Scores of music lovers with tickets in hand enter Englewood, NJ’s bergenPAC this Thursday, March 27, 2025 evening proving they never can say goodbye to attending a live local concert by New Jersey singer Gloria Gaynor.
Gaynor, who was born in Newark, grew up listening to records by Sarah Vaughn and Nat King Cole. She began singing in a Newark nightclub, and after several years of performing up and down the East Coast, was signed to Columbia Records by Clive Davis. Moving on to MGM Records, her version of “Never Can Say Goodbye” was the first song ever to top the Billboard magazine dance chart.
In 1978, Gaynor achieved superstardom with her smash hit, “I Will Survive,” the single’s “B-side” when it was originally released. The recording, which won Gaynor her first Grammy as well as being nominated for Record of the Year, was also included as part of Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” Billboard’s “All-Time Hot 100 Songs,” and the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.
Inside the BergenPAC auditorium, the lights dim and guitarist Richie Nobrega, bassist Richie Goods, drummer John DiGiulio, trumpeter Kiku Collins, saxophonist Anibal Rojas, and keyboardist/musical director Mark Baron take the stage and kick off the evening with a musical intro with a disco beat.
Background vocalists Ana Liriano Salvemini, Melinda Doolittle, and Will Merrell enter and invite concertgoers to put their hands together for Gloria Gaynor, 81, who takes the stage performing a disco version of Little Anthony and the Imperials’ “Goin’ Out of My Head.” Looking elegant in her blue sequined pantsuit, Gaynor’s rich alto voice fills the theater as she sings with poise and style, “Goin’ out of my head over you/Out of my head over you,” eliciting animated cheers from the crowd.
“Thank you so much!” responds Gaynor, “It’s so great to see you all. We’re going to have a great time tonight!” before segueing into a cover version of Sia’s “Unstoppable.” Audience members sing along and dance at their seats as Gaynor interprets this upbeat number with help from the band and top-notch keyboard work from musical director Mark Baron.
Smooth backup vocals add to Gaynor’s melodious lead on her disco version of The Jackson 5’s “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Singing and dancing center stage, Gaynor is joined by Anibal Rojas who renders a steamy tenor sax solo to cheers and applause.
Gaynor introduces background singer Will Merrill who joins her for a duet on Barry White’s “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything.” Merrill’s velvety voice compliments Gaynor’s silky tone as the pair sings to one another, “You’re all I’m living for/Your love I’ll keep for evermore/You’re the first, you’re the last, my everything.”
Gaynor takes a moment to share a spiritual story about asking God, “Who am I that you should love me like this?” before performing Casting Crowns’ gospel ballad, “Who Am I?”
Segueing into Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful,” the arrangement shifts from ballad to upbeat disco tune and heads bop and hands sway to the rhythm as Gaynor sings with conviction, “I am beautiful, no matter what they say/Words can’t bring me down.”
The audience hoots and hollers and Gaynor exits the stage to give backup singer Melinda Doolittle — known to many for her appearances on TV’s American Idol — a turn in the spotlight as she performs the Ike and Tina Turner version of “Proud Mary.” After starting off nice and easy, Baron’s swirling organ, Nobrega’s strumming guitar, Goods’ funky bass, and DiGiulio’s solid drumming kick in and the audience joins Doolittle in singing the upbeat “Rolling on a river” segment of this dynamic crowd pleaser.
Gaynor returns amid cheers and applause to introduce her latest recording, “Fida Known,” explaining, “Americans never say, “If I’d have known,” and instead say, “Fida known.” Vocalizing with energy and soul, Gaynor inspires the audience to joyfully clap along as she and her musical colleagues perform this catchy R&B tune.
After asking, “Do you like to sing?” the crowd replies in the affirmative and Gaynor and the band sail into a powerful version of Roberta Flack’s soulful ballad, “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” Audience members sway their cellphone flashlights back and forth to the beat as they sing with Gloria, “Strumming my pain with his fingers/Singing my life with his words,” after which Kiku Collins is featured on trumpet and Richie Nobrega plays a lyrical guitar solo.
