Strange Magic: The Music of ELO

On Friday, November 8, 2019 at 8 pm in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, under the leadership of Artistic Director and Conductor Neal Gittleman, will present the second concert in the 2019–2020 Dayton Freight Rockin’ Orchestra Series, Strange Magic: The Music of ELO. The Dayton Philharmonic welcomes to the stage Dayton favorite Jeans ‘n Classics for a night that celebrates the dynamic and enigmatic band Electric Light Orchestra.

Electric Light Orchestra, or ELO as they are more commonly known, formed in the autumn of 1970 in Birmingham, England. The demise of the art-pop group The Move gave singer-songwriter Roy Wood the opportunity to reunite with guitarist and composer Jeff Lynne to form ELO. They brought on bassist Rick Price and drummer Bev Bevan with the intent to “pick up where ‘I Am the Walrus’ left off,” referring to their Beatlesque pop sound, which when combined with classical music arrangements, launched them into commercial success, first in the United Kingdom followed quickly by the United States. Since their inception, ELO has sold over 50 million records worldwide and produced over twenty Top 40 hits. The band was finally inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. “John Lennon once famously referred to ELO as ‘sons of the Beatles,’ but more than 40 years later, it is clear that ELO have carved out their own unique place in rock history.” (www.rockhall.com/inductees/elo)

For nearly 20 years, Jeans ’n Classics (JNC) have been performing with orchestras around the country in shows combining world-class rock musicians and symphony orchestras, and the DPO is thrilled to have them back in the house at the Schuster. Founder and lead guitarist Peter Brennan and his band will join the Dayton Philharmonic in an out-of-this-world tribute to this defining band that dominated the charts in the 70s and early 80s. Joining Brennan on stage are Jean Meilleur on lead vocals, Kathryn Rose and Lis Soderberg on vocals, Dave Dunlop on guitar, Donald Paulton on keyboard, Darryl Stacey on bass and Jeff Christmas on drums.

JNC and the Dayton Philharmonic devote an evening to “the English band with the big fiddles,” performing some of their biggest chart-topping hits, including “Out of My Head,” “Evil Woman,” “Shine a Little Love,” “Don’t Bring Me Down,” “Telephone Line,” “Living Thing” and, of course, “Strange Magic.”

It’s a night that pays tribute to ELO, the band that lit up pop music in the 1970s by fusing rock n’ roll rhythms with stellar orchestral arrangements!

Tickets for Strange Magic: The Music of ELO begin at $24 and are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org.  Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at the box office. For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.