{"id":28142,"date":"2023-07-28T09:52:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-28T13:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=28142"},"modified":"2023-07-28T09:52:01","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T13:52:01","slug":"on-stage-extra-the-80s-come-roaring-back-in-show-at-the-mann","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=28142","title":{"rendered":"On Stage Extra: The 80’s come roaring back in show at The Mann"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Howard Jones<\/p><\/div>\n

Music fans heading into the TD Pavilion at the Mann (5201 Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia, TD Pavilion at the Mann Philadelphia, Tickets for Concerts & Music Events 2023 \u2013 Songkick<\/a>) \u00a0on July 30 will be going through a time warp \u2013 from 2023 back to the 1980s.<\/p>\n

The show will feature Boy George and Culture Club, Howard Jones and Berlin.<\/p>\n

For Jones, the summertime tour is part of his 40th anniversary in the music business.<\/p>\n

Jones is a British musician who had a Top 5 hit in the U.K. in September 1983 with his debut single. He had 10 Top 40 hit singles in the U.K. between 1983 and 1986. He also performed at\u00a0Live Aid\u00a0in 1985.<\/p>\n

Jones has performed in this area numerous times over the last few years. Sometimes, he is fronting a band of top-flight musicians with a full-on rock show. Sometimes, when\u00a0Howard\u00a0Jones tours in the states it is as part of the Retro Futura Tour \u2013 a summertime tour that features bands from the 1980s playing short sets of their hits.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, I do the acoustic piano thing but more often it is with a trio or a full band,\u201d said Jones, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon. \u201cThis time, it\u2019s big. I\u2019ve got a large band on stage this tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones had his first Top Five hit in 1983 with the song \u201cNew Song.\u201d Four more hits followed over the course of a year and his album \u201cHuman\u2019s Lib\u201d reached the top spot on the U.K. album charts.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy 40th anniversary — it\u2019s very difficult to conceive it,\u201d said Jones. \u201cPeople ask me if time has flown by. The answer is definitely no. My reaction is \u2013 how were we able to do all this in 40 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones reflected back to the start.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was growing up in Wales and England, me and my three brothers played cricket and football whenever we could. My parents really wanted me to learn piano. I didn\u2019t like the piano teacher and I didn\u2019t like practicing. I wanted to be outside playing football and cricket.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom always listened to radio and that drew me into music. I was nine years old when I first was able to pick out the notes to play on a piano. That first song was \u2018Puppet on a String\u2019 by Sandie Shaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I knew I wanted to be a musician when I got my first record. I bought my first record when I was 13. It was the mono version of \u2018Sgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band.\u2019 I played that to death.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was listening to what my mom had on the radio \u2013 Beatles, Stones, Tremeloes, Freddie and the Dreamers, Cliff Richard and the Shadows \u2013 and don\u2019t forget the Troggs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, I got into Blood, Sweat and Tears \u2013 jazz, classical rock. Al Kooper was great on Hammond Organ. I became obsessed with the Hammond Organ.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many musicians over the years have become obsessed with the classic Hammond B3 organ. They fall in love with the amazing sound that pours out through its Leslie speakers \u2013 a sound that washes over you and penetrates to your heart and soul at the same time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to play the Hammond on Saturday afternoons at my local music shop in High Wycombe when I was 14,\u201d said Jones. \u201cThey knew I couldn\u2019t afford to buy it, but they let me play it when it was slow in the store.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe real catalyst was the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. I saw Jimi \u2013 and ELP\u2019s second gig. Joni Mitchell performed. Everyone who was great was playing there. It was the turning point for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a keyboard and a Vox amp and a wah-wah pedal. I persuaded my dad to buy a Lowrey Heritage for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was such a fan of Keith Emerson. I wanted to study music properly, so I attended Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. They told me that I played Bach with a jazz theme. I liked that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in the practice room at the university eight or nine hours a day. I also performed a lot on a middle of the night show for Radio Piccadilly \u2013 covers and some originals. They gave me access to their vinyl library. I spent a lot of time listening to all types of albums.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided I had to go on and do my own music. It took a while. In 1983, Warner Music Group found me. My first single came out in August 1983.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was working 365 days a year \u2013 one way or the other \u2013 but it didn\u2019t feel like it. All through the 80s, it was like a roller coaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, MTV came in at just the right time. For me, making videos was naturally part of what I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones\u2019 1984 \u201cLike to Get to Know You Well\u201d was \u201cdedicated to the original spirit of the Olympic Games\u201d and became a worldwide hit. It also was used in the film \u201cBetter Off Dead\u201d and the computer game\u00a0\u201cGrand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDream into Action,\u201d which came out in 1985, quickly became a Top Ten Platinum album in the United States and was Jones\u2019 most successful album. Four major hits were on that album \u2014 \u201cThings Can Only Get Better,\u201d \u201cLife In One Day,\u201d \u201cNo One Is To Blame,\u201d and \u201cLike To Get To Know You Well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jones still maintains a very high work rate. He just finished an ambitious project called, \u201cCelebrate It Together \u2013 The Very Best of Howard Jones.\u201d<\/p>\n

