Items filtered by date: November 2007

“Hold on brother,” says Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria. “I’m trying to get my bearings and where the hell I am in this venue. One minute I think I’m in the dressing room, the next I find out I’m in the closet like, ‘Where the hell am I?’ [Laughs]“.

Well, Claudio and his band have certainly found their place in modern rock. Coheed and Cambria remain leaders in the genre, bending the boundaries of alternative, prog, and hard rock to their whim and yielding some of the most rewarding and refreshing records of the past decade. Their latest two-part opus The Afterman: Ascension and The Afterman: Descensionmake for a sprawling journey replete with bombastic rhythms and some truly fret-blazing guitar work. It’s perfect for the main stage of this year’s Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival too…

In this exclusive interview with UPROAR’s Rick Florino, Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria talks the new albums, how he spends his days at UPROAR, and so much more.

Did you approach The Afterman: Ascension and The Afterman: Descension knowing there would be two records?
For me, when I started working on the material about two years ago, I was writing songs that were basically talking about those two years before I had a concept. It was what I was going through at those moments in time. When it came time to actually record the albums, I found there was enough material for two albums really. When my wife and I took a trip to Paris to start working on the concept behind it, it just made sense as a double record. All of the songs had a place in terms of what the concept would become. It wasn’t like we simply had so much material that we needed to do something with it. That was pretty much it.

What does “Gravity’s Union” mean to you?
Originally, I wrote that song about my fear of driving. It’s crazy. I like to drive alone when I do ever drive because I’m the only one at risk. When my wife is in the car, I have this horrible idea that I’m going to a fatal accident and she’ll go and I won’t. I would be at fault. That’s basically what the root of “Gravity’s Union” is. In terms of lyrical material, as the song progresses, it gets more conceptual as it goes in terms of the scene when the doctor conveys the one life he can save whereas the other he can’t. That idea started it though.

How is it coming to life live on UPROAR?

It’s a huge undertaking. We’re doing pretty good at it. It’s there, and it’s happening. One thing that’s a bit of a hurdle is I play it on an 8-string guitar, which I’m not entirely familiar with. That’s what I wrote the song on. I realized, “Oh shit, I’m going to have to perform it on this thing!” It’s a little jarring at times. For the most part, I think we’re doing the song justice. There are few tracks we have here and there in terms of backing vocals just because it’s a little taxing on some of the guys to play and sing at the same time. I enjoy having that dimension and fullness of the backups. Some of them are tucked in there as a shadow. There’s also a lot of experimentation in that song in terms of noise. That’s what the song is. It’s this journey through the demise of the characters Cyrus and his wife Mary. The noise serves as a big of role as the guitar and drums do. It really helps paint the atmosphere of how perplexing this moment in these characters lives is. Some of that is regenerated. I think it all helps the experience.

What attracted you to UPROAR?
I think it was Jane’s Addiction and Alice In Chains. We grew up fans of those bands. The fact that we’re touring with Circa Survive, who are friends of ours and tourmates in the past, was great too. It felt like an easy choice. When I was growing up, in some of the bands I was performing with pre-Coheed and Cambria, Jane’s Addiction were that art rock thing that those bands I was in were trying to emulate. I remember seeing Alice In Chains in 1993 at Lollapalooza and just starting my one-man moshpit [Laughs]. Going through Facelift and Dirt at the time, they were always on. Playing with those bands is in an honor. I was really excited. I first saw Jane’s Addiction at a Halloween show at the Hammerstein Ballroom. I never saw them in their first incarnation though.

How do you spend your days at UPROAR?
I’ve gotten to check out all of the bands on the main stage. For the most part, the band has been spending its days in physical fitness routines. We’re being a little more health-conscious than we have in the past. Also, I’ve been spending a lot of time working on comic books. I’ve got a couple of titles we’re hoping to release next year. A lot of my days have been consumed with that writing the script. We’ve got one—The Amory: Good Apollo that’s definitely directly related to the Coheed and Cambria story’s fourth part. Then, there’s a superhero story my wife and I are working on together which is our first superhero adventure. That’s been taking a lot of my attention. It’s a ton of work related things, because they’re just there.

What’s it like curating the setlist for UPROAR?
The new record’s out so we tend to way a little more heavily on the newer material because that’s what we’re out here promoting, and we’re really proud of it. That’s what our lives are right now. We also like to throw in the obvious songs. Some attendees may not know the band, but the song may have crossed their radars. For something like this, it’s really simple. Depending on whether we’ve got a new record or we’re making a “greatest hits” or what we would like to think is a “greatest hits” for the moment, that’s it.

