A band that’s hard to beat: Blaire Reinhard, at Ginty Field in Morris Township on July 12

To catch a glimpse of the fabulous Blaire Reinhard Band, you usually must stay up late and elbow your way past the bar through legions of fans.

But on Tuesday, July 12, everyone can enjoy the BRB’s tasty brand of pop/rock in broad daylight, on the green grass of Morris Township’s Ginty Field.

The 7 p.m. show is free.

Photos of the Blaire Reinhard Band at the Famished Frog in May. Please click icon below for captions.

Blaire Reinhard, the lead singer, and her brother Gray Reinhard, on keyboard and guitar, are alums of Morristown High. Blaire’s husband, Wade Perrin, handles the bass duties. Keith Woodward is the drummer and Phil Ward plays lead guitar and sings.

The band’s repertoire is about as huge as Ginty Field, from Beatles to Gaga.  We are especially partial to the group’s original material. The BRB’s first CD, Steps on the Ceiling, is loaded with pretty melodies that hold up well to repeated listening.

But don’t take our word on this. Bring a beach blanket, bring a picnic, bring a friend, and see for yourself. Hearing is believing.

And for night owls who love the energy of indoor shows, the Blaire Reinhard Band performs at Morristown’s Famished Frog on July 16.

STORIES, VIDEOS ABOUT THE BLAIRE REINHARD BAND

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COMING UP IN MORRIS TOWNSHIP:

Tuesday, July 19: The Hanover Wind Symphony is celebrating its 27 season. This volunteer, nonprofit band consists of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments, all played with the purpose of bringing “music to the people and people to the music.”

Tuesday, July 26: Rave-On will perform hits by the great Buddy Holly.

Tuesday, Aug. 2: The Due South Band brings a touch of country to the Gazebo.
All concerts start at 7 pm.

MOVIE NIGHTS

Wednesday, July 13, at Cornine Field, How to Train Your Dragon (animated, PG)

Wednesday, July 27, at Ginty Field, Despicable Me (animated, PG)

Wednesday, Aug. 20, at Ginty Field, The Karate Kid (live action, PG), co-hosted by the Morris Township Fire Department.

For more information, contact the township Parks and Recreation Department, weekdays from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm at 973-326-7371 or online at  www.morristwp.com

Video: Blaire Reinhard sings ‘Got Me Down’ at MG Songwriters night in Morristown

Here is a mini-clinic on songwriting from Morristown’s First Lady of Rock and Roll, Blaire Reinhard.

Blaire performed her song Got Me Down at this week’s MG Songwriters Night: The Magic Behind the Music, in the proposed Morristown EcoCenter.

Panelists included Grover Kemble, who introduced students Olivia Platt and Jordy Black to sing his songs; Morris Plains singer-songwriter Bill Griese; and Anthony Vitale of the School of Music in Cedar Knolls.

You can catch the Blaire Reinhard Band at Morristown’s Famished Frog on May 21.

MORE VIDEOS AND STORIES FROM MG SONGWRITERS NIGHT

And don’t forget these upcoming EcoCenter events from MorristownGreen.com and Sustainable Morristown:

MG CARTOONISTS NIGHT: DOODLING WITH A MESSAGE, May 13: Want to start a comic strip? Three cartoonists tell you how. Art show, too! At 7:30 pm.

MG WORDPLAY: FUN WITH WORDS May 17: Poetry, hip-hop, beat boxing, improv and more, starts at 7:30 pm.

MG KIDS ART SHOW, May 25: Kids art, tips on green cooking for kids, a live art project, and more. (This event starts after school, at 2:30 pm.)

And don’t miss…

DESIGN CHARRETTES: Help plan the future of the EcoCenter. Sessions on May 5, 6 and 7.

Video: Happy St. Patrick’s Day, Morristown, from the Blaire Reinhard Band

Fresh from the oven: A new song, and a new video, from Morristown’s Blaire Reinhard Band.

Yes, the whole group moved to Hoboken. And yes, the video depicts the wrong parade.

