guitar sound like a pedal steel guitar.
Following “I Was Always Young,” which features McLean playing an arpeggiated acoustic guitar part, he performs an old-timey version of Fats Waller’s “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter” on an arrangement which features Migliori playing a rhythmic piano solo under flashing lights.
Music lovers whistle and cheer as McLean launches into one of his biggest hits, 1971’s poignant “Vincent (Starry Starry Night).”
The song’s poetic lyrics paint pictures of artist Vincent Van Gogh as McLean’s voice rings out over his guitar. John McTeague’s cymbals roll and Dave Francis’s bass walks gently as they support McLean’s heartfelt vocal before Vipperman’s slide guitar cries at the end for Vincent.
Following Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” McLean performs a highlight of the evening’s set with his powerful interpretation of Roy Orbison’s “Crying.” Crooning, “Crying, over you/Crying, over you,” McLean’s voice stretches into the stratosphere as he perfectly hits every high note while connecting emotionally with the audience. Lights rise over the crowd as the arrangement builds in intensity to a dramatic conclusion.
Concertgoers hoot and holler, and McLean tells a story about how his performance of his next song at L.A.’s Troubadour was the inspiration for the Roberta Flack hit, “Killing Me Softly.” Performing “Empty Chair” from his American Pie album, music lovers listen intently to the pure poetry of his performance.
After dedicating his next number, “Marley’s Song (Save Yourself),” to sculptor Zenos Frudakis who is in the audience tonight, McLean introduces “Vip” Vipperman who gives a dynamic rendition of Santo and Johnny’s “Sleep Walk” on slide guitar before McLean and the band follow up with McLean’s 2021 rocker, “American Boys Invented Rock and Roll.”
In a tribute to Johnny Cash, McLean and Co. perform “Folsom Prison Blues” which features guitarist Kerry Marx playing a twangy solo which has audience members moving to the music while lights flash.
A thunder of cheers erupts during the intro to McLean’s 1972 chart-topper, “American Pie.” Opening with the iconic, “A long, long time ago/I can still remember how that music used to make me smile,” the audience joyfully sings along as McLean transports the audience back to a simpler time on this certified pop classic.
Turning up the lights on the audience, music lovers prove they know all the words as they sing along with gusto on this poetic ride through post-War American music history.
After performing the composition in it’s entirety, concertgoers stand and cheer as McLean and the band offer up an upbeat reprise of highlights from the song and then another slow version to a thunderous audience ovation.
“Thank you very much!” exclaims McLean as he bows and exits to the standing crowd.
As concertgoers make their way out of the Music Pier auditorium, several comment on tonight’s show. Remarks Janice from Somers Point, “ I loved it — I especially loved ‘American Pie’ — and Al Stewart and his band were incredible, too.” Sean from Seaville agrees, adding, “The sound was fabulous and I enjoyed Al Stewart and his band a lot, too.”
Whereas Bonnie from Ocean City insists, “Don McLean still sounds the same as he did 40 years ago,” Sonya from Margate notes, “He truly loves performing, and you could tell he got energized by the audience. Plus, ‘Crying’ was just so powerful!”
Ed from Turnersville acknowledges, “I liked hearing the history behind the music Don McLean played.” Although Ernie from Somers Point remarks, “I liked the variety of songs he did from Johnny Cash to Roy Orbison to Elvis,” Jerry from Belmar relates, “‘American Pie’ was the defining song of my high school years and seeing it performed live for the first time was a great experience — Don and the band made it feel fresh as well as nostalgic — but I would have preferred hearing more of Don’s own songs, even if I wasn’t familiar with them.”
Sculptor Zenos Frudakis, from Glenside, PA, acknowledges, “I was so glad Don did “Marley’s Song (Save Yourself) for me,” and McLean’s girlfriend, Paris Dylan from California, adds, “I’ve seen Don perform many times — he has the most beautiful voice — but I think, at this show, ‘Crying’ was perfect; it was just flawless.”
Carrie from Ocean City reflects, “It was heartwarming seeing everyone singing ‘American Pie!” When I was a kid, we all memorized the words to that song — I remember listening with my brother’s headphones on to learn it because you were considered cool if you knew all the words — and I still know every one,” before adding, “and Don McLean’s voice still sounds fantastic!” Tom from Ocean City agrees, asserting, “He did a such great job on that song which, really, is known all over the world,” prior to concluding, “It was just incredible!”
To learn more about Al Stewart, please go to alstewart.com. For more info about The Empty Pockets, please click on theemptypockets.com. For further information on Don McLean, please navigate to donmclean.com. For info on upcoming performances at Ocean City Music Pier — including The Fab Four on August 21, George Thorogood and the Destroyers on August 28 and 29, and The Wailers on August 31 — please go to ocnj.us/SummerConcertSeries.
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