Nite-Time Returns for the 24th Annual GCCA Beaux Arts Ball!

Date: March 31st

Location: The Coppertree Restaurant at Hunter Mountain, Hunter, NY

Honoree: Purcell Palmer for Catwalk Artist Residency

This year Nite-Time had the pleasure of returning for the fifth year in a row to the Greene County Council on the Arts annual Beaux Arts Ball. Each year the ball is held at the beautiful Coppertree Restaurant at the foot of Hunter Mountain in Hunter, NY. This year’s March 31st ball had a masquerade theme which was a lot of fun and made it an incredible night!

This year the GCCA which “provides information and services to artists, arts organizations, cultural and educational institutions, civic groups, community agencies and the general public” honored Purcell Palmer.

Purcell, with her husband James, founded Catwalk Art Residency. Since its establishment in 2004, Catwalk has welcomed over 200 artists in residence to a “special retreat for art making, collaborative projects and scholarly discourse in a visually stimulating part of the country that has historically provided and continues today to provide significant inspiration to artists, cultural historians, writers and scholars.” Additionally, the council raised $22,000 toward their annual fundraising goal.

This year, there were masks made by local artists and volunteers available for sale during the silent auction to help everyone get into the spirit of the masked ball.

Lex Grey got things going with her bawdy cabaret and then we ramped things up with hits from the 60′s to today. Everybody was up and dancing, masked or unmasked!

It was actually really fun to perform wearing a mask, only a little bit difficult…

Yves had to take his off once he really started hitting those drums!

We love that we get the chance to lend a hand and help out this very worthy cause each year. Funding for arts in our communities is getting harder and harder to come by. We’d like to thank Kay Stamer, David Slutzky, the fine folks at the GCCA and all local arts councils for doing all that they do to keep arts alive in our communities.

If you didn’t make it out this time, next year consider joining us for an excellent time with an amazing group of people!

For more info on the Greene County Council on the Arts and their programs go to www.greenearts.org.

Nite-Time to Perform at the First Annual LUNGevity Hope Gala!

When: November 3, 2011

Where: Jumeirah Essex House,  NYC

Why: To raise money and awareness to help fight lung cancer!

Yves and I and the rest of Nite-Time are excited to announce that we will be participating in the first annual Hope Gala to benefit the LUNGevity foundation. LUNGevity was “founded by seven Chicago area lung cancer survivors in November of 2000 to increase funding for lung cancer research.” Their vision is of “a world where no one dies of lung cancer” and we are thrilled to be able to do our small part to help them get one step closer to realizing that vision.

The gala will take place on November 3rd at the beautiful and iconic Essex House on Central Park South in NYC. There will be a cocktail reception at 6:30pm, followed by dinner and dancing at 7:30pm. Additional entertainment will be provided by Chrissy Bridgeman from Painted Rhythm Dance Company.

This cause is near and dear to our hearts. Both Yves and I have lost loved ones to this devastating disease, which is incredibly hard to detect in it’s early stages and therefore claims more lives in the U.S. per year than any other type of cancer. Lung cancer, contrary to popular belief, can afflict anyone regardless of gender, ethnicity or a history of smoking. For more information on lung cancer, check out LUNGevity’s page about the disease here.

For more information on the Hope Gala, to buy tickets, or to donate, go to www.lungevity.org.

We’ll have pics and a full report on the event in the coming weeks…

Amy

Janet and Josh, Dancing All Night in Camp Hill!

Date: August 13th

Location: West Shore Country Club, Camp Hill, PA

First Dance: Manhattan by Kings of Leon

 

Janet and Josh found us online back in February, they had been looking for a band to play their wedding in Camp Hill, PA, a suburb of Harrisburg, and they were psyched when they found out we were available. As was the case most of this summer, there was a bit of rain that day, but they didn’t let it get them down. Their outdoor cocktail hour went off without a hitch, after the addition of a tent to the lawn at the West Shore Country Club. Their guest enjoyed passed appetizers and cocktails along with light background piano music, which was mostly scaled down versions of classic rock tunes with a few modern twists.

After cocktails everyone moved inside for dinner, Janet and Josh’s first dance, Manhattan, was a great way to start the evening. They did an amazing job getting it going with their solo dance after which we went right into a pre-salad dance set! Both Josh and Janet wanted to get everyone up and dancing, so we made sure that’s just what happened.

After dinner, Josh danced with his mother to In My Life by The Beatles. It was a touching moment for everyone, that song is just so perfect for a mother/son dance. Next came Janet’s dance with her dad, and I love their pick! They chose to get the dancing started again by shakin’ it to Get Down Tonight by KC and the Sunshine Band. Janet asked that Yves invite everyone to join them on the floor half way through the dance, which was a great way to kick off another rockin’ set of dance music. We hit on some modern dance hits from Ke$ha and Rihanna as well as 80′s classics like Billie Jean, complete with guest vocalist (one of Janet’s work colleagues totally nailed it).