When did you first get into Alice In Chains?
Hearing Alice in Chains, it was that talk box on “Man In The Box.” That’s their sound entirely. It made them stand out in that era of music that I really liked. They had that cinematic quality. It feels cinematic. It feels like an emotion.

*Interview courtesy www.RockstarUproar.com 

As part of their ongoing campaign to fight boredom and encourage super-fun times, Riot Fest announces a series of great shows taking place post-fest nightly as well as a Sunday matinee. Concord Music Hall will host Sublime with Rome and Cobra Lounge has The Lawrence Arms, Against Me! and Quicksand. Andrew W.K. and Rocket From the Crypt will be rocking Double Door along with Peter Hook and the Light, and the Lillingtons will rise with the sun and hit Beat Kitchen for a special brunch show.

Show info is below, ticketing information is here.

Duff McKagan embodies the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll. No matter what band he’s playing with, you’ll instantly recognize that signature bass wallop he packs. There’s nothing like it. It’s that same spark he channeled back on “It’s So Easy” from Appetite for Destruction, but it’s transmuted into magnificent permutations whether it be Loaded, Velvet Revolver, or now Walking Papers. The latter are igniting crowds all summer on the Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival, and McKagan’s keeping rock ‘n’ roll alive every day he takes the stage.

UPROAR’s Rick Florino spoke to Duff about Walking Papers, the Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival, judging the “Battle of the Bands” with long time buddy and Alice In Chains singer and guitarist Jerry Cantrell, and so much more in this exclusive interview.

What guided you to Walking Papers?
Barrett Martin and Jeff Angell had the germ for this band. I knew Jeff’s songwriting was epic, and his lyrics are especially outstanding. I can say that about him, because I’ve admired him for fifteen years. Everybody in Seattle has. Everything has its place on this record instrumentally. I’m really proud of this record, and I’m proud of this band live. It’s kicking ass. The shows have been extremely fun. I can say it’s an honor to play in a rhythm section with Barrett.

What attracted you to the Rockstar Energy UPROAR Festival?
Well, initially, Sean Kinney called. Jerry Cantrell, Sean, and I have been pretty tight buddies since 1990 or something. They approached Alice In Chains about co-headlining the festival, and Sean was really pushing to make this a sort of different UPROAR with a mixture of bands that could really interest and challenge an audience. The whole bill is like that. Sean knew our record would be coming out about the time of this tour starting. We talked about it, and John Reese who co-owns UPROAR spoke to me. It’s a family thing really. Reese was my tour manager in Guns N’ Roses. I’ve known John’s kids since they were bumps in bellies. I’m of course good pals with the Jane’s Addiction guys. There’s a lot of cool bands on this thing like Middle Class Rut and Danko Jones.

What appeals to you about judging the “Battle of the Bands”?
I don’t look at it as a “contest thing.” I could never be a pure judge of a battle of the bands like, “This band’s the best band here right now!” That would just be my opinion. I don’t usually do that. I thought this would be a good idea. Jerry and I are the two guys, and I thought it’d be best to do this to expose all of the bands on the list for the “Battle of the Bands.” I’ve seen some really cool groups. It’s not like I go out there every day, cross my arms, look at the stage, and say, “Hmm…” I’ve seen a couple good bands that really stood out. In New Jersey, I had just worked out, and I was sitting on these steps to the third stage, dripping from sweating. This band went on, and I didn’t even realize it. I thought, “Fuck, these guys are killer. Who the hell is this?” It turns out it was one of the bands competing in the “Battle of the Bands”—Black Clouds. I don’t know how we’re going to choose the band at the end. It’s going to be a tough thing to do.

Why’s that?
I really want it to be known that if it goes down anyway and we pick a “winner,” it’ll just be because that’s what you’ve got to do at the end of this thing [Laughs]. I really appreciate the effort from everyone. You see all of these bands who are on tour. Some are scared and some aren’t. It’s all a positive thing though. I wish everyone the best.

UPROAR seems like the perfect platform to launch this band.
It’s great for Walking Papers! It’s really profoundly great for us. Our record came out, and two days later, UPROAR started.

