The Heart of Rock and Roll

New York, New York is everything they say
And no place that I'd rather be
Where else can you do a half a million things
And all at a quarter to three
When they play their music, ooh that modern music
The like it with a lot of style
But it's still that same old back beat rhythm
That really drives them wild

And it's alive and well and was at the Northfork Theater at Westbury tonight, with Huey Lewis and the News on the round, revolving stage. Huey either didn't shave tonight or he's growing in a beard. The scruffy look looked good on him, but I think I prefer him cleanshaven. His songs aren't as familiar to me as those of the other groups we've seen at Westbury (ie, the oldies groups), but I do know and love the music. I was just limited in my singing along ability.

The crowd was younger, too, and more energetic than what we're used to. Huey is rather informal and comes across as just a guy who happens to sing and play a mean harmonica. He was bouncing around the periphery of the stage (mostly on the outer, non-revolving part) and went into the audience a few times. The crowd ate it up. There was an opening act (a local guy doing some sort of folk rock music he composed) who was quickly forgotten once Huey and gang came out, which was after a rather long intermission.

The crowd started getting rowdy, a side effect of beer and wine being sold at the concession counter. And to keep with a ballpark feel, a few energetic guys actually got a wave going, which in a round theater is quite the thing to see when a majority of the people in the seats are participating. The wave went around at least a half dozen times. By the time Huey and the News took the stage, we were more than ready to answer affirmative when he asked if we were ready to party.

These guys know how to rock and keep a crowd happy. Well worth seeing, and I hope we get to see them again, soon.

They say the heart of rock and roll is still beating
And from what I've seen I believe 'em
Now the old boy may be barely breathing
But the heart of rock and roll is still beating