The Royal Canadian Legion was packed for an Arts Humboldt concert on March 31 featuring Neil Currie and Terry Hoknes as Billy Joel and Elton John.
The packed house was encouraged to sing along to numerous hits done by the two award winner performing artists, including Billy Joel’s hits the Longest Time, It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me, and Just the Way Your Are, and Elton John’s hits Bennie and the Jets, Candle in the Wind, and I’m Still Standing.
Currie and Hoknes in both cases say that it is not about the visuals for their show but more of recreating the music for the stage just as people remember it.
Hoknes still came out in a sparkling suit, pink feather boa, and big sunglasses as Elton John but he does not go as far as taking on the personae of Elton John. He is somewhere in the middle, he says.
For Currie, Billy Joel is not the most flamboyant or visual entertainer.
Currie is a trained musician with a doctorate in Musical Composition so his focus is on breaking the music into its elements and building it back up, like a scientist or mechanic of music.
Listening to Currie’s vocals he keeps the vocal highs and lows, like in Movin’ Out, and the power in songs like We Didn’t Start the Fire and Piano Man.
“For me, it’s capturing the spirit of his voice and his arrangements. Being able to experience the song as they knew it, capturing that sound,” says Currie.
Billy Joel, beyond the fact that the music fits Currie’s voice, had a fine body of work with great songwriting, lyrics, and chord progressions and Currie wants to bring that to stage for people to rekindle their love of his music.
“I want (the audience) to appreciate what a fine body of work he had.”
Brian Grest with Arts Humboldt hopes people went away with a heck of good time.
“Everyone knows Billy Joel and Elton John music so as soon as you have a band that plays music that everyone knows, everyone wants to come see it.”
Grest does not want to take away from original artists but people enjoy themselves when they already know the songs.
Money from the evening is being stored away to Arts Humboldt’s contribution to the new performing arts space whenever that is set to happen, says Grest.
“We’re going to sock that money aside and see what we can do to help.”
Along with the Arts Humboldt executive who stepped up to help with putting on a successful show, Grest says three notable Humboldt businesses also stepped up to help with the show being sponsored by Hergott Electric, HSA, and Hergott Farm Equipment.
“Their support for Arts Humboldt has been amazing.”
Look for more concerts from Arts Humboldt coming soon.
