Have you ever heard an old song and immediately been transported to different a place and time? Maybe you’re pushing a grocery cart through the store and a song suddenly floods your memory with images of your high school prom. Perhaps you’re getting your teeth cleaned when a song takes you right back in time to your wedding day. Or maybe it’s as simple as a song on the car radio reminding you of the carefree days of your childhood. That’s the power of music. It’s a universal language that we all speak, and it has the ability to invoke some pretty powerful emotions.
Walton Arts Center is celebrating two distinct eras of music that are bound to stir up some memories. Whether you lived through the time when the music was made, or became a fan after it was already popular, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles, The Best of Abbey Road Live! has the ability to move people.
Starting with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the sounds of big band, swing and jazz will ring in the air Thursday, Nov. 11 at 7pm. The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful dance bandleaders back in the swing era of the 1930s and 40s. A matchless string of hit records, the constant impact of radio broadcasts and the power to draw a big audience, built and sustained the momentum of the music’s popularity. The group made a big impact right before and during the war, and had more hit records in one year than anybody in the history of the recording industry. In fact, its recording of “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” earned the first Gold Record ever awarded to a performing artist!
The Glenn Miller Orchestra packs a punch with a setlist that is sure to send audiences down memory lane with classics such as “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Danny Boy” and “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree.” Not to mention their signature song, with which they would sign on and off at their engagements and radio broadcasts – “Moonlight Serenade. Today, the 18-member ensemble continues to play many of the original Miller arrangements both from the civilian band and the Army Air Force Band libraries.
Just as it was back in Glenn’s day, the Glenn Miller Orchestra is still one of the most sought-after big bands in the world. Their show is guaranteed to transport audiences back to the times of swing dancing, listening to music programs around the family radio and USO entertainment. Tickets prices to see the Glenn Miller Orchestra start at $10 plus applicable fees.
Moving from the sounds of big band to the sounds of one of the BIGGEST bands of all time, RAIN – A Tribute to The Beatles The Best of Abbey Road Live! is an experience that is certain to appeal to music fans of all ages and invoke an array of emotions and memories. Appearing at Walton Arts Center on Friday, Nov. 12, at 8 pm, this mind-blowing performance takes audiences back in time with the legendary foursome that is “the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!” (Associated Press).
Little did anyone know that a Sunday night in 1964 would change the course of popular music, popular culture - and history, forever. Millions of Americans tuned into The Ed Sullivan Show to watch a group of four mop-topped Englishmen in dark suits who called themselves The Beatles. What they witnessed was a new and exciting brand of melodic, guitar-and-harmonies-driven rock 'n' roll that was as infectious as it was original and unique. After that performance, Beatle-mania quickly swept the country – and the world. Even today, the music of the Beatles, and their iconic album “Abbey Road,” is still beloved by all ages.
Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the fab four, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that’s as infectious as it is transporting. With songs like “Here Comes the Sun,” “Oh! Darling” and “Maxwell Silverhammer,” this adoring tribute will take you back to a time when all you needed was love, and a little help from your friends!
Experience one of the world’s most iconic bands with RAIN – A Tribute to The Beatles The Best of Abbey Road Live! Ticket prices start at $41 plus applicable fees.
Whether you lived through it, became a fan after it was first made popular, or are altogether new to the music, come be transported to a different time and place in history at Walton Arts Center with these two performances. The Glenn Miller Orchestra and with RAIN – A Tribute to The Beatles The Best of Abbey Road Live! are two shows that celebrate yesteryear and the undeniable power of music.
Tickets for these and all Walton Arts Center performances are available by clicking the buttons above, by calling 479.443.5600 or in-person at the Walton Arts Center Box Office.