What’s been the best UPROAR Festival show so far?
I’ve got to say all of the places we’ve played have been great so far. We’ve played like nine gigs. Boston was great. It was packed that day. Even the first gig in Scranton was great for us. Everyone was getting the kinks out in every band. New Jersey was killer. Toronto was really good to us. It seems to be building a little bit. You can tell we’re a new band, and more and more people are hearing about us and coming for that 5:40 slot to see us. It’s really cool. It’s really cool to be a part of this band right now.

What have you been listening to?
We’ve been listening to these classic records at night on the bus. We’ve got a whole list of Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska, and classic Led Zeppelin. Then, you have the argument, “What Zeppelin record do you choose?” My daughter just got me back into Radiohead’s Ok Computer. She turned me on to a new band called Purity Ring from Canada. They’re like electronic-infused Siouxsie and the Banshees. I’m digging Middle Class Rut right now.

What’s next for you?
I take it one day at a time, man! There’s this tour, and then I’m sure another tour. I’m really enjoying what I’m doing with Walking Papers. It’s all about that gig-of-the-day.

*Interview courtesy www.rockstaruproar.com 

Alice in Chains took the stage as the final act of what had already been a full day of rock and roll fun at the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival at the World Amphitheatre in Tinley Park. Kicking it off with the command driven, “Them Bones”, Jerry Cantrell and company put on a show worthy to celebrate former frontman, Layne Staley’s, birthday. Powering their way through what was just a thirteen song set, the band was still able to touch on most of their albums playing songs “Again”, “Would?”, “We Die Young”, “Check My Brain” and “Hollow” from their latest release The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, before capping the night off with an inspired version of “Rooster”.  

This is now the second album tour with the band for singer William Duvall and he couldn’t have had better control of each song performed. Though he may not make fans forget about Layne Staley – not that he would even want to do that – he is sure making a name for himself and has successfully transitioned himself into the shoes of what many thought would be impossible to replace. Duval’s command was impressive and his vocal prowess even more so.

Gloomy and trippy, Alice in Chains, flawlessly drifted from one song into the next aided by a stellar light show and dreamy projected images. With so many bands in the Uproar lineup, their time on the stage was limited. That said, I will look forward to their return to tour the new album to see and hear a more complete set.

Jane’s Addiction also made a noteworthy performance where iconic musical legends Perry Ferrall and Dave Navarro looked to be in prime form. Navarro made his blazing guitar playing look effortless and Ferrall weird antics surrounded his strong and unique vocals. “I love freebase. I love my band. I love the ocean. I love Chicago,” said Ferrall between songs. Ok, so his mid-song banter wasn’t the coolest, but their set was. Songs in their set included “Mountain Song”, “Been Caught Stealing”, “Underground”, and “Ocean Size”. It has been over twenty years since Jane’s Addiction had played at the World Amphitheatre – the site of the very first Lollapalooza, which they headlined.

Alice and Chains were notably that largest acts in the Uproar Festival but it was a full day of loud, rock music starting at 3pm. The talent list was not short as one band impressed after another. The band lineup included Mindset Evolution, Beware of Darkness, Charming Liars, The Dead Daisies, The Chuck Shaffer Picture Show, New Politics, Middle Class Rut, Danko Jones, Walking Papers (featuring Duff McKagen), Circa Survive and Coheed and Cambria.

Bottom Line – The Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival rocked from beginning to end. If you like music on the heavier side that doesn’t lack in quality, there is no reason not to attend such a fun and musically awesome event. I am already looking forward to next year’s lineup.     

For more information on the Rockstar Uproar Fest, visit  http://www.rockstaruproar.com/

Just 30 minutes north of Chicago is a fantastic place to see some really amazing shows in the round. One of those shows is currently playing at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire through October 13^th – “9 to 5 the Musical”. Based on the wacky 80s film starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Lilly Tomlin and Dabney Coleman, Parton has created and score that is as clever as it is upbeat.

It is an age when a woman taking a CEO position was unthinkable, a man’s world where women were merely underlings and often objectified. Welcome to the workplace in the 1970s and the fight for women’s rights. In “9 to 5” we meet three improbable friends who are bonded when they each have to put up with their abusive, sexist and egotistical boss, “Franklin Hart Jr.”. Enough is finally enough when the three kidnap their boss and seize control of the office. When their new ideas are implemented, we see the office change from a sexist and petty rule-ridden atmosphere into a place where employees enjoy coming to work and productivity skyrockets.  

