Saturday - March 1, 2014

8:00 pm

The Stubblefield Band

The Stubblefield Band, consisting of Matt Taul, Matt Van Voorhis, Bob Oettle, Joe Cox, and Damian Gilligan, formed in 1990 and enjoyed regional success until the band broke up in 2000. During those ten years they released two albums, Eating Crow & Less Traveled, and have played with acts such as The Marshall Tucker Band, Little River Band, Johnny Johnson, and Georgia Satellites as well as regular performances at the now closed Mississippi Nights.
Enjoy this rare treat and relive the 90's as the band gets together for a show at the Wildey. ... Buy Tickets...

Friday - March 7, 2014

7:00 pm

Winter Concert Series featuring Dueling Pianos

The Edwardsville Parks Department presents Dueling Pianos as part of the popular Winter Concert Series.

Part comedy, part music, and all fun, this act is sure to get the audience clapping their hands and yelling out requests.

Catered hors d’oeuvres provided by the Parks Department are included with purchase of ticket and will be served on the 3rd floor with seating available in the 2nd floor Marquee Room from 6:00pm-7:00pm while supplies last.

Special Offer: Buy tickets to all five shows and receive $1 off each ticket. ... Buy Tickets...

Saturday - March 8, 2014

8:00 pm

Brewer & Shipley

Returning to The Wildey Theatre: MICHAEL BREWER & TOM SHIPLEY. Brewer & Shipley are truly two who work as one. Still as passionate as ever, they continue to blend guitars and voices and perform for audiences 40 years after their trademark vocal harmonies and intertwined acoustic guitars carved a unique niche in America's soundboard. Their melodic music and underlying lyrical themes of personal freedom and traditional songs of love still resonate with long time fans while continuing to draw new ones. ... Buy Tickets...

Friday - March 14, 2014

8:00 pm

The Bellamy Brothers

Howard and David continue to prove that the trail they’ve ridden to fame has been as unique as their music itself—music that is now celebrating 30 years of success.

The road that started on the pop music charts in the ‘70’s, took a winding turn into country music in the ‘80’s, paving the way for duos to come, such as Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, and previously—The Judds. But before the road forked into country, the musical odyssey of brothers Bellamy started creatively smoldering in their home state of Florida, before exploding nationally amidst the ’70’s pop music culture of L.A.

These days when the subject turns to touring, The Bellamys are showing a new generation of country music how it’s done. “We’re old road dogs,” grins Howard when asked about the motivation behind the brothers 200 plus concert dates each year. Adds David: “Our live draw is bigger than it was in the ‘80’s. I think the same people that grew up with us and with our music in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s obviously have raised a whole new generation of Bellamy fans who started toddling to our music. Now they’re turning up at our concerts as college kids, who are really turned on and tuned in to us and our music….it’s a great feeling.”

See the Bellamy Brothers live in concert on March 14, 2014 at The Wildey Theatre.

For tickets and more information call 618.307.1750. ... Buy Tickets...

Sunday - March 16, 2014

2:00 pm

FREE Movie! Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he's forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational and is churning out menacing food-animal hybrids. ... Buy Tickets...

Saturday - March 22, 2014

8:00 pm

The Ides of March Featuring Jim Peterik

The Ides are that rare commodity that still has all of its original members for the over thirty years since they started. It’s their special chemistry that makes every Ides show a memorable experience. Their trademark combination of horns and harmony and Peterik’s growling vocals always brings the audience to their feet.

To order by phone or for more information, please call 618.307.1750. ... Buy Tickets...

Friday - March 28, 2014

8:00 pm

Yesterday - A tribute to the Beatles

Yesterday-The Beatle Tribute founded by John Lennon performer Don Bellezzo, tours not only the U.S. but Internationally. With seven tours of Japan, dozens more to Canada, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Bahamas, and United States military bases throughout the World, these entertainers have performed on five continents. Now they are coming to Edwardsville, Il to play live on the Wildey stage. ... Buy Tickets...

