The Boys are Back in Town...
- Cha Cha Cherry
- Oct 9, 2024
- 3 min read
Last Friday, Super Trans Am celebrated their four-year anniversary with a show at The Vogel (part of Count Basie Theater) in Red Bank playing to a full crowd. To say it's an experience is an understatement. These guys don't just play music - they put on a show - complete with costumes, videos, lighting effects and more. The Vogel was a great venue for STA to celebrate four rocking years with an elevated stage and plenty of room for the crowd to dance and sing along (but it is Red Bank so always give yourself plenty of time to find parking).
I first heard them four years ago when they were playing a covid-era show at Bar A in Belmar. We had to sit and I actually got yelled at for dancing! These guys looked familiar because two of them, Bobby August and James McGill, were also in Lifespeed at the time (another band I loved). Most recently I saw them open for Almost Queen on the Stone Pony's Summer Stage which is HUGE. These guys were great then and they are even better now. Their following has gotten so huge that if you see them coming to your area, get your tix before it sells out.
Super Trans Am plays all the rock hits of the 70s from Led Zeppelin to Elton John to Fleetwood Mac and SO MUCH MORE. But it's just not the rocking selection of the best 70s rock. They have costume changes (jtweets favorite is for Brandy...) and loop videos in the background of either the actual bands whose music they are covering or other iconic 70s images (cha cha cherry loves the 70s heartthrobs during "Hot Child in the City"). Sometimes an illuminated grill of a 70s trans am graces the stage as well along with some other 70s memorabilia which tugs at the heart strings.
On bass guitar and lead vocals, you have Bobby August; James McGill on electric and acoustic guitars and lead vocals; Paul Riario on electric guitar and lead vocals, Jay Soltys on keyboard and lead vocals; and Lance Hyland Stark on drums and lead vocals (his drum solo is NOT to be missed). They all take turns singing lead and/or changing costumes and each one of them contributes to something magical on stage. They are continually adding new songs to their set list so you'll never see the same set. There were several new songs I heard at The Vogel last weekend including a melody of Led Zeppelin.
The crowd they pull is typically the 40+ crowd with a split between Gen Xer's and Baby Boomers all singing along to the songs they grew up with (or in my case, listened to my Baby Boomer parents play - but alas I AM a child of the 70s). But I am so delighted to see at certain venues that pulls a younger crowd, Super Trans Am has crossed over into younger generations. I see a younger fan base enjoying them as well. I mean heck, my 12-year-old adores them.
They don't play NJ all too often because they are playing in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York and more, so when they do come around, trust me, you gotta see them. I really can't say enough good things about this band. As someone who grew up in the 70s and considers 70s rock my core, I absolutely love these guys. They are all so incredibly talented.
To see when they are coming to a venue near you, click here.
You can check out my short videos from the show over at our Instagram account in the story highlights here. Please sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
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