On March 4, Greenwich Village’s Players Theatre bustled with feathers and glitter for the “Masquerade Ball,” the first of CitizenMusic’s Theatre Shows. Verona, NJ’s Old Wives, a jazzy, soulful quintet, brought sway to the sold-out venue with swanky sass. Although seating was available, the audience was uncontainable, especially when The Shake appeared. Masked and made-up, the quartet blasted through an explosive set, accompanied by confetti cannons, noise-makers, and a slinky dancer, armed with flashlights for their final “Got No Soul.” Brooklyn’s Black Taxi energized the audience to a climax, as masqueraders formed a fire-hazard in the aisles, dancing to new tunes and released favorites. Despite some first-night sound jitters, the music set the bar high for the subsequent shows.
“Prohibition Night” commenced copacetically with the bees’ knees, Black Taxi. The joint encouraged viewers to stay put, but rules at a rock show proved baloney as flappers and bootleggers moved stage front. Apollo Run, donning fedoras and suspenders, captivated with nuanced vocal range and powerful lead keyboard. Finishing their set, the trio mingled and serenaded admirers from atop the arms of the theater seats. Milo and the Fuzz (in the picture), another band of three cool cats, played with mature confidence and put on the Ritz, wrapping with a swell performance.
The finale, “PoMo Night,” featured an anything-goes theme with outfits that would normally not leave the house. New Madrid cleverly fused Spanish and English lyrics, engaged the bizarrely dressed with adrenaline-infused rock, and flung souvenir spiders during “La Araña.” Toy Soldiers, out-of-towners from Philadelphia, brought a classic, rootsy vibe that left listeners swooning. Still standing, Black Taxi amped up the pace with perfected sound and were cheered on for multiple encores. As the imaginary curtain closed and reopened, the leading men from the entire production reunited for a celebratory bow before an exeunt omnes. The Theatre Shows’ all-around success promises a repeat of the event and proves that New York is home to pre-eminent music. – Meijin Bruttomesso