I Know a Place — Namely the Petula Clark Show

Hard to put into words how much I adore Petula Clark. I remember hearing “Downtown” with my mom in the car after Christmas shopping at Fiesta Mall in 1979 and thinking how I too wanted to live where the “lights were much brighter.” (I did it!) This legendary octogenarian put on quite a show at B.B. King's tonight, captivating her fans with most of the hits ("Don't Sleep in the Subway," "My Love," "Colour My World," "This Is My Song," "I Know a Place," "Sign of the Times," "Downtown," but no "Happy Heart" or "Call Me") and some excellent newer material ("From Now On," recent covers of "Blackbird," "While You See a Chance" and "Fever"). Her joyous stage presence and wonderful stories from her eight decades in show business (more on that tomorrow) were perhaps rivaled only by the eccentric group of fans who came to adore her. This included Michael Musto, Randy Jones and NY1's Frank DiLella -- not to mention the "Real Housewives of New Jersey" family with whom we shared a table, whose grandson(?) initially tried to rudely tell me I "wasn't allowed" to sit there because they were "expecting two more" even though the hostess had placed Damian and me there and the joint has a no "seat saving" policy. (I couldn't believe how much of a New Yorker I turned into with these gumbas: "If you have a problem, take it up with management." The older couple ended up being sweethearts and toasting with us later in the night!)

"Downtown" meets Downtown

My first Petula purchase

When She Shines: A Night With Sheena Easton

Nearly had a hoot at last night's Sheena Easton show at B.B. King in Times Square -- barely working air conditioning and a slightly underwhelming set list being the only missing ingredients. Sheena took the stage looking a fraction of her 57 years, yet spent the majority of the evening poking fun at her "sagging body" and even more "sagging career." (Her delivery was so good I'm not entirely convinced her second act won't be as a stand-up.) She kicked the evening off by launching into "Got to Get You Into My Life," which left me scratching my head, even if she performed the Beatles classic with such enthusiasm that I almost couldn't remember whose song it really was. But then "Strut" quickly got the crowd into its '80s groove -- Sheena was quick to announce that she embraces her nostalgia -- and all was forgiven ... for a the moment. 

But this, it would turn out, was a prelude of things to come. She then alternated between her wonderful hits -- "When He Shines," "The Lover in Me," "U Got the Look/Sugar Walls" "Almost Over You," "We've Got Tonight" and the irresistible "Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)" -- and covers like "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (Jackie Wilson), "You're No Good" (Linda Ronstadt), "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Holland-Dozier-Holland) and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (Ashford & Simpson). It was all a lot of fun, but I couldn't help but wish she had more faith in her body of work than she did in her (self-proclaimed) shapewear-needing body. (I'd heard her voice was shot but all in all, it was just a bit huskier than we remember.) It was almost like she was embarrassed that we had actually paid money to see her, and figured she'd do us a favor by doing other people's songs we'd actually like. The show ended on a Sheenariffic note with "9 to 5 (Morning Train)" and "For Your Eyes Only" (surprisingly her version, not Blondie's!) bringing the crowd to its knees. But you don't have to be a superfan to realize a few of those covers could have easily been swapped out for singles like "Modern Girl," "You Could Have Been With Me" (a personal favorite) and "What Comes Naturally" (her last hit) -- and that "Do It for Love," "Jimmy Mack," "Machinery" and "So Far So Good" would have had hardcore fans eating out of her sugar walls -- even the gay ones. All nitpicking aside, that she did "I Wouldn't Beg for Water" almost made up for what was lacking -- and that's saying a lot when the AC was barely blowing on a 90-degree night in New York City when I was more than willing to do just that.

Boy Culture, who I didn't even notice in the audience, has more photos and video HERE.

One Night in 'Paradise'

If you're thinking an Eddie Money concert in Times Square that was promoted with a Groupon would be a 50-something bridge-and-tunnel extravaganza, then step to the front of the line. 

Appearing onstage at B.B. King's at 8 o'clock sharp -- people have bedtimes, after all -- Eddie launched right into his best song, "Baby Hold On," then proceeded to deliver a tight show, including all of his other hits ("Walk On Water," "Two Tickets to Paradise," "Think I'm in Love," "I Wanna Go Back"), leading up to his biggest, "Take Me Home Tonight" (daughter Jesse filled in for Ronnie Spector, and also filled in for Dad while he took a break mid-set, sounding far better than her eliminated-first-from-MTV's-"Rock the Cradle" status might indicate).

The set was filled out with key album tracks, Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got a Hold on Me," "Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" and "No Control." But when it came time for the encore, that's when things got rowdy, with me leading the chants for "Shakin'" -- the song I gladly paid full price for on the assumption that it would be performed. Eddie didn't disappoint -- the crowd went wild as the famous drum intro began -- then he quietly came out afterward to sign autographs and pose for photos.

After our initial photo-op failed -- I'd left the camera on movie mode and Michael didn't know how to fix it before Eddie, like an unchaperoned Alzheimer's patient, began wandering out onto 42nd Street -- my friend Yogita tried to sidle up to him for a do-over.

It was at this point when Miss Congeniality Long Island 1974 (above left, all but posing for Michael) tried to shoo her away, screaming rather patronizingly at her: "You don't even know who he is." Not about to let my friend's Eddie Money cred to be besmirched by someone who speaks with a cigarette dangling out of her mouth, I stepped in to inform her that she was mistaken -- that it was in fact Yogi's idea to go to the show. "Well it was MY idea to come to this show, too!" the former debate captain responded, to which I said, "Well, good. But you're still wrong." "I'm not wrong about anything," she insisted, "she's my dawwwwwter's age." "Well, that may well be, but you're still wrong." After playing "I know you are but what am I?" for another round or two, Pamela Des Barres' evil stepsister stopped, looked me in the eye and said: "You know what you are? You're a loser." And then without missing a beat, she attempted to board Eddie's tour bus on what was shaping up to be the greatest night of her life -- she was refused admittance -- and that was, oddly, one of the greatest of mine, too.

That man was Shakin' (and it may have been Parkinson's)