Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge and Larry Chance & The Earls will be the headliners as Jersey City Magazine presents Doo Wop at the Loew’s at 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13 at Jersey City’s landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre in Journal Square. The show is presented by Jersey City Magazine.
The show is the premiere in a six-concert series showcasing the historic theatre and the city’s vibrant Journal Square District.
Johnny Maestro and his band will perform their renditions of their first major hits including, “The Worst That Could Happen,” “Welcome Me Love,” “Blessed Is The Rain” and “Your Husband, My Wife.”
“It’s wonderful to bring back an era filled with fun and music that was happy.” – Larry Chance
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Bronx native Chance, in a recent interview, said his group is looking forward to performing in Jersey City, with one of its members, Vitto Garcia, a local resident.
“We did concerts at the old Roosevelt Stadium and have worked in other venues in the area,” Chance said. “There are a lot of great fans in this area, and it’s wonderful to bring back an era filled with fun and music that was happy.”
Doo-wop still has pop
Larry Chance, a Philadelphia native, formed his group in the early 1960s with original members Bob Del Din, Eddie Harder, Larry Palumbo, and John Wray while they were living in Bronx, N.Y.
The group has gone through several member changes in the years since. Chance is still around as lead vocalist, backed by Garcia, Bob Coleman, Chuck Merizo, and Bob Tribuzio. Chance joked that he had never seen Garcia “so nervous” before a performance, which he attributes to Garcia performing in his hometown for the first time.
Chance said the group also welcomes the opportunity to perform the music that first caught his attention as a teenager, particularly with one of his peers in doo-wop whom he has respected for a long time: Johnny Maestro.
“He is like fine wine and he gets better with age,” Chance said. “I always feel honored to share the stage with him.”
Chance encourages the public to come out and see doo-wop performed like it was in the old days.
“I promise a great show to those who come, and those who don’t will miss a great show,” he said.
Coming to the show
The concert series’ promotional partners include the Journal Square Restoration Corporation, Friends of the Loew’s, the city of Jersey City, and Square Ramp Parking. The United Jersey Blues Network is the music partner for the concert series. Media partners include The Hudson Reporter newspapers and WFDU-FM. The concerts are funded with contributions from the Journal Square Restoration Corporation as well as through the Jersey City Urban Enterprise Zone program.
Tickets are $30 for Preferred Seating in orchestra rows A-R, and $25 for General Admission and are available online at www.loewsjersey.org and by calling (800)440-7654.Tickets can also be purchased on Saturdays from noon until 3 p.m. at the Loew’s Jersey Theatre box office, 54 Journal Square. The cost of parking for ticket holders will be reduced for the event to just $5 at Square Ramp Parking, located directly behind the theatre.
For more information, call the Journal Square Restoration Corporation at (201)795-1854 or visit thenewjournalsquare.com. For more information on the theatre, call the Loew’s Jersey Theatre at (201)798-6055 or visit loewsjersey.org.