Patrons enjoy festivities before Beatles concerts

Hundreds of patrons enjoyed special pre-concert activities—including a sing-along in New Brunswick and dancing in Newark—at this weekend’s Beatles-themed NJSO POPS concerts with Classical Mystery Tour.

Couples danced in lobby before the February 8 performance at NJPAC in Newark; the Michael Arenella Sextet provided the swinging soundtrack.

Nearly 300 patrons gathered around the piano in the State Theatre’s upper lobby to sing classic Beatles songs before the February 9 matinee concert at the New Brunswick theater.

Pianist Rob Kaiser said: “It was a great experience. Everyone in the room really seemed to enjoy it—myself included! I wasn’t expecting so many people—it was absolutely amazing that more than 200 people came up and stayed for the entire set.”

The NJSO will host these pre-concert activities at each of the season’s remaining pops programs—The Wizard of Oz with Orchestra in April and Cirque de la Symphonie in June.

Scroll down for scenes from the weekend!

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State Theatre Sing-Along

NJPAC Dancing

Tonight's NJSO POPS concertgoers @NJPAC dance in the lobby to Michael Arenella & his Dreamland Orchestra. Great fun! pic.twitter.com/ydVnEXYAbt

— New Jersey Symphony (@NJSymphony) February 9, 2014