concert Archives - Queens Ledger

Joe ‘the Dancer’ Ferrante, the true star of local concerts

Jessica Meditz on September 8, 2022

By Jessica Meditz

Joe ‘the Dancer’ Ferrante of Flushing attends nearly every community concert or event.

If you live in the area and have attended a free, local concert or parade, chances are you’ve seen Joe Ferrante in action.

Ferrante, 72, who calls himself “Joe the Dancer,” has an appearance you just can’t miss: usually sporting a bright yellow muscle tee and denim shorts along with his long ponytail adorned with colorful hair ties from start to finish.

He can be spotted easily at the front of any public event that has music, truly dancing like nobody’s watching.

A resident of Flushing since 1958, Ferrante travels across the five boroughs and Long Island to attend free concerts.

In true New Yorker fashion, Ferrante does not drive, and uses his own two feet and a MetroCard to get around — with the occasional ride from his many friends.

“I started gathering information about free things to do in New York and found out about all the parks, like Eisenhower Park and Bryant Park,” he said. “I said to myself, ‘Why would people pay when there’s so much free stuff to do in New York?’”

“Now I have people that have computers and send me print outs sometimes or they call me. I keep my ears open,” Ferrante continued. “Every single day I find new things to do.”

One of Ferrante’s personal goals is to attend as many free events as he can.

Before the pandemic wreaked havoc, he attended 321 free events in 2019. This year, he’s already up to 165 events.

Although Ferrante has never taken formal dance lessons, he has been freestyling his moves at shows for as long as he can remember. He also learns from watching other people dance.

A die-hard fan of the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Ferrante lived through the time where Motown and doo-wop classics were big, as well as the golden era of classic rock.

In fact, he attended Woodstock in 1969 while he worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier.

“Festivals were a new thing at the time and nobody knew what was going on. That was the first time I did acid, which I did for three days, and I still was good to go to work on Monday,” Ferrante said.

“I didn’t see every band that was there, and there was a lot of stuff going on…you wandered around, you went to the lake,” he continued. “I remember Santana, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker and Ten Years After. It was excellent.”

Ferrante attended Woodstock a month before he was drafted to the Army.

He served in Texas from 1969 to 1971, and feels “lucky” that he wasn’t sent straight to Vietnam, like many men were at the time.

“I lucked out because I took typing in high school and went into a company which had over 90 percent college graduates. I got hired because I knew how to type and they said they were losing the guy from New York, so they got another guy from New York,” Ferrante said. “My job was in Congressionals, and I was a fact finder. I would find information about what really happened…you really could hardly help anybody, but once in a while, you actually got to help someone out.”

After he came back from serving in the Army, Ferrante continued to attend concerts and other places where he could dance, such as the Dr. Pepper Music Festival in Central Park, clubs during the disco frenzy and at various locations in the Hamptons, where he and his friends would rent houses for cheap.

Ferrante busting a move in Juniper Valley Park at a concert featuring band Half Step.

Today, his moves range from one best described as the fish swim, where he puts his arms together and swirls them around as if he’s swimming, to skipping around the front of the stage.

“I love to skip because it’s so much fun. I think I started doing the skip a few years ago,” Ferrante said. “It makes you feel young. When you’re standing in one spot and you skip around, you get more refreshed because you’re in a brand new spot.”

Ferrante said that many people have come up to him over the years at shows to compliment his routine and even join him while he dances.

His signature look, along with his moves, symbolize his free-spirited personality.

Ferrante has not had a haircut in about 15 years, and underneath all the rainbow scrunchies on his ponytail is his own hair. He’s been sporting the look for around eight years.

“It was just so dark and dreary, I had to add some color to it,” he said.

Although he’s probably one of the most positive people in the borough, Ferrante didn’t always have the best outlook on life.

In the past, he suffered from alcoholism and drug addiction, and is now almost 20 years sober.

When Ferrante first became sober in 2005, doctors discovered he had esophageal cancer.

He also experienced cirrhosis of the liver as a result of drinking, which left him unable to walk for quite some time.

“I had to use a walker to walk, and eventually graduated to a cane. Now look at me. I’m 16 years cancer-free,” Ferrante said.

He added that after he got sober, he was in a 10-year slump, but eventually realized he had to turn himself around.

“My whole life, I always felt like I should have died many times, and God has given me something to do,” Ferrante said. “He must want me to inspire people.”

As an Italian-American, Ferrante’s Catholic faith is important to him and brings him peace, along with his own spiritual readings and meditation.

He has been retired for the last 19 years and is very happy to live a blissful life with no cell phone or computer.

As he gets closer to his 73rd birthday in October, Ferrante encourages younger folks to be more optimistic and see the good in their day-to-day lives, as you never know when your last day will be.

