Scenes 'n' Soundwaves: Colorjoy Leads A Great Festival in Roselle Park (SNS week of 9/18/2022)

FESTIVE DAY: For the second year in a row, I attended the Roselle Park Arts Festival that took place in the center of town in which I grew up. And if there's an adage "you can't go home again", at least for the day, I was able to.

Emily MacMahon (L) and Sam Novotny of Colorjoy which opened the Roselle Park Arts Festival on September 24.

The festival, which included two stages for music, a variety of arts and crafts that were either displayed, in the process of being created, or sold by the various crafters' booths lining the town's main street, Chestnut Street. And while last year, only two blocks were used, it expanded greatly this year to pretty much the whole southern portion of Chestnut Street.

Of course, the main reason why I was there in the first place, was almost the same as the one from last year. If you recall, the band ScreenAge, which totally dominated my Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100 last year with five number ones, plus a solo blog chart topper from its lead singer, was one of the bands featured on the main stage.

That changed a bit this year as that band disbanded, but two of its members, lead singer, guitarist and keyboardist Emily MacMahon and drummer Sam Novotny formed a new band called Colorjoy. While the duo has yet to release an album (one is currently in the works), they have been playing gigs around the state as well as in New York City. Starting out at Triumph Brewing in Red Bank back in July, the duo did several dates at Max's Hot Dogs in Long Branch, plus a date at Heaven Can Wait in New York City. Just one day before the Roselle Park gig, Colorjoy played Corgi Spirits in Jersey City.

This year, Colorjoy opened the festival at the Breakwater Stage (renamed from 'Main Stage' as the healthcare provider is now a sponsor). Since the band is officially just Emily and Sam, there are other backing musicians to provide a full band sound on that live performances. On drums was Kelly, and guitar and bass were handled by Mya and Nya (don't pin me to the spelling of their names, but is it a coincidence that their names rhyme?)

Colorjoy played a mix of originals and covers. While I really didn't recognize the original numbers (none of which were ScreenAge songs to my knowledge), the covers that the band played just blew us away. Versions of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida", Tears for Fears' 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World", and especially Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" got the audience going. Just Ms. MacMahon's guitar work at the end of that Prince song should rank her in the upper echelons of the all-time guitar greats. I'm not joking; she's that good.

The band was called back for an encore, doing Rex Orange County's "Loving is Easy", a top ten blog hit from 2018, and while the smooth, easygoing original is awesome, hearing it from Colorjoy created a new experience.

I am hoping to hear the new album very soon so I can appreciate the originals more. Unlike when ScreenAge played the festival last year, I had not yet heard the new songs on record. However, they sounded really good and with many listens, we could find Colorjoy back atop the blog charts once again.

It's been a great year for Emily MacMahon. Aside from Colorjoy, she is still active with August Rage, the predominately cover band with Stephen DeAcutis, which is doing a Beatles tribute show at Garwood's Crossroads on September 30. I also learned that she had joined another band, although I'm not sure the name or whether they are a cover band or do originals. But, according to her mom Rowena, she was also recruited to play on an upcoming album by Dave Bickler.

Yours truly with the band after the performance.

If you're not familiar with that name, you do recognize some of his work. He was the original lead singer of the band Survivor and sang on the #1 song "Eye of the Tiger", from the Rocky III soundtrack. That song came in at #65 on my 1982 year-end list. The following album, 1983's Caught in the Game, yielded a less successful follow up in the title track, but still hit #91 on my year-end list for that year. Bickler left the band after that album. You might also recognize him from the "Real Men of Genius" commercials for Bud Light; he is the one singing after the announcer speaks. Bickler was also a member of the group Jamestown Massacre which had a minor hit back in 1972, "Summer Sun" which landed in my #45 spot on that year's list.

As for the rest of the day? Last week I had said that I had wanted to check out the smaller, library stage of up-and-coming artists, but I missed a few that I had wanted to see. While I did get a glimpse of The Saxsations three guys from the high school who wailed on their saxes (they did a great rendition of The Four Seasons' "December 1963 (Oh What a Night)", as well as one song from acoustic guitarist Alek Speck, and a few numbers from the duo of Isabelle Latore and Reanna Saldana (who were known previously as the Quaranteens), including a cover of "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette, I missed out on two I really wanted to see: Jennifer Cintron, and Ryan Chatelain. I had added one song each to my blog playlist (compiled before I went to the festival). I just missed Jennifer, who had just packed up her guitar and was leaving as I got there! Bummer. Apparently, Chatelain had played last year and I missed that performance then as well.

