On December 4, children’s music queen Laurie Berkner headlined The Paramount in Huntington, New York, for a solo holiday concert, that was well-received. It was great to hear her perform songs from her beloved holiday album “A Laurie Berkner Christmas.”
As she took The Paramount stage, she expressed how moved she was to see the audience’s faces after not being able to for three years.
She kicked off her set with “Jingle Bells” and immediately broke into “Victor Vito” and the infectious “Waiting for the Elevator.”
It was followed by the catchy “I Live Inside A Snowglobe (Shake It Up).” Berkner subsequently asked the young kindie rock fans if they were ready to blast off with her, and she broke into an atmospheric version of “Rocketship Run.” She went on to do a medley of such holiday songs as “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Frosty The Snowman,” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” all of which were upbeat, joyous, and bubbly.
She managed to get the children to put their stuffed animals on their heads during “Pig on Her Head,” and she acknowledged many of the stuffed animals that the kids were wearing in the audience.
“Does anybody feel like jumping? she asked, and the answer was a resounding “yes.” She continued with “Chipmunk At The Gas Pump,” which was a great deal of fun. “I will definitely need your jumping help on this song,” she admitted.
After encouraging everyone to take a deep breath, she got the house lights on and took a group photo with the crowd (for social media purposes).
“Thank you for being here. I love you. Muah,” she told the audience, effusively.
Equally impressive was “Candy Cane Jane” where the audience helped her out by supplying their claps in the song.
She honored Hanukkah with “Candle Chase” and “The Dreidel Song,” which was a neat singalong.
Berkner took her audience underwater with “The Goldfish (Let’s Go Swimming)” and “Children Go Where I Send Thee,” which is a tune that she acknowledged that she doesn’t sing often since it requires musical assistance from her bass player, yet she managed to deliver a noteworthy solo rendition.
She closed with her signature tune “We Are The Dinosaurs” for her grand finale, which was exquisite, and she returned for an encore that included such fan-favorite songs as “Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz),” “Winter Wonderland,” and “I’m Gonna Catch You.”
It was a festive afternoon of music for the children that gathered at the acclaimed Long Island venue to see the children’s music superstar in concert. It is evident that Berkner’s vocals are crystalline, calming, and resonant. Her show was entertaining and cheerful, and it garnered an A rating.
To learn more about Laurie Berkner and her music, visit her official website and Facebook page.
