4 - 2013 - RodneyOlsen.net

JerseyBoys

If you have young children who enjoy the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, buy them an album or DVD, but don’t take them to see Jersey Boys. If you have a friend or family member who is offended by frequent coarse language, don’t take them to Jersey Boys. (Unless you think you can convince them the cast is just saying ‘fudge’ or ‘funk’ an awful lot.)

If, however, you’re prepared for a fair bit of language and some occasional sexual themes, you’ll have a %#$&#@# good night out. The show’s website warns that it’s not recommended for children under 12 due to strong “authentic Jersey” language. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone not prepared for the strong content.

JERSEY BOYS is the story of how four boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time.

Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi, The Four Seasons, wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty.

JERSEY BOYS features their hit songs
“Sherry”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, “Rag Doll”, “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, among others.

Having sounded that warning, I need to say that the show is amazing. Pauline and I were at the opening night show and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It tells the story of the band well and had me searching details online when I got home. I wanted to know even more about their rise to fame.

One of the things I found in my search is that Frankie Valli himself believes the show to be about 95% accurate. Not a bad endorsement.

The music is stunning and the band members work well together to provide the harmonies that you’d expect from a show about The Four Seasons. I’m sure that the original band members have seen a rise in royalty cheques since Jersey Boys started on Broadway back in 2005. As the show continues you hear hit after hit and you’re reminded what great songs the band produced before they called it a day.

Jersey Boys is structured as four “seasons” with each season each narrated by a different band member giving different perspectives on the group’s history and music.

Jersey Boys is playing at the Crown Theatre until the 9th of June.

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ANZAC Day, the 25th of April, has been described as Australia’s most important national occasion. While many public holidays are just about getting an extra day off, ANZAC Day has real significance for many Australians.

It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. While the date is aligned with that event in the First World War, the day is a remembrance of all those who have been to war to protect our freedom.

ANZAC Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day we remember all Australians who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. The spirit of ANZAC, with its human qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity. On ANZAC day, ceremonies are held in towns and cities across the nation to acknowledge the service of our veterans.

My parents served in the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War. (You can click on any of the photos for a closer look. As well as the individual photos of my parents, the top picture shows my dad on the far right with his father and two of his brothers.)

I’ve been watching television coverage of several ANZAC ceremonies today. After all these years the support for these commemorations continues to grow as the stories of heroism are remembered. As I look at the faces of those who served our country I see the pain as they remember their service during the dawn services as well as the joy of being remembered as they travel the route of the marches along city streets. When they see the faces n the crowds and hear the cheering as they pass, they know that this country is grateful for their sacrifice and the sacrifice of those who didn’t make it home.

War is a terrible thing, and I’m glad that I’ve never had to fight, but I am grateful for the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for our country. I shudder when I imagine what it would be like to face a hostile enemy, knowing that any moment could be my last.

I would hate to have to go to war. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to say goodbye to my loved ones, not knowing if I’d ever see them again. Having kids of my own, I don’t even want to think about the parents that have seen their children go to war. My hope is that we will continue to work towards finding better, peaceful ways to overcome conflict. War should never be the answer.

ANZAC Day isn’t about glorifying war, it’s about paying our respects to those who put their lives on the line for their countrymen and the generations to come.

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Archive - April 25, 2013