(NEWTON, NJ) -- Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox brings its "10" tour to The Newton Theatre on Friday, December 6, 2024 at 8:00pm. The show proves that Everything New is Old Again - leave the AI at home and take a road trip to experience Life In The Past Lane! Dressing in vintage attire is encouraged.
Even in our futuristic age of AI chatbots and virtual realities, there is still nothing in the world that compares with the thrill of hearing classic genres of music, performed live by a group of exceptional singers and musicians that have truly mastered the ability to move an audience.
That’s the philosophy behind Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, whose Life In The Past Lane World Tour returns to 40 US cities this Fall. The revamped show will blend modern-day earworms and iconic pop hits with the original styles that put American popular music on the map: Ragtime, Swing, Big Band, Country / Western, Doo Wop and Soul. Equal parts time-traveling musical variety show and career-launching talent platform, Postmodern Jukebox (or “PMJ”) will feature a cast of performers from their wildly popular YouTube channel, to bring the musical universe to life.
Tickets range from $69-$99 and are available for purchase online starting Friday, July 26 at 10:0am. The Newton Theatre is located at 234 Spring Street in Newton, New Jersey.
Born and raised just outside Clinton, New Jersey in Hunterdon County, Bradlee grew up with a love of musical genres that weren’t found on the radio. His parents (who dabbled as musicians themselves; mother played violin and father played trumpet) installed a love of music in him from an early age by playing him records. They also got him started with piano lessons, although Bradlee says it wasn’t love at first sight.
“For whatever reason, I had taken piano lessons but didn’t quite take to it,” said Bradlee. “And then I heard this piece called ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ by George Gershwin. It just inspired me. It was a total lightbulb moment. I heard it and said, ‘This is the kind of stuff I want to play.’”
As luck would have it, Bradlee’s career came around in the era of YouTube and the two became a perfect combination. In 2009, when Bradlee released his first video, he was still a struggling jazz musician. The video went viral and gave him the confidence to release more. His early mashup takes on 80s hits like “Come On Eileen” (Dexy’s Midnight Runners) and “Don’t You Want Me Baby” (Human League) not only proved that the songs could work in dramatically different settings, but showed that there was a huge audience of people interested in the mix. In 2011, Postmodern Jukebox was born - a band that would flesh out his vision with a plethora of rotating lead singers and cover after cover revealed via music videos.
The historic Newton Theatre, founded in 1924, is a beautifully restored 605 seat performing arts center in the heart of Sussex County, presenting diverse programming, including world-renowned music acts, comedians, family productions, holiday shows and much more, in an intimate setting. Iconic performers such as Todd Rundgren, Judy Collins, Lyle Lovett, Kansas, Arlo Guthrie, David Cassidy, Jon Anderson, Clint Black, The Bacon Brothers, The Bangles, and the Glen Miller Orchestra have all graced the stage.
