Without question, my favorite free summer activity is Rock the Plaza (RTP), an outdoor concert series that takes place every Saturday throughout the summer at the downtown library plaza. Kicking off its 6^th season on June 2 with Afro-Disiacs and Pink Droyd, RTP has become the quintessential summer event in Fort Wayne.

Kyle Haller, founder of RTP, simply wanted to play on the plaza stage.  “When I saw it being built, all I could think about was how I was going to convince the library to let me play there. I started bugging them and eventually they called me and wanted to talk,” he says.

Kyle and some folks from the library met, and an outdoor concert series was born. “Over 200 people came out to the first show, and we were blown away,” explains Haller. Now, the event draws over 600 people per show, creating an energetic buzz in downtown Fort Wayne on Saturday evenings.

Fueled by a successful first season, the library offered to host the event for a second season, and the rest, as they say, is history. Haller’s dream of playing on the stage came true and more. Along with his band, Phil’s Family Lizard, dozens of local bands come back year after year to play the plaza, including favorites Sunny Taylor, URB, Todd Harold Band, and Pop-n-Fresh, just to name a few.

Join us and Rock the Plaza!

So what can we expect this year? As in year’s past, the event is free and open to the public. 816 Pint & Slice will be on hand serving up tasty slices and frosty brews. Dunkin’ Donuts is also open, offering a variety of sandwiches, donuts, and beverages. All shows begin at 6pm, rain or shine.

“On opening night, Pink Droyd will play Pink Floyd’s album Animals in its entirety, and that will be pretty rad,” says Haller. “July 21 is a special night, too, as it’s the last night of the Three Rivers Fest, and bands will play with the fireworks as a backdrop. This is usually the biggest night of the season for us, drawing over 1,000 people.” This year, Phil’s Family Lizard, URB, Sunny Taylor, and Moser Woods will grace the stage that evening.

RTP is the best outdoor showcase of local talent. So, bring a blanket or a chair, and the entire family, too. Let’s rock the plaza!

Full schedule:

6/2/2012   Afro-Disiacs and Pink Droyd

6/9/2012    the Black Door, Ivory West, By All Means and Walkin Papers

6/16/2012   North River Agents, Small Town, and HeartBeat City

6/23/2012   Taylor Fredricks, Yellow Dead Bettys, Argonaut and Cougar Hunter

6/30/2012   Big Caddy Daddy, Juke Joint Jive and  Pop-n-Fresh

7/7/2012   Sum Morz, Hope Arthur, the Elky Summers and Pillars of Society

7/14/2012   SuperHunk, KT3, Tito Discovery and Unlikely Alibi

7/21/2012   Phil’s Family Lizard, URB, Sunny Taylor and Moser Woods

7/28/2012   Kill The Rabbit, Great Flood Catastrophe and Vidal Brothers

8/4/2012   Little Logan & the Instigators,  Frankly Scarlet, Plaxton & the Void and Krimsha

8/11/2012   Grateful Groove, Marnee and Orange Opera

8/18/2012   the Wailhounds, Velvet Soul and Mimi Burns Band

8/25/2012   Todd Harold Band   Black Cat Mambo   Freak Brothers

For more information, visit Rock the Plaza’s Facebook Page.

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Looking for a way to kick off the summer? How about a night out filled with fun and lots of laughter? Comedian Kevin Hart is coming to the Fort Wayne Embassy on June 7th for not one, but two shows at 7 and 10 pm. AND YOU CAN WIN TICKETS BY REGISTERING ONLINE!

Comedian Kevin Hart is coming to the Fort Wayne Embassy Theatre on June 7th for two shows.

Hart is currently on his Let Me Explain tour.  He is an actor as well as a comedian and can be seen in movies such as: Along Came Polly, Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4, Death at a Funeral, The Five-Year Engagement, and Think Like a Man. He has guest starred on shows like Chelsea Lately and Modern Family and has appeared on Comedy Central for his specials I’m a Grown Little Man, Seriously Funny, and Laugh at my Pain.

Tickets are $57.50 and are available at the Embassy Theatre Box Office, through Ticketmaster, and by phone at 800-745-3000.

Visit Fort Wayne is giving away a Getaway Package that includes two tickets to the Kevin Hart show, an overnight stay in Fort Wayne, two tickets to the Botanical Conservatory, and two tickets the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

 Click on this link to enter for a chance to win this great package!

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One of the best things about my job is finding out what performers are coming to Fort Wayne for the Foellinger Theatre concert series each summer. We’re calling it a “Summer to Remember” and it certainly will be! I’m pretty sure I reserved the first seat for the Davy Jones concert. I was so excited about meeting my favorite Monkee, and then so devastated to hear of his passing on February 29. In my marketing research, I had learned quite a bit about Davy and his life after The Monkees and it was comforting to know that he’d not only continued his singing and acting career, he continued to ride and train racehorses, which was his first love.

Peter Noone

We were all still reeling from the shock of losing Davy Jones, not even wanting to think about searching for a replacement for his June 9^th performance date, when one of our favorite 1960’s pop icons—Peter Noone—volunteered to take the place of his long-time friend. Peter Noone, from Herman’s Hermits, performed with Davy often over the last several years. He was even one of the few people who got away with teasing Davy about his singing during concerts—in a purely good natured way. But what I didn’t know was that Peter introduced The Monkees to The Beatles in 1967, and Peter and Davy were both born in Manchester, England. Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone performed at Foellinger Theatre last year and the concert was amazing! The positive feedback from regular customers, as well as new customers, was outstanding. I can hardly wait for this year’s performance at 8 pm on June 9.

