Yacht Rock the Boat, 13 June
I won tickets to this SiriusXM "Yacht Rock the Boat" show, which was literally on boat cruising the Hudson river from 41st street to the Battery. Even though it was a very busy week at work, I couldn't turn down the opportunity to see Christopher Cross and Kenny Loggins ON. A. BOAT. Despite the fact the the deck with the stage was sweltering and it took my friend & me 45 minutes to get off the boat at the end of the night, this was a completely amazing experience. Christopher Cross was as chill as ever, and Kenny Loggins is a force. He sounds fantastic (thanks to some recent singing lessons, per his new memoir) and his band is super talented and enthusiastic (his bass player brings me so much joy). Kenny played a tight ten-song set list that included his biggest hits from L&M to his 80s soundtrack hits to his 90s resurgence. I was mere feet away from Kenny, which, combined with the enthusiasm of the crowd and the heat of the evening, created a dream-like, pinch-me experience. Going to a Kenny Loggins club show on a boat is not something I’ll soon forget.
2. New Kids on the Block Mixtape TourI went to this concert because Rick Astley was part of the line-up, and Rick did an amazing job singing four of his biggest hits to a packed arena. But NKOTB, En Vogue, and Salt N Pepa were all excellent as well. The New Kids especially seemed to be having the time of their life, and while I was too young to have been into them in their heyday, their energy at this show was infectious. Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, and Joey McIntyre especially were hamming it up any chance they could get. They were in turns delightful and awkward (the amount of bare skin sometimes verged on creating a Chippendales vibe) to watch.
Sony Hall, 14 October
Orfeh & Andy are always a delight, but this was by far their best concert yet. It was at Sony Hall, and the larger stage meant they could have a larger band and just "go big" all around. They added lots of new songs to their repertoire, including Bruno Mars's "Treasure" and TLC's "No Scrubs." However, the highlight of the evening for me was the Andy-led cover of Rick Astley's "Together Forever" as part of their encore - it was a truly wonderful and unforgettable moment that made me giddy.
Adler Hall at NY Society For Ethical Culture, 29 October
This show was postponed several times, but seeing Richard Marx live was well worth the wait! He is a cool dude, a gifted songwriter, and an engaging performer. This was a solo acoustic show, and he played all his hits, took requests, and developed a great rapport with his audience. He clearly loves performing and showing off a bit, but is down-to-earth about it all.
Beacon Theatre, 25 October
Despite a tall man standing in front of me and a generally obnoxious audience, I really enjoyed this show. It has taken me a while to come around to liking Charlie Puth, but I admire his audio geekery, and he is damn good at crafting songs. He seemed to be having fun performing, and thus was fun to watch and to listen to. Plus, he just has so many bops.
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