For the perfect soundtrack to summer, look to the outdoor stage at Mount Airy Casino Resort this weekend.
On Saturday, Aug. 10, the Mount Pocono venue will present #FreestyleLive, a concert event featuring nostalgic hits from Sugarhill Gang, Snap!, Chubb Rock and more. Drita D’Avanzo, the fiery breakout star from the hit VH1 series “Mob Wives,” is set to host and introduce the multiple acts scheduled to take the stage.
During a recent phone interview from New York, D’Avanzo recalled a childhood filled with the sing-along classics guests can expect to hear at #FreestyleLive.
Submitted Photo
Drita D’Avanzo
“These events, I probably enjoy them more than anyone. I feel fortunate I get to host it, because I would go anyway,” she said. “It was (music) played by my cousins and my older brother. … I grew up listening to this.
“When it comes to old-school, there’s nothing like the music you grew up with, especially freestyle,” D’Avanzo added. “I wish they had that now. These songs are classic. They make you dance and think.”
She pointed to the way each of the performers brings multifaceted talent to the show, offering a full array of song, dance and showmanship for guests in attendance.
“All these performers are real amazing,” D’Avanzo said. “It’s for all ages. You have all eras. Everybody loves it. Everybody’s singing the songs with the singer, and there’s nothing better than that. It’s a nice summer night.”
An aspiring rap artist herself, D’Avanzo released a single under the moniker Lady Boss earlier this year, and promised a music video is coming. For those at #FreestyleLive, there might be a chance to catch her perform a few bars, if inspiration strikes.
“Don’t sleep on me,” D’Avanzo said with a laugh. “I might bust out and do it. I go out on stage, and you have no idea what I’ll do. I like to have fun. That’s just the way I am. Maybe I will put a little Lady Boss out there.
“I feel very natural on stage. It doesn’t make me nervous at all,” she added. “I see (the performers) having fun and doing something they love, and I sit back and think, ‘Just let me do it.’”
Whether concertgoers get to see their host join in on the action or not, D’Avanzo promised that they’ll leave talking about everything they do see and hear that night.
“I just hope when they leave, they’re really happy and have a lot of energy and keep talking about what a good time they had,” she said. “You enjoy it so much. The crowd goes crazy.
“It’s such a good, positive time. Everyone that goes, they’re going to be really happy. I am every time. To me, it’s not work. It’s exciting. You have the casino there, it’s awesome. It’s a whole night.”
If you go
- What: #FreestyleLive featuring host Drita D’Avanzo and musical acts Sugarhill Gang, Snap!, Chubb Rock and more
- When: Saturday, Aug. 10; doors open, 6 p.m.; show, 7
- Where: Summer Stage at Mount Airy Casino Resort, 312 Woodland Road, Mount Pocono
- Details: Tickets are $40, $60 and $125 and are available through ticketfly.com. For more information, visit mountairy casino.com.
Patrice Wilding is a 13-year employee of the Lifestyles Dept. at The Times-Tribune, where she worked her way up from a clerk to a web video producer to a full-time reporter, writer and copy editor. An Olyphant native, she graduated from Mid Valley Secondary Center and earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with concentration in media arts, political science and communications from Wesley College, Dover, Delaware. She lives in Clarks Summit with her husband, Justin, and their son, Johnny. Contact: pwilding@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5369; @pwildingTT