“9 to 5” is funny and flat out entertaining.  The cast features two Jeff Award winners in Kelli Cramer (Violet Newstead”) and Susan Moniz (“Judy Bernly”} and each are as sensational with their impressive vocals as they are with their humorous line delivery. Alexandra Palkovic is also stunning as “Doralee Rhodes” and has just the right amount of country and vocal talent to gracefully pull off the signature role made famous by Dolly Parton.  Of course, for the play to succeed a strong talent would be needed to take on the role of “Franklin Hart Jr.” and they certainly cast well in bringing in James Moye, whose presence couldn’t have been more fitting.  

David H. Bell, who so brilliantly directed “South Pacific” at Marriott Theatre last year, does it again in his creative direction of “9 to 5”. At the same time, Matt Raftery gets big kudos for his wonderful choreography. A charming workplace revenge story, “9 to 5” not only salutes women’s rights but even promotes the legalization of marijuana. This is a fun, toe-tapping show that doesn’t make you think too much. It’s the perfect show to just simply relax and have a good time. Then you can go home and have your own revenge fantasy with your boss.

“9 to 5 the Musical” is playing a Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire through October 13^th. Tickets range from $40-$48. For more information, please visit www.MarriottTheatre.com or call 847-634-0200.  

Los Angeles, CA: Katey Sagal and the Forest Rangers, who are the “house band” for “Sons of Anarchy” (season six debuts on Tuesday, September 10 on FX) are set to perform at the “SoA” Season six premiere celebration at The El Rey Theatre in LA.

“Sons of Anarchy’s” season five notched its most viewers to date, continuing the show’s run as the highest–rated program in the history of FX. In Total Viewers, the show captured an average of 6.4 million per episode, and in the advertiser coveted adult demo 18-49, it averaged 4.4 million viewers per episode.

The Forest Rangers band is the brainchild of “Sons of Anarchy’s music supervisor and musical director Bob Thiele. “The Forest Rangers are much like a character on the show. The music often propels the narrative in ways that dialogue will not. Over the first five seasons, we have discovered a unique sound that is consistent with the environment these characters live and breathe in. Call it The Sound Of Charming! And think about it: how many shows will allow for a nine-minute musical montage with two lines of dialogue!

“Back when Dave Kushner (guitarist with Velvet Revolver) and I were writing the show's theme song, ‘This Life,’ we got to talking one day about a band we both liked back in the 90's called Plexi. They had a great song called "Forest Ranger." We thought, hey, that would be a cool name for a band! And so The Forest Rangers became the musical mouthpiece for ‘Sons of Anarchy.’”

The Forest Rangers consist of Thiele and various luminary musical guests, such as Davey Faragher (bass player with Elvis Costello and the Imposters, etc), Greg Leisz (slide guitar and mandolin; Eric Clapton, Bon Iver, Daft Punk, etc.), Franky Perez ("Scars on Broadway," Slash's band, etc.), Brian Macleod (Sheryl Crow’s Tuesday Night Music Club, Roger Waters, Christina Aguilera, Tears for Fears, etc.), and more. Additionally, Thiele and Greg Leisz collaborated in part with Jane’s Addiction for their version of “Sympathy For the Devil” in a gripping Season five episode. Thiele explains, “This band is a floating scene. We’ve got these amazing musicians that participate to create all this great music for the show. There’s really no ‘active membership.’”

Sagal is also a member of The Forest Rangers and is also releasing her third solo CD, “Covered,” in October. “Covered is my third solo record. My two previous records were mostly original compositions. This one is not. I was tired of waiting for myself to write, and anxious to make another album.

“Covered is the combined effort of Bob and myself, discovering and interpreting an eclectic mix of music that I connected with. Some of the songs reflect on my younger life, and some from music I listen to now…material from Ryan Adams, Ray LaMontaigne, Steve Earle, etc. All have personal meaning and reason for me to want to sing them."

It’s a little-known fact that Sagal was a singer/songwriter before she became an actor. "I’ve been singing since I was a kid. I started writing music when I was a teenager. I wanted to be a singer/songwriter when I grew up…that was my ambition. I really love being an actor, but music was my first love."

Sagal worked as a background singer for Bob Dylan, Etta James, Bette Midler, Olivia Newton-John and Tanya Tucker.
Covered will be available digitally on October 22.

Sagal explains, “We’re really looking forward to playing at the El Rey and other shows we have booked, like the 110th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson Festival, the Love Ride, Hardly-Strictly Bluegrass Festival and more. We’ll play both songs from the show and songs from Covered.
“I create and perform music because I love it, not to change my career from actor to musician, because I’ve always been both,” Sagal continues.

