By Bart Greenberg***Steve Schalchlin is a songwriter, a performer, an activist and a columnist. So when he brought his show Steve Schalchlin & Friends: From Off-Broadway to Beatles Magic to Don’t Tell Mama, the fact that the show was diverse and multi-genre was hardly a surprise. With music ranging from country-western to punk rock, and such guest stars as Natalie 
Douglas, Sidney Myer and The Rebel Nerds, the various elements could have conflicted and fallen apart—but didn’t. Schalchlin’s charm, charisma and enormous talent tied it all together for a very satisfying evening.
The first set of the evening involved Schalchlin performing with The Bonus Round Band (Charlie Viehl—violin/fiddle/music director, Jake Adams —vocals/bass, and Gavin Gold— vocals/guitar). “The Only Kind of Music” (all songs by the star unless otherwise noted) had a rollicking country western flair, reflecting his south-western upbringing. It also featured the fine vocalizing of Blake Zolfo and Viehl’s excellent fiddling. Schalchlin then soloed on the witty “Cold Comfort.” Zolfo returned with the semi-autobiographical “My New York Life,” which the songwriter wrote based on the singer’s bittersweet experiences; it was a wonderful merger of writer and performer.
The first of the two guest stars, Sidney Meyer, took the stage and got a chance to shine with a truly dark, satirical selection with the uniquely title, “Vacationing in Syria,” which 
married a slightly Kurt Weill melody with a slightly Noel Coward patter lyric, delivered with breathless technique. In contrast, the lovely “The Oak and the Willow” gave violinist Viehl a chance to demonstrate his magic on his instrument, and “The Rain Will Come” offered a lovely folk song with striking imagery. “All That and More,” based on Schalchlin’s wide ranging travels, served as a romantic duet for him and Douglas.
Zolfo returned with a tune he co-wrote that proved to be a witty charmer, “Someone to Get Groceries With,” about his quest on datinf app, Hinge, to find a boyfriend to do “boring stuff like physics or Rome.” In fine contrast, Schalchlin performed his own tale of a long-lasting relationship, “I Still See You Young.” The Rebel Nerds, a punk band led by Gavin Gold, then took center stage (Gold’s involvement as lead vocalist and composer here seemed to be the sole marking of the separation from The Bonus Round Band, as well as the shift in style). Two bright, energetic songs, “Sooner or Later” and “Family Bash” were offered up to an enthusiastic response. A Beatles sing-a-long, reflecting Schalchlin and company regular appearances in Central Park, brought the varied and delightful evening to a close.
