“I am here to introduce my good friend, Mike, and the fantastic band that plays with him,” Valentine said, prior to sharing that he wrote the theme song to Kevin Can Wait. “Now, he is a part of Billy Joel’s band. He’s unbelievable!”
Big Shot, comprised of DelGuidice, Tommy Byrnes, Carmine Giglio, Nick Dimichino, Chuck Burgi and John Scarpulla, kicked off their Paramount set with “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me,” and they continued with their namesake song “Big Shot,” the infectious “A Matter of Trust,” as well as the gorgeous piano-driven ballad “Vienna,” where purple lights dimmed from the stage.
Scarpulla showcased his instrumental prowess on “Summer, Highland Falls,” and equally beautiful was their rendition of “This is The Time,” before they put us in a “New York State of Mind.” DelGuidice showcased his inner rock star with Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” as well as his ability to hit the piercing, high notes.
It was great to hear his own original music in his set, with the stunning “Mona Lisa” ballad. He picked up the pace with “My Life.” “She’s Always a Woman,” where DelGuidice played the piano and was accompanied solely by John Scarpulla, was simply ethereal. “All right, Paramount show me your stuff,” he said, encouraging the crowd to sing along with him.
Just when one thought his set could not get any better, he strapped on his acoustic guitar, and paid homage to Tom Petty with “Free Fallin’,” with Carmine Giglio on piano and Byrnes on lead guitar.
He continued with “I Go to Extremes,” where blue lights shined from the stage. They totally rocked “We Didn’t Start the Fire” with the help of Byrnes.
Gary Valentine returned to the stage, where he joined them on Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” and it was followed by yet another powerhouse performance, “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” and “Only The Good Die Young.”
The Verdict
Overall, Big Shot and Gary Valentine were entertaining at The Paramount in Huntington. DelGuidice was as comfortable as always on stage, and they played for 2.5 hours of nonstop, high-quality classic music. Aside from DelGuidice, Giglio, Scarpulla, Dimichino, Burgi and Byrnes were all terrific. Their live show garnered an A rating.
