Queen of Disco Gloria Gaynor appears with special guests The Village People in a September 6 benefit concert, dedicated to the Michael Fux Foundation’s local children’s hospital project.
Press release from Count Basie Theatre
Gloria Gaynor, the “Queen of Disco” whose dance-floor hit “I Will Survive” went on to become the greatest disco anthem of all time, will headline a special “Disco Fever” benefit concert on Saturday, September 6 at the Count Basie Theatre.
The singer whose signature song marks its 35th anniversary this year — and whose other great hits include “Never Can Say Goodbye” and “Let Me Know (I Have a Right)” — will be joined for the occasion by special guests The Village People, featuring Asbury Park’s Felipe Rose.
Proceeds from the concert (and an after-party on the Basie patio) will help The Michael Fux Foundation create a family center at a hospital in Monmouth County. The Foundation, established in 2006 with the mission of helping sick and underprivileged children and their families, helped create the Michael Fux Family Center at Miami Children’s Hospital in Florida, and has set its sights on implementing a similar vision for the local area.
“We’ve seen how important it is for parents to have a comforting place to unwind and have a little fun with their children during a child’s hospitalization,” says Foundation President Michael Fux, the foam-mattress maven (and hunter-gatherer of exotic automobiles) who opened Blue Water Seafood on Broad Street in 2011. “The Family Center will be that place in Monmouth County. We’re creating Red Bank’s hottest night of music for a great cause.”
Gaynor, whose tale of personal strength climbed to the top of Billboard’s Pop chart and claimed the Number One position on two different occasions in 1979, told an interviewer “I first met Michael at a benefit at Miami Children’s Hospital…I am simply thrilled to be involved with this event and its purpose.”
Along with the reigning Queen of Disco, The Village People have earned the title “Kings of Disco” for their crowdpleasing anthems like “Y.M.C.A.,” “In The Navy,” “Go West” and “Macho Man” — monster hits that have helped the group move more than 100 million recordings worldwide. In 2008, the Village People — Raymond Simpson (Cop and lead singer), Felipe Rose (Native American), Alexander Briley (GI/Military), Eric Anzalone (Biker), Bill Whitefield (Construction Worker) and Jim Newman (Cowboy) — received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, while their songs and personas have been a constant presence at sporting events and in commercials around the world.
Immediately following the concert, Industry magazine and R3 Ventures will present “Red Bank’s Hottest Night” from 9 pm to midnight. That 70’s Band performs live, with full open bar, food and a party atmosphere unlike anything the Basie has ever seen. Proceeds from both the concert and after party will go towards the Fux Foundation’s efforts.
Take it here for tickets, priced at $59, $49, $39 and $29. A limited number of $500 VIP tickets and sponsorship opportunities are also available, which include a post-show Industry Magazine party and meet-and-greet with Ms. Gaynor on the Basie patio.
