Rant #1,461: Still Happy Together

In the middle of an intense rainstorm, my family and I attended the latest version of "The Happy Together Tour" at the NYCB Theater (the former Westbury Music Fair) in Westbury, New York, on Saturday night.

Oldies affairs are usually a mixed bag. Acts play the hits that they've played 10,000 times over, and sometimes, they do look bored.

Happy to say that at least at this show, nobody looked too bored, and the three-hour show was the quickest three hours I think I have ever spent anywhere.

There were a total of six acts on the bill, and each one did about five songs, which meant you heard a total of somewhere around 30 hits from the likes of the Buckinghams, the Association, the Grass Roots, Mark Lindsay, former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders, and, of course, Flo and Eddie of the Turtles.

Yes, I am leaving out one of the participating acts, because they were the reason that I wanted to go to this particular show in the first place.

The Cowsills--I think it was Bill, Bob and of course, Susie--were on the bill, and I had always wanted to see them in concert.

Since their first national hit, "The Rain, the Park and Other Things" in 1967, this act has had its share of ups and downs. Since they are a family act, just the fact that only three members still are alive should tell you something right there.

It has not been an easy road for this family, but at Westbury, they put it all behind them.

Of all the performers on the bill, the trio looked like they were having the most fun.

They mentioned that they had not been at Westbury since 1967, and this real-life model for the Partridge Family played like it was ... well, 1967.

They played their five best known songs, including the "Theme From Love, American Style," which, conveniently, was being played all weekend during a series binge on the Decades TV network.

Kids who grew up during this era always kind of "got" this act, because they were our peers, or we were their peers, whichever way you want to call it.

They are in their late 50s and early 60s now, but back then, sure, we loved the Beatles, but we knew they were from across the ocean. The Cowsills existed almost as if our next door neighbors were pop stars ... even if they hailed from Rhode Island.

All the acts on the bill did quite well with their few minutes on stage, and my wife was astounded that Mark Lindsay, who is in his mid 70s and might have been the oldest performer of the bunch, looked and sounded so good, much better than when we saw him just a few years ago at the same venue.

Flo and Eddie were their usual PG-13 rated selves. My son even asked me why they threw in a couple of curse words, and they did work in a little Frank Zappa into their set, but when it was all said and done, they were the Turtles, and that is who we came to see.

I would definitely check out this tour if it comes to your area, if for nothing else than to see that the Cowsills, at least three of them, are alive and well and ready to entertain you.