PHOTO BY NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD
Peter Noone in concert Friday night at Lynn Auditorium.
By Bill Brotherton
LYNN — Veterans Day turned into veterans night Friday at Lynn Auditorium. The co-headliners — Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone and Jay and the Americans — had their first hits in 1964 and 1962 respectively and both have toured in various incarnations since.
These veterans hark back to a more innocent time, just before the United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War escalated. Their radio hits about love, dancing and pining for Mrs. Brown’s lovely daughter soon gave way to “Eve of Destruction,” “For What It’s Worth” and other protest songs. This double bill was terrific nostalgic entertainment for lovers of sixties pop music; my collection of 45s includes most of the songs that were performed Friday night.
Noone and his Hermits, veterans of the British Invasion, finished the evening with 90 minutes of high-energy fun. Noone, surprisingly only 69 years old (he was 15 when the band’s first hit “I’m Into Something Good” was released), is a fantastic charismatic frontman. The guy’s a pro: He did his homework and referenced many local people, places and things, such as getting lost in Revere, the abundance of Dunkin’ Donuts shops and, when a gent in the front row dropped a CD tossed his way, he namechecked Bill Buckner. He got the near-capacity crowd to sing the chorus “I’m at Lynn Auditorium in Lynn Massachusetts” during a cover of “Do Wah Diddy Diddy.”
These days, Noone, who still has that groovy mop-top hair and toothy grin, travels with a talented foursome of hired hands that does justice to the Hermits’ pop gems. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen an audience respond so positively to a performer, particularly during the band’s closing salvo of classics “No Milk Today,” “The End of the World,” “Can You Hear My Heartbeat,” “Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and, especially, “I’m Henery the Eighth, I Am,” with its rousing chorus and Noone’s overly affected British accent. “Dandy,” “Listen People” and “There’s a Kind of Hush” also brought folks back to the days when worries were few and rock ‘n’ roll radio was king.
The theatrical Noone is a hoot, equal parts stand-up comic and singer. He’s also a fine mimic, delivering amusing impersonations of Tom Jones (“It’s Not Unusual”), the Monkees’ Davy Jones (“Daydream Believer”) and Johnny Cash (“Ring of Fire”). The set was heavy with covers of British Invasion hits, including Freddy and the Dreamers’ “I’m Telling You Now,” The Yardbirds’ “For Your Love” and Gerry and the Pacemakers’ “Ferry Cross the Mersey.” No “Leaning on a Lamppost,” though; I would’ve liked to have heard that.
Jay and the Americans, in the opening slot, were equally entertaining, though in a more doo-wop, fifties way. Their show would fit in well with those programs PBS airs during its annual beg-athons.
Original member Sandy Deanne and long-timers Marty Sanders and Jay Reincke — the third “Jay” to assume the lead vocalist role — and their 5-piece USA band wowed with a set that was filled with humor and classic tunes from back in the day.
Dressed in red (slacks and shoes), white (jerseys) and blue (pleather jackets) on this Veterans Day, the crowd went crazy for their show, nodding approval whenever a long-ago song was sung. The pre-Beatles rave-up of “Some Enchanted Evening” and the percussion-heavy “Only in America” segued into vintage treats like “She Cried,” “Save the Last Dance For Me” and “Cara Mia,” which brought the audience to its feet for an extended ovation. A three-song tribute to former touring mate Roy Orbison (“Crying,” featuring Reincke’s strong, deep voice) was a standout. The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and “Walking in the Rain” drew loud applause, as did “Come a Little Closer” and “This Magic Moment,” the perfectly written pop song that closed the set.
Early during the show, Jay and company thanked veterans for their service and asked vets in attendance to stand. About 50 gentlemen did. The audience roared and clapped for more than a minute. “Every day as far as we’re concerned in Veterans Day,” said the band members. As their hit song states: “Only in America/Can a guy from anywhere/Go to sleep a pauper/And wake up a millionaire. Only in America/Can a kid without a cent/Get a break and maybe/Grow up to be President.”
These veteran performers were certainly presidential on Veterans Day.
Bill Brotherton can be reached at: [email protected]