On Stage: UK rock legends come to local venues

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

In today’s popular music scene, there are basically three different types of music acts currently performing at local clubs and small theaters.

Many of them will be performing at area venues over the next few weeks.

There are the acts that are making original music that is relevant to today’s varied genres – acts such as Gorillaz, Matchbox 30, Staind, Rise Against and Fruition.

There are acts that have been around for decades that are still touring with most of the band’s original members – acts such as the Sex Pistols, Cowboy Junkies, ZZ Top, Kansas and The Rascals.

There are acts that are tribute acts playing sets composed entirely of music by former ultra-popular bands and singers – acts such as Start Making Sense, Get The Led Out, Australian Pink Floyd and Magical Mystery Doors.

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650, www.keswicktheatre.com) is an example of a venue that features all three.

While relying heavily on bookings of tribute bands, the theater in Montgomery Couny has a schedule that includes current bands like Vic DiBitetto and Rachel Reid along with classic acts such as UB40, Gladys Knight and Cheap Trick.

Over the next few days, the Keswick will host four classic acts from England — The Fixx, Justin Hayward (formerly of the Moody Blues), Peter Asher (formerly of Peter and Gordon) and Colin Blunstone (formerly of the Zombies).

Hayward’s concert is scheduled for June 15 while the other three share the bill at the Keswick on September 11.

The unique triple-bill, which kicked off September 2 in Somerville Massachusetts, crosses generations to unite both musical waves of the “British Invasion.”

Blunstone and Asher followed The Beatles to top the American charts in 1964, while The FIXX burst onto the scene during the MTV-fueled English New Wave revolution of the early 1980s.

Blunstone, who recently celebrated his 81st birthday, was the velvet-voiced lead singer of The Zombies. He also has built a strong career as an acclaimed solo artist.

The busy octogenarian just wrapped a 16-date headline tour of the U.K. in May, where his ageless voice and career-spanning set earned rave reviews.

This summer, he’s been in the studio finishing a new solo album, planned for release in early 2027, while continuing to celebrate the remarkable legacy of The Zombies.

An impromptu reunion in 1999 with Zombies’ keyboardist and primary songwriter, Rod Argent, led to 25 years of touring and recording with a new incarnation of The Zombies, with recent highlights including their 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, 2023’s Billboard-charting album, “Different Game,” and the prestigious Grulke Award for their live performances at Austin’s SXSW 2023.

The Zombies’ second-life touring career came to an abrupt end in 2024, after Argent was sidelined for health reasons, although a new studio single is reportedly in the works.

Still finding the time to revisit his solo career during this busy period, Blunstone’s catalog now boasts 12 solo albums, plus his most recent EP release, “Less Is More,” a minimalist take on the singer’s compositions.

He also released last year’s CD/DVD, “One Year Live & More,” documenting the recent live recreation of his debut solo album at London’s iconic venue Union Chapel.

Video link for Colin Blunstone — https://youtu.be/nYEkXAZHbTE?si=jj8cMoC79XoKgGEn.

Peter Asher, who turned 82 in June, is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer.

He came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the pop music vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a manager and record producer, helping to foster the recording careers of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt among others.

As of 2018, he tours alongside Jeremy Clyde in Peter and Jeremy, who perform hits from both of their respective catalogues. In 2019, Asher published a book, “The Beatles from A to Zed,” about his personal reminiscences about the band.

Asher’s latest work in the studio includes producing Barbra Streisand’s “The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two” album and Susanna Hoff’s “The Deep End.”

Video link for Peter Asher — https://youtu.be/10XbIaCfiz8?si=xOyn27QxsPguREm3.

The FIXX, which was founded in London in 1979, has been heralded as one of the most innovative bands to come out of the “MTV” era. For four decades, the style and substance of the band has always created a special connection with its audience.

The FIXX’s themes are often complex, introspective and thought-provoking, but not without widespread mass appeal.

The band has garnered three Number 1 hits, five more in the Top 5 and a dozen which reached the Top 10.

With millions of albums sold worldwide, songs such as “One Thing Leads To Another,” “Red Skies” and “Saved By Zero” remain everyday staples on the playlists of the Rock, AAA and Alternative radio stations that continue to break new acts inspired by the era that The FIXX helped to define.

The FIXX’s classic lineup remains intact — Cy Curnin (vocals), Jamie West-Oram (guitar), Rupert Greenall (keyboards), Dan K. Brown (bass guitar) and Adam Woods (drums).

Video link for the FIXX — https://youtu.be/jx6kBqPrFCg?si=S74BAWvO5w1jA76S.

The show at the Keswick will start at 7:30 p.m.

Ticket prices start at $48.40.

Hayward, who will turn 82 next month, was the guitarist and frontman of the rock band the Moody Blues from 1966 until its dissolution in 2018. He became the group’s principal vocalist and its most prolific songwriter over the 1967–1974 period.

