KEARNEY — “Disneyland’s favorite swing band.”
That’s how Kearney Concert Association President Angela Wright describes Phat Cat Swinger, the present that can open the KCA’s 76th season at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
Co-lead vocalist Mark Kopitzke describes Phat Cat Swinger as a pop-swing band.
“Imagine if a rock band played swing music, complete with jumping off the edge of the stage, plus an incredible guitar player, awesome energy onstage, and even choreography, with the whole band dancing along with the music,” he stated.
The present will embody classics from Sinatra finished with the Phat Cat Swinger spin on it, perhaps taking it with an up tempo spin on it, or extra lush or like a ballad, he added.
“Or we get the drums going like a mambo. It’s always surprising for the audience to hear things in a new way,” Kopitzke stated.
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The band was shaped in a storage in 2002 after Marco Palos, founder and co-lead vocalist, went with one other founding member to a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy live performance.
“We were inspired so much that we said, ‘Let’s make a band!’ So we did,” Palos stated.
They aimed to create a swing band. That development was fading, “but we decided that music always comes around again, and if we really stick with it, we could be in a really good place when swing comes back.”
Now, 21 years later, they’re touring world wide.
In 2012, Palos had about $50 within the financial institution when he was provided an opportunity to audition at Disney. “When I walked into the room, it was full of thee musicians from L.A. that I admired, but Disney saw something in me and I got hired,” he stated.
With that, his life rotated.
Eventually, the band performed in Downtown Disneyland, and later a Food and Wine Festival residence on the theme park. “Six weeks later, Disney offered us the Holiday Festival. Now we do six months of Disney shows a year,” he stated.
The remainder of the 12 months, the band performs within the Los Angeles space and goes out on excursions.
The U.S. Embassy in Serbia requested the band to symbolize the nation at its 2015 music competition, however the journey grew to become a collection of big obstacles.
“First, our piano player spilled coffee on his passport and the Los Angeles gate agent didn’t want to accept it, but they let him on the flight at least to the Atlanta airport,” Palos stated.
He referred to as the passport workplace whereas the aircraft sat on the L.A. runway and discovered he might get a identical day passport in Atlanta.
“We arrived late from Denver, and we all ran to the Atlanta gate for our flight to Serbia just in time to see them literally close the gate in front of us. They wouldn’t let us on,” he stated.
They did get a alternative passport in Atlanta, however the band ended up on 5 totally different flights routed throughout Europe. Their baggage and devices wound up in varied spots across the globe.
“The Embassy helped us borrow replacement instruments, but as soon as we finished our sound check, the sky opened up and a deluge began, so the embassy took us out to dinner. The rain became very light so we raced back to the festival. There were only a couple hundred people left, but the rain had calmed enough for us to perform,” he stated.
Soon after the present started, the rain returned. “Slowly, more and more people showed up with umbrellas, but then one-by-one, the umbrellas all came down. The people started dancing in the rain, and with the lights flashing off the stage and the rain falling and the people dancing, it looked like sparks of joy falling from the sky,” he stated.
“It was the most challenging trip ever, but also the most rewarding performance ever,” he added.
Palos added, “The way we approach performing is that we’re only in competition with ourselves. How do we make it better than the last show? How can we keep improving so that we’re always bringing value to the stage?”
He defined, “When we come to Kearney, we’re going to give you the best show we can give you, now. And if we’re invited again, we will try to top the show even more.”
KCA season tickets for six reveals are $50 per grownup, $25 per pupil or $110 for a household go. Season tickets are required. Tickets to particular person live shows won’t be bought. The unique present sponsor for Phat Cat Swinger is Brookstone Gardens assisted dwelling facility.
For tickets or extra data contact www.KearneyConcerts.org or name 308-627-2717.
