The lobby of Toms River, NJ’s Grunin Center for the Arts is bustling this Friday, June 22, 2023 evening as fans of classic rock wait to enter the auditorium for a performance by Rock N Roll Time Machine. Playing music from the ’70s and ’80s, Rock N Roll Time Machine is led by Dave Lister, former guitarist for the glam metal band, Pretty Boy Floyd.
Before the show starts, we chat backstage with Lister who tells us, “My original band was an ’80s touring band — we were even on MTV — but I moved back East from California to pursue the music I grew up on which was the music of the ’50s through the ‘80s.”
Recalling, “We played the bar scene and then, in 2020, we were supposed to do an East Coast tour of theaters, but COVID hit,” Lister explains, “After that, I had to get a new band. That’s when I brought my wife, Sarah, into the group as lead vocalist, and we now have an amazing line up of musicians who have fun playing the music of the ’70s like Led Zeppelin and KISS along with music of the ’80s from Van Halen, Journey, and Bon Jovi.”
Inside the Grunin Center auditorium, the stage is set with drums, keyboards, mics, and amps. The lights dim and images of classic rock artists of several eras fill the big screen behind the equipment. Representing the 1950s are Bill Haley and the Comets playing “Rock Around the Clock” as well as images of Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and dancing teenagers. For the ’60s, we see Ed Sullivan introduce America to The Beatles, along with clips of The Beach Boys and The Rolling Stones; we also hear Jim Morrison and The Doors sing “Light My Fire” as photos of Jimi Hendrix and psychedelic images swirl onscreen. Lastly, for the 1970s, artists including Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Kiss, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, The Bee Gees, and Edgar Winter grace the screen as the music on the video welcomes the audience to “the show that never ends.”
At the video’s conclusion, the musicians of Rock N Roll Time Machine — Dave Lister on vocals and guitars, Kriss Kaboom on bass, Jennifer Dusty on vocals and keyboards, David Burden on drums, and background vocalist Carol Ann Suddeath — take the stage.
The band plays plays a dynamic instrumental version of The Edgar Winter Group’s “Frankenstein.” Then, Sarah Lister enters in her sparkly silver pants with black heeled boots and black velvet cap and the group launches into Deep Purple’s “Highway Star.”
The crowd applauds, and the sound of a sequencer opens The Who’s “Baba O’Riley.” As the band sings, “Teenage wasteland/It’s only teenage wasteland,” David Burden’s energetic drumming propels the arrangement forward and Dave and Sarah dance a jig in their outrageous get-ups while Kriss Kaboom walks around the stage playing a bass solo.
Carol Ann Suddeath is featured on Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” after which a fan in the audience calls out, “Nice job!” Then, Sarah Lister announces, “Here’s a little Cheap Trick for you,” before three-part vocals ring out on “Surrender.”
Dave Lister handles the lead vocal on a tribute to the musical icons of the ’70s who were lost too soon. Images of Jerry Garcia, Tom Petty, George Harrison, John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, and Eddie Van Halen fill the screen as Dave Lister sings David Bowie’s “Heroes.”
The letters “K — I — S — S” flash in lights on the screen behind the band as David Burden plays a drum solo and Dave Lister and Kriss KaBoom rock out while audience members clap and sing along to Kiss’s “I Want to Rock and Roll All Night.”
Dave also handles the lead on Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” as he gets the crowd clapping along on this rock anthem. Keyboardist Jennifer Dusty follows up by singing Styx’s “Come Sail Away.”
Dave Lister encourages the audience to join Jennifer in singing the song’s ubiquitous “Come sail away/Come sail away/Come sail away with me” chorus as he rocks out on guitar.
Wearing a top hat and tails, Sarah Lister is featured on Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out.”
Concertgoers sing along with Sarah on the song’s timely “School’s out for summer/School’s out forever” refrain.
Dave Lister introduces the crowd to his bandmates and crew members before announcing, “This one is dedicated to everyone’s high school dance.” Here, Sarah Lister sings lead while Dave plays a double-necked guitar on Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.”
Following a short intermission — where vintage television commercials for products like the Ford Pinto and Caldor department store play on the screen — Act II begins with photos and clips of musical acts and more from the 1980s including artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince, Poison, Madonna, Billy Idol, and ZZ Top.
The musicians retake the stage in ’80s wigs and costumes, Sarah now wearing a curly blonde wig and black spandex outfit as she and the band launch into Poison’s “Nothin’ But a Good Time.”
Audience members clap their hands overhead and sing along as Dave leads them on Quiet Riot’s “Cum On Feel the Noize” where clips of ’80s movies including Flashdance, Blues Brothers, Dirty Dancing, and Back to the Future flash on the screen behind them.
Sarah sings Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine” on an arrangement which features three-part vocal harmonies and Dave rocking out a solo on his lime green guitar.
Sarah sings Lita Ford’s “Kiss Me Deadly,” before the band concludes Act II with an assortment of ’80s hits including Van Halen’s “Jump,” Extreme’s “More Than Words,” Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take it Anymore,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On a Prayer.”
As concertgoers exit the Grunin Center auditorium, several share their opinions on tonight’s performance by Rock N Roll Time Machine. Remarks Susan from Lakewood, “It was very good — it brought back a lot of memories!” Carmen from Toms River agrees, noting, “I especially liked when they played ‘Frankenstein’ — that one really brought me back to my high school days.”
Acknowledges Joe from Toms River, “Some of the songs they picked were a little rough for me, but ‘Stairway to Heaven’ was unbelievable.” Michal from Millstone declares, “The band had a lot of energy, and I loved how the performer’s outfits matched the ’70s and ’80s eras! I also liked it when they danced the jig on ‘Baba O’Riley.” Long-time fan Cassie from Middletown, CT — proudly wearing her Rock N Roll Time Machine T-shirt — concludes by revealing, “I haven’t seen the band play in seven years, and nothing beats seeing your best friends doing what they love onstage!”
To learn more about Rock N Roll Time Machine, please go to rnrtimemachine.com. To find out more about upcoming concerts at Toms River, NJ’s Grunin Center of the Arts — including An Evening with Judy Collins on September 10, Swingadelic on October 8, and Classic Stones Live on November 11 — please go to grunincenter.org.
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