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Sun. Dec. 23 It's the fourth year for Gary Sohmers' Rock N’ Soul Holiday Concert at Arlington's Regent Theatre Sunday Dec. 23. Where do you know Gary Sohmers' name? Well, if you were on Lansdowne Street in the '80s you may have known as the pith-helmeted productionmanager at the Metro/Spit from 1984-1991. Says Gary: "Good times. The best shows? Prince on the 30" stage when he jumped into the audience onto a B3 organ wearing only a thong" - I was there too, when he was playing the "Dirty Mind" disc, ab-fab! - "Stevi e Ray Vaughan, Cab Calloway, Red Hot Chili Peppers were some of my favorite shows." You might know Gary if you watched PBS's "Antique Roadshow." He was an appraiser, a collectibles expert and dispenser of wise advise about pop culture antiques. How much is the punk rock badge worth? That Beatles poster? This is what he does professionally at Wex Rex Collectibles in Hudson. He buys and sells vintage radios, rock memorabilia, etc. Put it this way: The jobs have moved around, but his passion for music and music-related stuff remains and what's important here is what Sohmers is producing for Christmas, a multi-guest charity gig for Toys for Tots and Ernie Boch Jr.'s Music Drives Us Foundation. On board for the show, Jon Butcher, Charlie Farren, Shea Rose, Gary Hoey, Danny Klein's Full House w/ Casey Desmond, Barrence Whitefield, Prof. Doug Bell, Hirsch Gardner, Chris Fitz, John Powhida and Brian Templeton with the Rock n Soul Holiday All Star Band. Co-sponsor, Guitar Center.
"When I conceived this event a few years ago," says Sohmers, "it was to get the classic performers together with the next generation of New England talent for a holiday fund-raiser. Like in the 1980s, I asked my good friend and performing legend Barrence Whitfield to participate, and when he agreed, many others wanted to be on the show with him. He is the humblest of humans with massive heart and soul with a voice and stage presence to match.
"When I conceived this event a few years ago," says Sohmers, "it was to get the classic performers together with the next generation of New England talent for a holiday fund-raiser. Like in the 1980s, I asked my good friend and performing legend Barrence Whitfield to participate, and when he agreed, many others wanted to be on the show with him. He is the humblest of humans with massive heart and soul with a voice and stage presence to match."
Tickets: $30/$20. 7 Medford St. Arlington, 781-646-4849 ww.regenttheatre.com athttp://regenttheatre.com/details/fourth_rock_n_soul_holiday_concert |
