Celebrity Theatre-April 22, 2004

(Best place in the world to see a concert)
Concert #446
Artist or group # 205

Performers

Ron Dante, the lead singer of the studio group The Archies. Ron also was the lead singer of other studio groups -The Cufflinks (Tracy-#9 on the charts in 69) and the Detergents -(Leader of the Laundromat #19 in 64) a parody of the Shangra Las "Leader of the Pack"
Ron also produced all of Barry Manilow's hits.



Andy Kim-wrote "Sugar Sugar" and had a string of hits in the late 60s and early 70s including the million sellers "Baby, I Love You" and "Rock Me Gently"


Billy J. Kramer- Part of the British Invasion, Billy wrote "I Feel Fine" a number 1 hit by the Beatles and was teamed with the Dakotas by Brian Epstein the Beatles manager. They had a number of hits in 64 that were written by Lennon & McCartney including "From a Window" and "Bad to Me" They also had a top ten hit with "Little Children"

Peter Noone-lead singer of Herman's Hermits and a big part of the British Invasion. In 1965 they had more top 10 hits than the Beatles, (7) including number one positions with "Mrs. Brown You've got a Lovely Daughter" and "I'm Henry VIII, I Am"

Outside, my concert partner Gerry and I were negotiating ticket price with a scalper. We wore him down and scored 3rd row seats for a general admission price.

Inside, we got our cervezas and went shopping at the souvenir stand. Gerry scored a Herman's Hermits World tour T-shirt and El Lobo selected an Archies T-shirt to add to his collection of the coolest T-shirts in the free world.

We took our seats and I scanned the crowd and thought about why each was here on a Thursday night. I decided that many were here for the same reasons we we, to see and hear those that had played an important part of their personal rock & roll history.

Ron Dante opened the show with "Yummy Yummy Yummy, I Got Llove in My Tummy" and the mood was set, the crowd went wild and silly. He finished with "Sugar Sugar" the song of the year in 69. Awful song, you say?

I love it!

(Remember the cartoons on Saturday morning?)

Women threw panties on the stage and were going berserk. They were alive
again!!

Next up, Andy Kim. Andy has the perfect profile as a Las Vegas lounge singer and he was very appreciative to be there. He thought that he would never perform again but his good friend Ron Dante gave him the opportunity and he relished hearing the applause again. He went through his hits and his big 2 ("Rock me Gently and " Baby I Love You) went straight to to the hearts of all the old broads.

Next, Billy J Kramer - belted out his hits with gusto. The cervezas were flowing and it was 1964 again at a State Building Dance in Reno Nevada.
"Bad to Me" sent me over the edge.

"Herman's Hermits" closed and by this time the lifeless boomers were in a frenzy. The Hermits had a high stepping guitar player that
shot out instant energy. Crank it Baby!!
Herman cranked out all his hits including "Silhouettes", "Wonderful World", "Just a Little Bit Better", "A Must to Avoid", "Listen People", "Leaning on the Lamp Post", "There's Kind of a Hush" and "No Milk Today."

The underwear flew on to the stage. Everyone danced in the aisles. And suddenly it was over. The aging boomers went home, it was now 2004.
The Eastern world is exploding. The air is dirty and the job draining.

But, we had experienced a piece of rock & roll history and for three hours were 16 again.


"Ahhhhhhhhh Sugar, Honey Honey"

El Lobo