“When I go to sleep at night, I ask myself ‘Did I do the best I could today?’ And 95 percent of the time, the answer is yes,” he said.

He went on to debunk the typical “glass half empty or glass half full” question that’s supposed to determine if someone is an optimist or a pessimist.

“The glass is always full,” Ferrante explained. “Even if it’s only half filled with liquid, the other half is still filled with oxygen. So it’s always full.”

Free concert and car show attract crowds at Atlas Park

webadmin on August 25, 2022

By Stephanie Meditz

[email protected]

White Wedding, mostly an ‘80s cover band, treated Atlas Park to their ‘90s set.

On Tuesday, The Shops at Atlas Park took the Glendale community back in time with a ‘90s concert and classic car show.

While cover band “White Wedding” performed hits from back in the day in the penultimate show of Atlas Park’s Concerts on the Green series, volunteers from the East Coast Car Association displayed their vintage vehicles.

Although White Wedding is mostly an ‘80s cover band, the evening’s setlist consisted of ‘90s sensations, including Britney Spears, The Spice Girls, Sublime and Alanis Morissette.

The band also dressed for the occasion, decked out in flannel shirts and Dr. Martens boots.

Emily McNamara belted all the ‘90s girl power anthems.

Although the members of White Wedding come from different states on the east coast, they frequently perform in New York.

White Wedding was voted “Best Cover Band in the Boro” of Queens for the third year in a row.

“We play in Queens, we play New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, all around the tri-state area,” David Artiaga, front vocalist of White Wedding, said.

In July, the band performed their ‘80s set at Juniper Valley Park.

Artiaga, whose voice effortlessly resembled those of numerous ‘90s icons, has never formally studied music.

“I was just born with talent,” he joked. “Never had a lesson in my life, and it just seemed to work out.”

Emily McNamara, also a front vocalist for White Wedding, has been involved in theater for most of her life.

“It’s a good group. Everyone brings a good piece,” Artiaga said.

White Wedding plays private parties, corporate events and weddings throughout the tri-state area.

For bookings, email [email protected] or visit www.whiteweddingband.com.

The band is also on Instagram (@whiteweddingband) and Twitter (@whitewedding80s).

While the ‘90s music played, the East Coast Car Association held a classic car show in the parking lot at Atlas Park.

Harold Mecabe promotes the East Coast Car Association’s 24th annual toy drive in November.

Established in 1999 by Eddie Walter, the East Coast Car Association hosts car shows and cruise nights to raise money for St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in Bayside.

Harold Mecabe, master of ceremony, has been involved with the club for 22 years.

After Walter passed away in 2007, he and other members unanimously decided to continue to support St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital to honor Walter’s legacy.

“We have a handful of members in the club, and all the people here support us,” Mecabe said. “They know what we do and they help us. Without those people, we would actually be nothing…And we will continue doing what we’re doing as long as we possibly can.”

In November, the club will host its 24th annual toy run.

“We will leave from the Forest Park bandshell area. The NYPD will shut down the Jackie Robinson Highway, the Grand Central Parkway and the Clearview Expressway to give us direct access to St. Mary’s Hospital,” Mecabe said. “At that time, we will present whatever proceeds that we collect during the course of the year to St. Mary’s.”

The East Coast Car Association has raised over $250,000 and $40,000 worth of toys since it was founded.

The club has hosted two car shows at Atlas Park this summer, both of which occurred on the same night as a concert.

Among the classic cars displayed was a 1979 Buick Riviera.

“It was just coordinated that way, which is good because it brings out more people,” Mecabe said.

To join or donate to the East Coast Car Association, visit their website at https://eccatoysfortots.org.

The Shops at Atlas Park has hosted its annual Concerts on the Green series since 2013.

General manager Peter DeLucia has found that the concerts not only show people all that Atlas Park has to offer, but also provide a fun, free night out for the neighborhood.

“It’s just a way to engage the community,” he said. “Have them come out, see what we’ve got going on at Atlas Park, like the roller skating rink and some of the new stores.”

The concert, as well as other concerts and movie nights at Atlas Park, was sponsored by Main Street Radiology.

Surgey Santiago, a marketing agent from Main Street Radiology, said that these events are great opportunities to inform the community about the essential services offered, such as X-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs.

“Since we sponsor The Shops at Atlas Park, we’ll give knowledge about the facility and what we do,” she said. “We just want to attract the neighborhood, let them know that we’re here.”

Main Street Radiology recently opened a fifth location on Cooper Avenue in Glendale, right down the street from Atlas Park.

Ukrainian bandura master to join Cuban musicians

webadmin on August 12, 2022

“Ukraine Meets Cuba” at Flushing Town Hall Aug. 21

Julian Kytasty, Danae Blanco and Juan Carlos Formell.