But we still would vote for a statue of Blaire, Gray, Wade, Keith and Phil on the Morristown Green. And if you listen closely to St. Patrick’s Day, it sounds like Blaire is pining for the old home town.

March on back, BRB. All is forgiven!

Weekend roundup: The Blaire Reinhard Band at the Frog in Morristown

Morristown’s Famished Frog had better check its ceiling for structural damage. The Blaire Reinhard Band and its jubilant fans did their best to blow the roof off the joint on Friday and they very nearly succeeded.

Here are a few snaps. Some are blurry. But then, Blaire doesn’t stand still for more than a sixteenth-note. You can get a better look at her on Feb. 23 at the Community Theatre, where she will be a judge at the fourth annual Morristown’s Got Talent! show.

The band is busily recording its second studio album, which should be completed this summer, according to drummer Keith Woodward. That’s music to our ears.

READ MORE ABOUT THE BLAIRE REINHARD BAND

Homecoming queen: Blaire Reinhard, who plays at the Frog on Friday, talks about judging Morristown’s Got Talent on Feb. 23

What will it take to win the fourth annual Morristown’s Got Talent! competition on Feb. 23?   We can’t say for sure, but if you want to get Blaire Reinhard’s vote, read on!

Blaire is one of the celebrity judges and  brings a real hometown flavor to the task. She is a 1999 alum of Morristown High School, where many of this year’s performers have honed their skills.

As lead singer of the Blaire Reinhard Band, she has graced the stage of the Community Theatre, the beautiful venue for the contest.

Her family also has taught her a thing or two about show biz. Former Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen is her grandfather; Blaire sang Silent Night on one of Doc’s holiday albums when she was 9.

Blaire and her husband (and bass player) Wade Perrin moved to Hoboken last year. But their frequent Morristown gigs always are cause for celebration–see for yourself Friday night, Feb. 4, at the Famished Frog.

MORRISTOWNGREEN.COM: What will it be like coming to your old stomping grounds, and passing judgment on performers from your alma mater?

BLAIRE REINHARD: I’m flattered to have been asked to judge and I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the performers do their thing!  Morristown is a community loaded with talent, so I’m sure it will be a tough decision to select a winner.

MG: Did you enter talent shows as a kid?  How did you do?  What did you enjoy about them? What was hard about them?
BLAIRE REINHARD: I did do a few talent shows as a kid, though they were not always competitive.  Talent shows provided a venue for me to perform songs I loved that weren’t being done in school choirs/bands.  I remember having a harder time loosening up on stage when I was younger.  It was easy to get nervous, but the more time I spent performing in front of an audience, the more natural the experience was for me.

MG: Any tips for the contestants?  What kind of performance is likely to get your vote?

BLAIRE REINHARD:I know it sounds cliche, but my tip is to have fun with it!  I love to see someone enjoying what they’re doing on stage.  And although it’s crucial to be well-rehearsed and adept at your craft, sometimes it’s not the “perfect” performance that grabs me as much as the real and honest performance.

MG: What are you and the BRB up to lately?

BLAIRE REINHARD: We’re continuing to perform in the area (our next Morristown show is on Feb. 4 at the Famished Frog).  We are also keeping busy writing and recording our next album for an upcoming summer release.  I’m very proud of the way the new recordings are turning out so far.  We’ve been taking a more relaxed approach and I think it’s improving the music.  Some of my favorite new tracks are St. Patrick’s Day, Write Me, and No Matter.

MG: Can’t wait for the album. All the best–see you soon!

BLAIRE REINHARD: Thanks, Kevin!

READ MORE ABOUT THE BLAIRE REINHARD BAND

READ MORE ABOUT ‘MORRISTOWN’S GOT TALENT!’

Rounding out the judging panel are Jonathon Pierce, production director of the Community Theatre; opera soprano Karen Notare; and Morristown resident Guy Adami, a panelist on CNBC’s Fast Money. Morristown’s Got Talent! will be hosted by Bill Bromberg and Johnny D. Sixteen acts from Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains will compete this month for a $1,000 top prize and local bragging rights; last year’s show raised $30,000 last year for the Morris Educational Foundation. Tickets are going fast; you can buy them here.

