Friday, August 16, 2013

Happy Together

Aurora, Illinois seems to have become the hotbed of ensemble entertainment of late.  

Last week, we saw the Sail Rock Concert at RiverEdge Park ... 

And next week, The Happy Together Tour rolls into the Paramount Theatre.

Happy Together, circa 2013, boasts an OUTSTANDING line-up of '60's artists ... The Turtles, Mark Lindsay (former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders), Chuck Negron (of Three Dog Night), Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and Gary Lewis and the Playboys ... all MAJOR hit-makers during our favorite decade of music.

This show promises to be a winner ... and we can't wait to see it.  (The concert takes place next Friday Night, August 23rd, and tickets are still available ... but you'd better move fast, because they won't last!)

Here's a bit of promo material they sent me to help support the show (along with a few comments of my own). Enjoy!

C'MON!  GET HAPPY!
ENJOY THE BEST MUSIC OF THE 60s AND 70s
PERFORMED BY THE ORIGINAL ARTISTS WHEN
THE HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR HITS AURORA'S 
PARAMOUNT THEATRE ON AUGUST 23


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The Turtles, Gary Puckett, Chuck Negron, Mark Lindsay and Gary Lewis. 

AURORA, IL, August 8, 2013 - In the three years since The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie brought back some friends for the 25th Anniversary Tour in 2010, The Happy Together Tour has become one of the most successful summer tours in existence, celebrating the music of the 60s for thousands of "Happy" fans to enjoy across North America. 

This year's Happy Together Tour - with The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Mark Lindsay, former lead singer of Paul Revere & The Raiders and Gary Lewis & The Playboys - makes its third annual Chicago-area stop exclusively at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, Friday, August 23 at 8 p.m. 

Don't miss the original pop rockers playing songs you used to play on your car radio and sound-tracked your favorite memories, from "Happy Together," "Joy to the World" and "Young Girl" to "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" and "This Diamond Ring."

Tickets are $59.50. For tickets and information, go to ParamountAurora.com, call the Paramount box office at (630) 896-6666, or visit the box office Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and two hours prior to evening performances. 

Get Happy Before the Show at Paramount's Season Kick Off Party     

Just prior to The Happy Together Tour is Paramount's 2013-14 Season Kick Off Party from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Grand Gallery. Join fellow Paramount fans to sample amazing appetizers prepared by local restaurants and dining partners and enjoy a refreshing drink from the cash bar while you peruse silent auction items. This premier event always sells out, so reserve your tickets early. Tickets are $10. Tickets for The Happy Together Tour must be purchased separately.                                                                                                  

More about The 2013 Happy Together Tour    

"This year's Happy Together Tour will be the biggest and most successful tour we have done in the past seven years," said Mark Volman (aka "Flo") of The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie. "We're playing 54 cities over nine weeks, and the groups on this year's show bring with them hours of hit songs and memories certain to please every fan of the 60s." 

Hours of hit songs, indeed. In all, the five artists on this year's tour have over sixty Top 40 hits to choose from, including six number one songs. Half of those Top 40 hits were Top 10!

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I can't see you loving nobody but The Turtles
singing "Happy Together," 1967  

"Happy Together" by The Turtles hit #1 on the charts in 1967 (displacing the Beatles' "Penny Lane") and remains a staple on classic rock radio to this day. Although their biggest hit and signature song, it's just one of their nine Top 40 hits, which includes such popular songs as "She'd Rather Be With Me," "Elenore," "You Showed Me" and "It Ain't Me Babe." For more information, visit theturtles.com.

The Turtles (aka Flo and Eddie ... and occasionally even Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman) ALWAYS put on an entertaining show ... one of our all-time favorites to see live.  They keep their set contemporary with lots of pop culture references and really seem to enjoy what they're doing.  (kk)

Here are a couple of pictures from the last time The Happy Together Tour rolled through Aurora ... me and Frannie with the guys backstage after the show ...

  


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"Young Girl"...get out of my mind...
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap was one of the most successful musical groups of the 60s, boasting five Top 10 singles. Puckett's unmistakable signature voice garnered six consecutive gold records and top ten Billboard hits such as "Young Girl" and "Woman Woman." In 1968, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap sold more records than any other artist including the Beatles. For more, visit garypuckettmusic.com.


