Once again, greetings and salutations…
What can I say? More and more, as the years go by, it seems that as soon as the summer season starts, it’s over. But it was a spectacular summer, and the stars were out in full force. Who were they? You – the people who came and partied and created the magic that is Memories in Margate.
But even though summer is coming to an end, it doesn’t mean the end of our partying together. We’ll continue our weekly happy hour live broadcasts every Wednesday at the Oar House Pub in Sea Isle City, and every Thursday starting Sept. 15 at the fabulous LIVE! Casino in Philly, plus our one-nighters throughout the year.
And mark the date – Friday, Sept. 30 – for our oldies dance party and fundraiser for the Avalon Lion’s Club Charities at Avalon Community Center. Get your tickets right away because this event always has a huge turnout! For more info, call (609) 967-3066 or (215) 805-2076.
Plus two Geator events in October you might want to plan for now – Friday, Oct. 7, at Bordentown Elks (call Jody at 609- 273-1425), and Saturday, Oct. 22, at St. James Hall in Ventnor (call Jimmy at 609-823-4097).
And stay tuned for info about our New Year’s Eve celebration at Bally’s in A.C.
So perhaps you’ll be able to join me in person as we keep the partying spirit of the summer alive throughout the coming fall and winter. For details about all these events and more, check our calendar at geator.net and follow me at Facebook.com/Geator . You can get to both sites through the New Jersey Free Press website, at njfreepress.com/jerry-blavat-geator-gab/
And even though our spectacular 50th season celebration at Memories in Margate has come to an end, we will have wonderful memories of a truly great season. In this new world of technology, people were able to join us not only locally but from all over the world via our Mixcloud live broadcasts and chat room, where viewers in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Turkey, Germany, Austria, Holland, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, not to mention all over New Jersey and the rest of the United States, came together to experience the spirit of camaraderie that Memories has always created. It was a brand new audience that grew and grew, and the best part was that people of all ages and nationalities accidentally discovered the great music of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s that we played at Memories all summer long and are now lifelong followers, keeping the music and artists from that era alive.
And if you were one of them, thank you again for your love, loyalty and your partying spirit.
I want to acknowledge the wonderful, dedicated, and hard-working Memories staff who made it happen weekend after weekend — our bartenders Diane, Sherry, Francesca, Kathy, Derek, Joey, Michael, Mike J, and Ryan; our barbacks Blaise, Mike F., Anthony, and Jake; our porters Kelvette and Carlos; our security personnel Pierre, Pete, Blake, Jimmy, Victor, Ken, Javis, and Matt. And it couldn’t have happened without Lindsey & Joey coordinating it all; and my very talented main man and right hand, DJ Joel Stephens.
And of course none of it could happen without our loyal sponsors who keep us on the air: A-Plus Roofing, Frank Gitto Electric Services, Family Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram, Bally’s, the Oar House Pub, and LIVE! Casino, Bagliani’s Italian Market in Hammonton, Primo Hoagies, Liscio’s Bread & Rolls, Dietz & Watson Foods, Talluto’s Pasta, Anthony’s Ristorante in Sea Isle City and Delaware County, Jerry Longo’s Meatballs & Martinis, plus Urgent Care New Jersey, Wills Eye Institute, and Jefferson Health System.
Last but not least, Capri Pizza & Grill in Northfield, Mazza’s Market, also in Northfield, and Chickie’s & Pete’s at the shore and in Glassboro, Bordentown, and Marlton, are not only sponsors but supplied all the food for our famous Friday night buffets at Memories.
These great local or family-owned businesses are tried and true and most of them have been loyal supporters for many years. They always go out of their way to make our listeners and patrons happy, so please let them know who you are when you visit them. I have personal relationships with all and use them myself, so I can vouch for each of them being the best at what they do.
If you enjoy the Geator and the music on Kool 98.3 and WOND News Talk 1400 and 92.3 at the shore; on WBCB 1490 in Trenton, WVLT Cruisin’ 92.1in Vineland, and on free internet radio WISL1480.com and WTYM.org, we have them to thank, so please support them throughout the year.
Well, I think that covers it for now, so thanks for reading and I hope to see you soon. And as the days grow shorter and the nights get cooler and longer, just remember one thing: You’ve got to keep on rocking, ’cause you only rock once.
For more info on Jerry’s appearances and radio shows, go to www.geator.net or follow him at Facebook.com/Geator. Got a question for the Geator? Send it to geatorella@yahoo.com and we’ll try to answer it here in the Geator Gab.
Jerry Blavat is one of America’s leading, most recognized and most respected disc jockeys and performer who has been the leading influence in the proliferation of “oldies” music on the radio and internet for decades. A respected Philadelphia icon, he gained local fame hosting live dances in the area, leading to his own independent radio show, on which he introduced many acts in the 1960s to a wide audience, including the Four Seasons and the Isley Brothers. In 1993, Blavat was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance’s Hall of Fame, and in 1998, was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of a permanent exhibit in its Museum of Radio and Records. In 2002, he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia’s “Hall of Fame”, and on January 15, 2022, Blavat celebrated his 61st consecutive year on radio.
Jerry Blavat is an exclusive columnist to the New Jersey Free Press. The Geator’s monthly column is highly popular with adult readers who long for the golden days of radio and rock, as well as by younger readers who listen to his internet programs and visit his popular club “Memories in Margate”.