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Jones\u2019 recorded music career, Cherry Red Records is releasing a brand new \u2018Very Best Of\u2019 compilation to mark this momentous occasion.<\/p>\n

For his 40th anniversary, Howard wanted to create a truly unique collection. \u201cCelebrate It Together — The Very Best Of Howard Jones 1983-2023\u201d is the first anthology that looks at his entire catalogue, from the original version of \u201cNew Song,\u201d all the way to a 2023 Elephant Talk remix of it that recasts it within a modern electronica context.<\/p>\n

The music set includes songs from his classic Warner-era catalogue, as well as work from his independent Dtox label.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been very involved in this project,\u201d said Jones, who has homes in London and Somerset. \u201cI have a dream relationship with Cherry Red. I had the idea to group these songs together loosely by genre.\u201d<\/p>\n

For \u201cCelebrate It Together,\u201d Jones personally chose to group the songs into four categories: \u201cPopular Hits,\u201d \u201cElectro,\u201d \u201cChill,\u201d and \u201cCuriosities.\u201d He wanted to elevate this selection of songs beyond the typical chronological approach and create themes that mix and match different pieces from different eras, with the overall listening experience top of mind.<\/p>\n

The \u201cCelebrate It Together \u2013 The Very Best of Howard Jones 1983-2023\u201d will be released on October 6 as a 2CD, 4CD Clamshell Box Edition and a 2LP Translucent Mint Green Edition.<\/p>\n

The deluxe 4CD box set version contains 64 remastered tracks featuring a comprehensive collection of hit singles, remixes, key album tracks, live versions and alternative recordings.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tried hard to find stuff people hadn\u2019t heard before,\u201d said Jones.<\/p>\n

The deluxe 2CD digipack contains 35 remastered tracks featuring a comprehensive collection of hit singles, remixes, key album tracks, alternative and live versions.<\/p>\n

Video link for\u00a0Howard\u00a0Jones \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/i5GbWkUmq3U<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at TD Pavilion on July 30 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $20.<\/p>\n

The Chesco Pops Orchestra (WWW.CHESCOPOPS.COM<\/a>), under the direction of Maestro Joseph Gehring, will perform a flag-waving, toe-tapping patriotic concert celebrating American music and our great country two times this weekend.<\/p>\n

The Pops will be joined on stage by the West Chester Area Community Chorus, directed by George Waldie Jr. The festive event will be fun for the whole family.<\/p>\n

The first Chesco Pops Orchestra Summer Concert will be held on July 29 at 7 p.m. at Collegium Charter School High School (515 James Hance Court, Exton).<\/p>\n

