Nothing But Hits ~ WCB Concert ~ May 27, 2023
The Wallaceburg Concert Band is happy to announce their next upcoming concert, titled “Nothing But Hits.”
Conductor Dave Babbitt recently shared some details on the WCB Facebook page:
Since we returned after our Christmas Break, we’ve had our sights set on our Spring Concert. It has been a long, hard winter of rehearsals but things are really starting to whip into shape. Our long-time supporters will know that I don’t like tossing around superlatives just to get people to our concerts. Honesty is important to me as I want to earn your trust. You will also know that we attempt to outdo ourselves on each successive outing by raising the bar of our playing through both hard work, and the choice of increasingly better, more challenging arrangements. Having said all of that, I truly believe that THIS music will be our finest to-date, and you’ll want to reserve the date of Saturday, May 27th right now. Long-time supporters will also know that it is a personal policy not to reveal what we will be playing in order to maintain an element of surprise at each concert. I’m actually so excited about this concert that I’m going to breach my own rule and “spill the beans” on at least SOME of our upcoming offerings. For example…Can you name the top 3 grossing Broadway musicals of all-time? How about the “world’s favourite musical ” Les Misérables”? Then there was “The Phantom of the Opera” and it’s glorious music, and then the biggest box-office generator of all-time. ”The Lion King”! We are determined to turn younger people on to our music so if The Lion King and it’s catchy African rhythm’s doesn’t attract your kids and grandkids, how about music from ”Aladdin”, the late Robin Williams/Disney Masterpiece. We’re also going to present music from maybe the musical with the catchiest melodies of all-time, ”Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. Our band anticipates rehearsing this score every week. We’re also going to do a mini-tribute to the late Andy Botai of WDSS fame by playing 3 classic arrangements that several of us played for him back in high school. One score will features the music of the recently passed Burt Bacharach, one will feature incredible music from Italian movies (you may not know them all by name, but you have heard them!) and one will feature the trumpet skills of Meighan Lung in a medley of old songs that I used to play. (Guaranteed that you will smile!) THEN…we’re going to feature a unique instrument that has been extremely rare in these parts for decades….the bassoon. We have been so fortunate to have bassoon player Fr. Chris Gillespie of the local Roman Catholic parish in our band for several years now, and I decided that it’s time to feature him and this unique instrument. Once again, you’ll smile and while I won’t reveal what the song is, old-timers will recognize it instantly. Topping it all off is a medley of hits by the supergroup consisting of Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid! Figured that one out yet? There are a couple other unique things that we’ll be presenting BUT there is only ONE opportunity to hear all of this music as we play all-new scores each outing…..then move on. If we attract the same crowd we had at the Chatham Capitol Theatre back in December, you will be competing for a seat and many will surely miss-out, but you can reserve the date right now!
