O Come, O Come, Manny!

 Rockapella in NY

Friday, December 9, 2022

South Orange Performing Arts Center

South Orange, New Jersey

Sorry for this huge delay between Rockapella blogs and regular blogs!  I've been kind of an organizational mess, so just taking out my laptop to type looked like a chore to me and I've been lazy.  But I'm on vacation now, and Drum Corps is happening soon, so I've got a bunch of catching up to do!  Let's see if I can remember anything that happened seven months ago outside of my notes, or even inside my notes, because you know, my writing in the dark is not always legible.  :)

First off, yes, I know that New Jersey and New York are different states, so my headline is kind of confusing.  It's just kind of how I labeled this particular trip, and it will help me later when I search for it.  OK, all of the apologies are out of the way.  Let's get to blogging, Sher!!!

We walked across the street to get breakfast at Starbucks.   We would have gotten breakfast in the hotel, but we arrived just as they had shut off the lights in the breakfast area.   I got us seats by the window so that we could get some warmth from the sun.  I may have gotten us too much sun, because then it got really warm, especially when the hot drink kicked in.  They used little snowman stickers to close our bags, and I put mine on my sweatshirt.  

Snowman seems anxious

We didn't want to risk being late due to all of the transit issues that could happen, so I called for our Lyft after just a couple of hours, and we went to Farmingdale Station.  It was a lot less crowded than when we had arrived the night before.  It was also a lot easier to ride the train because I didn't have luggage.  Our train gradually got full as we picked up folks on the way, including what looked like a team of college athletes.  

Scotcherbreadman also liked riding the train

We arrived at NY Penn Station, and we were a little bit confused at first, trying to look for where we should board the train.  There was also a little waiting area that seemed separate from all of the hubbub, and I wasn't sure if we were supposed to be there.  We eventually figured out that we should wait downstairs from that area.  I'm sure glad we had each other so we could use both brains!  I did like that the station was decorated for Christmas.

I made a seat for Scotcherbreadman

When we arrived at South Orange station, we saw that it was a short walk to the theater.  I mean, REALLY short.  Like, the building was next to, if not sharing walls with, the train station.  There was also a movie theater as part of the venue, so the door was open, and we went inside and talked to the lady in the box office.  I can't remember why we talked to her, but we did hear the guys doing their sound check.  So we were in the right place!  We saw that there was a Japanese restaurant across the alley, and decided to eat dinner there.

Bento Box at Ariyoshi

After dinner, we still had lots of time (told you we left early), so we walked around town a little bit.  It was cold, but the fresh air was nice to walk in.  There was a little park next to the train station where the different things to play with were musical instruments.

    

Oh, and animals, too.

Nunchuk drum mallets?

View of train station from
 a couple of blocks away

Beautiful Farmingdale Fire Station

We returned to the SOPAC and we were still early, so we hung out in the lobby.  They were setting up the SOPAC souvenir table, so we talked to the gal, and she told us that the band was allowing for video to be taken.  But you know, I'm too busy writing to focus on all of that.  Bro bought SOPAC socks because he liked the colors.  

Socks Purchase

Can you see Rockapella in this pic?

As we were waiting, Stacey walked in and we gave big hugs.  I told her that I decided to surprise everyone, so I wasn't posting anything on social media yet.  As we were talking, Scott walked into the lobby, and I waved at him and loudly said, "SURPRISE!!!"  He said, "Sherry?!  What are you doing here?!"  I told him that we were there for the NY and NJ shows.  I was really happy that my surprise worked.  Bro said that the other guys would soon find out that we were there because of course he told them.  I thought they might have other stuff to talk about, but later they didn't seem surprised to see me when they took the stage, so maybe Bro was right. Once Scott left, Stacey went to the movie concessions stand to get some veggie empanadas.  Yes, at the movie theater.  They do not have such food at the movie theaters I go to, but they are also not collocated with a theater, so what the heck do I know?

Our seats were at front row center because hello, we did come all the way across the country to see them!  The floor was wobbly due to the fact that there would normally be an orchestra pit in that area

Look at the happy faces!

Standing next to the set list

The New Jersey Youth Chorus sang a few songs to open the show.

Rockapella

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

I got waves from JT and Geo!  GEO!!!!  I mean, I knew he would be there, but I've missed that voice so, so much!

CSL4 was wearing his Valentine heart.  He is Yukon Cornelius.  He was also having issues with the spinning microphone on the mic stand.

Hope We Hold

CSL4 said that when they were in Michigan, 2 people had seen them before.  When he asked that crowd who celebrates Hanukkah, there were crickets.  Now that they're in Jersey, there was much more noise for both.

Dreidel

SPIN THE DREIDEL!  Do you know how much I've missed seeing Geo do that??  A LOT.  

I wrote down Manny's last name 3 times before I heard it correctly and spelled it right.  Welcome, Manny Houston!

Silver Bells

It was at this point that I finally noticed that Scott had cut his hair.  Either I had just noticed, or I just wrote it down at that point of the show.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

I love the interaction between CSL4 and Geo.  The whistle!!!  It's been a long time since I've heard that live.  

Glow Worm

How they sounded in the 1930s.  JT's drummed on his own face, then caressed his own cheek, only pausing to slap himself on the butt.  He said that he "will need little velvet gloves to last the tour."

Winter Wonderland

I love that, and I've missed Elvis.

Manny joined for the Christmas tour, and he also performs in "Freestyle Love Supreme" starring Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime

That Nutcracker portion is soooo good!

