People are Talking....
After Dark
Phil Shane's Diamond is a gem
My friends thought I was playing a prank on them.
First, I forced them to drive to Fullerton, which can be traumatic for people from Newport Beach. Then I directed them into the parking lot of a dimly lighted cocktail lounge called the 2 J's. This was not the kind of upscale dance club to which they had become accustomed.
Finally, there was Phil Shane.
They had never heard of him, so they were taken aback at the sight of this ever-smiling man with the Elvis sideburns and the brightly colored jackets who was standing in front of a microphone belting out rock 'n' roll oldies, accompanied by taped music dialed up from a computerized jukebox.
This had to be a joke.
"Is this guy actually singing a Neil Diamond song?" one of my cynical friends said with a sneer.
I smiled and nodded my head.
Then came the transformation. I knew Shane would win my friends over, just as he has won over thousands of first-timers who changed from skeptics to unabashed fans of the legendary Orange County lounge performer.
"Hey, this guy's good," my friend said.
"And he's singing a Neil Diamond song," I replied.
Although Shane performs songs by many other artists (he's a huge devotee of Elvis, being a native of Tupelo, Miss., the King's hometown), I would like to discuss his Neil Diamond songs.
They are the most popular part of his performance, and young women in the crowd dance themselves into a frenzy when he sings "Sweet Caroline."
"It's the most requested song in my repertoire," Shane said from his home in Las Vegas, where he performs when he's not in Orange County.
"I wish I could tell you why they love that song. And I wish I had an explanation as to why this younger generation loves Neil so much. I understand why older folks like me enjoy Neil's music, but it's gotten to be almost a cult thing with kids in their 20s."
Frankly, I was hoping Shane could give me an explanation for the phenomenon. It baffles me.
I grew up in the same era as Diamond, but I never understood or appreciated his immense popularity. I accepted it; I just didn't get it.
I acknowledge that he is a terrific songwriter (my favorite is "I'm a Believer," which he wrote for the Monkees in 1966), and he has a nice voice. And I suppose he's handsome.
But his songs, from "Cracklin' Rosie" to "Cherry Cherry" and "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show," leave me cold.
Of course, my opinion means nothing. The guy has been selling out arenas for decades, he has more greatest-hits packages than most singers have albums, and he even has inspired tribute bands that make a decent living just moving from club to club imitating him.
I even hear he's a nice guy.
But I always considered him a lightweight talent until I saw Phil Shane perform his music. Now I'm not quite sure how I feel about Neil Diamond.
I still don't think I'd ever spend a dime to see the real thing (I saw him perform at a private party last year, and it didn't cost me a cent), but I would definitely pay to see Shane sing Diamond.
If you've never seen Shane perform, you're in for a treat. The guy never takes a break and never seems to get down. His good-natured energy infects the entire room.
And, I should add, that although his act might sound like karaoke, it is nothing like karaoke. Shane does play instruments, but not all the time. Sometimes he's just having too much fun to stop to play an instrument.
If you don't catch him before the end of the month (his local schedule appears below), you will have to drive to the lounge at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas, where Shane will take up residence in April.
Phil Shane's five favorite Neil Diamond songs:
1. "Soolaimon"
2. "Sweet Caroline"
3. "America"
4. "I Am, I Said"
5. "Morningside"
Phil Shane's Schedule:
Tonight - Big Andy's, 14131 Red Hill Ave., Tustin, (714) 665-2709.
Saturday - Stadium Tavern, 305 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 447-4200.
March 19-20 - Tustin Brewing Co., 13011 Newport Ave., Tustin, (714) 665-2337.
Barry Koltnow's After Dark column runs Fridays in Show. Reach him at (714) 796-5051, Ext. 1110, or bkoltnow @ocregister.com
Phil Shane
He's not a tribute act, he's a national treasure. AOL
Weekender
There's a good chance the name Phil Shane doesn't
ring a bell and if it doesn't, it just means you've been living in a cave for
a few decades. Shane has been a staple on the Orange County lounge scene since
1972, first singing his own originals and gradually throwing in the odd Elvis
or Neil Diamond cover in his set for good measure. Eventually, he figured out
that the covers got the best response so he switched his show to a homage to
his heroes: Elvis, Diamond, Sinatra and the like. Shane's gotten so popular
over the past few years, he now only plays Vegas showrooms, so this evening
at the intimate La Cave is something like a homecoming for him. By the way,
if you're shy, don't sit close to the stage -- Shane is notorious for grabbing
the nearest female and serenading her, all the while dancing the lambada on
the dance floor. -- Michael Alarcon
Top 129 bands in Orange County 6/20-27/03 OC
Weekly
#7. Phil Shane He has never held another job. Neither
waiter nor dogwalker. From a tender age, Phil Shane has made his living playing
in the band. At 13, he played where Jerry Lee Lewis played (the Chicsa Lodge
just outside Tupelo, Mississippi); the money from his gigs helped his mom out
after his dad lost their house in a game of dominoes. For 30 years, he has sweated
out pure Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley and "God Bless the USA" in the trenches
of OC bars and lounges, for the bluehairs at Harpoon Henry's and the seedier
bluehairs at the Fling in Tustin. And now he's gone Vegas, baby. It's his lifelong
dream made crushed velvet and flesh, and it's all thanks to the Tropicana and
his spitfire wife, the love of his life, Michlene.
Many of you saw the April 19-25 2003 OC Weekly where
I made the cover! If you haven't; check it out!!
