If you’ve ever been to a concert by a classic band that’s got a new album out, you know that “here’s one from our new album” really means “this is a great time for a bathroom break.”
As the producer and promoter of over 100 Pop, Rock & Doo Wopp concerts around the country over the last few years, nothing makes me more nervous than a band saying they’d like to do a new song on one of our shows. The majority of our audiences are coming for nostalgia.
Mike Gladstone, Nick Rather, Gary Lewis, Wiley O’Riley and Bobby Bond
I had the pleasure of doing a lot of shows with Gary Lewis & the Playboys over the last year and the audiences absolutely love Gary and his band. Gary’s show is better than ever. He frequently gets multiple standing ovations on his original hits, due in great part to his delivery and the fact that he sounds just like his records. The Playboys are young and energetic while faithfully re-creating the authentic sounds of the sixties’ hits.
The first time Gary said, “Here’s a new song that Nick Rather and I wrote,” I didn’t know whether to yell “Don’t do it!” from behind the curtain on the side of the stage or just go to the bathroom myself. Then I heard the first few notes. “That’s not bad,” I thought. Then I found myself enjoying it. Then I found myself humming it later. Then I found myself looking forward to hearing it in their next show. And the show after that. Then I remembered Gary saying that it was available on-line for download. Treat yourself to this “new” oldie. You won’t be sorry.
CLICK TO HEAR Gary’s new song…
OR, if you really want to hear the old songs you remember, here’s a disc that covers all the bases…
