{"id":45072,"date":"2025-12-26T10:25:18","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T15:25:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=45072"},"modified":"2025-12-27T09:59:04","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T14:59:04","slug":"on-stage-same-tradition-new-venue-for-slambovian-on-nye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=45072","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Same tradition, new venue for Slambovian"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Denny Dyroff,<\/strong> Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/div>\n
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Slambovian Circus of Dreams<\/p><\/div>\n

There is an area holiday musical tradition that started in 2009 but will not continue in 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Every year on December 30, the Slambovian Circus of Dreams performed one of their most important shows of the year at the World Caf\u00e9 Live — the \u201cSlambovian Circus of Dreams New Year\u2019s Eve Eve\u201d show at the World Caf\u00e9 Live.<\/div>\n
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That run is over. This year, the venue is not hosting the much-anticipated show.<\/div>\n
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There is also a Slambovians holiday New Year\u2019s Eve Eve tradition that started in 2009 that will continue in 2025.<\/div>\n
On December 30, the City Winery (990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia,<\/div>\n
https:\/\/citywinery.com\/pages\/locations\/philadelphia<\/a>) will host the 2025 edition of the \u201cSlambovian Circus of Dreams New Year\u2019s Eve Eve\u201d show.<\/div>\n

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The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, which has been making music since 1998, features a trio of founding members Joziah Longo (singer, songwriter, guitarist, leader of the band), his wife Tink Lloyd (accordion, cello, flute, ukulele, theremin, keyboards) and Sharkey McEwen (guitar,\u00a0mandolin, backing vocals).<\/div>\n
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The current line-up also features RJ McCarty (keys, sax, banjo, backing vocals), Bob Torsello (bass), and Matthew Abourezk (drums).<\/div>\n
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Traditional shows for the band include the \u201cSlambovian Circus of Dreams Halloween Show,\u201d the \u201cFairport\u2019s Copredy Convention,\u201d \u201cKingston Earth Fair,\u201d and two December Slambovian Circus of Dreams traditions — Christmas and New Years concerts.<\/div>\n
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The band just finished a December run of \u201cA Very Slambovian Christmas\u201d shows which finished with a show last week in Newtown (Bucks County).<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis is the third year we\u2019ve done the show there,\u201d said Lloyd, during a phone interview Tuesday afternoon from upstate New York where she and Longo reside. \u201cIt\u2019s a nice venue.\u201d<\/div>\n
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World Caf\u00e9 Live is also a nice venue but not for the Slambovians right now.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhen we were trying to re-book the World Caf\u00e9 show, City Winery jumped across and said \u2013 why don\u2019t you do the show here?\u201d said Lloyd.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe like to try different venues \u2013 and City Winery made a very generous offer. Plus, World Caf\u00e9 Live has been going through a lot of changes with management.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAlso, we want to build a relationship with City Winery. We\u2019ve played the New York City Winery. And we\u2019ve played the City Winery in Boston. But we\u2019ve never played Philly\u2019s City Winery.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe liked playing the other City Winery venues. They take care of their artists. And, like I said, they made a really great offer.\u201d<\/div>\n
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There was another factor in the Slambovian Circus of Dreams\u2019 decision.<\/div>\n
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\u201cJoziah is from Philly,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cAnd Chinatown is one of Joziah\u2019s favourite parts of Philly.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Longo is a Philly native who went to St. John Neumann High which back then was called Bishop Neumann High. Both the school and Longo\u2019s childhood home are located in South Philadelphia \u2013 a hotbed for Mummers\u2019 activity.<\/div>\n
The Mummers Parade is a great Philadelphia tradition.<\/div>\n
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It dates back more than a century, has its roots in South Philadelphia and is always held on January 1.<\/div>\n
The Slambovians holiday show dates back a decade-and-a-half.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure our first was in 2009 \u2013 after we released our second album,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cWe played the XPonential Music Festival in 2009 and then followed up with the World Caf\u00e9 Live show.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe definitely booked it for New Year\u2019s Eve given Joziah\u2019s history with Philadelphia. We really wanted to play the World Caf\u00e9 Live because of the history with Philadelphia.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Generations of Longo\u2019s family (including him) have danced or played with string bands in the Mummers Parade.<\/div>\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t want a New Year\u2019s Eve show,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cWe wanted a New Year\u2019s Eve Eve to do a little warmup for everybody. The New Year\u2019s Eve Eve is a gathering of tribes.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe show in Philly has become an annual reunion for Joziah\u2019s family and friends. They\u2019re part of Mummers groups so they spend New Year\u2019s Eve getting ready for the Mummers Parade the next day. Our New Year\u2019s Eve Eve show extends the holiday.<\/div>\n