Thiele concludes, “I see the El Rey event as a homecoming of sorts. Katey, The Forest Rangers and myself are all Los Angeles locals. We've been at this for years, but so much of it has been behind the scenes, in studios and the like. ‘SoA’ has provided the opportunity where we can all get together and play without any real agenda. So now, we finally get to share the fun we've been so privileged to enjoy with the real fans of the show!”

# # #

Links:

www.kateysagal.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg1rbJkRkbY&feature=youtu.be
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Forest-Rangers/#!/pages/The-Forest-Rangers/378677498765

Steppenwolf Theatre

Becky, a 17 year old, played by Rae Gray, is involved with the death of a mentally handicapped friend at a party in Massachusetts. She is sent to visit for one week with her reclusive uncle, Sterling, played by William Petersen, at his cabin in a remote jungle in Costa Rica.

Greg Pierce has written a near perfect two-character play with a brisk 90-minute running time with no intermission. The dialogue is funny and touching in turns but never falls into melodrama or even sentimentality. During the course of the play we learn that Sterling is also struggling to forgive himself for a financial crime that caused a friend to be incarcerated for 15 years, by hiding out in the jungle. Sterling justifies his jungle lifestyle with daily meditation/penance by walking the path of his own man made labyrinth.

William Petersen’s performance is subtle and well crafted at the same time, Petersen acts with his whole body, from head to toe, his every hand gesture is rich with meaning and humor. Even Petersen’s silences onstage resonate passionately with the fullness of a seasoned actor whose senses have thankfully not been dulled by the 10-year stint on his hit TV show CSI.

Rae Gray does a great job of holding her own opposite Petersen in a demanding role. Gray has good comic timing and handles the more difficult scenes with sensitivity and intelligence.

The sound design is wonderful and becomes a sort of third character in the show, as the sounds of the jungle and it’s creatures remind Sterling and Becky about the great power of nature, life and death and destiny that is beyond their control. 

The most rewarding part about this production is the way it unfolds and it’s message about self forgiveness creeps up on you without hitting you over the head like an after school special.

The spaciousness and sparing exactness in which “Slowgirl” was written allows the audience room to consider instances in their own lives that required huge leaps of understanding and compassion to overcome. “Slowgirl” gently and easily leads the audience to feel that forgiveness, no matter what the circumstance, no matter how late, is always practical if not mystical and always possible.

“Slowgirl” is playing in Steppenwolf’s upstairs theatre through September 1^st. For tickets and/or more information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.

With so many Insane Clown Posse albums having been released over the course of the last 20+ years, there are bound to be a few that fall through the cracks. The Insane Clown Posse album titled Featuring Freshness is one of those albums. There are a few reasons Featuring Freshness did indeed fall through the cracks, but that doesn't mean it deserved to be forgotten. 

Underground rap music is a genre in which collaboration with other underground rap musicians abounds. Some might say that there is more inter-genre collaboration within underground rap music than there is in any other genre. 

For instance, underground rap musicians often times produce each other's albums, write each other's beats, invite each other to rap verses on one another's tracks, and so on. One can see the visual manifestation of this practice in underground rap music videos where rappers and their collaborators, or non-collaborative posse members, often appear together. 

Perhaps the most collaborative product flowing through the underground rap music game is the mixtape album, or compilation album. These collections of various artists' work exist to showcase the best of the best in one place. The Insane Clown Posse album, Featuring Freshness, is one of these albums. 

If this is the first time you're hearing of Featuring Freshness, don't be alarmed. It didn't make much of a splash when released because when you get to the level of success that ICP enjoys, side-project type releases like Featuring Freshness often aren't promoted as heavily as pure Insane Clown Posse albums (those Insane Clown Posse albums where all songs were written and performed by ICP). 

However, if you're a Juggalo, then surely you're aware of Featuring Freshness. Sure, it might not be as exciting to listen to for the first time as an Insane Clown Posse album containing new music would be, but for long time Juggalos Featuring Freshness is the next best thing. 

As you might expect, Insane Clown Posse being stalwarts in the underground rap music game for more than 2 decades, they've amassed a lot of collaborations over the course of every Insane Clown Posse album they've released. Featuring Freshness is the home for the best of those collaborations off all Insane Clown Posse albums. Instead of taking the time to sort through all Insane Clown Posse albums and pick your favorite collaborations from each, Featuring Freshness does the work for you and lists 30 of these tracks. 

