Concert of a Lifetime ~ Oak Park and River Forest High School Does It Right!

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This entry was posted on October 7, 2009 8:27 AM and is filed under giving back to the place you came from.


On Friday night, October 9th, I have the great honor of performing at my alma mater, Oak Park and River Forest High School for a great cause. Something that is very near & dear to my heart. 50% of the proceeds of this concert will go to the Gary Olson Memorial Scholarship Fund. 25% will go to the OPRFHS Alumni Association and 25% to the Huskie Booster Club.

I slightly twisted a few arms and got my friends (who all have huge hearts) from my very 1st band; JADE 50's to join me in the cause as well as Cliff Johnson and his band mates, from PEZBAND and OFF BROADWAY. My current group, The 101st ROCK DIVISION; Oak Park's original rock and roll band "The SARF's" (class of 66) will all be there and so will Grammy and Oscar nominee Paul Broucek (Class of '70 and producer of the music for films like Lord of the Rings Trilogy , Austin Power, King Kong, Anchor Man, etc) will join us and so will the schools incredible award winning choir and orchestra.

A special thanks to Mike Reed, OPRFHS Class of 76, to come back to his alma mater to direct lighting for the show. Reed began with Jade 50's for $25.00 per night. Then was stolen from us by KISS, he went on to light the Jackson's "Victory Tour" Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, and about 100 other huge stars. I can't tell you how excited I am to be working with all these talented people, who I just happen to go to school with! You would think the movie "FAME" was about OPRFHS!!!!

If you are in the area, join us for a great night of music, and help a great cause and help us send some kids to college.

Below is the program for the show -

FRIDAY - OCTOBER 9th at OAK PARK & RIVER FOREST HIGH SCHOOL'S AUDITORIUM - 7:30 PM
TICKETS -$15.00 ALL STUDENTS WITH ID and YOUNGER- $5.00

What to expect ?... Well here it is.

7:30 - Curtains Open

Tom Graziano introduces JADE 50's. Tom was a teacher at OPRFHS and suggested that (then) JADE perform "50's" music for "Fifties Week;" a high school history experiment and JADE 50's was born. The band agreed, and within a few years began touring with Dick Clark, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Del Shannon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wolfman Jack and more... and the rest is history.

JADE 50's - (performing Friday night will be) ~ Nick Calabrese, Paul Curtis, Brent Cutro, John Galasek, Keith Grant, Joe Cantafio.

Rock Around The Clock

Runaway

Stuck On You

Teenager In Love

Tell Laura I Love Her

Teen Angel

Last Kiss

Runaround Sue

Johnny B Goode

Larry Fulgenzi - OPRFHS 1967 Class President, football star and current Treasurer of the OPRFHS Alumni Association introduces The SARF's.

The SARF's name has been a mystery to some and a great, "they pulled one over your eyes" joke to others. The band was very popular at OPRFHS in the early 60's, one of the very first great rock and roll bands from Oak Park. SARF is an acronym for Scabby-Ass-Rat-F***ers, but the faculty at OPRFHS never knew it.

THE SARF'S (performing Friday night will be) ~ Kevin O'Brien, Terry O'Neil, Glenn Downey, Bobby Eul, Pat Murray, Roger Garfield, Dennis Noonan and supported by Casey O'Brien, Mike Mulcahy and Geno Olson.

California Sun

Satisfaction

Slow Down

Help

The Last Time

Gloria

Bill Kavanagh will introduce Pezband/Off Broadway - Bill performed in the band "The Spirit of 69" with Paul Broucek and was a classmate & friend of both members of Pezband and Off Broadway. He is a 1971 graduate of OPRFHS and owner of Bob Dog recording studio. Bill Kavanagh also plays bass guitar in 6 bands and is a psychotherapist and addictions counselor at Oak Park's Thrive Counseling Center. He is also a big financial supporter of the Huskie Booster Club

Pezband was the first rock band to make it out of Oak Park and into the "Big time." Cliff Johnson and Mike Gorman spearheaded their success, which a few years later morphed into Off Broadway who had 3, charting, hits songs.