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\u201cJoziah is the son of Italian and Swedish immigrants. His grandfather sold fruit on the streets. His parents met at Gloria Dei Old Swede\u2019s Church in South Philly on New Year\u2019s Day when his father was wearing clown make-up for the parade.<\/div>\n
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\u201cJoziah always had costumes from back then. He\u2019s a real \u2018Two Streeter.\u2019\u201d<\/div>\n
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Because of the large number of Mummers clubhouses there, South 2nd Street (Two Street) often serves as a party location after the parade, with the center of activity being South 2nd Street and Mifflin Street.<\/div>\n
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Local residents and others in the area for the parade crowd the local bars, clubhouses and sidewalks, sometimes joining in the unofficial parade.<\/div>\n
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With the parade they spent months preparing for finished, the Mummers let loose and celebrate. This multi-block party continues well into the night or early morning — with some Mummers not sleeping for twenty-four hours straight.<\/div>\n
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\u201cOur New Year\u2019s Eve Eve show is always a big tradition for Joziah,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cHis childhood babysitter comes to the show. His family comes to the show. His friends from kindergarten come to the show. They all come to the show to connect with everybody.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Just as the Mummers Parade features dancers with decorated umbrellas and parasols, so does the Slambovian Circus of Dreams annual show on the year\u2019s penultimate night. The concert features a Mummers medley with banjos and unique renditions of songs such as \u201cOh, Dem\u00a0Golden Slippers.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe parasols combine the Mummers tradition with that of New Orleans and its Second Line,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cThe umbrellas celebrate rebirth.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe play the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival every summer. Our audiences there use umbrellas with lights — \u2018Immortal Jellyfish.\u2019 They live in the Hudson Valley and many of them come down to Philly for the New Year\u2019s Eve Eve show.<\/div>\n
\u201cOur fans want to be part of the show. They want to show their respect and their love for the band.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The band always approaches its New Year\u2019s Eve Eve show in Philly as something special.<\/div>\n
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According to Longo, \u201cI\u2019m a South Philly boy and all my South Philly people bring umbrellas and dance like jellyfish. Coming back to Philly means a lot to me because it\u2019s the place where I was born. It\u2019s a great way to end the year. We\u2019re all trying to find our best self.<\/div>\n
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\u201cNew Year\u2019s is an analysis of what we want to be \u2013 where are we going to go this year. Let\u2019s unravel everything we know and get back to feeling for each other. Let\u2019s get in a room and escape what other people call reality \u2013 even though it\u2019s not real reality. Real reality is love, unity and friendship.<\/div>\n
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\u201cPhilly is our hometown. It\u2019s like we come back and bring it to the elders. Being in Philly at this time of year just feels right.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The band has another feature that dates back more than a decade-and-a-half.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing summer shows in the U.K. since 2008,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cWe\u2019ve gone over every year except 2020 and 2021 because of COVID.\u201d<\/div>\n
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In 2023, the\u00a0Slambovian\u00a0Circus of Dreams played the Fairport Convention\u2019s Copredy Convention\u00a0in Banbury and was named the \u201cfans\u2019 favorites.\u201d They also played the Wickham Festival in Wickham with the Waterboys headlining.<\/div>\n
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\u201cOur first time to play in the U.K. was the Rhythm Festival,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cIt was a classic rock festival with acts like the Animals and the Zombies. Jim Driver, who is involved with the Glastonbury Music Festival, asked us to play at the festival.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The\u00a0Rhythm Festival, which was last held in 2011,\u00a0was an outdoor\u00a0music festival\u00a0held in\u00a0Bedfordshire. From 2006 until 2010 it was held at\u00a0Twinwood Arena, near the village of\u00a0Clapham. In 2008, it was held from August 29-31.<\/div>\n
