Friday, August 21, 2015

Happy Together 2015

The Happy Together Tour returns to the Chicagoland area tonight with a show at The Paramount Theatre in Aurora.

The show kicks off at 8 pm and, as we go to press this morning, there are less than 20 scattered seats available.  (This show sells out virtually every time it comes to town!)

Scroll back to Tuesday, August 18th, to catch our review of Sunday's show in Bolingbrook.

It's a fun-filled night of music and memories ... but if you want to see it in Chicago this year, you'd better act fast!

https://tickets.paramountaurora.com/public/hall.asp?event=1204 



REMAINING DATES: 

Friday, August 21st - Paramount Theatre - Aurora, IL

Saturday, August 22nd - Casino Rama Entertainment Centre - Rama, ON

Sunday, August 23rd - Foelinger Theatre - Fort Wayne, IN

Wednesday, August 26th - Effingham Performance Center - Effingham, IL

Thursday, August 27th - Kentucky State Fairgrounds - Louisville, KY

Friday, August 28th - Oaklawn Racetrack - Hot Springs, AR

Saturday, August 29th - Riverside Casino and Gold Resort - Riverside, IA

Sunday, August 30th - Bluestem Center For The Arts - Moorhead,MN

Monday, August 31st - Minnesota State Fairgrounds - Saint Paul, MN

Wednesday, September 2nd - Mahoning County Fairgrounds - Canfield, OH
 
I have to disagree with the comments about The Turtles' performance in Bolingbrook the other night.  As far as I'm concerned, they put together an excellent set ... just the right mixture of music and madness (which is exactly what they're known for ... and what one would expect at a Turtles concert.)  They were in fine voice and very entertaining.
Frank
No dispute there, Frank ... I think everyone agrees that The Turtles ALWAYS put on an excellent show.  The point of contention this time, however, was the LENGTH of that show ... FOUR SONGS from the headlining act?  It just doesn't seem right ... especially when other artists managed to squeeze in five or six into their set.
One reader suggested fewer acts so that the audience could enjoy more music by each performer.  Not a bad idea, really ... heck if each artist did a 30-minute set, you'd still come in at just under three hours with the intermission and big finish finale.
But which four acts?  Obviously The Turtles have to be one of them.  Recent "co-headliners" include Mark Lindsay, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night) and Micky Dolenz.  Add a couple of decent warm-up acts to Set One (The Cowsills, The Buckinghams, and your choice of several others who have graced the stage recently) and you've still got a power-packed line-up.
Might be something worth thinking about (before they announce the 2016 line-up!)  Plus perhaps a little bit bigger piece of the pie for each of the artists on the bill in the long run financially, too.  (kk)
 
>>>The Turtles introduced the band who backed up all of the acts that took the stage that night for The Happy Together Show:  Greg Smith on bass, Bruce Something (from right here in Evanston) on keyboards (they said they couldn't remember his last night because they always paid him in cash), Steve Murphy on drums and Godfrey Townsend on guitar.  (kk)
Kent,
I'm going to give an educated guess that Bruce Soboroff, The Buckinghams' keyboard player, played in The Bolingbrook show.
Shelley
I asked Carl if this was the case and you are correct ... but listen to the circumstances that caused and allowed this to happen.  (kk)
Yes, Bruce was playing keyboards for three nights including Bolingbrook. The regular keyboard player Manny Focarazzo's mom passed away suddenly and he had to rush back to NY. Bruce was good enough to fill in and did a great job with no rehearsal and over thirty songs to learn with all the transitions. Thank you Bruce. 
All our thoughts and prayers go out to Manny and his family.
Carl
And ours as well ... but kudos to Bruce for stepping in and just nailing it under what had to be some enormous pressure.  Baptism by fire as they used to say!  WTG, Bruce!  A tip of the hat to his fine musicianship for sure!  (kk)