That’s not all the excitement going on this year. A Summer to Remember opens on May 18 with “An Evening with Huey Lewis and the News”! These Grammy Award winners have written and performed such classic Top Ten Hits as “Heart of Rock & Roll,” “Stuck With You,” “I Want A New Drug,” “If This Is It,” “Hip To Be Square” and “Workin’ For A Livin’”. The group also wrote and performed “The Power of Love” and “Back in Time” for the hit film Back to the Future. “The Power of Love,” which was nominated for an Academy Award, went all the way to #1 on Billboard’s singles chart.

And we’re just getting started! Starship, Featuring Mickey Thomas will perform July 14. Mickey made his mark in 1976 as lead vocalist on the mega-hit “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” with The Elvin Bishop Band, then joined Jefferson Starship in the late ‘70’s. Backed by the power of Mickey’s vocals, Jefferson Starship immediately scored a #1 hit with “Jane”. With this new sound and powerful new vocals, the group was renamed Starship and continued to record an amazing string of hits including “No Way Out,” “We Built this City,” “Sara,” and received an Oscar nomination for the #1 hit “Nothing Gonna Stop Us Now” from the movie Mannequin.

The Guess Who

The Guess Who, a huge hit in 2010, returns on September 8. A world-famous Canadian Rock band from the 70’s, The Guess Who recorded hits such as  “American Woman,” “These Eyes,” “Clap for the Wolfman,” “Laughing” and “No Sugar Tonight.”

The Diamonds will make an appearance on September 22. Over thirty years ago, they released their instant hit “Little Darlin’” and it has sold approximately 20 million copies. They’re also known for their memorable hits “Church Bells May Ring” and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”.

Along with local favorites, several tribute bands will energize the stage this summer: Divapalooza, performing Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and Bette Midler tunes; Brit Beat, a Beatles tribute band from Chicago; Midnight Special, a journey back to the ‘70’s and ‘80’s featuring the music of Queen, Boston, Journey, Styx, Led Zeppelin and Foreigner; and Hotel California returns by popular demand to perform Eagles tunes.

Don’t wait too long to get your tickets. You can conveniently purchase them online at www.fortwayneparks.org or by calling 260-427-6000. Or just visit our website to learn more about the concerts we’re offering and to read the great testimonials from customers who have enjoyed their Foellinger concert experience.

I have a feeling you’re never going to forget this summer. I know I won’t!

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What can be said about a Broadway musical that is celebrating its 10th year of international success, has been performed 4,000 times in 40 countries, and ehas ven been translated into Chinese?

Yet Mamma Mia! seems to have withstood the test of time. No doubt the music of 1970s pop music group ABBA has helped propel the musical to stardom. But Mamma Mia! is no tribute show to the Swedish band that wrote and performed the chart-stopping songs.

The plot revolves around a daughter who, while preparing for her wedding, tries to discover the identity of her father. Three men present themselves as possibilities. Will anyone figure out who is the girl’s real father?

I admit I’ve not watched the DVD of Mamma Mia! starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth (now that I know Colin Firth is in it, I’m checking it out tomorrow!), but I know that the stage performance offers high-energy, beloved songs, and tongue-in-cheek humor!

I am so excited that the Broadway troupe for Mamma Mia! is coming to the Embassy Theatre on Sunday, May 20, at 2:00pm. I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon with girlfriends or family members. Oh yes, I can – you can win a free getaway weekend to Fort Wayne that includes two tickets to the show. All you have to do is register here!

Mamma Mia!
Embassy Theatre
125 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Sunday, May 20, at 2:00pm

Tickets: $65, $50.50 & $30.50. On sale at the Embassy box office, Ticketmaster locations and online at Ticketmaster.com.

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What do a Chinese gong, castanets, tambourines, tom-toms, wood block, steamboat whistle, sirens, fire gong, telephone, claxon, sleigh bells and chirping birds have in common?

They are all sound effects that can be played, among others, on the 1,100-pipe Grande Page Organ at The Embassy Theatre. Other instruments and sounds include the marimba, harp, piano, glockenspiel, xylophone, snare and bass drums, cymbals, triangle, wood block, and train whistle. Installed in 1928, the organ with its extensive range of instruments and sound effects took the place of actors’ dialogue of the silent films of the day by conveying mood and character with just a button.

It would take some talent to figure out how to make such a contraption work. That’s where talented organist Buddy Nolan came in. In the 1960s Nolan offered a series of midnight concerts on the Page at the Embassy, seeking to restore the love of theatre organ music for the citizens of Fort Wayne.

Hear this Fort Wayne treasure!

We’re privileged today to have the opportunity to see and hear the Grande Page Organ in a Buddy Nolan Tribute concert at The Embassy Theatre on Sunday, May 13. The Pops on Pipes Grande Page Organ Concert features organist Mark Herman and is presented by American Senior Communities.

This is a fun way to celebrate Mother’s Day with a friend or loved one.

Tickets: $12 for adults, $6 for students 12 & under. Tickets on sale now at the Embassy box office, all other Ticketmaster locations and online at Ticketmaster.com. For more information, visit them online.

Pops on Pipes Grande Page Organ Concert
Sunday, May 13 2pm.
Embassy Theatre
125 West Jefferson Boulevard
260.424.6287

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