The four-time Grammy-nominated folk/children's music duo will play three concerts during Ocean City's annual New Year's Eve celebration, which in total will feature more than 60 entertainment programs.
Trout Fishing in America
OCEAN CITY, N.J. — If you don't have any plans for New Year's Eve yet, don't despair.
And if you are looking for a family-fun alternative to the traditional champagne toasts, how about some Trout?
As in Trout Fishing in America.
Aside from offering more than 60 entertainment programs throughout the city from 4pm up to the midnight fireworks display (weather permitting), Ocean City's annual First Night celebration (held this year on Saturday, Dec. 31), will feature the multiple Grammy nominated duo Trout Fishing in America for three "family concerts" at the Ocean City Music Pier.
As bands (and a string band) play at various venues (all family friendly), Peter Tork (from the Monkees) leads his blues-heavy Shoe Suede Blues band, an Abbot & Costello team do their impersonations of the classic comedy duo, a barbershop quartet sings, the Norristones doo-wop group performs, Gillian's Wonderland Pier is open for rides, Chad Juros entertains with his magic, a production of Annie is delivered by the Ocean City Theatre Company, folks singers, spoon players, poets, the "Turtle Singer," dance bands and jugglers do their thing, Keith Grimwood (bass/vocals) and Ezra Idlet (guitar/vocals) of TFIA will bring their world-renowned music and show to the Music Pier for three concerts — at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm.
With more than three decades of performing and recording under its belt, TFIA has become a huge hit on the children's music and folk music circuits.
The New York Times wrote that the duo "[embodies] a kind of goofball gestalt at odds with the sugary-sweet format of so much other music for the younger crowd," adding that the pair "also perform unabashedly sentimental and wickedly funny songs for grown-ups, with an unexpected emotional punch."
If you've heard of TFIA you're probably already looking for information on how to order your First Night Admission Buttons (which cost $14, see purchasing below).
Or maybe you already have 'em!
If you have not heard about TFIA, there's a good chance your children know some of their songs.
TFIA's distinctive tunes also include numbers penned for adults. The duo has recorded a few albums catering to the older set, including 1992's Over the Limit and last year's Lookin' at Lucky.
In September of this year TFIA released the book/CD entitled Chicken Joe Fogets Something Important, a sequel to its 2009 book/CD My Name is Chicken Joe.
Heralded as the Lennon-McCartney of the children's music genre, with superb musicianship, intelligence, humor, charm, catchy tunes and years of performing, Grimwood and Idlet have headlined at major folk festivals and have received praise from not only the Times and the Grammy folks, but also NPR, National Parent Publications, and numerous parents and families.
Currently based in Arkansas, Grimwood and Idlet first teamed up in Houston, Texas as members of the folk/rock band St. Elmo's Fire. According to a spokesperson for the band: "Before the breakup of St. Elmo's Fire in 1979, Grimwood and Idlet began performing on the side as a duo. An impromptu event in the late '70s, had a profound effect on their career: they were asked to perform at a grade school. Since then, performing and recording for children has been a major focus of TFIA's music."
Trout Fishing In America has received more than 25 national awards including three INDIE Album of the Year awards. The duo has also played on the Today Show, NPR's "All Things Considered," "Morning Edition," "World Cafe," "Mountain Stage" and "Dr. Demento."
Here is more information on Ocean City's First Night, courtesy of the city's public relations head Mark Soifer:
• Opening ceremonies will be held 4 p.m. at the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. It will include a ribbon cutting and greeting by City officials, entertainment by the Harmony Show Choir, plus a design your own New Years Hat from 4 to 5pm.
• A First Night admission button will entitle bearer access to Wonderland Amusement Park from 5 to 9pm and Gillian’s Miniature Golf from 4 to 9pm.
Auld acquaintance of 2011 may best be forgot for many — and how better to clear the cache and ring in a fresh slate of calendar dates than by partying like there’s no tomorrow? In Atlantic City the choices on New Year’s Eve are nearly endless.
Plus new DrewToonz comic, Jazz Corner returns to Chelsea this Winter and Raves & Faves.
An iron-man run of towering proportions has sadly come to an end, as Ted Prior, who’s been performing spot-on renditions of Elvis for more years than Elvis was alive, will be missing his first Ocean City First Night Celebration since the New Year’s Eve tradition began.
If you waited until the last minute to do your Christmas shopping and got burned, don’t make the same mistake twice when kicking off the second decade of the 21st Century. With over 60 varied entertainment options available for a mere $14 fee, Ocean City’s popular New Year’s Eve entertainment celebration called First Night has sold out for the past three years, so get your admission buttons while they’re still available.
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1. Anonymous said... on Nov 30, 2011 at 10:02AM
“...FIRST NIGHT Gets better n better each year!!! I have taken my kids to see these guys and they're hilarious - for the children and parents!”