A staple of 1980s pop-rock is returning to New Jersey for a new show. John Waite, of Bad English and The Babys fame, will perform at the Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), a Meadowlands Chamber member, on Jan. 15. The British singer will perform songs from his 40-year career including songs from his time in his bands along with his solo work.
This isn’t Waite’s first go-around in New Jersey. In fact, he has spent quite some time in the Garden State.
“I spent a lot of time in Jersey, I recorded in Jersey…When I first got to New York City and moved to Manhattan, Ivan [Kral] was living in Little Silver. We wrote together, I spent a lot of time in Jersey, I recorded in Jersey House of Music and all that stuff, and half of my band came from Jersey,” Waite told NJ101.5’s Steve Trevelise.
In addition, Waite played numerous shows at the NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark in 2021 before returning for his upcoming performance at bergenPAC.
Waite, known for his power ballads and soft rock style, saw much success throughout his career. The singer lays claim to many of the era’s beloved songs including his #1 worldwide hit, “Missing You.” Waite also saw success as the lead singer of multiple bands like The Babys and Bad English. The Babys’s “Isn’t it Time” along with Bad English’s “When I See You Smile” are some of the most recognizable and highest-ranking songs of their time. Waite’s vocals were included on two songs from the 1986 film “About Last Night” starring 80’s and 90’s film star Demi Moore. Some of Waite’s solo works include “Tears”, “Change” and “These Times are For Hard Lovers.”
BergenPAC, formerly the John Harms Center, opened its doors in the fall of 2004. The 1,000+ seat theater has been the home to shows by Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Ringo Starr, John Legend and many more. The center reopened in 2022 after renovations to modernize and preserve the historic theatre.
To see Waite’s return to New Jersey on Jan. 15, click here to purchase tickets.
