Rock vs. disco rivalry weekend comes to Westbury Music Fair

After the tree has wilted and the merriment has died down, it’s time to switch gears for some post-Christmas, pre-New Year cheer at Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair. Two back-to-back nights of concerts revive the old rock versus disco rivalry with "Yellow Brick Joel," a tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John, on Friday and "Long Island Disco Fever" on Saturday.

"I grew up in the era when it was rock vs. disco, where you had to decide whether you were a discohead or a rock guy," says concert promoter Brian Rosenberg. "Back in the day, they would never share an audience but now there’s definitely crossover. As we all got older, we learned to appreciate music from both genres."

'YELLOW BRICK JOEL'

This show is modeled after Joel and John’s 1994 "Face to Face" stadium tour, during which the Piano Man and the Rocket Man performed together and apart as well as covering each other’s songs. David Clark, of the All About Joel tribute band, who grew up in Hempstead, portrays Joel while Bill Connors, who goes under the moniker American Elton, transforms into John.

"We will come out doing two songs together then there’s five Elton songs and five Billy tunes," says Clark. "After the intermission, we return together with the band on our own pianos. The thing about this show is interacting with the crowd. We communicate with the audience by doing sing-alongs and make them feel like they’re part of it."

While Clark already physically evokes Joel being bald with a goatee and wearing a black suit, Connors dresses in lavish outfits the way John did in the '70s and '80s, plus hams it up onstage.

"I’ll lay on the floor and play with one hand, do kicks behind me or stand on the bench with one foot up on the keyboard," says Connors, of Savannah, Georgia. "I also fist-bump people in the crowd."

Expect to hear Billy Joel classics such as "Miami 2017," "It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me" and "You May Be Right" as well as Elton John hits such as "Tiny Dancer," "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Crocodile Rock." Sometimes they even duet together.

"On ‘Your Song,’ Bill sings the first verse and chorus then I do the second verse and chorus," says Clark. "We also do the same on ‘Honesty.’ "

Connors adds, "It’s very electric. Having us together amps up the excitement."

'LONG ISLAND DISCO FEVER 2024'

The disco ball will be spinning for three hours as a stacked bill of disco acts perform live on stage including The Trammps, featuring Earl Young, Evelyn "Champagne" King, France Joli, Norma Jean and Luci Martin (formerly of Chic), Rainere Martin (Donna Summer tribute), Musique, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes and Disco Unlimited.

"We play everything from the hits to the deep cuts. All forms of disco are included — funk, pop, R&B — from the '70s to the early '80s," says Disco Unlimited’s drummer, Joe "The MacDaddy" Albanese.

Each act plays 15 to 25 minutes while Disco Unlimited does a 30-minute set in the middle. Songs such as "It’s Raining Men," "High Energy," "And the Beat Goes On," "Haven’t Stopped Dancing Yet," "Young Hearts Run Free" and "You Should Be Dancing" are sure to get everyone moving.

"It’s more than just a concert; it’s a reunion party of the nightclubs on Long Island," says Rosenberg. "Everyone is up and dancing. It’s one big party."

Despite being labeled a fad in the '70s, disco has proved its endurance as a musical genre.

"Every time we play a show, someone comes over to me and says, ‘Wow! You really took me back to some of the happiest times of my life when I was out in the clubs with my friends feeling so free in the music,’ " says singer Cameron Rina, of Disco Unlimited. "There’s an emotional connection to disco."

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.