Back to the Breakwater stage, unlike last year when much of the musicians were aspiring artists with some recorded music out (Johnny Woods, Alexis Morrast, Swingadelic). This year, aside from Colorjoy, much of the music played were covers spanning the late 20th century, and/or by bands who have been around that long. The second band on the stage were Little Jimmy and the Starlites, playing the music we grew up with, from The Temptations' "Get Ready" to "I'm a Believer" and "Daydream Believer" by The Monkees. They were followed by Verdict, a reggae band who I had seen several times back in the 1990's. You can never go wrong with a reggae band of this silk, providing that "all day music" that befits festivals like this (not to mention cruise ships). The song I wanted to hear the most from them, came at their very last number "Cent...Five Cent...Ten Cent...Dollar". While I don't know the exact name of the song, or who originally did it, I always associated it with Verdict.

Reggae band Verdict

The last band that I saw was the Ed Palmiero Big Band. While the name suggested swing music (like last year's Swingadelic), and the multi-unit ensemble resembled one, the music was, in keeping with the Little Jimmy band, music from the past few decades, with a twist. While the band normally plays Frank Zappa covers, except for the lead song, they embarked on long-running jams incorporating their "favorite parts" of several songs: You could hear a rift for one song, then move completely into another. It was a refreshing take on decades of music that we originally listened to.

By about 5 PM, I pretty much was beat. My friend Gene who I hung out with much of the time, left, and I did the same, heading over to Frenchy's Bar, also in Roselle Park. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, I missed out on the headliners, Afro Dominicano again. Hopefully, the third time will be a charm to see them.

Congratulations are in store to all those who put on this festival, which was not just music, but art in all its forms. But a special thanks to Al Walcoff, who again contracted these bands to play.

MEANWHILE: While the focus of this blog was my hometown, several states down the eastern seaboard, Carolina beach music is still rampant on the blog chart. For the second week in a row, the Carolina Blue Dots have the list topper with "Cruzin' Down the Boulevard". That marks five straight weeks that a song in this genre has held the top spot. However, The Black Keys move up to #2 with "It Ain't Over" and are one notch away from the duo's eighth blog number one. It moves ahead of The Carolina Coast Band's "The Thing About You", still number one on a couple of beach lists. Main Event Band's "Poor Side of Town" which, while peaking at #2 here, has been number one on John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 for several weeks running; falls to #7 here this week.

STYLES STILL DOMINATING: On the Billboard Hot 100, Harry Styles' 'As It Was" logs a 14th week at #1. That ties it with several other songs and only three songs have been at the top longer. The record is 19 weeks, set three years ago by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, with "Old Town Road". Here, Styles moves back up to 4, after being as low as #11 two weeks ago. It had logged two weeks at #1 previously here. While "Old Town Road" did have four weeks at the top of my blog chart, I didn't add that song until it was #1 for eleven weeks. "As It Was" was added right at the start, and after a slow rise to the top, it has been hanging around. The song recently placed at #2 on my "Songs of the Summer" list, and #1 on Billboard's.

"As It Was", with only two months remaining in Billboard's survey to determine the #1 song of the year, pretty much looks like a lock for the crown. If the year ended today, it would be #2 here, behind Deb Browning and Six Piece Suits' "Take Me By the Hand". But while that song is descending, Styles' song is still garnering major points. If "As It Was" prevails, it could be the first song since 2017 to top both year-end lists, last done by Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You". It would also be the fourth synchronous honor since I started my blog in 2010. It is interesting to point out that in the four years since then, none of my #1 songs on my list even made Billboard's year-end tally, and only one, 2019's "I've Been Waiting", by Lil Peep and ILoveMakonnen featuring Fall Out Boy, even made the weekly Hot 100 at all. With Deb Browning's "3 More Minutes" also hanging tough at #5, it should be an interesting race for my number one song of the year,

West Coast singer-songwriter Juliet Callahan, promoting much of her material through social media, grabs Top 20 Impact of the Week honors with "Burning" (27-13). New Jersey indie rockers Isn't It Always? is the only other new entry in the top 20 with "Rock Star".

Starbuck, best known for their 1976 hit "Moonlight Feels Right", as they appeared back then.

