Review: ROUNDTABLE Host and SNL Alum Robert Bannon Kicks Off Pride With ROBERT BANNON'S PRIDE PLAYLIST At 54 Below

Heigh-Ho, My Merry Rainbow Tribe! Bobby Patrick your RAINBOW Reviewer here… Grabbing that silent T from cabareT to bring you all the Tea!

For those many, MANY, followers of Robert Bannon, whether it be from his time on SNL, THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NJ, or as the host of his YouTube program THE ROUNDTABLE, his return to 54 Below to celebrate PRIDE with his brand new show Robert Bannon’S PRIDE PLAYLIST was a Friday night party, and no mistake. Not just for Little Bobby, mind you, but for the whole crowd that rocked and rolled in the basement to kick off Pride Month 2023 with Robert. From his opening sequence,  a mashup of THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL & SO EMOTIONAL which led straight into THE BITCH IS BACK, Robert proved that he WAS there to party with all his gays and gay adjacents. Singing in front of his incredibly tight band, dubbed “Gay For Play” (Music Director/Arranger/Piano: Yasuhiko Fukuoka, Drums: Joshua Roberts, Guitar: David Cinquegrana, Bass: Wes Bourland) Robert’s show sounded (and, indeed, felt) like a rock concert by the likes of the gay divas he was tributing - Donna Summer, Diana Ross, and his hero Patti LaBelle. His story of having joined Patti on stage in one of her up-from-the-audience moments was a sassy miracle in his performing life, and his roaring rendition of LADY MARMALADE, with superb Background Vocals by Roger Dawley & Lauren Robinson, was a huge WOW moment in the night.

 

In his black & white checkerboard suit, wailing his opening number to the rafters, Robert did not waste a moment in letting everyone know they were in for a gay old time with his medley of 80s-90s TV theme songs from THE FACTS OF LIFE, THE NANNY, and, of course, THE GOLDEN GIRLS. A self-professed late boomer-out-of-the-closet, he has more than made up for lost time by becoming an out and proud advocate for equality and understanding, especially to the 5th graders he still, staunchly, teaches in New Jersey, despite his amazingly full appearance schedule.

Three big highlights in Robert’s show involved the welcoming of talented guests to join him on the stage. For ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Drag Diva Evita Loca (despite her use of a distracting music stand) still brought it, and the two of them made the old tune a disco explosion. For the big love ballad from CHESS, I KNOW HIM SO WELL, Robert’s own director, the fabulous Robie Rozelle, came to the stage and, after some comical banter about which of them had the biggest claim to Yaz Fukuoka’s talents and attention, the two got down to business, hitting the number out of the park. Now, in the past, this rainbow writer has been a bit reserved in praising Rozelle as a performer, calling him a gifted amateur and saying that, sometimes, his vocal reach exceeds his tonsil grasp, but we have it on good authority that Rozelle works hard, and studies even harder, and we are here to tell you, rainbow children, that all the work has paid off: Robbie Rozelle matched his star’s power, note for note, and these two clowns sang their faces off, making the number a great time for all. Rozelle is also to be commended for his direction of Bannon’s insanely fast-moving show, which was a non-stop diva rollercoaster tribute of Pride classics down through the years. Bannon’s final guest of the night was the beautifully talented dancer, Marquise Hitchcock, who made the 2 ½ square feet of floor space available to him into the stage of the New York City Ballet, while Robert sang the Gould & Matthews Pride anthem I THINK THAT HE KNEW. Hitchcock’s expansive and expressive movement poem to Bannon’s gorgeous vocals elicited sighs from one and all, and the only thing to be done after that finale was to sing Cher & Donna Summer, in quick succession, to close out the night.

 

In all, sweet rainbow children, Robert Bannon’S PRIDE PLAYLIST at 54 below will most definitely make Bobby’s list of Pride Events Of The Season, and that season has only just begun. Bannon’s vocals were insane, his guests were magical, and the whole night was a big gay disco party not soon to be forgotten, and because we shall never forget it, we give this show a rousing…

5 Out Of 5 Rainbows

Catch Episodes Of THE ROUND TABLE & Other Vids On His YouTubes: HERE

Check Out Robert’s Schedule & Link To All His Socials On His Webbysite: HERE

All photos by yours truly, Bobby Patrick.

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