Cool concerts headed to the Van Wezel

I was truly amazed when a press release came through my inbox about Boyz II Men coming to Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in October.

"How did they pull that off?" I wondered about getting the Grammy Award-winning R&B group to come here.

Granted, the group hasn't had a major hit since the 1990s, but their songs are quite memorable: "Motownphilly," "End of the Road," "Water Runs Dry."

Their music was partly the soundtrack to my adolescent life.

The Ten Tenors are returning for a concert in November. A quick trip to the group's Web site, http://www.thetentenors.com/, reveals 10 sharped dressed men who sing everything from opera to Queen.

And the Bacon Brothers will be back, too. The famous Kevin Bacon and his bro Michael will present their brand of folk rock.

-January Holmes

Tickets for all three events go on sale this Thursday. Here's details on dates, times, etc.:

Boyz II Men
Fri. Oct. 30 @ 8 PM-This Grammy® Award-winning American boy band from Philadelphia, PA is the most successful R&B male vocal group of all time. Specializing in new jack swing-style music they recorded five #1 R&B hits and have sold more than sixty million albums. Three of their #1 hits, "End of the Road," "I'll Make Love to You," and "One Sweet Day," (with Mariah Carey) set and exceeded records for the longest period of time a single remained scored at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Ten Tenors
Fri. Nov. 6 @ 8pm- Always a sellout at the Van Wezel! This group performs a diverse repertoire in concert; performing Queen standards, including "Bicycle Race," "Bohemian Rhapsody," and "Who Wants to Live Forever," a Bee Gees medley, and ABBA's "Dancing Queen." The powerful tenors then switch gears mid-set to perform opera and native Australian tunes (including “Men at Work”). Their most recent album Here's To The Heroes is heavily influenced by the music of John Barry. Join a lavish celebration of vocal power, witty onstage antics and pitch-perfect musicality with one of Australia’s hottest exports.


The Bacon Brothers
Fri. Nov. 20 @ 8pm-Long before iconic movie actor Kevin Bacon became a household name with such hit films as Footloose and A Few Good Men, he was writing songs and playing percussion in Philadelphia coffeehouses with his brother and other groups. Michael, nine years Kevin’s senior, had already established himself as a professional musician, performing with his popular Philly band “Good News.” Today the Bacon Brothers — Kevin on guitar and vocals and Michael on guitar, cello and vocals - are a dynamic force on the American music scene and one of the most popular live bands on the concert circuit. Their sound is a blend of folk, rock, soul and country.

Tickets may be purchased at the Van Wezel Box Office, by calling (941) 953-3368 or logging onto www.vanwezel.org.