On December 17, children’s music performer Laurie Berkner played her “Live Holiday Concert” at The Paramount in Huntington on Long Island.
Berkner kicked off her set with “Jingle Bells” and immediately broke into “When I Woke Up Today” and “I Live Inside A Snowglobe (Shake It Up).” She noted that this marks her last live show of 2023 before the holidays.
Michelle Esch shared that she was going to be her “helper” today, and assisted her with the dancing and bringing each song to life.
“Anybody feel like blasting off today?” she asked the kindie crowd, and they answer was a resounding “yes.”
She segued into “Rocketship Run,” and revealed that it was the 25th anniversary of her “”Buzz Buzz” album, and sang the title track “Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz),” which was quite catchy and fun.
Berkner continued with a medley of holiday songs that included “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
“Pig on Her Head” was a great deal of fun with the kids in the audience because it afforded the chance to put a stuffed animal on their heads and sing along with her. Equally fun was the witty “Chipmunk At The Gas Pump.”
During “Deck the Halls,” they were passing and tossing large beach balls in the venue, and it was followed by “Candy Cane Jane.”
After “My Bunny Goes Hop,” she continued with “Waiting for the Elevator,” and went on to sing two Hannukah songs “Candle Chase” and the upbeat “Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel.”
“Guess what time it is?” she asked. “It’s time to turn you all into fish,” she said, and sang “”The Goldfish (Let’s Go Swimming).” After she turned them back into humans, she asked if there was a birthday in the house, and serenaded the audience with “Happy Happy Happy Birthday.”
After “Christmas Lights,” she closed with her seminal song “We Are The Dinosaurs,” which was sheer bliss. “Thank you all for coming today,” she said, effusively.
Encore
For her encore, she returned to The Paramount stage, where she sang a medley of six songs. These included “Victor Vito” and a rousing acapella rendition of “Moon Moon Moon.”
She threw a holiday original with “Santa’s Coming To My House Tonight” and equally impressive was the infectious “I’m Gonna Catch You.”
After the heart-warming “My Family,” she closed on a fitting note with “Goodnight,” where she left her young fans and their families wanting to hear more.
The only downside was that she didn’t do “Superhero” at this show, but hopefully, she will do it at a future live performance, as it has always been a perennial fan favorite.
The Verdict
Overall, it was an entertaining and fun family concert at The Paramount courtesy of Laurie Berkner. She allows her crystalline, calming vocals to shine over the course of the show. Berkner truly is the Barbra Streisand equivalent of contemporary children’s music.
It is highly recommended that one sees Laurie Berkner whenever she comes to town, whether she is performing solo or with her band. Her show at The Paramount in Huntington garnered 4.5 out of 5 stars.
To learn more about Laurie Berkner and her new music, visit her official website and Facebook page.
