Don’t Miss The
Classics’ Farewell Performance in Spruce Grove on November 8
One of Edmonton’s
most popular rock ’n roll and rhythm and blues cover bands is calling it quits
– but they’re not going out without one last “Hurrah”. After over 20 years of playing
together, in two incarnations, at venues such as Blatchford Field Air Hangar at
Fort Edmonton, City Hall Plaza in St. Albert, the band-shell in Hawrelak Park, and
in Winston Churchill Square during "A Taste of Edmonton", The Classics will perform for the final time at Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove on
Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m.
As
one of Canada's largest rock and roll/rhythm and blues bands, The Classics performed
as The Nomads from 1989-2006, after resurrecting the 1964-1968 Edmonton-based band of the same name. They kept
a busy schedule performing at clubs, private parties, casinos, corporate functions,
soft seat theatres and even a few locations that weren’t typical concert
venues. They appeared on stage at The Winspear with over fifty members of The
Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for two sold-out nights of Rhythm and Blues, and a
few months later they sold-out a performance in the Jack Singer Concert Hall with
The Calgary Philharmonic. After changing their name to The Classics the group
continued to enjoy a large amount of local success.
The
Classics are: Bill Jamieson (tenor sax/vocals), Joseph Larmand (drums/vocals),
Percy Marshall (guitar/vocals), Al McGee (alto sax/vocals), Robin Taylor
(baritone sax/vocals), Les Vincent (bass/vocals), Al Wilson (piano/organ/vocals)
and Bob Tildesley (trumpet/vocals). Prior to getting together, individual band
members honed their talents in other well-known Edmonton groups including Any
Wonder, Back Street Players, Better Days, Big Shot, The Brinkman Brothers, Cold
Feet, Colored Rain, Countdown, The Embers, Fatback, Hidden Agenda, Hub Cigar
Store, The Knights, The Lords, The Morning After, The Ookpiks, The Original
Caste, Privilege, The Satellites, The Saratogas, Sea Breeze, The Sons of Adam,
The Tommy Banks Orchestra, and the Trocadero Big Band.
Today, the fire is still there and the musicianship has only continued to get better. The material these gentlemen play is rock and roll and rhythm and blues, and they make the energy roll off today’s stages just like it did in the clubs, school gymnasiums and beach halls when rock and roll was new. As a soft-seat venue, Horizon Stage doesn’t usually include a dance floor. But, for this special event, the theatre will be removing the first row of seats and encouraging audience members to get up and dance. And who can resist grooving and shaking to any of the classic songs on The Classics playlist? It’s going to be a great good-bye party!
Today, the fire is still there and the musicianship has only continued to get better. The material these gentlemen play is rock and roll and rhythm and blues, and they make the energy roll off today’s stages just like it did in the clubs, school gymnasiums and beach halls when rock and roll was new. As a soft-seat venue, Horizon Stage doesn’t usually include a dance floor. But, for this special event, the theatre will be removing the first row of seats and encouraging audience members to get up and dance. And who can resist grooving and shaking to any of the classic songs on The Classics playlist? It’s going to be a great good-bye party!
Members of The Classics last performed at Horizon
Stage, as The Nomads, almost exactly 16 years ago on October 30, 1999. Don’t
miss their farewell concert at Horizon Stage on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 7:30
p.m. Tickets are just $35 for adults, and $30 for students and seniors and they
are selling quickly! Purchase yours in-person at the City Hall Ticket Centre
(315 Jespersen Ave), by phone at 780-962-8995 or 1-888-655-9090, or online at www.horizonstage.com.
This performance is proudly sponsored by Canadian
Heritage, The Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Travelodge Inn & Suites, and
Ticketpro.
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