Performers included\u00a0Jefferson Starship,\u00a0Saw Doctors,\u00a0Richie Havens,\u00a0Michelle Shocked,\u00a0Big Star,\u00a0Steve Cropper,\u00a0Quicksilver Messenger Service,\u00a0The Zombies,\u00a0Chas and Dave,\u00a0Jah Wobble,\u00a0The Pretty Things,\u00a0Nine Below Zero, The Foxes,\u00a0Neville Staple\u00a0and\u00a0Gandalf Murphy and the\u00a0Slambovian\u00a0Circus of Dreams.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThey had us as the opening act for the festival,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cAnd they also had us play as the closing act. People just freaked out over us. It was pretty crazy.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Longo has been extremely busy at his home along the Hudson working on several different albums and projects.<\/div>\n
\u201cThe albums are written and arranged,\u201d said Longo. \u201cMatthew and I have been laying down tracks for one of them. The new album is started.<\/div>\n
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\u201cBut it\u2019s hard to get the band in the studio because everybody is so far away. Matthew lives in Connecticut. Bob lives wherever Legoland is (Goshen, New York) and RJ lives in Massachusetts.<\/div>\n
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\u201cSharkey lives in the same town as us \u2013 Cold Spring (NY). It\u2019s a town where Don McLean lived. He wrote \u2018American Pie\u2019 right up the street. Also, we\u2019re just a half mile from Pete Seeger\u2019s home. Cold Spring is a vortex of creativity.\u201d<\/div>\n
The Slambovians have been described as, \u201cExploring the depths of Americana one trippy tune at a time, influences and elements of Dylan, Bowie, The Band, Incredible String Band, Syd Barrett and The Waterboys flavor the musical mix.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The Slambovian Circus has released more than a dozen studio albums. Right in the middle was \u201cThe Circus Does Dylan\u201d, an album released in June 2010\u00a0featuring 12 Dylan tracks recorded live between 2005 and 2009.<\/div>\n
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Seeger and Dylan \u2013 especially in his early days\u2014were known for singing political songs.<\/div>\n
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Wisely, the Slambovian Circus is not railing against the current political situation in America.<\/div>\n
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\u201cDon\u2019t pick a side \u2013 pick a future\u00a0together,\u201d said\u00a0Longo.<\/div>\n
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Lloyd said, \u201cWe\u2019re hiding out from politics completely.\u201d<\/div>\n
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The Slambovian Circus of Dreams is closing in on the number 20 for albums released. The band\u2019s latest album, \u201cA Very Unusual Head,\u201d was released three years ago on the band\u2019s own label.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019m a pretty stormy unpredictable person,\u201d said\u00a0Longo. \u201cSo, we called our label Storm King.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe were D.I.Y. for the first four of five albums. Then, we partnered with Sony. But that didn\u2019t work out and then COVID happened.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe started our label with the \u2018A Very Unusual Head\u2019 album as the first release. Since then, everything in our catalog has been re-released.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cA Very Unusual Head,\u201d which\u00a0is the band\u2019s sixth studio album, was released January 21, 2022, on their new label, Storm King Records.<\/div>\n
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\u201cA Very Unusual Head\u201d was recorded over four years in five studios and two countries. The album is a step away from the\u00a0guitar-based Americana vibe heard on their previous albums.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re now working on our next album,\u201d said Lloyd. \u201cEverything is written and we recorded some of the basic tracks before Halloween.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWith the new album, we\u2019ll be playing some of the songs in our show at City Winery. We\u2019ll be playing a little bit of this and a little bit of that \u2013 and a little bit of surprise.\u201d<\/div>\n
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With the world getting crazier, the Slambovian Circus of Dreams wants to help things get more chill.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe want to help with music \u2013 like it was in the \u201960\u2019s,\u201d said Longo. \u201cIt\u2019s time to bring some rebirth \u2013 to brings light to the end of the tunnel.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Video link for the\u00a0Slambovian\u00a0Circus of Dreams \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/9UTTwqUOJPE<\/a><\/div>\n
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The show on December 30 at City Winery will start at 8 p.m.<\/div>\n
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Tickets are $36.<\/div>\n
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The Slambovians have been making music together for 27 years. That\u2019s a long time \u2013 but it pales in comparison to Wayne Newton.<\/div>\n
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Fans and journalists make a big deal about the age of some of the singers and musicians who are still performing live \u2013 acts such as Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Roger Daltrey, Ray Davies, Rod Stewart and Stephen Stills who are octogenarians.<\/div>\n
