A year after its inaugural run from January to April 2022 at CD & ME, Howl2GO by Howl at the Moon returns to the Frankfort venue in 2023 for eight more performances.
The official traveling version of Howl at the Moon’s dueling pianos entertainment is booked every other Thursday night from Jan. 12, 2023, to April 20 in the special event facility called The Mica.
“We are always about having a good experience. The last time that we had a residency at CD & ME everybody had a good time, players and audience alike,” said Jordan Jenkins, regional entertainment director for Howl2GO by Howl at the Moon.
“We’re happy to come back for another year. The cool thing about Howl2GO and Howl at the Moon shows is any night that you go, it is going to be all different because of the all-request nature of the shows.
“You get different songs. You get different jokes. This year we’ll be sending a few different performers, mixing it up a bit. It’s always going to be a unique experience on the night you come.”
The singalong offers audiences the chance to experience what one might see and hear at one of Howl at the Moon’s nationwide clubs, which include the Chicago location at 26. W. Hubbard St., or aboard some Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
“Dueling pianos is an entertainment concept that Howl at the Moon uses to build out their brand, which is just the idea of two performers, each on a piano, that take requests from the crowd and build an entertaining, interactive show based on that,” said Jenkins of Chicago’s Lincoln Square community.
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“One thing we do at Howl at the Moon is we will often incorporate additional instruments. On a night you might see guitar there. You might see a keytar right out of 1986.”
Each high-energy Howl2GO by Howl at the Moon performance encourages input from the audience.
“We have slips of paper that we bring. People can write down their favorite songs, artists, genres and bring the request slips up. We use that to guide the show as opposed to a having a set list, like a lot of bands do,” said Jenkins, who performed on all eight Thursday nights in 2022 at CD & ME.
“Honestly, my favorite songs to perform are the ones the crowd really wants to hear. If you made me pick one, it would be ‘Stacy’s Mom’ by Fountains of Wayne. Anytime I get a request for a song I know, it’s always a good time.”
Jenkins, who plans to perform on the majority of 2023’s CD & ME shows, noted that Howl2GO by Howl at the Moon features plenty of popular tunes.
“Some of our top-requested songs are ‘Piano Man’ by Billy Joel, ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen and ‘Friends in Low Places’ by Garth Brooks,” he said.
“One of the cool things about the all-request base is you get a lot of variety of both styles and genres so songs from The Beatles all the way to Lizzo.”
Jenkins, who coordinates Howl2GO by Howl at the Moon performances in the Midwest, added that the talent to be featured on the 2023 shows at CD & ME are based out of the Chicagoland area.
“You’ll get performers that have played at Howl at the Moon Chicago, Indianapolis, all across the region,” he said.
“A lot of our performers tend to focus on the Howl2GO shows so you might not see them in the clubs super often anymore, but all our performers are Howl at the Moon-trained and come with that fire that you see if you walk into one of our physical locations.
“I truly do love and enjoy all the performers we have on staff. They’re all incredible musicians.”
Drinks and food will be available for purchase during the Howl2GO by Howl at the Moon shows at CD & ME.
“It’s a wondrous night of fun. You’ll be entertained by music,” Jenkins said.
“CD & ME is a great venue so it is a great place to hang out and have a nice cocktail. They’ve usually got pizza by the slice there, which is always delicious. It’s a nice, warm, welcoming atmosphere and it’s a great Thursday night out if you’re looking for something to do.”
Howl2GO by Howl at the Moon
When: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12, 2023, Jan 26, Feb. 9, Feb. 23, March 9, March 23, April 6 and April 20
Where: CD & ME’s The Mica, 23320 S. LaGrange Road, Frankfort
Tickets: $25; ages 21 and older only
Information: 815-469-7315; cdandme.co/howl
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.