Under the Streetlamp presentsIf you’re like us, you love the world of art and entertainment showcased on PBS’s Great Performances. Friends, we cannot recommend this week’s new episode highly enough! Check your local listings to catch an extraordinary documentary on the making of Tony Bennett’s Duet’s II album. The legendary Mr. Bennett elegantly continues to bring generations together with great music, and there’s no end in sight. He doesn’t believe in retiring. Not if you get to do what you love.
Streetlamp’s own Michael Ingersoll enjoyed the awesome privilege of meeting Tony Bennett just a few years ago. Both gentlemen appeared as musical guests on the 2007 Primetime Emmy Awards. Mr. Bennett, who was honored that night with an Emmy for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program for his television special Tony Bennett: An American Classic, sang a scintillating duet with Christina Aguilera. And Mr. Ingersoll, who was then playing to sold-out houses in the San Francisco production of Jersey Boys, performed a rocking Four Seasons medley in tribute to those other Jersey boys, HBO’s The Sopranos. Ingersoll was thrilled to be surrounded by the many show-busniess luminaries the ceremony attracts. But perhaps no encounter with an admired icon was more influential than the one with Mr. Bennett…
We’re in Chicago this weekend and Baby, it’s cold outside! Today we’re filming some special footage for PBS live from the stage of the Star Plaza Theatre. Wanna take a peak at the filming in progress? Here ya go! WARNING: Turn up your volume, because Ingersoll may or may not have his thumb over the mic of his iPhone while shooting. :)
Plus a quick shot from the dressing room:
We celebrate MLK Day with a song in our hearts. The Sunday School standard “This Little Light Of Mine” became an anthem of the civil-rights movement in the 1950s. Sam Cooke, one of our musical heroes, performed this joyful and uplifting version in 1964 at New York’s Copacabana, bringing the music of the Movement to a broader audience. Sing along and enjoy! You can add your own MLK Day song choices to our comments section. Just login and paste the link from YouTube to share.
As we near our PBS Broadcast premiere, we’re just bursting with anticipation. And it looks like some of you share our countdown fever! Fans are sounding-off on Ticketmaster and predicting big things for Under the Streetlamp.
Barb 0809 says: “As soon as PBS airs this concert, they will be loved nationwide. These four men are so talented and truly have star quality.”
Nalafan cheers: “These guys have worked so hard to get to where they are and their passion shows on stage! They truly love to have a good time and their music is infectious. They are embarking on the ride of their lives and are bound to live as true rock stars! Before long, they will be a household name!”
And Daisygirl1740 exclaims: “What a great show! Had us rockin’ in our seats! Their voices were beyond amazing & their stage presence was so entertaining! They are very versatile young men who will go very far. Their singing & acting abilities are wonderful. We would definitely see them again & certainly hope they return to our area!!”
We ‘re so grateful for you. Keep smiling, friends!
Happy Birthday to the incomparable Elvis Presley! Celebrate with Streetlamp by sharing your favorite Elvis videos here. It’s easy to login in the comments section and post your picks from YouTube. We kick off the party with Ingersoll’s choice: That’s Alright Mama from the ’68 Comeback Special.
What a heartwarming surprise! Recently we stumbled upon one very enthusiastic Lampette sharing her joy. “Lois from Downer’s Grove” wrote an amusing and sincere review of her experience at one of our concerts, then posted her feelings for all to see on Yelp. If you’re not currently a user, Yelp is a fantastic site where where regular folks share personal recommendations of a local businesses including restaurants, shopping, entertainment, florists, dry cleaners… you name it! It can be especially helpful when you’re traveling and need a bit of advice to find that perfect spot for dinner. So when you find something you like, it’s nice to share your thoughts on Yelp to help out others.
Our favorite observation from Lois about our show was this: “There was not one person in the audience who was not clapping, singing along, tapping their feet, or keeping time to the music in some manner. Everyone left the auditorium feeling GOOD, with no artificial additives required.” We thank you, Lois, for your kindness and your motivation to spread the word! Read her entire five star review here.
We’re taking you behind the scenes once again. Last weekend while we were in Chicago, we filmed interviews for the special features section of the upcoming DVD. Here’s some pics from the set. They’re candid phone pics which are pretty bright, but we couldn’t resist sharing.
Chris looking patient and thoughtful.
Cunio ready to rock.
Shonn looking cool and collected.
Michael ready to get up close and personal.
Cheers!