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Wayne Newton<\/p><\/div>\n

However, when it comes to longevity, few can match up with Wayne\u00a0Newton.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Newton, who will bring his \u201cWayne Newton, Mr. Las Vegas: Memories and Melodies\u201d to City Winery on December 26 and 27, turned 83 in April and has been performing professionally since his early teen years.<\/div>\n
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The versatile singer, who is known as \u201cMr. Las Vegas\u201d and \u201cMr. Entertainment,\u201d has become synonymous with Las Vegas.\u00a0Newton\u00a0celebrated his 60th year on stage with a show entitled \u201cMr. Las Vegas\u201d at\u00a0Caesars Palace\u00a0that ran from January through May in 2019.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI play 42 weeks a year in Las Vegas,\u201d said\u00a0Newton, during a phone interview from his home-away-from-Vegas near Kalispell, Montana.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve performed at least 30,000 shows in Las Vegas. I started here when I was 15 at the Fremont Hotel \u2013 six shows a night for six nights a week for five years.\u201d<\/div>\n
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With that many shows a week,\u00a0Newton\u00a0had to find creative ways to keep the workload from taking its toll on his voice.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI kept learning to play new instruments simply to give me some vocal relief,\u201d said\u00a0Newton.<\/div>\n
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He developed into a talented multi-instrumentalist who plays 13 instruments, many of which are worked into his shows.<\/div>\n
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Newton\u00a0was invited to national TV when Jackie Gleason, for whom he performed at a Phoenix luncheon, took him to New York for an appearance on his network television show. He then performed on Gleason\u2019s show 12 times during the next two years.<\/div>\n
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\u201cJackie Gleason gave me my national break on TV,\u201d said\u00a0Newton. \u201cAnd he got me a job at the Copacabana. That\u2019s where Bobby Darin saw me.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Some of\u00a0Newton\u2019s signature songs are \u201cDanke Schoen,\u201d \u201cRed Roses For A Blue Lady,\u201d \u201cYears\u201d and \u201cDaddy, Don\u2019t You Walk So Fast,\u201d a gold record in 1972.<\/div>\n
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Bobby Darin produced and engineered his first recorded hits \u2013 \u201cHeart,\u201d \u201cDreams Of The Everyday Housewife,\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cDanke Schoen,\u201d \u201cRed Roses For A Blue Lady,\u201d \u201cSummer Wind\u201d and \u201cDreams Of The Everyday Housewife.\u201d<\/div>\n
Newton\u2019s mega-hit \u201cDanke Schoen\u201d was originally written for Darin to sing. However, Darin was intent on\u00a0Newton\u00a0having a hit song of his own and gave it to him.\u00a0Newton\u2019s version of the song was a huge success and reached No. 13 on the Hot 100.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe guy who really got my recording career was Bobby Darin, who was an incredible talent, Bobby Darin,\u201d said\u00a0Newton. \u201cHe had \u2018Mack The Knife\u2019 and so many other great songs. I found out about a year after I had recorded \u2018Danke Schoen\u2019 that the song had been written for Bobby Darin to record, but he was so intent on making sure it got me a hit record that he gave me the song.\u201d<\/div>\n
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It didn\u2019t take long for\u00a0Newton\u00a0to establish a stellar career as recording artist \u2013 and as a performer.<\/div>\n
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\u201cAfter years at the Fremont, I was the first headliner at the Flamingo,\u201d said\u00a0Newton. \u201cKirk Kerkorian built it when I was there. Then I signed with the Frontier Hotel which got bought by Howard Hughes. I spent many years with him headlining at his hotel.<\/div>\n
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\u201cI bought the Aladdin Hotel in 1980 and performed there for five or six years. I was not happy with owning a hotel. I didn\u2019t want to deal with the problems. So, I sold the hotel and then went over to Caesars Palace.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Newton, who has played almost every major room in Las Vegas, occasionally plays shows away from \u201cSin City.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhen you play Las Vegas, you never know where the people are from,\u201d said Newton. \u201cThey\u2019re from all over the world. Everybody in that room is from a different place, so they don\u2019t have the camaraderie.<\/div>\n
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\u201cLas Vegas audiences are so different. When you play a show in the Philadelphia area, most of the audience is from that part of Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Whether he\u2019s playing a show on the Las Vegas strip or a concert at a downtown Philly club,\u00a0Newton\u00a0is a master of reading the audience.<\/div>\n
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\u201cThe set list is an improvisation,\u201d said\u00a0Newton. \u201cTo judge the audience, I start the show with three different types of songs \u2013 a ballad, an up-tempo song and a standard. The reaction of the crowd to those three songs shows me what it is they want to hear.\u201d<\/div>\n
