OLDIES ROCK & ROLL SHOW. Danville middle school. 9:00 p.m. October 19TH . Benefit of all of the local Police Departments for their ongoing fund. This organization has had these shows now for over 25 years, and , except for a few changes due to extenuating circumstances has been in this same location for all of them. I have gone to over 20 of them and enjoyed them all , as the people running the show go to great lengths to get as many top notch acts as possible with the money that they can afford to pay them. Last night they featured a classic Doo-Wop group from the fifties and sixties. Larry Chance & The Earls started the show off. Larry Chance was resplendent in an extreme purple jacket while the Earls wore matching red jackets. Larry just happened to be celebrating his 73RD birthday last night and was most entertaining with both his still strong voice as well as his quick wit as he effortlessly went back and forth with the audience between songs. For most of you anywhere near my age of 66 , I am certain that you remember their biggest hits. REMEMBER THEN , NEVER , CRY , CRY , CRY , LIFE IS BUT A DREAM were all songs that charted. I had seen them over twenty years ago at this same venue and after the show I had the distinct pleasure of talking to Larry and shaking his hand. He was most humble as he shook my hand and thanked me for my service in Viet Nam. I shook his hand and proudly told him thank you and he was going to the aisle to sign autographs and sell their newest DVD. Class act all the way and the musicianship was really good . Then came act two. TERRY SYLVESTER once the lead singer for the Hollies on many of their greatest hits. We did not find out who his band was , as he did not seem to want to even mention them either before , during nor after their set. Here was a well known front man for one of the best bands ever to grace the stage , and he wore flip-flops and blue jeans that looked like he just crawled out from under a car. His shirt was not even remotely pressed . He looked like he was fronting a garage band in practice mode. He made crude remarks regarding a prop that Larry had accidentally left on the front of the stage. To me he had no class at all. Being as I sing many of their classic hits at our local Karaoke shows , I was so very disappointed with his entire act. He even got in a dig or two about Graham Nash , whom he replaced in the Hollies in 1968. The band was superb with their playing skills and were dressed in all black slacks and shirts as well. If I were to be brutally honest I would have to remark that his voice was very much not up to the task on any of the twelve or so songs that he sang. I am glad that I went and that it was for a very worthwhile cause. But later on when I went into Starmaker at Sham-Dam , I sang HE AIN’T HEAVY , HE’S MY BROTHER . Bill commented that it was the very best that he had ever heard me sing it . When I thanked him and told him why he was very understanding. Sorry for the rather disappointing revue my friends , but it is the truth. Ask my wife , she will back me up .
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 21:50:26 +0000