FAST TIMES AT THE OFFICE PARTY
Just another day at the office: John Eddie works overtime in Asbury Park this Sunday, with an appearance at a Cancer Cure benefit and his own holiday Office Party at the Wonder Bar.
By LAURA SCHNEIDER
If you plan to see John Eddie this Sunday, December 21, you might be wondering just where he’s playing. Some websites have him appearing at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park as part of Asbury Rocks for a Cancer Cure, an all-star benefit featuring rising country star James Otto and an arsenal of local favorites, including Arlan Feiles, Val Emmich, Glen Burtnik, Rick Barry, among others. But others report he’s hosting his own gig, billed as “John Eddie’s Rockin’ Office Party,” at the Wonder Bar, just across Ocean Avenue from the Paramount.
So which is it? Red Bank ORBit wanted to know. And, as anyone familiar with Eddie’s work ethic can guess, it’s both.
Despite nasty weather that led to a cancellation of a band rehearsal that evening, Eddie arrived on time for our meeting at The Downtown. There, in a scruffy leather coat, he nursed diet soda and chatted happily for more than an hour — about his holiday shows this weekend, his upcoming Fan Cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line, and the surprises the music biz continues to toss him, including recent covers of his tunes by Kid Rock and Sammy Hagar.
Eddie says he was first booked to do the Rockin’ Office Party, which he hosts every year to honor his band, crew and others on the payroll, but which he emphasizes is also open to the public.
“But then the benefit at the Paramount came up,” he said, “and they asked me to do a couple of songs. I think they’ll be done over at the Paramount by the time we go on after the two opening bands at the Wonder Bar (Joe Rapolla & The Perfect Square and Christine Martucci) which should be around 9, 9:30pm.”
Eddie encourages everyone to first come to the Paramount cancer benefit, and then to head over to the Wonder Bar for the Rockin’ Office Party. “There is a good chance James Otto will show up,” Eddie says, “and possibly some other special guests from the Paramount show.” At $17 for the benefit and $15 for the Wonder Bar party, it’s an inexpensive night of music at low cost—and for good causes.
Eddie opened for Otto at the Rams Head in Annapolis, MD, on September 4, “and he put on a great, great show.” Eddie is clearly pleased to share the bill with Otto again, as he points out that Otto is up for two Grammys, “and everyone should buy his new record.” When the Grammy noms were announced on December 3, Otto was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance Category for “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” from his debut album Sunset Man, and as songwriter in the Best Country Song Category for co-writing Jamey Johnson‘s “In Color.” Eddie also says that “Just Got Started Loving You” was the most-played song on country radio last year, according to industry monitor Mediabase.
Eddie himself has recently become a fan of today’s country music scene, which he describes as “70s rock and roll all over again.” He says the older he gets, the more country he gets in terms of his songwriting and maturity level. However, Eddie fans—the “faithful,” as he appreciatively calls them—can rest assured: Eddie’s live show is still rock and roll at its core, “loud…and nasty.”
The Asbury Rocks benefit isn’t the only show for a cause that night. At the Wonder Bar, Eddie says toys will be collected to support Toys for Tots, as he does every year at his Office Party gigs. For the holidays, “we usually do our Naughty or Nice thing,” he says. “We just did our ‘nice’ show for kids in New Hope, PA, where we had Santa Claus, and this will be the ‘naughty’ show, the adult Christmas party.”
ASBURY ROCKS FOR A CANCER CURE with Arlan Feiles & His Lone Orchestra, James Otto, Val Emmich, Glen Burtnik, Rick Barry, Allie Moss, Rob Tanico, and The Milwaukees at the Paramount Theatre. Doors 6 pm, Showtime 7 pm. Click here for tickets ($17).
JOHN EDDIE’S ROCKIN’ OFFICE PARTY with Joe Rapolla & The Perfect Square and Christine Martucci at the Wonder Bar. Doors 6pm. Click here for tickets ($15, 21 and up).
Tomorrow in oRBit: Christmas Concert week continues, with an attempt at getting a Handel on a hallowed classic, and a particularly audacious bit of Hope.
Posted
December 18, 2008
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