He composed several international hit singles for the band. With John Lodge’s death in 2025, Hayward is the last surviving member of the classic Moody Blues lineup.

Though Hayward’s song catalogue contains many of the most influential songs in popular music, he is not one to rest on his laurels. He continues to perform regularly.

Known principally as the vocalist, lead guitarist and composer for The Moody Blues, his is an enduring talent that has helped to define the times in which he worked.

Possessing one of the most distinctive voices in rock music, as well as being the driving force behind The Moody Blues, Hayward penned classics like “Nights in White Satin,” “Question,” “New Horizons,” “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere,” “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Your Wildest Dreams.”

“Nights in White Satin” continues to be covered by other recording artists all over the world, most recently having chart success with Planet Funk, and the song has featured in several movies including Martin Scorseses’s “Casino,” Robert de Niro’s “A Bronx Tale” and “Shattered,” which was directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

In 2018, Hayward was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the other Moody Blues.

In 2022, he was personally honored with an OBE for services to music by the late Queen Elizabeth II in her birthday honors list (making him an Officer of The Order of The British Empire).

The OBE medal was presented to him by King Charles III at an investiture ceremony in Windsor Castle in July 2023.

The Moody Blues’ “Days of Future Passed album was a favorite of the NASA astronauts and was taken aboard the Atlantis shuttle space craft on many missions by Chief astronaut “Hoot” Gibson.

Video link for Justin Hayward — https://youtu.be/jlMp5-IBFDE?si=s7izYE_zlCXLSmsu.

The show at the Keswick will start at 8 p.m.

Ticket prices start at $59.65.

Humbleman Band has a vibe that can be traced to the West Coast in the late 1960s – smart, well-crafted rock songs, many of which delivered strong political messages.

On June 11, Humbleman Band will return to one of its favorite hometown haunts with a show at the Mermaid Inn (7673 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, www.mermaidinn.com).

This show is special for two reasons with something old and something new.

The something old is the return of prior band member for a one-off guest appearance and the something new is a just-released record.

“I’m excited,” said Humbleman Band singer/guitarist Charlie Cooper, during a phone interview Thursday evening from his home in Germantown.

“We’re going to have two female vocalists – Kim Empson, who left the band a few years ago after being the main vocalist for a few years, and Kim Alexander, who replaced her. This will be the first time they’ll be singing together.”

Humbleman Band just released a new single – a new single with a “A” side and a “B” side.

“I’m excited about the new 45,” said Cooper, who is closing in on octogenarian status.

“There are two songs. The ‘A” side is ‘Get A Real Job (ICE Man) [Side A]” and the ‘B’ side is ‘No Kings [Side B].’

“We definitely want to look at it as a single – like an old 45 with two different sides – a record that you had to stop and turn over.”

If you want to tap into that old-school protest song vibe, these songs are just what you want.

Just check out the lyrics of “Get A Real Job (ICE Man) [Side A] “ –

“

ICE men all around you, in your mind you’re alone
Don’t you miss your family, don’t you miss your home?
You think Trump cares about you? Ask Kristi Noem
When a reckoning comes, you’ll be on your own! ICE Man, ICE mob, go home! Get a real job.
Flash-bang grenades making all that racket
You look so adorable in your camo flak jacket
Camo head to toe thinking you look so cool
It’s not the woods, it’s not the desert, we can see you, fool!

Stop spreading fear, stop spreading misery
Go home to your friends, go home to your family
You’ve got blood on your hands, you’ve got hate in your heart
Time to go home… make a fresh start

On Border Patrol, I hear you say
Shame on you, grabbing little children just to make your quota
Looking for the border? You’ve lost your way
How’d you ever wind up in Minnesota?”

Humbleman Band’s most recent album is “Looking Up,” which was released last year.

“With the album, we recorded the rhythm section in a big studio — Rittenhouse Soundworks in Germantown,” said Cooper, a native of Norristown.

“Then we did the overdubs at our home studio, J-Street Studios.

The last recordings happened in March. Then we sent it to Rittenhouse Sound for mixing and mastering.”

The album is well-named. The LP, which has an up-tempo feel and an uplifting vibe, is the band’s best recording yet.

“The title track – “Looking Up” – showcases the group’s optimism with lyrics such as, “Not so bad, could be worse, could be surrounded by flowers in the back of some hearse” and “Things are looking more up, my friend, that’s how I’m feelin’ today.”

Like many of the songs on the album, the title track gets your lips smiling and your foot tapping.

Humbleman Band will be playing many of the songs on September 11 when it headlines a show at Mermaid Inn.

Humbleman Band is one of the Philadelphia area’s longest-running rock bands — and a band which has been involved in projects all over the country.

The talented sextet, whose members reside mostly in the northwest region of the Philadelphia area, will have the opportunity to play a gig in its own backyard this weekend.

