Pittsfield — Note to self: Schedule all Jimmy Buffet tribute shows during the very worst weather, ideally on the bitterest, wind-chilled days of February, when it’s colder than a witch’s thoracic appurtenances, and involuntary cryotherapy is all the rage because everyone looks like Jack Nicholson at the end of “The Shining.” Why? Because that’s when Yankees are most in need of tequila-infused lounging in tropical environs, which is what Jimmy Buffett’s music is all about and which the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield is perfectly suited to provide on February 24, at 7:30 p.m.
The “Changes In Latitudes” show, with its full tropical stage set-up, recreates the complete Jimmy Buffett concert experience at a level of authenticity that has earned the band respect and approval from hard-core Parrotheads*, including attention from Buffett’s own internet radio station.
Expect to hear all the Buffett classics like “Margaritaville,” “Come Monday,” and “Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes,” along with audience favorites like “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Scarlet Begonias,” “Another Saturday Night,” and the 2003 hit from Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.” The band also covers, from Buffett’s more recent albums, songs like “Hey Good Looking” and his duet with Martina McBride, “Trip Around The Sun.” The group’s first release of original music, “Changes, by the Sea,” has received play on Jimmy Buffett’s internet radio station “Radio Margaritaville,” and their latest CD, “Summer State Of Mind” (with guest appearances by members of Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band), has received internet airplay along with the 2004 release “Tequila Inspiration.” All of the band’s CDs are available online at CD Baby.
Forming the Coral Reefer Band in 1975, Jimmy Buffett was champion of a lifestyle known as “island escapism” and progenitor of the “tropical rock” sound. He had several radio hits, the biggest of which, “Margaritaville” (1977), received a ranking of 234 on the Recording Industry Association of America’s list of “Songs of the Century.” Eight of Buffett’s 30 albums were certified gold, and nine went platinum or multi-platinum, representing aggregate sales of over 20 million records. In spite of his laid-back image, Buffett worked hard enough before his death in 2023 to accumulate an estimated net worth of $1 billion.
*The Urban Dictionary defines “Parrothead” as “a fan of Jimmy Buffett (there is no other meaning).” It adds that Parrotheads live a life of “relaxation and being on a permanent mental vacation even while at work.” It is recommended that people fitting the above description get a ride to the Colonial Theatre, 111 South Street, Pittsfield, on Saturday, February 24, at 7:30 p.m. Because when Mother Nature is trying to kill you, the appropriate response is to flip her the bird and go to a Jimmy Buffett tribute show. Tickets, $30, are available at the Colonial Theatre website or at (413) 997-4444.