Janet and Josh were a vibrant, fun loving and gracious bride and groom, they were a lot of fun and we had a great time working with the two of them. I love it when the bride and groom dance all night, and they certainly did.

Check out our YouTube channel for a great video of their first dance, Manhattan.

Chris and Katie, Happily Ever After!

Date: June 11th

Location: The Waterview, Monroe, CT

First Dance: You and Me, Dave Matthews Band

Chris and Katie are an adorable couple, very sweet, generous of spirit and a pleasure to work with. They made some notable selections as far as special songs. Katie wanted the Theme from Sex and the City for her bouquet toss, which I thought was fun and showed her upbeat nature and sense of humor, and I guess that could also be said for Chris’ choice for the garter of Welcome to the Jungle! I love when people think outside the box for things like that.

Huge fans of all things Disney, the couple got engaged at Disney World, and so for their cake cutting they chose the song Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast. It was a sweet moment. We didn’t know the details when they first picked the song, but it all made sense when we heard the best man and maid of honor’s speeches.

Like a lot of our couples they wanted variety when it came to the song list. Katie is a fan of more contemporary artists while Chris likes a lot of classic rock and alternative. For their parent dances they chose two of my favorite picks. Lullabye by Billy joel was perfect for Katie to dance to with her dad, and when Chris and his mom spun around the floor to Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

You and Me was a perfect choice for a first dance, and we were happy to get to play it again. It’s not one that comes up too often, and we hadn’t had a request for it since Maribeth and Gary back in September. It’s a great song that gets the party started on a high note!

…and speaking of a high note! Chris and Katie had the most rockin’ dessert of any wedding we’ve done so far this year. In addition to traditional dessert and wedding cake, they had an amazing array of candy! Yes, candy! There was a beautifully done table of every imaginable kind of candy that guests were welcome to stock up on. Everything from Pixi Stix to full size Twix was there and it was a trip. People kept saying they felt like kids again. This is the best pic I could get through the feeding frenzy…

Nite-Time Rocks Columbia College Again!

Date: June 4

Location: On campus at Columbia College, right in front of Low Library

Attendance: Off the charts!

The best night shot I could get of the amazing lighting job on Low Library.

Nite-Time has been playing at Columbia College’s Alumni Weekend since before we were officially Nite-Time! I think this year was year 11. Over the years it has been a lot of fun for us and there’s always a great crowd of Columbia Alums that are out to celebrate and have a good time.

We always play a really wide range of music and this year was no exception. Honoring class years ending in 1 and 6, this year’s alumni weekend had guests from as far back as 1946 and we got in a little something for all of them. (I did however notice quite a few folks from the class of 1966 getting down to Lady Gaga, I’m just saying)…

The dance floor was packed all night! We kept the class of 2006 grooving with hits by Gwen Stefani, Katy Perry and The Black Eyed Peas, but the one thing everyone from ’76 to ’01 could agree on was the 80′s. MIchael Jackson, Rick Springfield, Tommy Tutone, Madonna and Journey were just a few highlights of our trip down what was, for the classes of ’81 & ’86, memory lane. For others like the class of ’96 it was retro rewind hour and man did they get into it! The dance floor looked like this from 9:30pm to 1:30am when the party came to a close…

I LOVE that this guy noticed me taking the shot right in time!!

We’re already gearing up for next year’s Starlight Reception and can’t wait to party with Columbia again! Thanks so much for having us and get ready 2′s and 7′s – it’s on!!

This year the Columbia Lion was put in a safe place to avoid the sometime tradition of toppling his ice sculpture during the party.

Nite-Time at The Empire Room Tomorrow, May 21!

Nite-Time is playing at The Empire Room again! Tomorrow night, May 21st at 9:30pm. This is a great room and a really cool hang. The staff is friendly and skilled, we had a great time last time we rocked The Empire Room, and now we’re back for more.

We’ll be helping to raise money for the Incarnation Children’s Center which provides specialized care for children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS. It’s a great cause, so come on down. Tickets are $15 at the door and net proceeds go to the children’s center.

The Empire Room is located at 27 West 33rd St. on the lobby level of The Empire State Building. The party starts at 7:30pm, so come early for drink specials and appetizers!

Nite-Time Appears at PCDI’s Spring Sensations for the Fourth Year in a Row!

May 7, 2011

The Westin at Princeton Forrestal Village, Princeton, NJ

This year we at Nite-Time had the honor of performing for the good people at  The Princeton Child Development Institute, for the fourth year in a row. PCDI is “the first community-based program in the state (of NJ) that was specifically designed to provide intervention for children with autism.” Their mission is noble, they exist to “meet the education and treatment needs of children with autism, and to facilitate professional training and research on autism intervention” and they do an amazing job.