Humbleman Band’s current line-up is Charlie Cooper – writer, vocals, guitar; Wain Ballard – lead guitar; Kim Alexander – vocals; Boz Heinly – bass; Rob Sanders – violin; and Buck Buchannan – drums.

“Humbleman Band was formed in 1999,” said “Cholly” Cooper. “I was in a band with our drummer Buck Buchanan. Three of us were living near each other in South Philly and we gradually picked up people.

“The third guy was bassist Bruce Koch, who just died a year ago from a massive heart attack. That was a real loss – as a friend and as a bandmate.

“We weren’t sure we were going to pick up the pieces. We were using hired hands to fill in. We added a permanent bass player – Boz Heinly, who lives in Plymouth Meeting.

“We get along really well musically and as friends. We have a lot of respect for each other.”

Humbleman Band, which has been billed as “Original blues, funk, rock & reggae,” is not very prolific when it comes to releasing albums.

“We seem to have a cycle of putting out an album every five years,” said Cooper.  “We put out an album a few years ago called ‘Least Bad of Humbleman 1984-2009.’

“That album was a 25-year compilation starting with our days in 1984 as a punk band called The Proles.”

The band released its albums “Late Bloom” in fall 2014 and “Beautiful Day” in November 2018.

“‘Late Bloom’ was self-produced – and mostly D.I.Y.,” said Cooper. “‘Beautiful Day’ was also self-produced – and also mostly D.I.Y. We used REAPER.

“REAPER is a complete digital audio production application for computers, offering a full multitrack audio and MIDI recording, editing, processing, mixing and mastering toolset.”

For the most part, Humbleman Band is O.K. with using a proper studio – but just for mixing and mastering.

“We’re still into D.I.Y.,” said Cooper. “A few of us have home studios and we prefer working there. We still use DAW (digital audio workstation) REAPER.”

Humbleman Band has consistently delivered social commentary and positive messages, often with humor and a light touch, using spoken word lyrics, and generally delivered with dance beat arrangement.

Video link for Humbleman Band — https://youtu.be/01Clk69MaAU.

The show at the Mermaid Inn on September 11 will start at 8 p.m. There is a $10 cover charge.

This will be the second weekend for “Hershey Felder & Jonathan Silvestri — Rachmaninoff and the Tsar” at People’s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, www.peopleslight.org)

Hershey Felder, who created the show “Monsieur Chopin” at People’s Light in 2025, returns to Malvern in his newest hit.

Felder stars as the virtuoso pianist and composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor, regarded as one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music. Renowned for sweeping melodies, lush harmonies, and emotional depth, he is celebrated for works like “Piano Concerto No. 3,” “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” and “Symphony No. 2.”

Overcoming early career setbacks, notably the failed premiere of his First Symphony, he achieved redemption through therapy that inspired his most famous concerto.

Exiled after the 1917 Russian Revolution, he settled in the United States, focusing on his career as a pianist while composing fewer works, leaving an enduring legacy as a performer and composer whose recordings and compositions remain central to the repertoire.

“Rachmaninoff and the Tsar” features the most beloved compositions by this last great representative of Russian romanticism, including “Prelude in C# Minor” and the “2nd Piano Concerto.”

The new show at People’s Light is running now through September 20. Ticket prices start at $59.

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) will present “Bye Bye Birdie” from September 11-27.

“Bye Bye Birdie” is a fun-filled musical comedy that captures the excitement, chaos, and charm of 1950s America.

When rock & roll superstar Conrad Birdie is drafted into the Army, his managers create one final publicity stunt: Conrad will give an All-American teenage girl one last goodbye kiss live on television. Enter Kim MacAfee and her small town, where nothing will ever be the same again.

Filled with memorable songs, energetic dance numbers, and lovable characters, “Bye Bye Birdie” is a classic Broadway hit that celebrates teenage dreams, family antics, and the power of rock & roll.

Featuring favorites like “Put On a Happy Face,” “Kids,” and “A Lot of Livin’ to Do,” this crowd-pleasing musical is bursting with humor, heart, and vintage charm.

Perfect for audiences of all ages, “Bye Bye Birdie” is a feel-good theatrical experience that continues to delight generation after generation.

Tickets are $46 for adults and $41 for students.

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting Hiroya Tsukamoto on September 11, Eliot Lewis on September 12 and The Legendary Kennett Flash Open Mic on September 13.

Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985, www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) is presenting Slim and the South Street Hustle and Blue Incarnation Project on September 11, Swing That Cat! On September 13 and the Girke-Davis Project on September 13.

2026 Concerts Under the Stars series at the Upper Merion Township Building Park (175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, www.concertsunderthestarskop.com) will have Margo Price on September 12 and Dogs in a Pile on October 9 and 10.

Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com) will present The Weight Band on September 11, The Ledbetters on September 12 and Davy Knowles on September 15.