The Midtown Men returned to Queens College on Feb. 21 to perform songs from the 1960s at Colden Auditorium.
The Kupferberg Center for the Arts created the event with the original cast of Tony Award-winning musical “Jersey Boys.” The Broadway play first began in 2005 and about a band called The Four Seasons.
In 2010, Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer formed the group. Despite rebranding as The Midtown Men for legal reasons, they played about 2,000 shows and recorded an album.
The quartet began the show with The Four Seasons hit “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” After that, they played “Can’t Buy Me Love,” the 1964 song by The Beatles. Each member also sang songs found in the original music, like “Cry For Me” and “Walk Like A Man.” During the show, The Midtown Men shared their backgrounds and stories, including first performing for “Jersey Boys.”
The show was not the first one at QC for The Midtown Men. Their last performance was on April 9, 2011.
“We’re thrilled to be back at Queens College. We performed here a little over 5 years ago and it was such an experience,” Reichard said.
Longoria found the experience both enjoyable and convenient.
“It’s always a pleasure performing in Queens. I lived so close to here,” Longoria commented.
Pat Cesarky, one audience member, loved hearing the cover songs by the quartet.
“It’s a nostalgic feeling listening to music I grew up to hear live. These four gentlemen, and the band, really know how to cover the greatest hits. It brings back too many memories,” Cesarky said.
Tracy Contante saw the artists before at another show. But she liked Colden Auditorium and found it a suitable site for concerts compared to the city.
“I saw the ‘Jersey Boys’ a couple years back when the four of them performed. I always wanted to see the show a second time. But, it’s a hassle for me to get to the city, especially with the weather. I knew of [The Midtown Men] but didn’t know they were of the original cast,” Constante said.
However, when she heard about the concert, she made the decision to go.
“When I found more about them, and saw that they were only a cab ride away, my husband and I knew we had to get tickets. Plus, the price is well worth it,” Contante said.
Tickets were $35, but students received a discount after showing their ID.
The Kupferberg Center will hold other events later this year, including the popular TV show “Wild ‘N Out” on March 13 and comedian Kathy Griffin on April 9.