The second Chesco Pops Orchestra Summer Concert is scheduled for July 30 a t3 p.m. at Immaculata University, Alumnae Hall, Immaculata).<\/p>\n

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and free for kids. Purchases can be made online or at the door.<\/p>\n

Now through July 29,\u00a0Brandywiners, Ltd. (\u00a0brandywiners<\/a>.org<\/a>) are in residence at their summer home at Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square,\u00a0www.longwoodgardens.org<\/a>) where they will perform a four-show run of \u201cOliver!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOliver!\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0coming-of-age\u00a0stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by\u00a0Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel\u00a0\u201cOliver Twist\u201d\u00a0by\u00a0Charles Dickens. It takes audiences on a wild adventure throughout Victorian England.<\/p>\n

The musical, which was the first musical adaptation of a famous Dickens work to become a stage hit, premiered at the\u00a0Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the\u00a0West End, where it enjoyed a record-breaking long run.\u00a0Oliver!\u00a0ran on\u00a0Broadway, after being brought to the U.S. by producer\u00a0David Merrick\u00a0in 1963. Major London revivals played from 1977\u20131980, 1994\u20131998, 2008\u20132011 and on tour in the U.K. from 2011\u20132013. Additionally, its\u00a01968 film adaptation, directed by\u00a0Carol Reed, won six\u00a0Academy Awards\u00a0including\u00a0Best Picture.<\/p>\n

In 1963 Bart received the\u00a0Tony Award for Best Original Score. Many songs are well known to the public, such as \u201cFood, Glorious Food,\u201d \u201cConsider Yourself\u201d and \u201cI\u2019d Do Anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

For\u00a0Brandywiners\u00a0Ltd., there\u2019s no place like home \u2013 as long as home is Longwood Gardens.<\/p>\n

Every summer,\u00a0the\u00a0company presents a large-scale musical production at Longwood Gardens and contributes\u00a0the\u00a0proceeds to cultural, educational and civic causes throughout\u00a0the\u00a0Delaware Valley.<\/p>\n

Performances at Longwood Gardens are set for 8 p.m. each night.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $33 for general admission and include all-day Gardens Admission.<\/p>\n

The Eagleview Summer Concerts on the Square\u00a0at Eagleview Town Center (Wharton Boulevard, Exton,\u00a0www.ineagleview.com<\/a>) will present\u00a0Adam Ezra Group with special guest Incendio with special guest Kuf and Christine on August 1, Miko Marks with special guest Brittany Ann Tranbaugh on August 15 and Mellow Fever on August 29.<\/p>\n

Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts (9 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr,<\/a>\u00a0brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com<\/a>) will host John Gorka on July 29, Livingston Taylor on August 5, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience on August 12, Susan Werner on August 19, Dar Williams on August 26, Carsie Blanton & Marielle Kraft on September and Jon McLaughlin on September 8.<\/p>\n

King Of Prussia\u2019s live outdoor music series\u00a0Concerts Under the Stars\u00a0(Upper Merion Township Building Park, West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, concertsunderthestarskop.com<\/a>) has Tommy Conwell & The House Rockers with Soraia on July 28, Don McCloskey and Hoots & Hellmouth on August 5, Donna the Buffalo on August 12, Start Making Sense (Talking Heads tribute), Al Stewart & The Empty Pockets on August 26, Splintered Sunlight (Grateful Dead Tribute) on September 2, and Easy Star All\u2010Stars on September 16.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Music fans heading into the TD Pavilion at the Mann (5201 Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia, TD Pavilion at the Mann Philadelphia, Tickets for Concerts & Music Events 2023 \u2013 Songkick) \u00a0on July 30 will be going through a time warp \u2013 from 2023 back to the 1980s. The show […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[11203,3162,1848],"class_list":["post-28142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-chesco-pops-orchestra","tag-featured","tag-howard-jones"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28142"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28143,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28142\/revisions\/28143"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/28141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}