Pezband/Off Broadway (performing Friday Night will) ~ Cliff Johnson, Mike Gorman, Kenny Hark, Rob Harding and Mike Redmon

Pezband - African Night

Pezband - Gene Genie

Off Broadway - Stay In Time

Off Broadway - Bully Bully

Off Broadway - Full Moon

Rich Ariceri introduces Joe Cantafio & the 101st Rock Division - Rich is a graduate and a retired Teacher/Coach from OPRFHS. He is a 1999 inductee of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in Champagne Urbana. Rick Ariceri co-founded the Gary Olson Memorial Scholarship Fund, in honor of his friend and OPRFHS Football Coach Gary Olson, and at one time, it is believe that Rich Ariceri taught 1/2 of Oak Park and River Forest how to drive a car!

Joe Cantafio & the 101st Rock Division, a USO touring band, toured Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar and Africa (27 shows in 23-days) in 2004 and continues to tour US Military bases and VA Hospitals across America. The band will be featured on the first "Midnight Stage" television show, airing soon in Chicago and across America.

101st Rock Division, (performing Friday night will be) ~ Joe Cantafio, Mike Gorman, Frank Capek, Tim Scruggs, Chinbaa, Sarnai, Boloro, Sundre.

Born to Run

An American Girl

Carry On My Wayward Son

Separate Ways

Bohemian Rhapsody - with the OPRFHS Choir

Joe Cantafio introduces Paul Broucek. Cantafio and Broucek were OPRFHS's 2008 Tradition of Excellence (Hall of Fame) Recipients.

Paul Broucek; a 1970 graduate of OPRFHS, produced the music to many feature-films including "Apocalypse Now", "Austin Powers," "Anchor Man," "King Kong" and the "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy. Paul will be talking about his music career and will perform a piece from "Lord of the Rings" with the OPRFHS Symphony. His newest productions include the long awaited "The Hobbit."

THE END - The entire cast; Jade 50's, The SARF's, Pezband, Off Broadway, 101st Rock Division, Paul Broucek, OPRFHS Choir and Symphony perform; from the Beatles Abbey Road Album -

You Never Give Me Your Money

Golden Slumbers

Carry That Weight

The End

Party at Molly Malone's on Madison Street in Forest Park after the show!!!!
 

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Comments

    • October 7, 2009 9:19 AM Joanne wrote:
      Rock on!!! Sounds like a great night. Wish I could be there... THAT'S the way to stay young!!!
      Reply to this
    • October 7, 2009 5:49 PM Lisa wrote:
      Full schedule there. As always you're doing a great benefit and having fun at the same time!
      Reply to this
    • October 9, 2009 9:30 AM Marian Brandstrader Garrigan wrote:
      This will be a great night and all for a great cause. Thanks to Joe for all his positive efforts in keeping the energy of the 60's & 70's alive at OPRF and elsewhere! So, see ya in the student center!
      Reply to this
    • October 29, 2009 1:31 PM Tom Minaghan wrote:
      I thought the concert was awesome!!!

      The songs you did with the OPRFHS Choir and Symphony were incredible!!!

      Hope you can do it again!!! Thx
      Reply to this
    • October 29, 2009 1:45 PM Patti Lyons wrote:
      I had a Great time at the concert and party! Everyone's performance was Wonderful! Thank you Joe and all involved for putting together a Fantastic Show!
      Reply to this
    • October 29, 2009 2:10 PM Lynn Wiedow Lealiou wrote:
      The music was fabulous! It brought back lots of fun memories. You did a mean "Queen"! Thanks for all your efforts, it is appreciated.
      Reply to this
    • April 17, 2010 6:43 PM Doc wrote:
      Once we had Ronald Reagan and Bob Hope and John Cash...Now we have Obama. No hope. No cash.
      Reply to this
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