CSL4:  "Y'all like Rudolph?"  Cheers from the audience. "Giuliani?" No cheers.  He talked about the reindeer and not wanting to watch on DVD/streaming because "I want to watch it when the rest of the country is watching it, in front of the TV, in my onesies."  He was irritated when he saw on the screen, "Upgrade to see program."  "I've known Rudolph since he was born." I can't remember who said to him, "I had to stream," and CSL4 retorted, "You're part of the problem!"  

Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

Wait.  Have they always said "Nixon" instead of "Vixen"?  Is that why JT does the "V" sign?  I thought it was because it starts with a V.  

"YAHTZEEEEE!!!!

It is like "American Idol" at Christmastime in CJ's house with his big family, and his uncle sitting in the corner with his arms crossed like he's Simon Cowell.

Merry Christmas, Darling

Ahhhh, Cal on that ad lib!  Like buttah.

Wait.  CSL4 discovered Calvin?!?  I don't think so.  I'm pretty sure that someone with the initials of FFE brought him to the group's attention.

CSL4: "Welcome back the legend, George Baldi III!" "It was from 2012 until when you...got incarcerated?  No, that's not nice.  Now you're back in the fold."

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer

"T Bone"

Geo chewing on the "R"s makes it funnier.  My cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing.

Don't Be Late

"CALVINNNNNNNN!"  

"Me, I want a Kardashian"...and "Rockapella DVDs."

Manny, not that kind of "pitching" wedge.  It's supposed to be about golf, although, like you, I prefer baseball.

Jingle Bell Rock

Please Come Home for Christmas

Geo called me over to the stage!!!!!  HI!  Aw, he remembers that this is our song!  M..e..l..t!

Kwanzaa

I love their dancing.

CSL4 asked Stacey what she wanted for Hanukkah.

Ciran wants a stuffed animal snake.  She's wearing a unicorn.  I love her.

"We're going to try to convince Santa Claus to bring your Hanukkah presents."

Santa Claus is Comin' To Town

Ciran sang!  

CSL4: "Santa's gonna come for 8 days in a row."

Geo: "I was incarcerated by a comopany that's called Banker's Life.  We might have been calling you.  Answer your phone, New Jersey!"  He talked about getting back into the tour: "So many songs and you get to hear different renditions of what is in other people's hearts.  What an honor to remember all of the Rockapella songs that I haven't sung for 6 years."  Then he brought his Whitney.  "It's not a tenor 'cause you just squeeze your butt cheeks together to get there."  

At work, he manages different characters.  Like....

The Grinch

That was worth the entire trip!

CSL4: "We're glad you're back."

Geo:  "I can't believe how much I remembered.  It was the hardest thing for me to walk away from, but I knew they would save a place for me."

Sherry (in her head):  SAVE?????

CSL4: "That's the perfect segue."

Auld Lang Syne

I'M CRYING.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Nice, Manny!!

Angels We Have Heard On High

Encore

All I Want for Christmas Is You

Thank you, Sound Guy, Nate!

CSL4 was talking about "Do It Rockapella" and some guy yelled it out.  "You gave us the go ahead!"

Carmen

Hold Out for Christmas  (off mic)

"Merry Christmas, everybody."

The going away music was I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas!!!

Meet and Greet

The guys were scattered about, so we walked up to wherever they were and I asked to take a photo with each one. Thank you, Bro, for taking most of the photos of us!

I said hi to Jesse and Natalie, and introduced them to Bro.  I asked CSL if I could meet Lisa and he introduced us.  She took lots of pics of us together.  I actually wanted a pic of all 3 of us, but I was good with just CSL4, too.

I apologized to JT for not waiting for him after the show in Thousand Oaks.  Stacey thanked him for his help with the WITWICS parody song during the signing show.

I got big hugs from Cal.  I've missed his hugs and I apologized for not baking but it's a long way, and you know, luggage.  I'm glad he could come out and give hugs.

Manny talked about Freestyle Love Supreme and going back and forth between Pella shows and Vegas.  He will be there full time in January.  He told us to hit him up on Instagram when we go.  "Manny" is short for "Emmanuel".  "I guess that's Christmas-y.  

Sher: "Yes, it actually IS Christmas!  O Come, O Come, Manny!"  He laughed.

I thanked Geo for the stage love.  He seems happy to be on stage again.  His mom keeps the book I made for him at her house because he doesn't want to lose it from moving so much.  I told Bro about Geo's indoor pool.  Geo said it was a good bachelor pad and now his girlfriend is changing everything.  He said that he found God and has been following wherever He leads.  He is serious about this girlfriend.  I asked if there is a ring in his pocket.  He said "Not this pocket, but another one; it's going to happen pretty soon."  His daughter got married and he's going to be a grandpa!  She was kinda tired when at his house after her honeymoon and wouldn't take offers of wine.  She couldn't get a hold of him to tell him about the baby and ended up just leaving a balloon for him with an announcement that the baby is a girl.  Oh, I'm so happy for him!  

We needed to catch the train to get back, and Stacey got on with us.  The Leonards were on our train, too.  The nice thing about Penn Station being so busy is that it's not scary to be there late at night.  I saw a girl crying and I hope she was OK soon after that.  The rest of train ride and Lyft home were thankfully eventful.

Even with the time difference, I was still too tired from the traveling to blog.  I was just very, very happy to see a Rockapella Christmas show again!

Next up:  Free Day