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The 2005 Season at the Kean marks the fourth Summer of Fun oldies concert series, bringing back great bands, some who call Pittsburgh home.

Oldies groups
Oldies group - The Skyliners

May 2005 Cover Story

“Summer of Fun” brings classic rock back to Kean

by Shelli Sommariva

Rock & Roll is a Pittsburgh tradition. In Pittsburgh, car cruises, outdoor concerts and oldies bands are as much a summer tradition as backyard barbecues and ice cream. The Kean Theatre has made it a summer-time tradition to feature great oldies music with the annual “Summer of Fun” concert series.

Who doesn’t enjoy a night out singing favorite rock & roll hits from the 60s and 70s with Pittsburgh’s favorite rock & roll band “Johnny Angel & The Halos,” or doo-wop the night away with “The Fabulous Hubcaps.” “The Kean with its intimate 300-seat acoustically sound theatre is the perfect venue for this type of concert,” said Tom Madden, manager of the Kean Theatre. “It allows the bands to get up close and interact with the audience.” Seeing legendary bands like “The Grass Roots” and “The Association” less than 100 feet away is like being at a private concert.

The 2005 Season at the Kean marks the fourth Summer of Fun oldies concert series, bringing back great bands, some who call Pittsburgh home. One of those bands is Johnny Angel & The Halos, a hometown band with national stature that has been playing favorites from the 50s, 60s and 70s to western Pennsylvania audiences for close to 40 years. “We still bounce around on stage with as much energy as we had 40 years ago,” said Johnny Angel, lead singer who also plays drums and percussion. The Halos started as a childhood band with Johnny Angel and Al Lipp, partner and guitarist. They rehearsed every day then walked to Westview Park to hear the bands play. Johnny and Jack would sit and discuss their plans to form a band. “It’s amazing, 40 years later and we’ve played Westview and opened for and performed with those bands we watched as children,” Johnny Angel said.

Today the band consists of seven gifted entertainers who call Pittsburgh home. “There’s nothing better than doing what we love to do, for people who love us. Once you’ve been hugged by Pittsburgh, there’s nothing like it,” Johnny Angel said. “Our band is unique. We are a family who appreciates each other and makes decisions together. That’s why the band works so well together, we can read each other on stage and know what’s next.” One of Johnny Angel’s favorite gigs is to play the intimate dinner shows. “We can interact with the audience, and they are seated right up to the stage,” he said. “It allows me to zero in on their emotions and give them what they want to hear.”

Johnny Angel and The Halos is just one of the six shows scheduled for the Kean Theatre’s Summer of Fun Oldies celebration. The annual concert series, the most popular series at the intimate theatre, attracts audiences of all ages and once again promises to be the best oldies concert ticket this summer!

Proceeds from each performance at the Kean Theatre benefit the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund, which provides more than $5.7 million a year to the patients at St. Barnabas Nursing Home, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas, and The Arbors at St. Barnabas. Without the proceeds, these patients would not be able to afford their care.

Summer of Fun line-up features:

The Grass Roots – Saturday, June 18

Only nine bands in the history of rock & roll have had more hits than The Grass Roots! “Midnight Confessions,” “Wait a Million Years,” “Live for Today,” “Temptation Eyes,” “Two divided by Love” are a few of their hits. This is the band that played to 600,000 in Washington, D.C. and spent 307 straight weeks on Billboard and appeared on American Bandstand a record 16 times! Tickets are $55.

Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners – Saturday, June 25

Revitalizing the sound and stylish look of the doo-wop era, the Skyliners are comprised of original lead vocalist Jimmy Beaumont, bass and baritone singer Nick Pociask, female lead vocalist Donna Groom, and second tenor Dick Muse. The Skyliners trace their history back to 1958 in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Their classic songs include “Since I Don’t Have You,” “This I Swear,” “Stardust,” “When I Fall in Love” and “Comes Love.” Tickets are $32.

The Fabulous Hubcaps – Saturday, July 9

For 28 years this Washington, D.C. band has been the premiere oldies band in the country and they put on one magnificent show! Costume changes, skits, impersonations and great music make it a can’t-miss show. Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Platters, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys! Tickets are $39.

Johnny Angel & The Halos – Saturday, July 30

One of the city’s top oldies band makes its second appearance at the Kean. Johnny Angel & The Halos traces its history back more than 30 years and has worked with legends such as Frankie Valli, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. They have performed at countless events of regional importance, such as the welcome home party for the 911th Airlift Wing after Operation Desert Storm. Today, the band is comprised of seven singer/musicians. Tickets are $29.

The Fantasys – Saturday, August 13

The Fantasys have more fun than the audience does and that’s saying something! The lead act for many legendary performers including The Crystals, this band puts on a show that is pure entertainment. Recreating the legendary sounds of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, The Fantasys deliver a night of non-stop excitement, fun and memorable music. Tickets are $24.

Pure Gold – Saturday, August 27

Five voices in perfect harmony, plus a red-hot rhythm section, add up to nothing less than Pure Gold. Featuring fantastic four-part harmony, Pure Gold draws most of its material from the 50s and 60s; yet, so diverse and dynamic are their voices and instrumentation, they also serve up a tasty blend of blues and original material to highlight each member's unique talent. Tickets are $29.

Upcoming Events:

The Association “Anniversary Show,” $55 – Sept. 10
The Tamburitzans, $31 – Oct. 14
Johnny Angel & The Halos Christmas, $29 – Dec. 10
Viva Las Vegas, $36 - Dec. 16 & 17

To reserve tickets, call (724) 444-KEAN (5326) or visit www.keantheatre.com.

Sponsors for the 2005 Kean Theatre season are Armstrong, Citizens Bank, Citizens National Bank, DRS Architects, 3WS, Northern Connection Magazine, Lenzner Coach Lines, North Pittsburgh Telephone Company, Mars National Bank, Mellon, Pepsi, WISR, WBUT and All Hitz 97.7 and Tom Henry Chevrolet.