A supermodel looking fantastic, an actor looking out of his element
Maxwell’s (1039 Washington St, Hoboken) was all decked out for the holidays and the stage was set for celebrity sightings. Though kept pretty quiet by all involved–I guess to keep the paparazzi away–The Blue Jackets were featuring actor, director Ed Burns on guitar.
I had a feeling there would be a few celebrity-types shuffling in, but since I’m pretty clueless about who’s who, I didn’t really expect to be impressed. And just as that thought passed through my brain, I lifted my pint for a sip and there she was. As gorgeous as any photo I’ve seen of her, Christy Turlington is a goddess. So yes, I was starstruck.
Most celebrities look oddly unattractive in person. Without the crutch of lights, makeup and Photoshop, they tend to look a little ‘off’. But not her. A can’t believe this woman is only a few years younger than me. No offense to anyone approaching the big 4-0, but look at her now and compare it to ten or more years ago and well, you’ll see what I mean.
Anyway, on to the music. First up was Third party. It’s the new incarnation of a band featuring my friend Joe Condiracci. I hadve seen Joe many times with just himself and a guitar. Tonight there was a palpable, vibrant energy behind the songs. Rough, raw–except for the numbers featuring the mandolin–each number was as captivating as the last. I was impressed.
Up next were The Blue Jackets. A pretty straight ahead outfit of catchy tunes. Nothing really jumped out at me, but they certainly put on a good show. Mr. Burns did look a little out of his element. Nervous and unsure. Which is odd to see when you consider his cocksure persona on film. Of course the highlight was when they welcomed ‘The Blue Jackettes’ to the stage with Christy and others looking all cute and singing along.
Last up were local faves … The Fave. Truly with each performance they get better and better. Tonight was no different. It’s a family affair and their comfort with each other shows. The band has always had a tremendous energy level and great songs, but over this past year everything has melded and gelled just right. Can you tell I like this band or what?
As the night ended I was struck by a couple of things. Ed Burns sat at the bar, mingled and drank until closing. He is a bona fide celebrity. He didn’t have to stick around, but he did. Kudos for that. Kudos as well to The Blue Jackets and the folks at Maxwell’s for not making this into some kind of publicity stunt, as they easily could have. This was simply a night of good music and fun times to kick off the holidays.
See Also:
Third Party
The Blue Jackets
The Fave
Maxwell’s
Photo Gallery
