Although the vocal quartet Under the Streetlamp had its start only about a dozen years ago, the members of the ensemble believes it is time for a reunion.
“We want the audience to fall in love with the new group and reminisce a bit with songs coming from members of the old groups,” said Brandon Wardell, a current Under the Streetlamp member who joined the quartet in 2015.
Under the Streetlamp’s first PBS TV special was filmed in 2011 and debuted on PBS across America in the spring of 2012.
“So this year we are celebrating 10 years of PBS specials,” Wardell said. The group has had a total of five specials air on PBS television.
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Under the Streetlamp will perform at 6 p.m. March 27 at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora. The current Under the Streetlamp lineup features Wardell, Ryan Williams, Christopher Kale Jones and Chester Gregory.
The chances are, that if a song was on the radio from the 1950s to the 1980s, Under the Streetlamp may sing it in the show. Backed by a seven-piece band, the four singers perform the hits of The Drifters, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Roy Orbison, Bobby Darin, Bob Seger and Dion and the Belmonts, among other performers.
The lineup for the ensemble has changed over the years, but early Under the Streetlamp members had appeared at one time or another in the Chicago production or the national company tours of “Jersey Boys,” the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
“Under the Streetlamp was Michael Ingersoll’s idea,” Wardell said.
Ingersoll, who played Nick Massi of the Four Seasons for three years in the Chicago production of “Jersey Boys,” started a solo act and had some of the guys from “Jersey Boys” with him on stage in the second act of his show. The reaction to the four performers was powerful and Under the Streetlamp was born. Ingersoll left Under the Streetlamp in March 2017 to pursue producing opportunities.
“So Michael is back for this show,” Wardell said. “He will do his old favorites and participate in some new songs.”
“Shonn Wiley, another founding member, also will be with us,” Wardell continued. “And Eric Gutman is coming back. We usually do the Beach Boys medley with him. The show will be presented in solos, duets and as a quartet. We will do different lineups. The evening is going to build as we add guests.
“In this anniversary show we will try to deliver the same type of songs; the favorites from the PBS specials,” Wardell continued. “But we also have new material: ‘Sweet Caroline,’ ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ and ‘Happy Together,’ among others.”
In addition to the quartet’s tight harmonies, the group displays some smooth dance moves. And that takes a lot of rehearsal.
“We spend an equal amount or even more time on the choreography than the vocals,” Wardell said. “Those muscles take longer to train.”
What also sets Under the Streetlamp (underthestreetlamp.com) apart from some other vocal groups, according to Wardell, is the storytelling.
“We have a connection with each other in the group and we talk to the audience about our children, our friends, our families” he said. “Part of the magic of us sharing stories is that it evokes other people telling their stories.”
Under the Streetlamp
When: 6 p.m. March 27
Where: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora
Tickets: $45-$65
Information: 630-896-6666; paramountaurora.com
Randall G. Mielke is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.