It’s a dandy Monday, August 12, 2024 evening on the boardwalk outside the Ocean City Music Pier in Ocean City, NJ, as music lovers arrive for a concert of ’60s hits by Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone.
Explains Joanne from Montvale, “I was 13 or 14 years old when I got hooked on Peter Noone and Herman’s Hermits. Over time, life got in the way, but I rediscovered Peter in 2012 and, since then, I’ve seen him over 100 times. I love when he sings, ‘There’s a Kind of Hush’ — that’s my ring tone on my phone — and I like the funny stories he tells in between songs. He always puts on a fun show. He’s 76 years young and he’s got so much energy and is so entertaining you just never know what he’s gonna do next!
Carol from Philadelphia agrees, adding, “I was around 16 years old when I first saw Herman’s Hermits at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City. In recent years, I’ve seen him many, many times — I go at least two or three times a year. I love his music; it’s so much fun and his shows are always great. He’s got such enthusiasm and so much energy and, at 76, he’s not only got a great voice but he’s got the moves, too!”
Angela from Cape May recalls, “I’ve been a fan of Peter and Herman’s Hermits since I was 12. My parents used to take all the kids in the neighborhood and drop us off at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City where we’d stay all day to see his shows. Since then, I’ve seen him several times. I love all his songs and the way he interacts with the audience and tells stories. He’s really good at what he does and even the kids who come to see him find him very engaging, as well.”
Inside the historic Ocean City Music Pier auditorium, guitarists Vance Brescia and Billy Sullivan, drummer Dave Ferrara, and keyboardist Rich Spina take the stage and get the crowd clapping along to a marching beat. Once Peter Noone enters, he and the group launch into their first number — Herman’s Hermits’ 1964 hit, “I’m Into Something Good.”
The crowd sings along to the song’s upbeat “Something tells me I’m into something good” chorus before Noone and the band segue into Herman’s Hermits’ 1965 remake of the 1960 Sam Cooke hit, “Wonderful World.”
Noone exclaims, “Good afternoon, boys and girls!” before he and the band deliver an upbeat cover version of the Clovers’ 1959 Leiber/Stoller classic, “Love Potion № 9.”
After talking about what a thrill it is for him to be performing in Ocean City, Noone leaves the stage and makes his way through the audience performing a jaunty version of 1966’s “Dandy.” Following up with a dynamic rendition of 1966’s “A Must to Avoid,” Noone gazes out the Music Pier’s windows which overlook the Atlantic Ocean and declares, “It’s so beautiful out there! You can see England!”
Noone changes the lyrics of Gerry and the Pacemaker’s “Ferry Cross the Mersey” to “Ferry Cross New Jersey,” before he and the Hermits perform a new song — “O-O-O, O-Ocean City” — a parody of The Beach Boys’ “Barbara Ann.”
The crowd cheers, and Noone quips, “We’ll sing any song by anyone who doesn’t have a lawyer.”
After a humorous impression of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” Noone and Co. segue into a rollicking rendition of Frankie Ford’s “Sea Cruise” where Noone and keyboardist Rich Spina have fun performing together on stage.
Glowsticks and cellphones sway as concertgoers sing along with Noone on his interpretation of The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer.” He follows up with a poignant rendition of “Listen People” where he captivates listeners as he croons the song’s “Everybody’s got to love somebody sometime” message.
Noone takes a seat in the audience as he sings The Beatles’ “All My Loving.” Then, back on stage, he stands in between his bandmates, Billy Sullivan and Vance Brescia, and delivers a rockin’ version of his 1965 hit, “A Little Bit Better,” where Sullivan and Brescia kick their feet up as they play guitars.
Glowsticks sway on Peter’s cue to Herman’s Hermits’ 1965 remake of The Rays’ “Silhouettes,” after which Noone explains, “Most Herman’s Hermits’ songs are uplifting, but this one’s a downer. It’s called ‘The End of the World’ — I hope you like it.”
At the conclusion of this poignant ballad, Noone reveals that after Herman’s Hermits recorded his next song on their debut album, he played it for Graham Nash of The Hollies who went on to have a #1 hit with it. Here, he and the Hermits deliver their original take on “Bus Stop.”