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Video link for Wayne\u00a0Newton\u00a0\u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/U5EESSLuzqA<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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The \u201cWayne Newton, Mr. Las Vegas: Memories and Melodies\u201d shows at City Winery will start at 7 p.m.<\/div>\n
Ticket prices start at $90.<\/div>\n
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Newton puts on a great show with entertaining videos, a great band and engaging narratives by\u00a0Newton.<\/div>\n
The Slambovian\u00a0Circus of Dreams also puts on a great show with entertaining videos, a great band and engaging narratives by Longo and Lloyd.<\/div>\n
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Philadelphia\u2019s City Winery is definitely ending 2025 on a high note.<\/div>\n
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Other upcoming shows at City Winery are \u201cR&B Afterdark 4 Year Anniversary\u201d on December 28, Adam Ezra Group on December 29, Purple Madness on December 29 and Kindred The Family Soul\u00a0on December 31.<\/div>\n
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) will present \u201cThe Laugh Lounge: New Year\u2019s Eve Edition!\u201d on December 31.<\/div>\n
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Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is hosting Davide Pannozzo with Will Lee, Shawn Pelton, and Etienne Stadwijk on December 27 and The Influence on December 31.<\/div>\n
Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) is a place to go if you\u2019re looking for tasty music along with tasty food.<\/div>\n
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Jamey\u2019s will host Super Sabbath and Chable on December 26 and Swing That Cat on December 27.<\/div>\n
On December 28, Jamey will present \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings with Clarence Spady.<\/div>\n
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This was posted on the venue\u2019s website \u2013<\/div>\n
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\u201cHo boy! The last Sunday Blues Brunch & Jam of the year at Jamey’s is going to be one for the books!<\/div>\n
First off, our house photographer Tom DeLorenzo will be on hand to document the day in pics and will take studio quality 8×10 prints of you to take home for posterity. Gratis! Tom will also preside over the gallery quality print signing of his iconic image of legendary bluesman, Bennie Turner on stage with Clarence Spady.<\/div>\n
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Bennie is the 85 years young brother of Freddie King, and will no doubt join Clarence and the Philly Blues Kings on stage for a bit! We’re also looking forward to our dear friend Sallie Bengston, president of NOLA Blue Records, home to many of the finest players in the blues and celebrating the recent signings of Mud Morganfield and Maria Muldaur.<\/div>\n
Jamey’s brunch is crazy popular and welcomes one and all to come for indescribably delicious breakfast washed down with elixirs from our Conshohocken Brewery bar. Best part? Totally FREE to walk right in and enjoy 3 hours of live blues. Noon to 3pm. Join the pro jam at 1pm if you play.<\/div>\n
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Come on out to the home of the Philadelphia Blues Society and catch the vibe!\u201d<\/div>\n
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The Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com\/events<\/a>) will host Start Making Sense Talking Heads Tribute on December 27 and New Year\u2019s Eve at the Moulin Rouge! On December 31.<\/div>\n
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This year, People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern,\u00a0peopleslight.org<\/a>) is presenting a production of Charles Dickens\u2019 \u201cA Christmas Carol\u201d now through January 4 on the Leonard C. Haas Stage.<\/div>\n
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With inventive staging by People\u2019s Light Producing Director Molly Rosa Houlahan, the company\u2019s Producing Artistic Director Zak Berkman brings Dickens\u2019 beloved classic to life through the eyes of a child.<\/div>\n
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In this surprising and whimsical adaptation, audiences follow Ebenezer Scrooge and a gathering of benevolent ghosts on a journey through time showing the redemptive power of kindness, hope, and love.<\/div>\n
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This imaginative retelling features traditional English carols woven with a Barrymore-nominated original score by Berkman.<\/div>\n
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People\u2019s Light remains committed to making theatre accessible and welcoming for all.<\/div>\n
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Open Captioning will be available during all performances from December 30-January 4, displaying dialogue on an LED screen to support patrons with hearing impairments and English language learners.<\/div>\n
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\u201cA Christmas Carol\u201d will run now through January 4 on the Leonard C. Haas Stage at People\u2019s Light.<\/div>\n
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Ticket prices start at $35.<\/div>\n
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Video link for People\u2019s Light — https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zICXuBNoPuY<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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\u201cA Christmas Carol\u201d will run now through January 4 on the Leonard C. Haas Stage at People\u2019s Light.<\/div>\n