Saturday - March 29, 2014

6:00 pm

Gypsy

The story of Gypsy actually begins with a popular Minneapolis-St. Paul group called the Underbeats. During the years of 1964-1968, The Underbeats were one of the hottest attractions in the Upper Midwest. This was the ear that also spawned such teen phonemes as The Castaways, The Trashmen and The Gestures.
Two key changes were vital in the transformation that eventually produced Gypsy. The first was when singer/songwriter Enrio (Rico) Rosenbaum joined founding member James Johnson (guitar), Doni Larson (bass) and Tom Green (drums). The other occurred when Johnson was drafted into the service and James Walsh, who played keyboards on some of their recordings, joined the band on a permanent basis.
Following Johnson’s discharge in the summer of 1969, the group and their manager headed West to seek fame and fortune in sunny California. Slowly a buzz about the band started and after a few inspired club dates, their big break came one night while playing at Gazzarri’s on Hollyword’s Sunset Strip. The group Chicago had just released their first album and were leaving the club on tour to support the record. Looking for a replacement, Whiskey owner Elmber Valentine walked down the street to catch The Underbeats performing at Gazzarri’s. Impressed with their sound, Valentine offered them a prestigious house band slot at the Whiskey. The Whiskey was the hottest place in town at that time. It was during their stay at The Whiskey that the band decided a name change was in order. After a unanimous vote, Gypsy was born. Then came the record offers.
There were two firm offers, one from Atlantic Records and one from Metromedia Records. “We were afraid of getting lost in the shuffle of a big company like Atlantic,” remembers Walsh. “Artie Valado (president of Metromedia) was very high on the group. Although he ha drecently scored several hits with Bobby Sherman, he was looking to add a rock group to the company’s roster. Metromedia was a young upcoming label and we knew we’d get a lot of attention from them which we did, but as it turned out they didn’t really have the clout to bring the record home when it started to happen.”
The playing was all done live with very little support from outside musicians. Jimmie Haskell did string arrangements on six cuts and Preston Epps of “Bongo Rock” lame, added percussion on a couple of tracks. One person who was a big influence in the recording was Julio Airalko, who Meteromedia assigned to supervise the sessions. Julio was a trained opera singer and provided tremendous help with the vocal arrangements. “Metromedia took very good care of us in the studio,” continues Walsh. “We had all the latest recording equipment available. We had to be one of the first rock groups to record on a 2” 16 track tape machine.”
The original plan was to record a single album but the creative juices kept flowing. The sessions were going so well that the band felt they needed to create a double album in order to capture all that was happening. This was at the time when the only other double album by a rock band was the Columbia Debut by the aforementioned Chicago Transit Authority. James Walsh and Rico Rosenbaum convinced the Metromedia hierarchy that a double album was in order and got the budget increased to $45,000 (A lofty sum in 1970). The group also had a hand in designing their classic album cover. “We had seen the gypsy drawing by Altons Mucha and were convinced it would make great album cover,” Walsh recalls. “Metromedia came through and obtained the rights to use the artwork. The album cover is featured in the publications of The 60’s Classic Album Covers by Storm Thorgerson. The cover holds up today as a period piece of the era.
Their debut “Gypsy” album released in the fall of 1970. The press embraced the album and the reviews were very favorable. The single, “Gypsy Queen – Part One,” received national airplay and charted in Billboard. The national touring started. “We went all over the country,” Walsh says. “We headlined both Fillmores East and West. We played a big concert at Winterland in San Francisco with the Chamber Brothers, The Guess Who and Mason Profit. I remember playing the Atlanta Pop Festival to a crowd of a couple hundred thousand. That was fabulous. On the bill were Jimi Hendrix, Mountain and The Allman Brother to name a few.”
In 1971 the group headed back to Los Angeles to record the all important follow up album “In The Garden”. It was also at this time that some personnel changes took place in the band. Two more Minneapolis musicians replaced Larson and Epstein. Willie Weeks took over the bass duties and stayed with the band for about a year. He later went on to play with Danny Hathaway and The Doobie Brothers. Texan Randy Cates joined the band and handled the bass chores when Willie left. Bill Lordan became the new drummer. Bill stayed with gypsy through the end. Following Gypsy, Bill went on to play with Sly and the Family Stone as well as Robin Tower.
“We recorded ‘In The Garden’ at Larabee Sound,” Walsh remembers. “We were happy with it even though we had less input than the grist album. In fact, the album was mixed while we were touring with The Guess Who. Unfortunately, our label was having financial problems and the album was never given the promotion it deserved.” “In The Garden’ did appear on Billboard’s album chart in spite of not producing a hit. Fans treasured the album and today it is a much sought after collector’s item.
Due to continued FM airplay of such songs as “Gypsy Queen”, “Dead and Gone”, “Tomorrow is the Last to be Heard” and “As Far As You Can See (As Much As You Can Feel)”, Gypsy music has remained in demand. Now the remastered first two albums plus never before released bonus tracks will be available as Bedrock Records presents “Gypsy” and “In The Garden”. ... Buy Tickets...