Phil Shane @ Alex's Bar 9-27-02
Brandi Bennington - Writer
Be still my choking and corroded heart. I have a smidgen of feeling left in this old rusty beater, because after seeing the Fabulous Phil Shane at Alex's Bar last Friday, I swear my ticker was thumping faster than it ever has in what has been an adrenalized life. Not only did the one man legend entice and enchant everyone within earshot, the lucky locals who started their weekend early Friday afternoon were included in on his sound check at the Long Beach bar and got to toss back a few dozen cocktails with my main man at Alex's, Mikey, who was sooo twinkly eyed and gaa-gaa over The Main Man that he reserved himself a stage side table, complete with saved seats for me and Serge. That was hours before his 9:12 pm set started, and when I left at 12:42 am, sweated and sated from shimmying my ass off, Phil was still on stage, where he held court over Long Beach's only true live music crowds. The bar was packed, from the punks to the princesses, to the Orange County trekkers who slummed up from Newport to try and blend in with the furious few who live at Alex's 24-7. Alex himself, our Punk-pub- proprieter, noted proudly that this was the greatest night in the joint's history. The masses were hypnotized by Shane, his air of polyester chic infiltrating such a denizen of slack. I was entranced into gazing lovestruck at him during his Elvis set, convinced he was singing Suspicious Minds only to me, even though I had Karaoke King-Deadbeat Dad J.O.B. to my left and beauteous barmaid Asia to my right, all vying with The One Man Legend for attention. The truly devoted few peppered the new addicts with claims of turning so and so onto Phil before ANYONE. Phil Shane usually entertains the Las Vegas crowds during the week at his standing dream come true gig at the Tropicana, and if Friday's show is any indication as to the star power of the Shane, there is no way the Strip can top his performances, unless they trot up on stage Tom Jones, with Neil Diamond to headline and an encore by the King himself. Phil Shane has carved a niche in the nightlife, and has surpassed any and every show that is circulating. He is the epitome of entertainers, and his rabid following never seems to tire of the lounge covers he has revived as well as straight hijacked from their originators. He can start off with a few midi-programmed karaoke instrumentals, and before the first few audience members can sing a long, he has taken the mike and ran, turning an old 70's cheesy tune into a dance floor packed and swaying singles scene. All the hype on Phil has created quite a commotion, since there is now the Documentary being screened throughout the County, a behind the scenes and on stage story of how one man's dreams of performing can take you all the way to Vegas, baby, so hold on to those martini's, soup up the gas guzzling four door, and get the brightest and blondest babe to bounce beside you, and get your ass to the next Phil Shane show, or you may regret it for as long as you live.
OC Weekly
6/2001 -
(Lounge god: Phil Shane...)
Michael Alarcon
Think of The Fling as the last fading bit old Vegas-style
glory in Orange County. The 30-year-old Santa Ana lounge looks
like an Exclusive, smoke-filled VIP room where Frank, Dino and
Sammy might have held court back in '65. But these days, it's
standing room-only for young, Urban Outfitters-clad hipsters in
search of this season's kitschiest trend. These recent ,maximum-capacity
crowds can be tracked to one person: Phil Shane
The Register 2001 -
(A legend, here and abroad...)
Robert Kinsler
Phil Shane would seem like an unlikely candidate to find success
in today's admittedly fickle, youth-oriented pop market. In fact,
Shane is known primarily as an Orange County singer and multi-instrumentalist
who preforms a "One Man Legends Show" at several local
clubs..... A song titled "Love On The Internet" off
his newly released CD "A Fling Thing" is playlisted
in France at number 8 and Shane recently took a break from his
regular tribute show featuring songs by the likes of Elvis Presley,
Neil Diamond and Roy Orbison to perform his retro-style original
material backed by a full band at the new House of Blues in Anaheim.
Saddleback Valley News...
Meet the People
Karen Bunch
Good music spans generations of folks, regardless of style
or preference. An outstanding evidence of this fact is offered
by the performance of talented Phil Shane. If you haven't had
the good fortune of listening to old and new rock 'n' roll, country,
easy listening, "pop" or leading showtunes this performer
delivers with style and outstanding showmanship..... Fans will
tell you that what sets Phil apart from many entertainers is his
stamina and enthusiasm with his audience.
OC Register/Nightlife -
(They don't make 'em like
this anymore...)
Barry Koltnow
And then there is Phil Shane. Shane and his self-described
"One Man Legends Show" is the entertainment at The Fling
on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, making this the
place to be on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. He
performs standing up behind a piano bar, just a few feet from
his adoring fans, and he never takes a break...... Shane doesn't
waste a lot of time between songs, either. He knows most of the
crowd and exchanges little jokes with them, but he is there to
entertain them with music, and he is serious about having fun.
When someone requests a rock 'n' roll oldie, he doesn't just play
one. He plays a whole hour of rock'n' roll oldies. When someone
requests Elvis; he performs a whole Elvis show. You want country?
He's got plenty of country.
Dana Point News -
(Phil Shane pays tribute to
the stars...)
Kelly Tokarski
....... over the years, he has built
up a loyal following, evident by the hordes of people who pack
the venues, sporting Shane t-shirts and bumper stickers, while
singing, clapping, yelling and dancing as Shane demonstrates his
love for the music, artist and the crowd.
Saddleback Valley News -
(Mission Viejo Man Performs...)
Marilyn Kammer
........With more than 2,000 songs in his repertoire, Shane
gets his audiences clapping, dancing and singing along. His enthusiasm
for his music comes out loud and clear.....