Rewind to the ’80s with Dayton Philharmonic at Schuster Center

For many of its Rockin’ Orchestra Series concerts, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents a symphonic overview of a particular musical act’s best loved material. However, “Rewind: Celebrating the Music of the ‘80s,” presented by Dayton Performing Arts Alliance at the Schuster Center in Dayton on Saturday, Feb. 4, promises to be a trip through the musical hit parade of the decade that gave us Ronald Reagan, MTV and a pre-championship Michael Jordan.

“A show like this is sort of the soundtrack of your life,” said Stephen Cook of TCG Entertainment. “It’s one of those shows where you play the first four bars of a song, and everybody is up dancing because they know what it is. This is one of my favorite shows because I grew up in the ‘80. I am a child of the ‘80s and its sort of my music. I used to roller skate to it, I’ll put it that way. It’s just good, fun songs.”

TCG Entertainment, which produces traveling shows like “Cirque Musica” and “MasterChef Live,” launched “Rewind” about eight years ago. There have been some changes to the repertoire, but this program always includes a diverse range of popular songs by acts like Joan Jett, Billy Joel, Sheena Easton, the Scorpions and Jefferson Starship.

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“We’ve changed the show up a little bit just in terms of the different pieces we do,” Cook said. “I just added a couple of songs including a Huey Lewis piece. We have songs by Mr. Mister and the Cure that were hits. The show is a really fun intro to the orchestra for people that haven’t been before. It’s fun, casual and they’ll know all the songs and all the words. We love doing this one. Some people dress up in their ‘80s outfits, which is fun.”

Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Dayton Performing Arts Alliance encourages attendees to dress in their best 1980s attire. Those who do will be eligible to enter a chance to win tickets to Mix 107.7′s annual Time Warp Prom at the Nutter Center in Fairborn on April 22.

“Music has that unique ability to transport us back in time,” said Patrick Reynolds, associate conductor for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. “When we hear a familiar song, we are taken back to when we first heard it, how we felt, what we were doing, or who we were with. It’s nostalgic and a big reason I enjoy our Rockin’ Orchestra series concerts so much.”

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According to Cook, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra has been a welcoming partner on a variety of concerts over the years.

“We do a lot of shows in a lot of places and Dayton is definitely one of my favorites,” he said. “Bringing in different people gives a broader base to serve the community. It’s smart to do that and the Dayton Philharmonic should get props for that because not everyone thinks like they do. We really like working with Dayton Philharmonic. They’re a good group, very professional, so we always enjoy coming (to Dayton).”

Contact this contributing writer at 937-287-6139 or donthrasher100@gmail.com.

HOW TO GO

What: Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents “Rewind: Celebrating the Music of the ‘80s”

Where: Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4

Cost: $27-$90

More info: 937-228-3630 or www.daytonlive.org

Artist info: www.tcgent.com

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About the Author

Don Thrasher

Don Thrasher, a native of Gadsden, Alabama, has been a weekly contributor for the Dayton Daily News since 2003. He covers national and international music, performance and art. Don is a versatile writer, who has interviewed ballet dancers, professional athletes, authors, comedians, filmmakers, rodeo clowns and other disparate figures.