Tune In, Turn On
By Doug Deutsch
Over the three months between Memorial Day and Labor Day there will be no shortage of entertainment options, enough big-name casino shows and local/area bands/events to satisfy virtually any culture vulture.
No Losers Here: One of the truly unique events taking place this Summer is North To Shore, three culture-filled weeks of music, comedy, film and technology, taking place in Atlantic City June 4 through June 11 (the other dates/locations are Asbury Park (June 14-18) and Newark (June 21-25).
In Atlantic City, events will be taking place throughout the week, at a myriad of locations. One that really caught our attention: Joe McGinty and The Losers Lounge, who perform at the Anchor Rock Club in AC on June 8. McGinty – based in New York but also with a home here in Ventnor – is a respected composer, arranger, bandleader and keyboardist based in New York City.
The Losers Lounge, which McGinty formed and curates, is a New York City nightlife institution whose past celebrity guest performers have included Richard Dreyfuss, Moby, Parker Posey, Debbie Harry, Lee Hazlewood, Paul Williams, Cyndi Lauper, John Cameron Mitchell, Fred Schneider, Joey Ramone, John Flansburg of They Might Be Giants, Ronnie Spector, Anne Magnuson, Michael Cerveris, Joan Jett, Ian Hunter, Fred Armisen, and many more.
They were the house band for Comedy Central’s “Night of Too Many Stars” benefit for autism education; AmfAR (backing Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Elton John and Dionne Warwick); plus several MoveOn events and The David Lynch Foundation.
McGinty also owns Sid Gold’s Request Bar, a retro-piano-karaoke bar with locations in New York City, Nashville, and Detroit, in addition to owning/operating Carousel Vintage Recording Studios in Brooklyn. Oh, and he once was a member of renowned post-punk group The Psychedelic Furs.
“I was born in Atlantic City and grew up nearby,” said McGinty in a recent email interview, when asked what the Atlantic City/Jersey Shore area means to him personally. “My family ran the cable company here for many years, so I have deep roots! My first professional gig was playing with the lounge act “Franco and Mary Jane” at Resorts International in 1983. I’m always rooting for AC to make a comeback and it’s exciting seeing all of the positive things going on here. And North2Shore is one of them. It’s great to be involved!”
Asked to describe the Losers Lounge in more detail, McGinty replies, “The Loser’s Lounge started out as a loose collective of local New York musicians that would get together to pay tribute to artists that may have been under-appreciated at the time. At any given show, the band backs up over twenty different singers, each doing their interpretation of a song from the artists’ catalog. Everything from crowd-pleasing hits to lesser-known deep cuts.
“When it started it was a bit ragtag, but as the show has grown (and the audience has grown) the band has become super tight, and we’ve had stars from Broadway, stage and screen and popular music join us in the show. There’s also a bit of an Atlantic City connection to the name: When driving to Atlantic City, you’re bombarded with billboards advertising the “High Rollers Club,” “Big Winners Lounge” and the like. I thought it would be nice to have a place where the losers can hang out and have fun, too.”
Come on out to the Anchor June 8 and see Joe McGinty and the Losers Lounge, where every loser is actually a winner!
Other Memorial Day Happenings: Ill Rendition, an AC-based indie rock trio, will provide the music this Saturday, May 27 at the opening of the Outdoor Deck at The Vue, the scenic rooftop lounge at The Claridge located 23 stories above the ground. Go for the view at the Vue, it can’t be beat.
Ventnor City Summer Beach Jams: If you’re a bicycle rider as we are, check out 2023’s first Ventnor Summer Beach Jam, also this Saturday, on Newport Avenue Beach right off the Boardwalk, with The Citron Band bringing their Latin-flavored sounds beginning at 6 p.m.
Other scheduled acts include popular AC Top 40 party band No Pressure (June 10); Jersey Tenors (opera-rock 4 Seasons tribute) on July 1; and Parrott Beach (Jimmy Buffet tribute) on Aug. 19. Family friendly and free (and, you can ride your bike to the shows). Full summer schedule at https://www.facebook.com/ventnorcityspecialevents.
Let’s Dance: WLFR 91.7 FM Lake Fred Radio is in the house at the Anchor this Saturday as well, with Lauree, Fones, Baby Sinister (Phoebe) and Bob Portella spinning starting at 8PM. Rock, punk, funk, indie, hip hop and more will keep you dancing all night. You know their shows, now see them live on Saturday! #alternative #WLFR #AnchorRockClub.
