Everett Bradley takes a Bon Jovi break to stage 'Holidelic' just in time for the holidays

Everett Bradley's hit “Holidelic” has been touring the East Coast during the holidays for the last 20 years or so. Now, like another grand man of the season, fans need to make a trip to see him.

“It’s like Santa Claus and Macy's,” Bradley quipped. “Now you guys have to come to me!”

This year, “Holidelic” has a December residency at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in the West Village of New York City. The holiday jam is part of the venue's Tinsel festival.

“Honestly, this has been a dream come true for a long time,” said the Grammy-nominated Bradley, currently a touring member of Bon Jovi and a former touring member of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. “I’ve always wanted to make this show have a proper theater run, and there were so many complaints about people not being able to see it.”

Now, fans have 12 shows to choose from, just like the 12 Days of Christmas, Dec. 10 to 31. Bradley’s “Holidelic” is a fun and funky take on the holidays. Imagine George Clinton coming down the chimney instead of Santa.

It's a time to be thankful for what we have, rather than ruminate on the negative, Bradley said. He's thankful he survived a serious bout with Covid-19 at the onset of the outbreak in March 2020.

“It was scary for me,” said Bradley, who lives in New York City. “By the 10th day I was on the phone with the ER doctor. The hospital was so overrun and dangerous at that point just because they weren’t really set up for what going on. She watched me walk around my apartment and watched my breathing, and that’s what informed her decision for me ... She said ‘I think you're to be fine. I think you’re turn this around by tomorrow.’ Sure enough, the next day my fever went away, my cough stopped, I was breathing better. Sometimes I think it was the power of suggestion.”

Bradley's road to the big time got a jump start when the Indiana native moved to Asbury Park to join John Eddie's band in the late '80s. He first played with Jon Bon Jovi as part of the Big Dogs band that supported Bon Jovi’s solo “Destination Anywhere” album in 1997. A few years later he joined the E Street band for the “Wrecking Ball” and “High Hopes” tours. He also found time to be the musical director of the “The Meredith Vieira Show” and off-Broadway's “Stomp,” and performed in Broadway's “After Midnight.” He helped create Broadway's Tony-nominated “Swing!”

After a short run with Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Bradley joined Bon Jovi in 2016. "Diana," by bandmate David Bryan, recently opened on Broadway.

“I feel like my show ‘Holidelic’ is timely in that the biggest reaction I get from fans is ‘I hate Christmas but I really like Holidelic,’ ” Bradley said. “I think they say that because my approach to the holidays is very wide-eyed and contemporary. I’m not wallowing in traditions that have been around around for centuries. I’m dealing with the holidays in a contemporary way — people who are hurting from Covid or who lost work. I’m addressing those things in the show, and I'm looking to find the joy in these times we're having.”

Everett Bradley's Holidelic, Dec. 9 to 31, Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St., New York City. $31 to $101. www.holidelic.com.

A country TidalWave

Country music fans are taking a liking to Jersey Shore beaches.

Luke Bryan and Morgan Wallen are headliners of the inaugural TidalWave Music Festival, set for Aug. 12 to 14 on the beach in Atlantic City.

Another headliner will be announced, and Hardy, Riley Green, Chase Rice, Tracy Lawrence, Lauren Alaina, Mitchell Tenpenny, Lainey Wilson, Blanco Brown, Runaway June, Breland, Lindsay Ell, Travis Denning, Elvie Shane, Jon Langston and deejay Silver are also on the bill.

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“TidalWave Music Festival is an experience we’ve been curating for a long time,” said Brian O’Connell, president of Country Touring at Live Nation, in a statement.

Live Nation is the producer of the fest.

“We knew we wanted to bring our country music festival concept to the (East Coast) but the location had to be just right. The perfect spot by the ocean in Atlantic City. We can’t wait until next summer to bring these world-class acts, alongside a tailor-made festival experience.”

Three-day passes starting at $249 go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec 13, via tidalwavefest.com.

In Wildwood, the second Barefoot Country Music Fest is scheduled for June 16 to 19 on the beach there. Carrie Underwood, the Zac Brown Band, Dan + Shay and more played last summer, and Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Eric Church and more are playing next summer. The fest is produced by Southern Entertainment of Charlotte, which also produces Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Visit barefootcountrymusicfest.com for more info.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Everett Bradley takes a Bon Jovi break to stage 'Holidelic'