MOONLIGHT STILL FEELS RIGHT: Last week, I had added "You're the Reason" by Starbuck and wondered whether it was the band that hit with "Moonlight Feels Right" back in 1976. A little more research showed that it is, or at least the lead singer is. The band's new album Starbuck 2022 was written by Bruce Blackman, who was the lead singer now and then. While I am still not sure if there are any original members of the band, since Blackman is, it's assumed that it's a direct descendant of the original. While Wikipedia still shows that they hadn't been together since 2016 (they originally split in 1980), the "Moonlight Feels Right" Facebook page does promote the new album. So far, none of the local beach music charts have listed the song, but it does move up the John Hook's Beach Music Top 40 survey. It'll be interesting to see if the song is accepted by the Myrtle Beach community.

"Moonlight Feels Right", peaked at #3 Billboard in 1976, and landed at #13 on my year-end tally for that year. While the band is considered a one hit wonder, they had a few more lower chart entries. A personal favorite of mine was the follow-up "I Got to Know". While it only got to #43 on Billboard, it came in at #37 on my year-end list in 1976. "You're the Reason" is the Mover of the Week, going up to #29 this week.

DEBUTS: What's the best way to keep making the charts when you're in your seventies? Ask Elton John, who has the Top Debut this week, in a duet with Britney Spears, "Hold Me Closer". Last year, Elton, along with Dua Lipa hit the Top Ten with "Cold Heart", which encompassed four of Elton's prior songs originally released between 1972 and 1989. The song hit #7 both here and Billboard, and even topped some Carolina beach lists in the process. This time, the focus is on Elton's 1972 entry, "Tiny Dancer". Like the prior song, he has no new input on this, it's just a remix with Spears' vocals added in. The song also incorporates Elton's 1992 hit "The One" in the mix. It's Britney's first entry onto my blog, but it's also her first release since she won her conservatorship case against her father.

The song debuted at #6 a couple weeks ago. While it since dropped into the 20's on Billboard, it's still climbing airplay charts, and, like its predecessor, enters John Hook's Beach Music Top 40.

Other debuts include the latest from Lovelytheband, "Sail Away", a sort of upbeat, midtempo, rhythm romp; Panic! at the Disco's latest "Don't Let the Light Go Out", which has a bit more feeling and emotion than "Viva Las Vengeance". It has more of a pop flair, and while it still won't get the mass acceptance of a 'High Hopes", it's a pop/rock gem that should top the #20 "Viva...".

The beach music entry this week is the Randy Clay Band's "Carolina Night", a rock-tinged soul effort which should make some noise. Finally, the two artists from Roselle Park's festival, Jen Cintron's "Run" and Ryan Chatelain's "Static" enter. "Run" is a soulful, well produced rock romp with snazzy instrumentation. I wondered how or if she performed this song at the festival. Regardless, this should be a blog hit, and should get bigger with each listen. Chatelain's song is fully in the rock lane, combining the Jersey sound, with 70's rock and 90's guitar distortion. Both songs should do well on my chart.

Which should make up for missing both artists at the Roselle Park festival.

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

September 8, 2022 (Week ending September 24)