Audience members cheer as Salvemini makes her way downstage to join Gaynor on “Talkin’ About Jesus,” a number from Gaynor’s Grammy-winning gospel album, Testimony. The singers play off one another on this upbeat and funky gospel tune before Gaynor invites Merrill to join her on a cover version of Meghan Traynor’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” where the duo sings with passion and soul on this appealing 6/8 R&B tune.
The audience is mesmerized by Gaynor’s unique R&B rendering of “Amazing Grace,” where she performs a combination of new and original lyrics with power and soul.
Gaynor exclaims, “I hope you brought your dancing shoes!” as she and the band launch into “a tribute to the late great Miss Donna Summer.” Music lovers throughout the BergenPAC auditorium get on their feet and move to a medley of disco hits which starts off with Gaynor singing “Last Dance,” segues into Salvemini’s upbeat rendition of “MacArthur Park,” and concludes with a duet version of “Heaven Knows” featuring Doolittle and Merrill.
Gaynor exits the stage, leaving the dance party to continue as Doolittle is featured on Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven,” Salvemini sings lead on “Marry You,” and Merrill gets everyone singing and dancing along to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.”
Returning to the stage, Gaynor performs her anthem, “I Will Survive,” starting off slowly with the song’s rubato “At first I was afraid/I was petrified” intro.
The band pumps up the jam on the “Now you’re back from outer space” verse, and Doolittle, Salvemini, and Merrill line up downstage with Gaynor and hold their mics out for the audience to take the lead singing the song’s “No no, not I/I will survive” chorus with abandon.
At the conclusion, the crowd stands and applauds as Gaynor smiles and says,” God bless!” She exits the stage and the band continues to play until Merrill asks, “Do you want one more?” Music lovers cheer as Gaynor returns and she and the entire ensemble perform an encore of Chic’s “Everybody Dance.”
Lights swirl over the crowd as disco lovers move and sing, “Everybody dance, do-do-do/Clap your hands, clap your hands,” before Gaynor concludes tonight’s show by exclaiming, “Thank you! You’ve been awesome!” and blows parting kisses to the audience.
As concertgoers make their way out of the auditorium, several comment on tonight’s performance by Gloria Gaynor. Declares Mari from Teaneck, “Gloria was amazing! Her vocals haven’t changed a bit — they’re so powerful — and the band was so in sync, I didn’t stop dancing the whole time!” Lynn from Teaneck agrees, adding, “I loved this show! It reminded me of my youth hearing ‘I Will Survive’ on the jukebox — that song gets you every time — and Gloria is just so talented; the energy on stage was great!”
Remarks Belle, 16, from Closter, “It was a really nice show; I had a lot of fun, and I loved how Gloria interacted with all of us in the audience.” Maintains Belle’s dad, Bobby, “The energy was just fantastic! Gloria’s stage presence, control of the band, vocal arrangements, and musicians were all on point — plus her voice is impeccable!”
Insists C.J. from the Bronx, “This show was fabulous! I can’t believe how great Gloria’s voice is. I’ve seen both Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick recently and this show really exceeded my expectations!” C.J.’s mom, Dorothy, from South Carolina, concurs, adding, “Gloria was great! At 81 years old, her voice is remarkable!”
Asserts Daniel from Oak Ridge, “Gloria was magnificent — she looked great and she sounded great — plus it was so cool that Melinda Doolittle was on stage with her! The band and singers were amazing — they put on a fantastic show; the material they played was great, and so was the audience!”
Lastly, Bruce from Parsippany remarks, “It fascinates me that when ‘I Will Survive’ was popular, Gloria Gaynor was the most famous person in the entire world. Today, she’s still a legend, her show is incredible, and her music puts today’s music to shame,” prior to concluding, “She’s a must-see!”
To learn more about Gloria Gaynor, please go to gloriagaynor.com. For information on great upcoming performances at bergenPAC — including What the World Needs Now: The Bacharach Songbook with Todd Rundgren and Rob Shirakbari on April 11, Friends of the Brothers with special guest Jaimoe on April 19, and Bruce Hornsby on May 1 — please click on bergenpac.org.
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