Media Writing Blog: Jeremiah The Bullfrog Rocks Out In Atlantic City

Welcome back to Gen Z Talks Rock Music, exploring the world of rock n’ roll with news and opinions from someone who wasn’t a thought, when rock music was released. Today, I will review my first rock concert that I went to since the pandemic happened. I will go over how the band sounded instrumentally and vocally, and if the band sounded like their studio recordings. I will discuss the appearance of the band and how they interacted with the crowd. Then finally, I will have a bio section on the legendary careers, this band had as musicians. This rock band was a dominant force of the late 1960’s and the whole decade of the 1970’s as they wrote hit after hit. From 1968 to 1976, they had 21 singles that charted in the Billboards’ Top 40 and three of those songs were number one hits. Alongside Elton John, they were the most successful commercial band of the 1970’s. They had three strong and powerful vocalists that all could sing as the lead vocalist, and they could sing beautiful harmonies with each other. This act that I witness live is no other than Three Dog Night and their mascot Jeremiah The Bullfrog, who was famously appeared in their song, “Joy To The World.”

Three Dog Night Bio: 

    Before I go into my concert review, I am going to give a brief synopsis on who I saw a few weeks back. Three Dog Night consist of vocalists, Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells, who all met each other sometime in the 1960’s. Hutton and Wells met in the studio as Wells was the lead singer of a band called “The Enemies,” and Hutton was the writer/producer of Hanna Barbera records. Hutton helped Wells’s band record several singles as their producer. Hutton came up with the idea to start a three-vocalist band with Wells and Wells was fully on board. Hutton and Wells needed a third singer to start this project, and they recruited mutual friend, Chuck Negron. In 1967, Three Dog Night had formed, which they named themselves after an Australian expression that means low nocturnal temperatures in the outback. They started to write and record music right away. After a few unsuccessful singles that they released to the public, they decided their music needs more of a fuller background than three singers. Mike Allsup became the lead guitarist, Jimmy Greenspoon became the keyboardist, Joe Shermie became the bassist, and Floyd Sneed became the drummer. Three Dog Night released “One” in 1968 and this led to their rein of success in the 1970’s. Here is the link below if you want to learn more about Three Dog Night. Three Dog Night Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic

Concert Review:

    On September 10, 2021, I was able to see Three Dog Night perform live at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City. David Hutton and Mike Allsup were last remaining members of the band as vocalists David Morgan, and Paul Kingery, drummer Pat Bautz, and keyboardist Howard Laravea joins Hutton’s new Three Dog Night on their 2021 tour. On that night, I was antsy in my seat as I was holding the burst of excitement, when they come on stage. I could see clearly what was on the stage as I was so close to it that I could reach out and touch it. The light dimmed down, and the room was slightly dark. The loudspeaker echoed in the crowd as the announcer announced, “The Ocean Casino Resort would like to present on to the stage, Three Dog Night.” The crowd and I roared into cheering and applauding. Three Dog Night would rock out the stage playing all 21 top charting singles like “Black And White,” “Never Been To Spain,” “Shambala,” “Old Fashion Love Song,” “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” and “Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues).”                                                                                                   The vocals by Three Dog Night were remarkable as they sounded like they were 20 years old again. When one of them sung a lead part, they had excellent control and power in their singing voice. My favorite part of their vocals was their harmonies that rung out so majestically as it was soothing to listen to. Especially when they did their latest song called “Prayer Of The Children”, where it sounded like a choir of angels singing as it was such a beautiful piece and performance by them. It was something very special to watch because Hutton found new vocalists that he had perfect chemistry together and their singing sounded close to the actual recordings of the songs. I admire that by Three Dog Night to find the right vocalists that are very similar to the original vocalists to sing these songs. The instrumentals by the rest of the band were solid. The band was in sync with one another as they knew each song inside and out. It was almost like they have been playing for a very long time with one another and not just three years with this current lineup. Allsup had a few guitar solos during the night, they were slow hand style like all the virtuoso guitarists of the 1970’s. They were simple and melodic that crowds would enjoy, but not go wild over. Now, Laravea on keyboards had one solo during the night that the crowd went absolutely nuts over. He was just insanely playing the keys with increblibe speed and melody. 

     Three Dog Night’s appearance on stage looked like the walking dead with dance moves that you would see at the annual graveyard smash called the monster mash. They sounded outstanding, but they didn’t age well at all. The only member that looks amazing for his age is Jeremiah The Bullfrog at 51 years old. Now, they might have not entertained the crowd with their dance moves, they learned from the retirement home academy, but they were fun, when they interacted with the crowd. They were making jokes all night and talking about the songs before they played them. I love the joke Hutton made before playing “Try A Little Tenderness,” where he said songwriters write these love songs, because our fans can sing to someone special how much they love them. Then turns to a couple as an example, but he saw the date wasn’t going that well, and said it was trouble in paradise over there. Then he explained he is going play the song now, before he gets himself more in trouble. Another talk between songs that I loved was before they played, “Sure As I’m Sittin Here,” and Morgan had a funny and inspiring speech about being thankfully and happy of what you have. Life is too short to complain of what don’t have and you should live your life. Then he pulled up a chair and sat in it to perform the next number.                                                                                                                                                                    Three Dog Night was the icon band of the 60’s and 70’s that can still put on a rocking show. They gave an energetic and fun show. Three Dog Night and the frog that I love so much and a good friend of mine, Jeremiah, entertained the crowd on a nice summer day in Atlantic City, NJ. I would totally recommend buying a ticket to see them live as it is worth to spend the money. If you want to check out the music of Three Dog Night, I have linked some songs below. Let me know in the comments below, what do you think of Three Dog Night and if you have a favorite song by them? Also, what was your favorite concert experience that you had so far? This wraps up another blog of Gen Z Talks Rock Music, until next time keep on rocking.