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	1	NUMBER ONE: CAROLINA BLUE DOTS "Cruzin' Down the Boulevard" (Single Only) (2 weeks at #1)	5
2	3	The Black Keys - It Ain't Over	12
3	2	Carolina Coast Band ft Rhonda McDaniel - The Thing About You	13
4	6	Harry Styles - As It Was●	23
5	5	Deb Browning - 3 More Minutes●	19
6	9	Harry Styles - Late Night Talking	9
7	4	Main Event Band ft Sharon Woodruff - Poor Side of Town	16
8	14	King Tappa - Are You Feeling It?	8
9	11	O.A.R. - In the Clouds	11
10	7	Rick Strickland - Sandy	15
11	18	Metric - All Comes Crashing	13
12	15	The Tonez - Me and My Music	15
13	27	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: JULIET CALLAHAN "Burning" (Single Only)	5
14	19	Tim Izzard - The Night I Played Ziggy's Guitar	12
15	10	Einstein's Dad - White Shoulders Lace and Leather	11
16	8	The AZIZ Project - Thought I Was Falling In Love	10
17	13	Foals - 2am	14
18	12	Main Event Band ft Sharon Woodruff - Hello Stranger	17
19	20	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - In My '64	12
20	22	Isn't It Always - Rock Star	9
21	26	Øff Guard - B.L.U.	7
22	39	Steve Lacy - Bad Habit	3
23	23	Ellie Goulding ft Big Sean - Easy Lover	6
24	38	Carolina Dreamers - Hey Girl Hey Boy	2
25	21	Lesa Hudson - Breathless	19
26	25	Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Any Other Love	11
27	17	Jimmy Eat World -Something Loud	10
28	16	Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill	14
29	48	MOVER OF THE WEEK: STARBUCK "You're the Reason" Album: Starbuck 2022	2
30	32	Salt Luvs Pepper ft David Cornelius - Lovin' Arms	16
31	34	David F. Porfirio - Hathor	8
32	35	Beyonce - Break My Soul	6
33	24	Lizzo - About Damn Time	15
34	33	Halsey - So Good	12
35	44	Orbis Max with Tim Izzard - Elvis Has Left the Building	5
36	52	OneRepublic - I Ain't Worried	5
37	29	Sia - Unstoppable	19
38	28	Fitz and the Tantrums - Sway	13
39	31	Maneskin - Supermodel	16
40	41	Michigander - Stay Out of It	7
41	30	Vance Joy - Clarity	21
42	37	Deb Browning and Six Piece Suits - Take Me By The Hand●	26
43	40	The Regrettes - Barely On My Mind	12
44	54	Doyle Wood and Sylvia Johns Ritchie - Not Tonight (I Have a Heartche)	3
45	47	Weezer - Records	5
46	45	Curtis Harding ft Jazmine Sullivan - Our Love	8
47	36	Wayne Free - Tequila On Ice	14
48	51	Soak - Swear Jar	6
49	46	Alvvays - Pharmacist	6
50	66	Santigold - High Priestess	3
51	55	Nick Waterhouse - Monterey	4
52	56	Gizmo Varillas - Lonely Heart	4
53	50	Dirty Heads - Life's Been Good	7
54	42	Jerry Powell and The Carnival Band ft. Dave Sandy - Merry-Go-Round	18
55	43	St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Minotaur	13
56	59	Sammy O'Banion - When Romance Was King	10
57	78	Steve Shouse - Back to 69	2
58	49	Cat5 Band - Want You In My Life	13
59	53	Carolina Blue Dots - I'm In Love With You	8
60	67	Doyle Wood and Sylvia Johns Ritchie - Days of Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses	4
61	77	beebadoobie - The Perfect Pair	2
62	60	Rivermist - Pucker Up	6
63	57	My Morning Jacket - In Color●	22
64	72	Lizzo - 2 Be Loved	3
65	71	Beaches - Grow Up Tomorrow	3
66	58	Silversun Pickups - Scared Together	6
67	63	Curtis Harding - I Won't Let You Down●	23
68	62	Chicago - If This is Goodbye	12
69	70	Death Cab For Cutie- Here To Forever	4
70	68	Sophia Carson - Come Back Home	5
71	86	The AZIZ Project - Time to Forget You Again	2
72	76	Classic Soul ft. Terri Gore - Oh Boy	4
73	---	TOP DEBUT: ELTON JOHN an BRITNEY SPEARS "Hold Me Closer" (Single Only)	1
74	83	The Killers - Boy	5
75	61	Sharon Van Etten - Mistakes	16
76	74	Sam Hunt - 23	18
77	90	Red Hot Chili Peppters - Tippa My Tongue	2
78	64	Orbis Max with Tim Izzard - Back of the Shelf	16
79	84	Goo Goo Dolls - You Are the Answer	3
80	65	Winnetka Bowling League & The Knocks - I Like to Hide in the Bathroom at Parties	15
81	93	Caamp - The Otter	2
82	---	Lovelytheband - Sail Away	1
83	---	Jennifer Cintron - Run	1
84	92	Joywave - We Are All We Need	3
85	---	Panic! At the Disco - Don't Let the Light Go Out	1
86	---	Randy Clay Band - Carolina Night	1
87	89	Bush - More Than Machines	4
88	75	Band of Oz - You to Me Are Everything	7
89	82	Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Spitting off the Edge of the World	3
90	85	The Interrupters - In the Mirror	17
91	79	Terri Gore - Summer's Gonna Last	17
92	96	OneRepublic - West Coast	10
93	69	Arkells ft. Cold War Kids - Past Life	10
94	88	The War On Drugs - Change	19
95	91	Eavesdrop - Now You Know	21
96	94	Pink - Irrelevant	4
97	97	Marcus Mumford - Grace	3
98	---	Ryan Chatelain - Static	1
99	73	Maggie Rogers - Want Want	11
100	81	My Chemical Romance - The Foundations of Decay	17