Saturday - March 29, 2014

9:00 pm

Gypsy

The story of Gypsy actually begins with a popular Minneapolis-St. Paul group called the Underbeats. During the years of 1964-1968, The Underbeats were one of the hottest attractions in the Upper Midwest. This was the ear that also spawned such teen phonemes as The Castaways, The Trashmen and The Gestures.
Two key changes were vital in the transformation that eventually produced Gypsy. The first was when singer/songwriter Enrio (Rico) Rosenbaum joined founding member James Johnson (guitar), Doni Larson (bass) and Tom Green (drums). The other occurred when Johnson was drafted into the service and James Walsh, who played keyboards on some of their recordings, joined the band on a permanent basis.
Following Johnson’s discharge in the summer of 1969, the group and their manager headed West to seek fame and fortune in sunny California. Slowly a buzz about the band started and after a few inspired club dates, their big break came one night while playing at Gazzarri’s on Hollyword’s Sunset Strip. The group Chicago had just released their first album and were leaving the club on tour to support the record. Looking for a replacement, Whiskey owner Elmber Valentine walked down the street to catch The Underbeats performing at Gazzarri’s. Impressed with their sound, Valentine offered them a prestigious house band slot at the Whiskey. The Whiskey was the hottest place in town at that time. It was during their stay at The Whiskey that the band decided a name change was in order. After a unanimous vote, Gypsy was born. Then came the record offers.
There were two firm offers, one from Atlantic Records and one from Metromedia Records. “We were afraid of getting lost in the shuffle of a big company like Atlantic,” remembers Walsh. “Artie Valado (president of Metromedia) was very high on the group. Although he ha drecently scored several hits with Bobby Sherman, he was looking to add a rock group to the company’s roster. Metromedia was a young upcoming label and we knew we’d get a lot of attention from them which we did, but as it turned out they didn’t really have the clout to bring the record home when it started to happen.”
The playing was all done live with very little support from outside musicians. Jimmie Haskell did string arrangements on six cuts and Preston Epps of “Bongo Rock” lame, added percussion on a couple of tracks. One person who was a big influence in the recording was Julio Airalko, who Meteromedia assigned to supervise the sessions. Julio was a trained opera singer and provided tremendous help with the vocal arrangements. “Metromedia took very good care of us in the studio,” continues Walsh. “We had all the latest recording equipment available. We had to be one of the first rock groups to record on a 2” 16 track tape machine.”
The original plan was to record a single album but the creative juices kept flowing. The sessions were going so well that the band felt they needed to create a double album in order to capture all that was happening. This was at the time when the only other double album by a rock band was the Columbia Debut by the aforementioned Chicago Transit Authority. James Walsh and Rico Rosenbaum convinced the Metromedia hierarchy that a double album was in order and got the budget increased to $45,000 (A lofty sum in 1970). The group also had a hand in designing their classic album cover. “We had seen the gypsy drawing by Altons Mucha and were convinced it would make great album cover,” Walsh recalls. “Metromedia came through and obtained the rights to use the artwork. The album cover is featured in the publications of The 60’s Classic Album Covers by Storm Thorgerson. The cover holds up today as a period piece of the era.
Their debut “Gypsy” album released in the fall of 1970. The press embraced the album and the reviews were very favorable. The single, “Gypsy Queen – Part One,” received national airplay and charted in Billboard. The national touring started. “We went all over the country,” Walsh says. “We headlined both Fillmores East and West. We played a big concert at Winterland in San Francisco with the Chamber Brothers, The Guess Who and Mason Profit. I remember playing the Atlanta Pop Festival to a crowd of a couple hundred thousand. That was fabulous. On the bill were Jimi Hendrix, Mountain and The Allman Brother to name a few.”
In 1971 the group headed back to Los Angeles to record the all important follow up album “In The Garden”. It was also at this time that some personnel changes took place in the band. Two more Minneapolis musicians replaced Larson and Epstein. Willie Weeks took over the bass duties and stayed with the band for about a year. He later went on to play with Danny Hathaway and The Doobie Brothers. Texan Randy Cates joined the band and handled the bass chores when Willie left. Bill Lordan became the new drummer. Bill stayed with gypsy through the end. Following Gypsy, Bill went on to play with Sly and the Family Stone as well as Robin Tower.
“We recorded ‘In The Garden’ at Larabee Sound,” Walsh remembers. “We were happy with it even though we had less input than the grist album. In fact, the album was mixed while we were touring with The Guess Who. Unfortunately, our label was having financial problems and the album was never given the promotion it deserved.” “In The Garden’ did appear on Billboard’s album chart in spite of not producing a hit. Fans treasured the album and today it is a much sought after collector’s item.
Due to continued FM airplay of such songs as “Gypsy Queen”, “Dead and Gone”, “Tomorrow is the Last to be Heard” and “As Far As You Can See (As Much As You Can Feel)”, Gypsy music has remained in demand. Now the remastered first two albums plus never before released bonus tracks will be available as Bedrock Records presents “Gypsy” and “In The Garden”. ... Buy Tickets...