The Cascades: Back after only more than a year

All it took was one memorable SRO "live" concert in April last year at the Big Dome for ’60s pop sensations The Cascades to realize the huge following it enjoyed among local music fans who still fell head-over-heels over its music as they sang, swayed and swooned with the legendary band while it performed its hit songs, especially its signature Rhythm of the Rain during that landmark summer gig.

Greatly overwhelmed by the warm reception of the audience, The Cascades came back six months later in September for a two-night return engagement, and confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that the resounding success of its initial show was no fluke. The attendance at the Araneta Coliseum show surpassed the previous concert’s, while the dinner-show at the Manila Hotel was also sold-out.

That was more than nine months ago, and everything has not been the same again in the local concert scene featuring foreign acts.

Inspired by the success of The Cascades shows, a massive revival fever swept the concert scene during the next few months, perking up an otherwise moribund concert industry and taking Pinoy fans on an ultimate nostalgia trip with the appearance of an unbroken stream of top foreign artists of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Unlike pre-Cascades visits when there was a slack in live concerts of foreign acts and, if any, they featured mostly young singers, the retro mania currently sweeping the concert scene topbills singers and groups from the ‘60s and ‘70s that cater to a cross-section of music lovers, from the Baby Boomers to members of Generation X.

And the amazing thing about this musical phenomenon is the incredible frequency of performance of these foreign artists, so much so that a foreign show is booked almost every fortnight at the Big Dome and other major venues, including five-star hotels and upscale restaurants and bars.

That’s why aside from The Cascades, music fans were treated during the past several months to a slew of big concerts featuring foreign acts, including The Beach Boys, Peter and Gordon, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Pat Upton (of Spiral Starecase), The Lettermen, The Zombies, Andy Williams, Rex Smith and Gregg Rolie (of Santana).

Well, The Cascades, the group that started it all, is set to return (for the nth time!) next month (June) for another series of shows that will officially kick off its 2006 world tour to be mounted by Steve O’Neal Productions, the same outfit that brought the singing legends to Manila and which has been designated as its manager to handle its bookings outside the Philippines.

Billed as The Cascades 2006 World Tour, the three-month, 16-city, five-country tour will premiere with a live concert at the Araneta Coliseum on June 16 following a dinner-show at the Manila Hotel on June 15. It will mark the group’s fourth performance here since the late ‘60s when it first visited the country at the height of its popularity.

The other legs of the tour are Subic Freeport (June 17), Iloilo City (June 18), Bacolod City (June 23), Singapore (June 25), Hard Rock Café-Makati (June 28), Davao City (June 30) and Cagayan de Oro City (July 1).

From the Philippines, the tour goes to Hong Kong (July 7) and Bangkok (July 19) before moving to the United States (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Texas and New Jersey) in August.

According to promoter Steve O’Neal (a.k.a. Danee Samonte), The Cascades has chosen Manila as the initial leg of its world concert tour as "a token of appreciation and affection" for its Filipino fans, who have shown their unwavering support and loyalty to the group during its two sell-out concerts here last year.

"Filipino fans have a special place in The Cascades’ hearts," he explained. "That’s why it has prepared a special, totally new repertoire for them during the next concert that they will long remember…especially those who failed to watch its first two shows and got to learn only about how great they were from other people."

Other records released by The Cascades include The Last Leaf, which sold half a million copies, For Your Sweet Love on RCA and Truly Julie’s Blues. After Gummoe left the group and pursued a solo career with ABC Dunhill, Gabe Lapano joined The Cascades as lead singer on Maybe The Rain Will Fall.

Other memorable songs from The Cascades are Shy Girl, Angel on My Shoulder, Let Me Be, Dreamin’, Lucky Guy, First Love Never Dies, Good Day for the Blues, Lisa’s Eyes, I Just Came by to Get a Smile, My First Day Alone, Punch and Judy, There’s A Reason, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Was I Dreamin’ and many more.

Catch The Cascades as it performs its distinctive sounds on June 15 at the Manila Hotel and on June 16 at the Araneta Coliseum with original members John Gummoe (lead vocals, percussion and keyboard), Gabe Lapano (vocals and keyboard), Tony Grasso (vocals and bass) and Chuck Crews (guitar).

(Tickets for The Cascades 2006 World Tour concert at Araneta Coliseum are priced at P2,500, P2,000, P1,800, P1,000, P600 and P300. They are available at Ticketnet outlets at all SM Department Stores and at the Araneta Coliseum ticket office. For inquiries, call Ticketnet at 911-5555.)

* * *

E-mail reactions at [email protected]