Featuring Freshness does more than just compile all your favorite underground rap music compilations involving ICP. More importantly, it paints a picture of the various artists that have had influence on ICP and all their Insane Clown Posse albums over the years, from horror rap juggernauts Twiztid and ABK to mainstream superstars like Snoop Dogg and Ice-T. 

Insane Clown Posse albums that are entirely created by Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope undoubtedly have their own place in the Insane Clown Posse album discography, but so do these one-off compilation albums. And they might stand for more than you think!

Insane Clown Posse albums are always received in different ways by different members of the underground rap music community, and some Insane Clown Posse albums are hardly recognized upon their release, like Featuring Freshness. To learn more about Insane Clown Posse albums and their underground rap music, please visit http://www.hatchetgear.com/bands/icp.html.

The Killers, The Cure, and Nine Inch Nails headline the 22nd Annual Lollapalooza, coming atcha August 2–4. Soak up the sounds of Kendrick Lamar, Two Door Cinema Club, and that band that sings Ho, Hey! — and stuff your face with delicious foodstuffs. In this Weekly, we discuss some of the finer nibbles you'll gain access to if you’re heading to Grant Park.

The Salsa Truck (Food Truck)
Let's guac out while we rock out. Matt M can “tell the time and effort that goes into preparing” his tacos and calls it “some of the best Mexican food” he’s had in Chicago.

La Boulangerie (Lakeview)
Carbing in the crowds, Stephanie M can choose from crepes, croissants, baguettes, and other loaves baked up by this local French bakery. She begs, “I dare you to say that the bread isn't the best you ever had.”

Smoke Daddy (Ukrainian Village) 
If you're feeling saucy walking from stage to stage, 'que up for a plate of pulled meat. Julie A jokes, "If I was on death row, the pulled BBQ chicken sandwich and mac 'n' cheese would be my last meal.” Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Original Rainbow Cone (Beverly)
Cool off with the "best ice cream cone on the planet."DeeDee L get nostalgic, yelping, "It was a magical place to me when I was little, and one of the rare spots that retains much of its glow half a century later."

Edzo's Burger Shop (Lincoln Park)
For a burger between bands, Sara L sells us on a beef patty, which is “juicy, meaty, cooked perfectly, and moist.” She insists, “the patty itself packs enough flavor that nothing else is really needed,” except, maybe, a Trent Reznor sighting.

(Rosemont, IL ) – “THE RAT PACK IS BACK!,” a tribute to the legendary 1960s stars known as “The Rat Pack,” will play the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, for one-performance-only, Saturday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m.  Tickets go on sale Friday, July 12 at 10 a.m.   Photos from the production are downloadablehere. 

All proceeds generated by this performance of “THE RAT PACK IS BACK!”  will benefit Salute Inc., a non-profit organization that provides financial support for military men and women and their families, organized by Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens.  This is the third consecutive year that Mayor Stephens has organized a theater performance to benefit Salute Inc.  To date, the performances have raised more than $80,000.

“THE RAT PACK IS BACK!” takes the audience back in time and space to classic Las Vegas on a balmy night circa 1960 when four show business legends -- Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Dean Martin -- converged at the Sands Hotel for the first time.  These stars delivered style with substance, swing with swagger and a non-stop party to which everyone wanted access. 

“THE RAT PACK IS BACK!” unites four of the country’s most accomplished singer/actors.  Mickey Joseph (appearing as Joey Bishop); Drew Anthony (appearing as Dean Martin); Kenny Jones(appearing as Sammy Davis, Jr.) and Brian Duprey (appearing as Frank Sinatra).

In “THE RAT PACK IS BACK!,” Frank, Sammy, Joey and Dean are back and do it “just one more time.”   What ensues is an uncanny recreation of one of the Rat Pack’s raucous, antic-filled performances, featuring Bishop’s hilarious comedy and performances of such standards as Sinatra’s “You Make Me Feel So Young,” and “A Foggy Day,” Martin’s “That’s Amoré” and Davis’ “Mr. Bojangles.”  Backing the singers is swinging 12-piece live orchestra performing period perfect orchestrations.

“THE RAT PACK IS BACK!” is produced by Dick Feeney (“Viva Las Vegas,” “Showgirls,” “The Great Gleason”). 

“THE RAT PACK IS BACK!”  will play the Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m.   Tickets are priced from $29.50 - $69.  Tickets go on sale Friday, July 12 at 10 a.m. and  are available at www.rosemonttheatre.com or all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. For groups of 15 or more, contact GroupTix at 773-327-3778.