Date/Time
Date(s) - 08/18/2018
8:00 pm - 10:15 pm
Location
Hopewell Theater
Category(ies)
There was a time when the Jersey Shore represented the best in American entertainment. Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, the Rat Pack, Dick Clark, Chubby Checker, they all made stops on the Jersey Shore. Tony Mart’s was the club Levon Helm was playing when Dylan called.
Of course we all know what happened in Asbury Park. The town, ravaged by riots in the late 60’s, became a melting pot of musical experimentation. Late night jams that ended when the sun came up were the norm. Bruce Springsteen & Southside Johnny were the two acts that made their way to an international stage from these humble beginnings.
For decades musicians have come and gone, always hoping to make a living and pursue a dream. Billy Walton is no different. Billy’s proving ground was Long Beach Island. There he was chaperoned from gig to gig by his Mom, two young to drive around and enter the clubs on his own. He always was up for a jam and looking to learn some tricks. For years Billy spent his time sharpening his skills, developing his stage act until he decided to step up to center stage with the Billy Walton Band.
The band has focused its’ effort in Europe. 13 tours since 2007 have established the group in the fertile British Blues Rock scene. In 2010 Billy got the call to join in with one of the masters of the Asbury Park sound, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. For years Billy toured with the Jukes. Most people don’t know that the creative force behind Southside was none other than Little Steven. A highpoint in Billy’s tenure with the Jukes was when they recorded a live version of Southside’s most acclaimed release, Hearts of Stone, with Little Steven.
Good things have been happening to the Billy Walton Band. The band recently signed to Vizztone Records for the release of Wish For What You Want. Produced by Tony Braunagel, the award winning BMA producer and current Eric Burdon drummer, this batch of songs will certainly take the band to the next level!
You can say Bruce Springsteen is a singer songwriter fronting an old-school rock n soul band. Southside Johnny is a soul singer fronting an old-school rock n soul band. Billy Walton is the guitar hero fronting the old-school rock n soul band. The horns are the common thread.
Find out why so many people are getting excited about the Billy Walton Band!
Joe D’Angelo will open this show.
Joe D’Angelo is an American drummer, vocalist and songwriter. Born and raised in Piscataway, New Jersey, he currently resides in Dallas, Texas where he quickly found his way onto the Texas country and blues music scenes. He frequently performs with Texas greats such as Marc Benno (Leon Russell, The Doors, Stevie Ray Vaughan), Jeremy Lynn Woodall (Billy Joe Shaver), Tim Alexander (Asleep At The Wheel, Reverend Horton Heat), Buddy Whittington (John Mayall), Tommy Spurlock (Roseanne Cash, Keith Richards), and Rob Ware (Black Oak Arkansas, Glenn Hughes).
While in his native New Jersey, Joe occasionally performs Vince Martell (Vanilla Fudge), and Buddy Miller (Robert Plant, Emmy Lou Harris). He has also become a staple as a drummer and vocalist on the local Dallas – Ft. Worth music scene playing regularly at some of Texas’ most famous venues including Billy Bob’s, Ft. Worth Rodeo Exchange, The White Elephant, and The Dallas International Guitar Festival.
Since his time in Texas, Joe has recently turned his energy and passion towards songwriting. A relative novice at the craft, as he always considered himself “just a performer”, he admittedly got bitten by the writing bug while in the Lone Star State, and the music and words began to pour out of him onto a piano and into a microphone. As a recently recovered alcoholic…and as he states “a wickedly mangled alcoholic” who considers himself very lucky to be alive, the songwriting has actually helped temper and tame an extremely intense and sometimes uncompromising personality whose creativity and raw-passion is brutally honest, soul-bearing and totally unafraid. The songs cover several genre’s of music from country to soul, to rock to rhythm & blues…some are light, some are dark, some are just…well where Joe was at the time.
Joe is backed this evening by simply one of the best bands in the Garden State, which also contains an incredible talent pool of some of his closest musical friends: The Reock & Roll Revue…a band of which he was one of the original members…and although he is a “legal Texan” over 1500 miles away, he continues to remain a member today. And, as an added rare treat, Joe’s son Johnny, who is the drummer for The Billy Walton Band, will also perform with The Reock & Roll Revue tonight as he supports his father in his songwriting debut.
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