Ticket prices start at $35.<\/div>\n
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The Philadelphia Ballet\u2019s annual production of \u201cGeorge Balanchine\u2019s The Nutcracker\u201d is one of the most cherished\u2014and longest running\u2014family holiday traditions for families in the region.<\/div>\n
For many, a visit to Philadelphia to enjoy the lavish presentation by the world-famous Philadelphia Ballet is an integral part of the holiday season.<\/div>\n
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This year\u2019s production, which is running now through December 30 at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999, www.philadelphiaballet.org<\/a>), is in the fifth decade of staging of the classic ballet.<\/div>\n
The ballet is based on E.T.A. Hoffman\u2019s tale \u201cThe Nutcracker\u00a0and The Mouse King\u201d and set to a score by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky.<\/div>\n
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Featuring lively dances, colorful costumes and elaborate sets, \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d is a production that appeals to audiences of all ages. The original version of the timeless classic was first presented in Saint Petersburg, Russia in 1892.<\/div>\n
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The ballet is performed\u00a0under the guidance of artistic director Angel Corella. The ballet is based on the choreography of George Balanchine.<\/div>\n
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Balanchine\u2019s choreography plays a major role in the Philadelphia Ballet\u2019s annual production of \u201cThe Nutcracker.\u201d The company has been doing both acts by Balanchine for the last 30 years.<\/div>\n
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Balanchine, who was named Giorgi Balanchivadze when he was born in Russia in 1904, was one of the last century\u2019s most celebrated choreographers.<\/div>\n
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He was a primary developer of ballet in the United States in his position as co-founder and ballet master of New York City Ballet. Balanchine created his version of \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d for the New York City Ballet in 1955.<\/div>\n
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The Philadelphia Ballet\u2019s production of the ballet features more than 100 performers and has an annual audience attendance of more than 50,000. And it is staged in one of the most beautiful performance halls in the country.<\/div>\n
The version of \u201cThe Nutcracker\u201d performed by the Philadelphia Ballet features everything audiences associate with the timeless ballet\u2014a cast of 19th-century families celebrating Christmas Eve, a little girl\u2019s dream of her<\/div>\n
Nutcracker\u00a0Prince, the Prince\u2019s toy soldiers battling a fleet of mice led by the Mouse King and the crowd-pleasing second act of dances in the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.<\/div>\n
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Video link for Philadelphia\u00a0Ballet\u2019s \u201cGeorge Balanchine\u2019s The Nutcracker\u201d \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/ypfQQ2duYS0<\/a>.<\/div>\n
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Ticket prices start at $29.<\/div>\n
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The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, 800-648-4102, www.AMTshows.com<\/a>) has its holiday show running now through December 30.<\/div>\n
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The AMT\u2019s 2025 show \u201cDeck the Halls\u201d is an all-new presentation of favorite sacred and secular holiday songs performed by professional artists from across the country.<\/div>\n
The show will feature spectacular vocal harmonies, lively musical arrangements, impressive dancing and the music of the AMT Orchestra.<\/div>\n
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The show features incredible singers, astonishing dancers, wondrous costumes, breathtaking sets, and all the endearment of a perfect fireside family moment. Patrons can bask in the beauty of the season and cherish the stories of spirit and love.<\/div>\n
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The show will have both matinee and evening performances each week with the addition of 10:30 a.m. performances on Saturdays throughout December. Tickets are $59 for adults, $57 for seniors and $30 for children.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times There is an area holiday musical tradition that started in 2009 but will not continue in 2025. Every year on December 30, the Slambovian Circus of Dreams performed one of their most important shows of the year at the World Caf\u00e9 Live — the \u201cSlambovian Circus of Dreams […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[6518,7553,14378],"class_list":["post-45072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-slambovian-circus-of-dreams","tag-wayne-newton"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45072"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45072\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45076,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45072\/revisions\/45076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/45070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=45072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=45072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}