The Royal Alexandra Theatre grooves this month with the Rascals

the Rascals rock it out at the Royal Alex and you will too

Earlier this week was a star studded event for the premier of The Rascals: Once Upon A Dream. Legends like Jim Cuddy, Stevie Van Zandt, Andrew Loog Oldham, former Rolling Stones manager and Canadian funny man Colin Mochrie joined David Mirvish and an excited crowd at the Royal Alex.

If you like music, concerts, the 60’s or a groovin’ good beat, you better get your tickets fast.

Produced and directed by rock legend Steven Van Zandt, the show is a hybrid of a Rock concert and documentary film. The story of the Young Rascals, later The Rascals, is told through a combination of live narrative and music performance, film reenactments, interview segments with Zandt, archival performances and news footage.

The concert portion was awesome; it felt like I was transported to the 60’s with the psychedelic video background. And, you were encouraged to take photos, videos, tweet, cheer and shout which heighted the energy in the theatre from the start. Our section was on their feet nearly the entire performance.

The Rascals are one of those bands I’d never heard of in terms of members or referenced by name. Which is odd, because I knew at least six of the songs they played live (note: I am an 80’s child so the 60’s are really just hearsay).

The band made up of Eddie Brigati (vocals), Felix Cavaliere (keyboard, vocals), Gene Cornish (guitar) and Dino Danelli (drums) started in the classic way, a basement in Garfield, New Jersey. They came from old school rock n’ roll, even playing with Jimi Hendriks, back when he was Jimmy James. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America between 1965–72, including the #1 hits “Good Lovin'” (1966), “Groovin'” (1967), “People Got to Be Free” (1968), as well as “A Beautiful Morning” (#3 1968).

In 1970 they fell apart, as they said due to uncertainty and lack of guidance. They became seriously estranged and it remained that way until Zandt and his wife Maureen got them back together – 40 years later.

You don’t have to be a child of the 60’s to enjoy the Rascals this month

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, the Hit Parade Hall of Fame in 2010 and in 2012 reunited for a series of shows in New York and New Jersey. The reunion has continued on in 2013 with this hit sold-out Broadway, critically acclaimed show.

Playing until August 25^th at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, make sure to get your tickets fast. Cause there wasn’t even enough standing room last night.

Visit www.mirvish.ca