Gary Puckett joined the tour last year.  (We also saw him as part of Paul Revere and the Raiders' Christmas Show) With seven Top 40 Hits (and five that made The Top 5) there is no shortage of hit material here!  (kk)


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Feeling lonely? Click on Three Dog Night's "One"


Chuck Negron co-founded the hugely popular, multi-platinum band, Three Dog Night in 1967. The group went on to become one of the most successful bands of the late 60s and early 70s with 21 Top 40 hits and three number one songs including "Joy to the World," "Black and White" and "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)." The band's first gold record was "One," which featured Negron on lead vocals as did "Joy to the World" and many other of the band's biggest hits including "Old Fashioned Love Song." chucknegron.com

We just saw "Two Dog Night" a couple of weeks ago in Elk Grove Village and they put on a GREAT show (see concert review link below) ... so it'll be a REAL treat to see Chuck Negron (always our favorite) this time around.  (kk)


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No reservations here re: embedding this video of
Paul Revere & The Raiders - "Indian Reservation"

Mark Lindsay is the former lead singer of Paul Revere & The Raiders, whose "Indian Reservation" hit #1 on the charts in 1971 and sold over 4 million copies. This massive hit followed quite a few that came before it from the band including "Kicks," "Hungry," "Just Like Me" and "Good Thing" (as well as the Mark Lindsay Top Ten solo hit, "Arizona," from 1970). In all, the band would achieve no less than fifteen Top 40 hits, five going Top 10. marklindsay.com

A couple of years ago when Mark Lindsay was on the program (he was replaced by Micky Dolenz last year because of scheduling conflicts), he single-handedly stole the show ... so we can't WAIT to see him again.  (Frannie even got a kiss backstage ... and we were able to quickly snap THIS shot!)  kk



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Fast forward to 2012, Gary Lewis & The Playboys sing "This Diamond Ring" - (PBS Pledge Break)

It was the summer of 1964 when Gary Lewis & The Playboys were discovered by producer Snuff Garrett. By the following year, they had a song go straight to the top of the charts called, "This Diamond Ring." After the second hit titled, "Count Me In," went to number two, Lewis and the band proved they would be a continued success. They followed with more Top 10 songs such as "Save Your Heart for Me," "Everybody Loves A Clown," "She's Just My Style," "Sure Gonna Miss Her" and many more (seven in all). In 1965, Lewis, himself, was Cash Box magazine's "Male Vocalist of the Year," winning the honor over other nominees Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. He was the first and only artist during the 60s to have his first seven releases reach Billboard Top 10 on the Hot 100 chart. garylewisandtheplayboys.com.

Gary Lewis has become a recent friend of Forgotten Hits ... we've given him the spotlight treatment a few times now so it'll be great to finally say "hello" in person.  (kk) 

About The Paramount Theatre  
The Paramount Theatre is the center for performing arts, entertainment and arts education in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. Named "One of Chicago's Top 10 Attended Theatres" by the League of Chicago Theatres, the 1,888-seat Paramount Theatre, located in the heart of downtown Aurora at 23 E. Galena Blvd., is nationally renowned for the quality and caliber of its presentations, superb acoustics and historic beauty. 
The Paramount Theatre opened on September 3, 1931. Designed by nationally renowned theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp, the theater captures a unique Venetian setting portrayed in the art deco influence of the 1930s. The first air-conditioned building outside of Chicago, the Paramount offered the public a variety of entertainment, including "talking pictures," vaudeville, concerts and circus performances for more than 40 years. 
In 1976, Aurora Civic Center Authority purchased the Paramount and closed the theater for restoration. The $1.5 million project restored the Paramount to its original grandeur. On April 29, 1978, the Paramount Arts Center opened, offering a variety of theatrical, musical, comedy, dance and family programming. In 2006, a 12,000-square-foot, two-story Grand Gallery lobby was added, with a new, state-of-the-art box office, cafe and art gallery. 
Today, the Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of President and CEO Tim Rater, Artistic Director Jim Corti, a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater professionals.  
Paramount's 2013-14 General Season is sponsored by the Daily Herald. The 2013-14 Paramount Broadway Series is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank. The 2013-14 season is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. For more, visit ParamountAurora.com.

The Paramount Theatre is a GREAT place to see a concert ... and this one promises to be a doozie!  Hope to see you there!  (kk)

Still lots of chances to see this year's line-up ...
Wednesday, August 21st - Effingham Performance CEnter - Effingham, IL
Thursday, August 22nd - Cardinal Stadium / Kentucky State Fair - Louisville, KY
Friday, August 23rd - The Paramount Theatre - Aurora, IL
Sunday, August 25th - Corn Palace Festival - Mitchell, SD
Monday, August 26th - Minnesota State Fair - St. Paul, MN
Tuesday, August 27th - The Sanford Center - Bemidji, MN
Wednesday, August 28th - McPhillips Street Station Casiono - Winnipeg, MB
Friday, August 30th - Little River Casino Resort - Manistee, MI
Saturday, August 31st - Woodstock Fair - South Woodstock, CT
Sunday, September 1st - New York State Fair - Syracuse, NY
Friday, October 4th - Georgia World Congress Center - Atlanta, GA
Saturday, October 5th - Norsk Hostfest / All Seasons Arena - Minot, ND
Friday and Saturday, October 18th and 19th - The Andy Williams Moon River Theatre - Branson, MO
(featuring The Turtles, The Buckinghams, The Grass Roots, Chuck Negron and Mark Lindsay)
Saturday, October 29th, 2014 - Spotlight 29 Casino 
Showroom - Coachella, CA