The 2011 Spring Sensations Gala was a wonderful event that raised spirits and funds for PCDI.  The people who work with PCDI give so much of themselves for this amazing cause. They work hard all year to raise money and awareness, so this event is definitely a party with a purpose. After the silent and live auctions were concluded, Nite-Time had the dance floor packed all night. This year’s musical highlights included a trip through the decades starting with hits from the Motown era and culminating in a rousing medley of today’s instant classics that got all ages up and moving.

We’d like to thank everyone at The Princeton Child Development Institute for having us back and for including us in such a wonderful event, we hope to see you again next year!

For more information about PCDI or to contribute go to www.PCDI.org.

Live Show: February 11, 2011 in NYC!

Who: Nite-Time – New York City’s Premier Party Band! (of course)

What: Music that will make you happy!

Where: P&G Bar on the Upper West Side. (78th & Columbus)

When: February 11, 2011, 6pm – 8pm

Why: So, this is clearly the winter of everyone’s discontent. Can you say second ice age? (I’ve got a call in to Al Gore to find out if we should be panicking… I’ll let you know.) At least Punxatawny Phil sees an end in sight. Until then, the best way to stay warm is to dance! (and, of course, drink) We’ve got an opportunity for you do both, and the dancing part is totally free.

A lot of you have been asking when and where you can see us play live, without having to get married or throw a fundraiser, corporate shindig or graduation gala – here it is.

We’re tired of being snowed in, so we’re coming on out. The P&G is conveniently located in one of our favorite ‘hoods, and charges absolutely NO COVER! It’s also close enough to Planet Sushi that we can all go get our sashimi on after the show. Sounds like a great way to kick off Valentine’s weekend! Join us. You know you’re tired of these winter doldrums!

Hot Review!

Kathy’s daughter, Julianna got married on the hottest day of the year in a semi-outdoor venue in Brooklyn that had… you guessed it… no A/C!
They were the nicest group of people and really great sports considering that it was over 100 degrees in Prospect park that day. Cheers to all of their guests for dancing like there was no heatwave!

Shortly after the event, Kathy sent us this email…

Hi Amy and Yves,

I’ve been meaning to send you an email to tell you what a wonderful time we had. You guys were great and deserve an A++++ rating just for showing up in that awful heat! You are true professionals and obviously love what you do and do it very well, regardless of the circumstances. We had alot of nice, positive comments on how great the band was. We were fortunate to have such high-quality music and food that our guests seemed to overlook the heat in favor of having a great time.

We will definitely give you the best feedback possible and will recommend the band to anyone in the market for great performers. Please feel free, if you’d like, to use our names as references. We hope you’ll continue making music for a long time, as we have 2 more daughters (but they’re only 18 and 21!).

Best regards,
Kathy

Lindsay, Justin and the Amazing Technicolor Cupcakes!

Date: 11/6/10

Location: Prospect House, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

First Dance: That’s How Strong My Love Is, Otis Redding

Number of different kinds of cupcakes: 5, yes 5!

Lindsay and Justin are both Princeton grads, they’re tall and adorable and looked like models from a wedding magazine all night!

The First Dance

We first met Lindsay and Justin at the annual PCDI event we do down in Princeton. The good folks at the Princeton Child Development Institute were nice enough to let them peek in to check out the band. We got a chance to talk on our break and hit it off instantly. Maybe it’s a tall person thing. I don’t know.

Lindsay and Justin had their wedding reception at the historic Prospect House on the campus of their alma mater, Princeton. It’s a beautifully restored Italianate Victorian mansion that was built circa 1850. Yves and I were enthralled the minute we saw the place, since we have been renovating a French Second Empire Victorian built circa 1882 for the past three years and we still have a few years of work left!

The fireplace in the rear parlor.

The reception was done in an increasingly popular, European style. We played background music, sometimes just one or two of us at a time until dinner was finished and then we ramped up the dancing starting with Lindsay and Justin’s first dance, That’s How Strong my Love Is by Otis Redding (great pick).

We took one brief break for the cake cutting, or shall I say the introduction of the most delicious wedding cupcakes ever into our lives (I say that, acknowledging fully, that Yves and I also had cupcakes at our wedding). Now, I generally stay away from dessert at the events that we do. If I ate cake every time it was offered to me I would weigh 300 pounds! So, when Lindsay offered us cupcakes I graciously passed mine along to the guys in the band. At least that was the plan. There were five different kinds of cupcakes, and when Danny and Bill started oo-ing and ahh-ing over them I was intrigued. So, I wrangled a bite from Yves. These cupcakes tasted even better than they looked – and they looked great! Lindsay told me that they were made by the in house caterers at the Prospect House, Restaurant Associates.

Once dessert was served we went back to rocking the house. Lindsay, Justin and their guests danced the night away, but I’d like to give a special shout out to the man who married them, Paster Yoder. Not only did he quote Snoopy in his blessing stating, “to dance is to live”, but he clearly practices what he preaches. I think I was half way through the first verse of Bad Romance when I looked out and saw the nimble man of the cloth deftly cutting quite a rug on the dance floor. Paster Yoder, you are welcome to rock my dance floor any time!

-Amy