eXaminer.com National
by: Janet Barrett

The Sarf's, Jade '50's, Pezband, and Off Broadway ... some of them were literally made to play historic music during their Oak Park & River Forest High School years.  Tonight they travel down the decades together to perform a lineup of oldies and rock faves as they appear in concert at Dooperfest at 7:30 p.m. in the alma mater's auditorium. Tickets are $15 and will be available at the door with payment by cash or check.  The OPRFHS Alumni Association has more information.
     
Thanks to event ring leader Joe Cantafio originally with Jade '50's and now the 101st Rock Division, and the kind-hearted other band members, the lineup will convene with tunes like "Runaway," "Gloria," "Gene Genie," "Stay in Time," "Carry on My Wayward Son," ... and on to "Bohemian Rhapsody" and tunes from with the OPRFHS Choir, ending with an entire cast performance featuring tunes from the Beatles Abbey Road album.   All will donate their performances to benefit the (former OPRFHS football coach) Gary Olson Scholarship Fund, the OPRFHS Alumni Association, and the Huskie Booster Fund.
     " ... I played football for Gary and stayed a very close friend of Gary's. Gary became a huge Jade 50's fan as well and we'd see him all the time at our shows. I would also support Gary's football fund raisers, bringing my celebrity friends with me, to help boost tickets sales or silent auction items. It was a very sad day for a lot of us when Gary died, and  we began the Gary Olson Scholarship Fund in his honor a year after his death ... and on it goes... " Joe Cantafio
      Turning from yearbook pages to Wikipedia pages to those of the Hollywood variety, the event includes two more famous OPRFHS alumni; composer and music producer Paul Broucek, who played with co-announcer Bill Kavanaugh in the band "Spirit of '69" during their dooper years, and event lighting director Mike Reed, who started with Jade '60's and went on to lighting gigs with Kiss, McCartney and the Jacksons. Learn more about the history of these bands and tonight's lineup on Joe Cantafio's blog.   
     Cantafio and Broucek are also OPRFHS Tradition of Excellence 2008 Hall of Famers.  Broucek will speak about his musical career which includes the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy musical production, and will perform a piece from that with the OPRFHS Symphony Orchestra.
    
DOOPERfest – a benefit concert extravaganza on Friday, October 9 at 7:30 pm in the O.P.R.F.H.S. Auditorium - Featuring the greatest rock and roll bands ever to come out of O.P.R.F.H.S.
The SARF’s, JADE 50’s, PEZBAND, OFF BROADWAY
Joe Cantafio & the101st Rock Division with Special Guest - Paul Broucek
and featuring the O.P.R.F.H.S. Orchestra and the O.P.R.F.H.S. Choir

To benefit:
The Gary Olson Memorial Scholarship Fund
the Huskie Booster Club and the  O.P.R.F.H.S. Alumni Association

 

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