On September 16, The Day Players Band performed at Governor’s Comedy Club on Long Island to a great turnout of fans.
The band is comprised of Eric Martsolf, Wally Kurth, Carson Boatman, and Brandon Barash, all of which are stars on the popular soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” which has a new home on Peacock. Their acoustic guitar player, Dicki, was just as talented and gifted in his own right. This concert event was produced by Coastal Entertainment.
“Are you ready to have a party?” Brandon Barash asked, and the audience gave them a raucous welcome. They kicked off their versatile setlist with “Badlands” by Bruce Springsteen and they immediately broke into “I Feel Fine” by the Beatles.
“Here we go,” Wally Kurth exclaimed. “Get ready for this one,” Martsolf foreshadowed. They went on to perform a soaring version of “Let It Go” from “Frozen” with paraphrased lyrics that were a real witty treat.
“You guys didn’t know you were coming to a Disney concert,” Martsolf said. “Thanks for enduring the traffic today to make it. We love you for making it,” Martsolf expressed, effusively.
Kurth paid homage to Stevie Wonder with “Superstition,” while Carson Boatman made the late but great country king Merle Haggard proud with his distinct rendition of “Mama Tried.”
“These songs span a lot of decades and a lot of years,” Barash said, and pointed out that he was going to perform something more “new,” “contemporary” and “relevant.” Barash serenaded the audience to Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar,” where they all gave a shoutout to their new home, Peacock.
In his youth, Martsolf revealed that Neil Diamond was always playing in his house, and he went on to sing “Forever In Blue Jeans.” They picked up the pace with The Romantics’ “What I Like About You.”
They acknowledged that they are a band that believes in faith and they sing about it. Speaking of “Faith,” they segued into Journey’s “Faithfully” and George Michael’s “Faith,” where the audience was singing along. Equally noteworthy was “Under the Boardwalk” by The Drifters.
The Day Players took their listeners on a trip down memory lane to the ’80s with Tears For Fears’ “Shout,” where they displayed their soaring velvet harmonies.
Carson Boatman showcased his rich, resonant baritone voice on a controlled acoustic rendition of “Colder Weather” by Zac Brown Band. It was heartfelt and it captured the essence of the warm lyrics and its moving message.
Wally Kurth tipped his hat to Christine McVie and Fleetwood Mac with “Everywhere.”
They noted that they are a “generational band” and that Kurth recently celebrated his 35th anniversary as Justin Kiriakis on “Days of Our Lives,” which was seven years before Boatman was even born. They continued with the Carole King and Gerry Goffin-penned “Some Kind of Wonderful,” which was originally recorded by The Drifters.
“Can we do a few more for you,” The Day Players asked, and the answer was a resounding “yes.”
They threw some southern rock in the mix with The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See,” which they incorporated as a crowd singalong. Kurth and the group did it justice, and lead singer Doug Gray (and sole remaining original member) would have been beaming with pride. They simultaneously paid tribute to the late Toy Caldwell that wrote this timeless southern rock standard.
“We love you guys for coming out tonight,” Martsolf said. “This is our Hallmark card to you,” he added. They closed their set on a melancholic note with John Denver’s “Sunshine On My Shoulders” and they performed it beautifully, thus leaving their audience wanting to hear more.
After a brief intermission, they returned for a 30-minute intimate Question and Answer (Q&A) session with the fans.
When asked what they would dress up as, if they were to go on “The Masked Singer,” they answered jokingly, “a giant peacock.” “I would dress up as Kristen DiMera, and I would rip my mask up and it would be Nicole, and then I would be Johnny DiMera, and I would rip another mask off and I would be Sarah Horton,” Martsolf said with a laugh.
“The Day Players Band was awesome last night,” exclaimed Tina Rosado, fan and attendee. “I had a great time, the guys sounded amazing and they were very funny. Also, they interacted well with the crowd.”
The Verdict
Overall, The Day Players Band put on a highly eclectic and remarkable live show at Governor’s Comedy Club on Long Island. Each performer brought something unique to the table, and they were all engaging and entertaining. They are highly recommended to see in concert. Their show garnered an A rating.
To learn more about The Day Players Band, visit their official website.