Later this month, concert-goers of Flushing Town Hall will experience a unique cultural blend.

As part of their most in-demand series, Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups, Flushing Town Hall will continue its summer run with the Ukraine Meets Cuba concert on August 21 at 1 p.m.

The concert will feature Julian Kytasty, master of the Ukrainian bandura, which is essentially a Ukrainian lute or harp, and Havana-based singer Danae Blanco.

They will be accompanied by Grammy-nominated Cuban guitarist Juan Carlos Formell.

Julian Kytasty was born in Detroit, Michigan, but prides himself in being the descendant of Ukrainian immigrants.

In fact, Kytasty’s first language was Ukrainian, and he’s been playing the bandura since he was a child—carrying on the family tradition.

He is one of the world’s premier players of the bandura, and the instrument’s leading North American exponent.

Kytasty has performed and taught instrumental and choral music throughout the Americas and Europe.

“I developed a very close relationship with the instrument over the years and everything associated with it. I’ve done a lot of research on it,” he said.

“The bandura is such a beautiful, unique instrument that many people probably haven’t heard, and I’m always looking for opportunities to bring it to new audiences.”

Kytasty has been recognized for his expertise in epic songs and early bandura repertoire.

From 1989 to 1990, Kytasty was one of the first North American-born bandurists to tour Ukraine, performing in over 100 concerts.

Blanco provides a welcomed counterpoint to Cuba’s typically male-dominated timba music with her feisty delivery and enchanting lyrics, and has even been credited with bringing salsa romantica into the 21st century.

In 1993, Blanco joined the famous Cuban underground group 5U4, also known as “The Beatles of the Americas,” as a vocalist.

She released her debut single, “Pido,” in 2003 and has been a mainstay in Cuban music since.

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Juan Carlos Formell is at the forefront of a new generation of musicians from Cuba who are redefining the parameters of Cuban music.

A talented multi-instrumentalist, Formell has been hailed as a successor to iconic Cuban artists such as Caetano Veloso, Joao Gilberto, Jackson Browne and Nick Drake.

Juan Carlos’ father, Juan Formell, is a bassist and the founder of the trailblazing group Los Van Van.

“Audiences can look forward to enjoying amazing performers whose music is tied to their traditions but simultaneously modernized and fused with other musical elements that expand their borders,” said Frank London, acclaimed trumpeter and composer and curator of the series.

“We are so lucky to be able to put on these Mini-Global Mashups each month and give the fans a great show,” says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek.

“I am looking forward to our audience being able to experience the phenomenal musical talents of Julian Kytasty, Danae Blanco, and Juan Carlos Formell.”

The August 21st performance will be followed by a Q+A conversation between the artists and the audience.

In-person tickets are $12 for Flushing Town Hall members and $15 for non-members. Those who are unable to attend in person can view the livestream for free at https://www.youtube.com/flushingtownhall/live. Donations are encouraged.

For the Mini-Global Mashup series’ full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/mini-global-mashups or call (718) 463-7700 x222.

For the venue’s full schedule of 2022 Summer and Fall events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

The Eighties Strike Back in Middle Village

Jessica Meditz on July 13, 2022

Rubix Kube performs at Juniper

As part of Councilman Robert Holden’s summer concert series in partnership with NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and Queensborough Performing Arts Center, Rubix Kube rocked the house last Thursday.

Hundreds of locals gathered in the Multi Purpose Play Area of Juniper Valley Park for “The Eighties Strike Back Show” by the celebrated tribute band, self described as the “rad lovechild of a Rock concert and a Broadway musical.”

From Michael Jackson to Madonna, the group’s singers, musicians, and dancers wowed the audience with the hottest tracks from the decade.

The band’s frontman, Scott Lovelady, transformed himself into the iconic faces of the ‘80s with the costumes to match, as did the danc- ers with their flashy neon wardrobe reminiscent of the time.

They were also joined by 11-year- old vocalist and drummer, Kobi Reese—who channeled Billy Idol for the night.

Rubix Kube’s frontwoman, Cherie Martorana Neve, hails from Massachusetts and lives in New Jersey. She was proud to perform on the Juniper Park stage for a lively crowd of people.

Although the ‘80s has so many hits and genres of popular music, Martorana Neve said her favorite song to perform by far is “Under Pres- sure” by David Bowie and Queen.

“It’s an incredible song that’s sung by two of the most legendary and talented musicians of all time. Most of all, the lyrics of that song are more relevant now than they have ever been,” she said.

“When we perform the song now, it’s like everything going on in the world for COVID, politics, just get- ting older, growing, everything. We get emotional when we perform that song; I actually cry sometimes and get teary eyed,” she continued. “It’s just a very moving song, but in all the right ways. Not a lot of songs do that, but music does that in general.”