So, What's New and Different about The Buckinghams and Gary Puckett Performing on Valentine's Day 2014 at The Arcada?

Are you still shopping for Christmas presents for your friends and family? Here's an idea: Get your Valentine's evening event lined up and put these tickets in your stockings this Christmas! Two holiday gifts with one click of the mouse. What's new and different about this show? Ask Arcada owner, Ron Onesti. He'll tell you. It was his idea to present a show that his audiences will find exciting, new and dynamic.

You may have seen The Buckinghams and Gary Puckett in concert together as part of the Happy Together 2012 tour, and you may well already think you know what you might hear when you get your tickets for the upcoming "Groovin the 60s" Concert that's on the Upcoming Events Calendar at St. Charles' Arcada Theatre. But, in fact, you do not. The Buckinghams have a special invitation for you:

Click HERE to order your tickets.

Join us on Valentine’s Day, for a tremendous evening of musical entertainment, Groovin’ the 60s. Orchestral Events presents beloved classic rock artists The Buckinghams & Gary Puckett, in an all-new concert concept for their hit songs that Chicagoland will be first to hear. Conductor/Arranger Mariano Longo brings these artists and their bands together for an evening that will celebrate the songs you fell in love to, with a 22-piece symphony orchestra for a night of the pops!

Ensemble production numbers highlighting the hits of a generation, you’ll love these artists performing “River Deep, Mountain High” (Tina Turner/The Animals), “Touch Me” (The Doors), “Working’ My Way Back to You” (Four Seasons), “He Ain’t Heavy— He’s My Brother (The Hollies), “Everybody Get Together” (The Youngbloods), “ “Let’s Hang On” (Four Seasons), and more.

You’ll also meet lovely Christie Copeland, a highly acclaimed singer from home base Las Vegas, to add her talents as the ensemble includes “Downtown” (Petula Clark), “To Sir With Love” (Lulu), “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” (Dusty Springfield), “Wedding Bell Blues” (The 5^th Dimension), plus a Phil Spector medley by the entire group. It’s a new variety concept show that brings the rich sounds of a full symphony orchestra with upbeat arrangements of even more songs you have loved all your life, to share that evening with family and friends you love. It’s a perfect Valentine’s Night!

Yes, it’s The Buckinghams and Gary Puckett singing all their hits, too, but the orchestral arrangements of all their hits will blow you away. Conductor Mariano Longo says, “There’s a formal full orchestra together with your favorite artists, BUT no formal wear or black ties required; just dress as you would for any concert and get ready to say, “WOW, I have never heard anything like this before!” So, you can surprise your Valentine or just treat yourself to an unforgettable evening of “Groovin to The 60s”!

This is the debut of the symphonic arrangements of the hits of The Buckinghams (and Gary Puckett) coming to Chicagoland for Valentine's Saturday night. You won't want to miss it.

Remembering Frank Tesinsky, Beloved Chicago Musician, Key to The Buckinghams' Characteristic Sound

Each time the opening notes to “Kind of a Drag” come on the air, whether it’s your car radio, your phone, or choice of streaming media, the first 23 notes you hear inform you immediately that not only are you hearing “Kind of a Drag,” but you are hearing The Buckinghams. That instant recognition, in turn, is thanks to the talent of musician Frank Tesinsky, who arranged the iconic tune for producers Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede in a 1966 recording session in Chicago’s Chess Studios. The Buckinghams family was greatly saddened to learn of Frank’s passing on November 9. Catherine Johns, his wife of 32 years, was a beloved part of his life and part of Chicago radio as well. In February 1967 "Kind of a Drag" was #1 on the Billboard charts for two weeks, and it forever defined the sound of five young men from the northside of Chicago. Just 27 notes, right? And yet, it defined the magic of what would become known as “the horn sound” that The Buckinghams are b...

What Celebrating 50 Years Since Reaching #1 on Billboard Means in the World of The Buckinghams

Everyone who is a fan of the band The Buckinghams can easily name all the songs that were Top 10 hits, Top 20 hits, and Billboard Top 100 chartmakers. You have several songs that have personal, special meaning for you. But the song that took the native Chicagoans out of the basements of the band members' homes was the one USA Records released last, almost as an afterthought. "Kind of a Drag" has the distinction of being the song that took this band to the national level. Many wonderful bands are part of Chicago history, and they are as beloved today as they were in their time. But this one song, "Kind of a Drag" took flight and went to #1 on Billboard 50 years ago today, February 18, 1967. Imagine what it was like for five young men to hold a copy of "Billboard" in their hands. For a few years, Carl and Jon-Jon had gone to the newsstand each week, buying a single copy of "Billboard" and reading it cover to cover. These days you hear about ...

In Memory of John Poulos, March 31, 1947 - March 26, 1980

Five days before his 33rd birthday, we lost John Poulos, a dear friend who was like a brother to us, as well as The Buckinghams’ drummer. Often described as the heartbeat of our band, he was known to most Buckinghams’ fans of the 60s simply as Jon-Jon. To know John was to love him. With his outgoing personality, he never met a stranger. His talent is remembered best in the style he displayed on drum fills and riffs on our hits, including “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” and “Kind of a Drag.” It’s not surprising that Jon-Jon was included as one of the Top 10 drummers in Modern Drummer Magazine. Contemporary MySpace profiles of aspiring amateur and professional musicians today include the name John Poulos among their musical influences. That’s an honor both fitting and accurate for a musician who was truly one of a kind. Nick and I recall that one of John’s own musical influences was Bobby Elliot, drummer for The Hollies, whose signature beret and tossing of his he...

The Buckinghams in Concert

Search This Blog