THE HANGOVER REPORT – Channeling Judy Garland, Seth Sikes kicks off Pride Month with a rollicking 1920s inspired show

Seth Sikes and band perform “Runnin’ Wild” at the Green Room 42.

Just in time to kick off Pride Month was Seth Sikes’ recent show at the Green Room 42. Appropriately titled Runnin’ Wild, the amiable crooner’s cabaret act is a rollicking homage to the 1920s songbook (Gershwin! Porter! Kern!), which has been augmented here and there to accommodate whip smart contemporary references (his updated version of “Don’t Tell Molly” is just priceless). I’m summary, the occasion was electric, with both Mr. Sikes and his sold out audience raring for a good time. Breezily parading through songs like “Happy Days Are Here Again”/”Running Wild”, “I’m In Love Again”, “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”, and “Making Whoopee”, he had the GR42 crowd in the palm of his hands

The frisky but clean-cut Mr. Sikes is a cabaret personality that can cater to many types of audiences. Yes, he wears his gay badge loud and proud, but he doesn’t hit you over the head with it. Instead, he opts to sprinkle winking references to his identity – so wittily and elegantly veiled – in his banter. You’d almost miss them if you weren’t expecting them. As far as his musicianship, there’s no doubt of its wide appeal, especially for those nostalgic for the big, brassy sound of the great Judy Garland. Indeed, his vocal style uncannily channels that legendary and iconic voice – Mr. Sikes’s instrument is bold and belty, with a shivering vibrato that thrillingly cuts through the blaring big band supporting him.

And what set of musicians he assembled last week at GR42 (hard to believe, it was his first time playing the venue). I counted seven members in the stellar band, and they sounded fabulous throughout the evening, as if fresh from a performance of Chicago just a couple of blocks uptown – which is not surprising, given that some of the players regularly worked in the the orchestra pits of Broadway (when there was a Broadway). The swinging band was led on piano by music director Matt Aument, whose period-perfect orchestrations and arrangements were a dream. Indeed, in many ways, it seemed like the Roaring ’20s all over again.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

SETH SIKES: RUNNIN’ WILD
Cabaret / In-person
The Green Room 42
1 hour, 15 minutes (without an intermission)
One-night-only

Categories: Cabaret

Leave a Reply