Weekend pictures: Morristown crawls with Santas and bops with Blaire

It was the sort of sight one might expect after drinking one too many. Santas everywhere.

Dueling pub crawls brought red-clad revelers from far and wide to Morristown on Saturday night. Quite a few of them found their way to the Famished Frog, where the Blaire Reinhard Band gave them something to revel about.

Once again, one’s eyes could scarcely be believed. Reinhards everywhere.

At least four of them shared the stage at one point. Besides the usual sibs, Blaire and Gray, there was a kid brother, Richard, subbing on bass for Blaire’s husband, Wade Perrin. And the Reinhard patriarch, Tom, a dentist by training, elbowed his way to the microphone for a few harmonies with the kids.

A merry time was had by all.

‘Quaking Fourth Graders,’ from the MorristownGreen.com Film Fest

Who knew earthquakes could be educational?  Morristown teacher Jeff Brown always seems to find a way to motivate his students, as he demonstrates in Quaking Fourth Graders.

The movie was shot at the Thomas Jefferson School, and it was screened last week at the Third Annual MorristownGreen.com Film Festival.

The soundtrack is by The Community and the Blaire Reinhard Band.

The Blaire Reinhard Band rocks Ginty Field in Morris Township

The weather was perfect– and the music wasn’t bad, either.

Here are some scenes from the Blaire Reinhard Band‘s free concert at Ginty Field in Morris Township last night.

And this just in: Morristown’s first couple of rock and roll, Blaire Reinhard and husband/bassist Wade Perrin, are moving to Hoboken.

Wade will be studying law at Fordham University in New York.

“But Morristown will always be ‘home,’” Blaire said.

And don’t forget–you still have a few days to enter a video in the Third Annual MorristownGreen.com Film Festival.

The Blaire Reinhard Band is among the talented local acts that have contributed music for use in your video.  Check out the details at:

http://morristowngreen.com/about/the-2010-morristowngreen-com-film-fest/

Blaire Reinhard Band in free concert tonight at 7, Ginty Field in Morris Township

Here is a summer treat: The Blaire Reinhard Band takes to the gazebo at 7 p.m. for a free concert at Ginty Field in Morris Township.

If you have seen this Morristown group before, you know how much fun tonight will be.

And if you haven’t yet caught the BRB… no more excuses!  Bring lawn chairs, beach blankets and your best dancing sandals.

Oh yes, and a gentle reminder:  You still have a week to enter a video in the Third Annual MorristownGreen.com Film Festival. The Blaire Reinhard Band is among the talented local acts that have contributed music for use in your video.  Check out the details at:

http://morristowngreen.com/about/the-2010-morristowngreen-com-film-fest/

Morristown singer Blaire Reinhard talks about CD tribute to Lauren Failla

Morristown’s Blaire Reinhard Band threw a musical party Saturday night to celebrate a new CD, ‘Concert for Lauren.’

The album is a recording of a May show honoring the memory of Lauren Failla, 25, who died while vacationing in India this spring.

Blaire and the band performed several cuts from the gospel-tinged CD, along with original tunes and classic rock covers, at the  Famished Frog on Saturday. It was an upbeat, high-energy evening, as Lauren probably would have wanted it. Her parents, Frank and Kay, swayed to the music from the front row–Lauren’s favorite spot–with close friends.

Part of the proceeds from sales of the CD will support the Lauren Elizabeth Failla Foundation.

(The band also has contributed a song that you can use in your movie for the MorristownGreen.com Film Festival. The deadline to enter is August 1.)

We asked Blaire what it’s like to memorialize a friend through music:

MorristownGreen.com: Let’s start with the CD, “Concert for Lauren.”  The concert came fairly soon after Lauren’s death; it actually preceded Lauren’s funeral. People were still pretty traumatized. What do you remember from that show? Years from now, when you look back on that night, what do you think will stay with you?

