artist spotlights | song of the week
State Theatre New Jersey presents The Fab Faux
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents The Fab Faux on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 8:00pm. Performing an evening of The Beatles greatest hits, The Fab Faux will be joined on stage by The Hogshead Horns (with Blues Brothers, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Saturday Night Live band alums) and The Creme Tangerine Strings. Tickets range from $49-$99.
With a commitment to the accurate reproduction of The Beatles' repertoire, The Fab Faux treat the seminal music with unwavering respect and are known for their painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles). Far beyond a cover band, they play the music of The Beatles so impeccably that one must experience it to believe it. Imagine hearing complex material like “Strawberry Fields Forever” or “I Am the Walrus” performed in complete part-perfect renditions; or such harmony-driven songs as “Because,” “Nowhere Man,” and “Paperback Writer,” reproduced not only note-for-note, but with extra vocalists to achieve a double-tracked effect.
Calling them, “the greatest Beatles cover band—without the wigs,” Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke wrote, “the Faux invigorate the artistry of even the Beatles’ most intricate studio masterpieces with top chops and Beatlemaniac glee...” Approaching the songs with the intent of playing them live as accurately in musical reading and in spirit as possible, The Faux’s breathtaking performances tend to dispel all concertgoers’ previous notions of a Beatles tribute act.
The Fab Faux are a labor of love that was born in 1998 when Will Lee (who’s played with all four Beatles), bassist for Paul Shaffer’s CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman decided that he was determined to organize the greatest Beatles band without any props (sans period wardrobe, fake accents, wigs) and focus on the intricacies and soul of the music. Rounding out the line-up are Jimmy Vivino, Music Director/Guitarist for Conan and longtime music partner of Levon Helm, John Sebastian, and Laura Nyro; lead-singing drummer/producer Rich Pagano (Rosanne Cash, Roger Waters); guitarist, Frank Agnello (Marshall Crenshaw, Phoebe Snow); and multi-instrumentalist, Jack Petruzzelli (Joan Osborne [producer, Love and Hate], Patti Smith). All five principals contribute vocals, making The Faux’s soaring harmonies as resonant as their multi-instrumental chops, which are further enhanced on select shows by the four-piece Hogshead Horns and The Creme Tangerine Strings.
The Faux’s high energy shows have generated serious buzz not only at top NYC venues including sold out shows at Radio City Music Hall and The Beacon Theater in NYC—with Beatles fans, movie stars, and world class musicians in attendance—and major dates in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Park City, Utah (Sundance), Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and Toronto. They’ve also headlined five of Liverpool’s annual Beatle Festivals, playing before 35,000 Beatle fanatics and while in England.
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For tickets, more information, or group discounts, call State Theatre Guest Services at 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit online at STNJ.org. State Theatre Guest Services, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open by phone and email only, Tuesday through Friday from 11:00am to 5:00pm. For in-person purchases, Guest Services is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. Additional ticket and transaction fees may apply.
After major renovations, State Theatre New Jersey celebrated its 100th Anniversary in December 2021 in a fully renovated theater including newly renovated lobbies, all new restrooms, upgraded HVAC systems, a new elevator for access to all levels, and brand-new theater seats. Originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace, State Theatre’s historic significance was honored by PBS by featuring it in its documentary series, Treasures of New Jersey, in the fall of 2018. “Treasures of New Jersey: State Theatre New Jersey” can be streamed online.
Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed more than six million people through its doors since reopening as a nonprofit performing arts center in 1988. State Theatre New Jersey is a cornerstone of the cultural vitality of Middlesex County and averages a total economic impact on New Brunswick and the surrounding area of more than $18 million a year. The mainstage programs have featured high-caliber artists such as Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Kevin Hart, Ringo Starr, Melissa Etheridge, John Leguizamo, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Program offerings include Broadway, orchestra, family, dance, comedy, rock/pop, jazz, Performances for Schools, and Sensory-Friendly Performances.
State Theatre New Jersey’s programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.
