Bowzer is the kind of greaser who celebrates the holiday season by twisting, shouting and doing the hand jive under the tree.
That’s how it was Monday night in Savannah Center at “Bowzer’s Rock N’ Roll Party hosted by Rocky and the Rollers.”
John “Bowzer” Bauman of Sha Na Na fame, brought his gang of holiday revelers to join forces with Gerry “Rocky” Seader’s crew.
The result was a foot-stomping, hard-rocking and — at times — spiritual Christmas show.
Watch video from the show:
Bowzer and his backup singing trio known as the Stingrays pulled an old chestnut out of the rock and roll fire to open with “Papa Oom Mow Mow.” Bowzer’s bass went full throttle on that one.
“Can you believe I’ve been doing this 46 years,” said Greasy Grandpa Bowzer. Then he launched into another oldie but goodie, “Blue Moon.”
“I feel like Richard Simmons,” Bowzer said as he jumped up and down and waved his arms in the air. Another highlight was a cover of the all-time doo-wop classic “White Christmas” by the Drifters.
The music turned to gospel on a couple of inspiring numbers by the Stingrays: Monty Arnold, Anthony Moore and Jon Peters. They earned a standing ovation after singing “Mary Don’t You Know.” Former Sha Na Na singer Johnny Contardo came on stage and joined them and Bauman for a stirring, “O Holy Night.”
Contardo then covered Del Shannon’s “Runaway,” in rocking style.
“You remember me, I’m the guy that used to fit into the gold suit in Sha Na Na,” Contardo said. “Yea, and I used to fit in my black tee-shirt,” Bowzer cracked. “Back then I had a more rock and a lot less roll,” he added, grabbing his stomach.
Contardo then put some zest into “Those Magic Changes,” from the 1978 movie, “Grease.”
“We filmed about 20 minutes for the movie,” Bowzer said. “Then, when it came out we were in it for about 8 seconds.”
The audience got revved up like a hot rod when Bowzer and the boys ripped into such classics as “Shout” and “Hand Jive.” They had the people out of their seats and dancing to “Twisting the Night Away.”
“Bowzer always puts on a good show,” said Villager John Murray. “It’s in his background; he’s a kid from New York and grew up singing rock and roll. Everybody remembers Sha Na Na.”
Including Karen Castronovo, who came to the show with Murray.
“I’ve always like Bowzer since Sha Na Na,” she said. “How can you not like him? He’s so much fun and very personable.”
Bowzer enjoys playing the The Villages.
“We’ve played here so much, it feels like home,” he said. “Rocky has a great band and you people love the music.”
Rocky and the Rollers were red hot all night long.
Al Morse ripped into the band’s opening number, “Land of 1,000 Dances.” That got the juices flowing and Rocky added to the rocking atmosphere with “Sea Cruise” and “Tossing and Turning.”
Morse showed his musical depth with a gorgeous take on “The Christmas Song.” Then all the Rollers all got together for a sweet, accapella version of “Jingle Bells.”