Blaire Reinhard: Dancing in the aisles!  We didn’t expect the audience to do that, given the circumstances, but it truly seemed to be a manifestation of Lauren’s exuberance and energy.  We actually stretched out several of the up-tempo songs because we just didn’t want the dancing to stop!

I’ll also remember a strong feeling of togetherness that night, both in the audience and within the band.  Being on stage with my brother Gray, husband Wade, and dear friends Keith Woodward, Phil Ward and Clinton Curtis was more than I could ask for.

MG: What do you hope to achieve with the CD?

Blaire Reinhard: Most of all, we hope to spread the positive energy and beauty that is Lauren.  We are fortunate enough to be able to feature her artwork throughout the album too, so I’m excited for people to see that.  It’s remarkable that she was so talented and yet so humble, hardly ever even mentioning her own artwork or singing.

MG: How would you describe your relationship with Lauren, and with her family?  How close were you to Emily, Lauren’s late sister?

Blaire Reinhard: I met Lauren just a few years ago, when the band and I moved back to New Jersey, and she instantly became one of those people who I envisioned in my life forever.  In fact, a great anecdote about Lauren is that after our first few times hanging out, she called me to ask formally if we could be “friends”… I was flattered!

Her sister Emily was my tennis partner in high school, and just like Lauren, she was the type of girl who only brought joy and enthusiasm to the world.  She was beautiful, happy, and full of spirit.  Kay and Frank Failla are such kind and loving people…it’s easy to see where Emily and Lauren’s engaging personalities came from.

MG: It’s still only been a few weeks since Lauren’s passing. What was it like producing this album?  Did it help you come to grips with this tragedy?  Achieve any sort of closure?  Or did it force you to keep reliving this painful period?

Blaire Reinhard: Since it was a live album, producing went fairly quickly and was mostly technical.  Derek Vintschger did a wonderful job of mixing and mastering the tracks, which he recorded during the concert with the assistance of Lee Bender.

So many times during the preparation for the concert and the production of the CD, I felt Lauren’s presence, and in that way it was a comforting process.  I continue to listen to the CD, and although parts of it bring me tears, I do enjoy feeling the connection to Lauren.

MG: What kind of response have you been getting to your “Song for Lauren”? As time goes by, is it becoming any easier for you, emotionally, to perform that song?

Blaire Reinhard: Mostly, the people that have responded to me about the song have been people who knew Lauren.  I hope it may mean something to others who have lost loved ones.

MG: To take it a step further …  a death like this can shake one’s core beliefs, it can shatter our coping mechanisms. Yet instinctively, it seems, you turned to your music during this dark time. “Song for Lauren” really is an astonishing piece of work–astonishing for the eloquent way it captures Lauren and a moment in time, and for your grace under pressure. You delivered this gift to a grieving community at precisely the moment it was needed most. What has this experience taught you about music, and the role it plays in our lives?

Blaire Reinhard: The grind of frequent gigging and the non-musical work that is necessary to keep a band in motion can sometimes make us lose sight of the reasons we play music in the first place.  There’s tremendous healing power, comfort, and togetherness in song.  It’s terrible that it sometimes takes a tragedy to bring that into focus, but it does.

When Lauren died, Wade, Gray and I spent a lot of time playing in the living room together.  We just played any song we could think of that allowed us to express what we were feeling; emotional ballads as well as upbeat gospel inspired tunes.  Songs that seemed to speak to us over those days were then included in the concert setlist, though songs like “I Shall Not Walk Alone” and “Forever Young” were almost too difficult to get through, even in a rehearsal.

Other songs were chosen because we knew Lauren enjoyed them, such as “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, or “Could It Be” which is one of our songs from our first album.  I wrote “Song For Lauren” to console myself as much as anything.  There was nothing forced about it.  It’s a simple song with a simple message, but it means a lot to me.

MG: Anything more you want to say about the CD, Saturday’s show, or anything else?

Blaire Reinhard: Just thanks to everybody who has supported us so wholeheartedly these past few months.  This whole experience has really made me appreciate every day and every moment I get to spend with friends and family.

MG: Thanks very much, Blaire.

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