Brescia makes his guitar sound like a ukulele as he accompanies Noone on “Leaning on the Lamp Post.” Then, Noone follows up with a humorous rendition of “Travelin’ Light” where he teaches the audience to sing along on the comically wordy “I’m at the Ocean City Music Pier in Ocean City, New Jersey tonight” refrain.
Following a crisp interpretation of his 1967 hit, “No Milk Today,” Noone waltzes into a dynamic cover version of the Bobby Rydell power ballad, “I’ll Never Dance Again.”
Music lovers happily sing along with Noone on his upbeat interpretation of Manfred Mann’s “Doo Wah Diddy.”
Concertgoers can’t help but laugh when Noone announces, “I want to sing one of my mother’s songs,” and performs Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.” He follows up by insisting, “My dad is Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones,” and impersonates Jagger strutting around the stage to “Start Me Up.”
Noone and the Hermits perform a spirited version of the group’s 1965 #2 Billboard hit, “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat,” after which concertgoers sing along with Peter on his 1965 #1 smash, “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter.” They also join in singing on a raucous rendition of Herman’s Hermits’ 1965 hit, “I’m Henry the VIII, I Am,” where Noone energetically directs the festivities.
After showing the audience his socks with flags on them — one British and one American — Noone performs his final number of the evening, a nostalgic rendition of Herman’s Hermits’ classic 1967 recording, “There’s a Kind of Hush.” The crowd stands and cheers as the musicians take a bow and Noone says, “Good night, Ocean City! God bless!”
Comments Tom from Aberdeen about tonight’s show, “As usual, Peter put on an amazing performance! He was entertaining, energetic, and funny, and his music was high-quality, too. His vocals were really strong and his band is top-notch, as well. I loved this show!”
Cliff from Linden, VA, contends, “I’ve been a fan of Peter Noone for a really long time but for the past few years, I’ve been an active member of his fan club, the Noonatics. I started listening to Herman’s Hermits back when I was young, but in the last few years, I’ve seen them between 10 and 15 times and I keep coming back because Peter is not just a musician, he’s a showman. He entertains you, he makes you laugh, he makes you feel good, and his music is just wonderful.”
Cliff’s wife, Jill, concurs, adding, “I grew up with Peter’s music. This was during the time of the ‘British Invasion’ when I listened to all the British groups and their songs and now, as an adult, I’m appreciating them all over again. I have a grandson who loves ‘I’m Henry VIII, I Am,’ and I’d be very proud to bring my grandkids to any of Peter’s shows because they’re family-oriented. Not only does Peter know how to tell jokes that resonate with different generations, he’s also an impersonator who tells great stories so every time you see him you’re really seeing a different show.”
Adrienne from Ventnor acknowledges, “I’ve seen Peter Noone five times. For years, my friend Sharon had been telling me about Peter, but I never realized she’d been talking about Herman of Herman’s Hermits and I loved his music back in the day! I got married in 1966 and Herman’s Hermits’ music was what we were all listening to at the time. Plus, I come from a musical family — my sister was a child prodigy who played with the Philadelphia Orchestra as a kid — so even though I know Peter isn’t a classical musician, I’ve always thought his music was excellent.”
Adrienne’s friend, Sharon from Margate City, agrees, confessing, “I’ve seen Peter 190 times. When I was a little girl, I went to see him at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City and I chased after him up the back steps of the Holiday Inn screaming and yelling, just like you see in the movies. At the time, I never dreamed that many years later I’d get to see him in concert and he’d invite me on stage to sing on the mic. Afterwards, a woman came up to me and said, ‘He touched you! Now let me touch you!’ It was so funny — I was shaking because I had wanted to see him so badly, but now that I’ve seen him so many times I don’t shake anymore. He’s so energetic and so entertaining, I just love him!”
To learn more about Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, please click on peternoone.com. For information about other Summer 2024 performances at Ocean City Music Pier please go to www.ocnj.us/SummerConcertSeries.
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