By Doug Deutsch
Tony Marts Presents “Rockin’ The Point”with the Billy WaltonBand (BWB) every Thursday at The Point beginning Thursday, June 22 from 7-11 pm. Free to the public; 21 and over. 998 Bay Avenue, Somers Point.
“For our Residency at The Point, we’ll dig into our back catalog, play some favorites, debut new songs, and jam on some classic covers,” says guitarist Billy Walton. “We even put our stamp on some more current songs. There’s something for everyone.”
“The Billy Walton Band is a musical chameleon,” he adds. “We take the rock/blues/soul template and add psychedelic jams, and also mix in New Orleans-style grooves. The Jersey Shore vibe is in there, too, whether it’s the show, the saxophone, or the vocals. Wherever we go, people seem to get it. It just seems to resonate.”
The Billy Walton Band, formed in 2007, grew out of the rich musical heritage of the active Jersey Shore music scene, and found its groove when Billy connected with bassist William Paris. The subsequent additions of Tom Petraccaro on sax, Eric Safka on Hammond B3, and Daniel Gonzalez on drums, solidified BWB as a major musical force, including ongoing yearly tours not just in the US, but across Europe as well; they’ve done over forty UK/European tours. It was the arrival of vocalist extraordinaire Destinee Monroe, however, that helped propel the group to a whole new level of popularity.
Fronted by guitar wiz and colorful guitarist-vocalist Billy Walton (Southside Johnny, Little Steven, Gary US Bonds) and the lovely, talented vocalist-guitarist Destinee Monroe (herself once signed to major label Interscope Records), the Billy Walton Band, renowned for their electric, high-energy shows — have a solid, dedicated fan base which continues to grow daily. In addition to blues rock fans, the jam-band scene has also embraced BWB.
In addition to their 2023 Thursday night Summer Residency at The Point — itself known for their around-the-block lines of people during the Summer — Billy Walton Band is set to perform at Havana in New Hope, PA on July 7; Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City on July 8; Angelsea Blues Festival in Wildwood on July 16; and Rye Bread Music & Arts Festival in Schaghticoke, NY on July 25-26.
