Doo-Wop Nite at the Assisted Living Facility:

So, back to my mother-in-law’s assisted living facility for a Saturday night visit, but this time, with the added benefit of live music.  The evening’s entertainment featured a duet of titans from the Doo-Wop era.

The supergroup consisted of a guy from the Bronx who personally knew all the legends and a gal, also from the Bronx, who sang back-up for all the legends.  In her bright, sequin studded red gown, I imagined several decades ago, she was some mobster’s “goomah”.  Today, she is the poster diva for the #me-5000 movement…if you get my drift. 

Tickets were $5 each, and the atmosphere within the auditorium was positively buzzing with  anticipation, talc, and a spritz of Aqua-Velva. Other than the mobility aids, we had unobstructed views of the stage.  Once the lights were dimmed, the MC gave the all-clear that it was now okay to turn on your listening devices.

And what a rocking evening it was.  They opened with “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” from the Rivingtons and proceeded to sing and sway (carefully) for 90 minutes, closing with “60 Candles” (taking liberty with the original title).  In between, they belted out the finest offerings from the Del Vikings, The Skyliners  The Five Satins, The Platters, and The Silhouettes.

In between, they reminisced, all the while assuring the audience that they were still in touch with many of the greats and that several Vito’s and Tony’s were doing well recovering from successful surgeries, coronaries, and other assorted ailments.

As an encore, the American Flag was lowered and they sang, in their finest Bronx accents “Proud to be an American” …an entertainment industry first.

Traditionally, we would have gone out afterwards for coffee or drinks, but it was 9pm and nothing was open. 

I wondered out loud to Susan,  if 20 years from now, we will be in a similar auditorium listening to two leathered faced white people singing Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”…or perhaps Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” while lowering a Global Flag for the encore ?  Susan thought not.

Once in bed, I found it difficult to fall asleep while Jay and The Americans sang “This Magic Moment” in my sub-conscious.  God bless the Doo-Wop generation…not the greatest, but perhaps the thirteenth or fourteenth greatest generation….not bad as far as generations go.