Music lovers are feelin’ alright this Sunday, August 17, 2025 evening at Deal, NJ’s Axelrod Performing Arts Center as they ready themselves for a night of ‘60s and ‘70s classics from Glen Burtnik’s Summer of Love concert.
Inside the modern Axelrod auditorium, guitarist Joey LaFragola, keyboardist Dave Biglan, bassist Jon Rodgers, drummer Joe Bellia, violinist Taylor Hope, trumpeter John Martin, and saxophonists Tommy La Bella and Rick Brunermer — along with background singers Reagan Richards, Christina Shafer-Burtnik, and Sandi Joy — take the stage with bandleader/guitarist Glen Burtnik.
Deftly accompanied by the Summer of Love singers, rhythm section, and horns, Burtnik — a former member of Styx — sings with style and energy and plays his guitar on The Turtles’ “Happy Together.”
Guitarist Joey LaFragola’s resonant voice is featured on The Mamas and the Papas’ “California Dreamin’” backed by Burtnick, violinist Taylor Hope, and the ensemble.
The crowd cheers and Burtnik announces, “56 years ago — August 15, 16, and 17, 1969 — was the Woodstock festival and tonight we’re going to celebrate this wonderful music from that era.” Dave Biglan plays the keyboard intro to the Joni Mitchell version of “Woodstock” before Sandy Joy calls out in her light soprano voice, “I came upon a child of God/He was walking along the road.”
Once the rest of the band kicks in with the Crosby, Stills and Nash arrangement of the song, Burtnik takes over the lead vocal and Burtnik and La Fragola duel on guitars to avid cheers and applause.
Burtnik inquires, “How about some Rolling Stones?” as the band cruises into The Stones’ “She’s a Rainbow” where he and La Fragola harmonize. Then, Reagan Richards sings with power and attitude on a high-flying rendition of Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love.”
Concertgoers cheer for her performance and Burtnik announces, “When I think of the ’60s, I think of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.” Here, he introduces JaQuita May who gives a powerful and soulful interpretation of Franklin’s “Think.”
Expertly accompanied by the backup singers, May struts around the stage singing the song’s “Freedom (freedom), oh, oh freedom (freedom)/Freedom, oh freedom” refrain,” backed by a soulful R&B arrangement rendered by the Summer of Love band.
Audience members stand and clap as Remember Jones takes the stage. Announcing, “Give it up for this big old band here,” Jones launches into a dynamic rendition of Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright.”
Singing with funk, soul, and feeling, Jones gets the crowd joining him in singing, “Yes, I’m feelin’ alright,” before he dances across the stage to enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Heads nod to the slow groove of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” performed by singer Freedom Brenmer.
As the arrangement picks up in tempo and intensity, music lovers clap along while Brenmer dances in place as he sings, vocally ad-libbing and inspring a standing ovation from the crowd.
Backed by Burtnik and LaFragola, Reagan Richards and Christine Shafer-Burtnik vocalize on a swinging version of The Mamas and the Papas’ “Creeque Alley.”
To conclude Act I, bassist Jon Rodgers is featured singing Chicago’s “Make Me Smile,” backed by impressive horn section work by trumpeter John Martin and saxophonists Tommy La Bella and Rick Brunermer.
To open Act II, Burtnik plays percussion on Santana’s “Soul Sacrifice,” an instrumental number which features drummer Joe Bellia eliciting cheers for a precision drum solo rendered under a kaleidoscope of lights.
“Are we having fun? asks Burtnik before, he, LaFragola, and Sandi Joy harmonize on Crosby, Stills and Nash’s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” and the audience happily joins in singing on the song’s “Do-do-do-do do/Do do do-do-do-do” coda.
Reagan Richards and violinist Taylor Hope perform Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” with a country flair before Joey LaFragola gives a powerful and bluesy rendition of Ten Years After’s Woodstock rock anthem, “I’m Going Home,” where he shreds a guitar solo downstage.
Burtnik reminds the audience that The Who performed Tommy at Woodstock before he and the ensemble recreate the rock opera’s final number, “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” to animated cheers and applause.
Burtnik asks, “Anybody remember Tina Turner?” and the crowd responds in the affirmative before JaQuita May channels Turner on a fiery rendition of “Proud Mary.”
Music lovers sing along on the song’s “Rollin’/Rollin’/Rollin’ on the river” refrain and clap in rhythm as May dances with abandon, eliciting hoots and hollers from the standing crowd.
Following a slow and melodic introduction, Remember Jones entertains the audience with a magnetic performance of Joe Cocker’s “A Little Help from My Friends.”
During the interlude, Jones announces, “Jersey, I know we have so many friends here today — we get by with all of you!” prior to conducting the ensemble on the ending in front of the standing and cheering crowd.
Joe Bellia’s drums kick off a potent full-cast rendition of Sly and the Family Stone’s “Dance to the Music” where Freedom Brenmer cries, “I’m gonna add a little guitar to make it easy to move your feet,” and Joey La Fragola responds by playing a twangy guitar solo.
After featuring various members of the ensemble, the Summer of Love singers and musicians flood the audience, mingling with concertgoers who clap along to Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” before the band segues back into “Dance to the Music” and music lovers stand and cheer as the performers exit the stage.
Burtnik announces, “We can’t think of Woodstock without a little Jimi Hendrix!” as LaFragola retakes the stage for a stunning Hendrix-inspired rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Audience members cheer and the rest of the Summer of Love cast returns to conclude tonight’s show with a rousing version of Stephen Stills’ “Love the One You’re With” where music lovers sway their phone flashlights to the music before standing and cheering as Burtnik and Co. gather together downstage for a well-deserved bow.
As concertgoers make their way out of the Axelrod auditorium, several comment on tonight’s Summer of Love performance. Declares Bonnie from Fair Lawn, “It was my first time seeing Summer of Love and I loved it!” explaining, “I’m a singer and I just loved all the singers, in addition to how Glen Burtnik put together all of these great musicians for this group.”
Remarks Sue from Belmar, “I’ve seen the show eight or nine times before; it’s always so fabulous, I come back year after year. Glen does a great job finding local talent — I love Remember Jones, JaQuita May, and Reagan Richards; they’re all incredible — and I can’t wait to be back next year.”
Connie from Staten Island contends, “It was a very entertaining show; I loved all the songs and the performances!” Cindy from Bradley Beach, insists, “Summer of Love was fabulous! I loved all the singers — especially Remember Jones and JaQuita May — in addition to all the great songs from my generation.”
Suzanne from Spring Lake asserts, “Summer of Love was amazing tonight! I’ve seen the show five times and everybody was so ‘on’ tonight — the energy level of the cast was amazing and the energy of the crowd was amazing, too!”
Lastly, Loretta from Wall Township reveals, “I’ve seen Summer of Love five times already — I love seeing it over and over again. I absolutely adore Reagan Richards, Freedom Bremner, and violinist Taylor Hope, and Glen Burtnik is incredible, too, putting together this amazing ensemble cast,” prior to concluding, “For anyone who wants to know my opinion, here it is: Summer of Love is a show that will make you feel so happy and so good every single time you see it!”
To learn more about Glen Burtnik’s Summer of Love, please go to summerofloveconcert.com. For information on great upcoming performances at Axelrod PAC — including Direct from Sweden: The Music of Abba on September 6 — please click on axelrodartscenter.com.
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