Sha Na Na Kick Off Holiday Festivities

Concert Review
Sha Na Na
Seneca Allegany Events Center
Salamanca, NY
Wednesday December 4, 2013
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto

Sha Na Na strolled into the Seneca Allegany Events Center Wednesday for an afternoon matinee and kicked off their 5 show run of Holidays shows. The fifties doo-wop band performed several songs from that era and several holiday classics as well.

Next year Sha Na Na will celebrate their 45th anniversary as a band. Donny York and Jocko Marcellino have been there from the start. Keyboardist “Screamin” Scott Simon joined the band not too long after their infamous Woodstock appearance. The rest of the band today is rounded out by bassist Tim Butler, guitarist Gene Jaramillo, drummer Paul Kimbarow and saxophonist “Downtown” Michael Brown.

The show was divided into two segments. The first segment featured the band’s regular set of fifties and sixties classic and the more well-known songs the band has performed over the years.

The band played such prominent classics as “Save The Last Dance For Me,” “A Teenager In Love,” and “California Sun” among many others. Simon then talked about how the band has had a remarkable career with their Woodstock appearance, then how they had a successful television show which brought him to the successful Grease soundtrack for which they were happy to be a part of. He jokingly remarked how the producers wanted a man by the name of John Travolta to sing the song “Sandy” for which Simon helped penned the lyrics to before the band broke into the gem.

The second part of the show focused on the holidays songs including many that appeared on their Christmas album released in 2001.

No Sha Na Na show is complete without the classic “Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Here To Stay” followed by the song that used to close the band’s television show each night, “Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight.”

For those who wish to relive the classic sounds of the fifties this would be the show for you to see. With the addition of the holiday music it makes it a no brainer and a fantastic way to begin your holiday season. Happy Holidays!

Set List
At The Hop
Peppermint Twist
Wilie & The Hand Jive
Hokey Pokey
Save The Last Dance For Me
Sixteen Candles
Tequila/Honky Tonk
California Sun
Shake That Thang
Chantilly Lace
A Teenager In Love
Still Of The Night
Hound Dog
Sandy
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree
Santa’a On A Diet
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
You’re All I Want For Christmas
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Feliz Navidad
Blue Christmas
Dreidel
Silent Night
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman
White Christmas
Whole Lotta Shakin
Run Rudolph Run
Rock N Roll Is Here To Stay/See You Later Alligator/Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight