WESTFIELD – Westfield High School band students met all together for the first time at Bullens Field on Tuesday to begin practicing their new halftime show. “We’re doing a spy theme this year,” WHS band director Patrick Kennedy said. Before taking to the field, Kennedy introduced Paul Lococo, event organizer for “Help Keep Music Education Alive.”
WHS band members get ready to bring Beatlemania to their school on Nov. 10, to raise money for their spring trip to Universal Studios. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Lococo talked to the students about the Beatlemania Stage Show that is coming to the Westfield High School Auditorium on November 10 at 7:30 p.m. to raise money to support music education in their school.
This is the second time Beatlemania has come to Westfield High School. In September of 2012 the show sold out the auditorium, raising $5,000 for the music program.
This year, proceeds from the show will help to defray the overhead and per student cost for the band’s trip to Universal Studios in May.
Lococo asked the students to help sell tickets for the show, which cost $25 for upper level seats, and $35 for lower level seats. (A limited number of VIP seats for the first five rows will also be available for $45.) Each student will get six tickets to sell to start, and the two students who sell the most will receive an iPod shuffle.
The Beatlemania Stage Show will be performing the complete Beatles experience from the Ed Sullivan days right through to the Magical Mystery Tour, Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road with original costume changes and authentic Beatles instruments. The Westfield High School music students will be performing live with the Beatlemania musicians during the concert on some songs, such as “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
“Music students get to perform backup on some of the Beatles song. It’s educational and fun, and a chance to perform with professional musicians and a national touring company,” said Lococo.
“We did this four years ago and had a great time. This is a whole new group of kids. I’m excited about it,” said Kennedy.
Organizers Jay Pagluica and Paul Lococo and WHS band director Patrick Kennedy discuss plans to bring Beatlemania to WHS on November 10. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Lococo is no stranger to musical events in Westfield. In May, his organization staged Eaglemania for the Westfield Technical Academy, raising almost $4,000 for the school. He and Jay Pagluica of Westfield on Weekends also brought the Fleetwood Mac tribute band Tusk to MusicFest on the green in August. Tusk also played a benefit concert at Westfield High School two years ago.
Pagluica said he and Lococo have been doing these shows for six years all over New England -“from Pittsfield to the Cape, Manchester, New Hampshire to the Connecticut shore.”
Tickets for Beatlemania went on sale on Tuesday, and are also available for purchase at www.purplepass.com, Rocky’s Ace Hardware, The Press Room, by calling 800-316-8559, or by contacting your friendly neighborhood Westfield High School band student.
“The last time they played, Beatlemania sold out the Westfield auditorium so buy your tickets early,” Lococo said. “It’s a great experience for the kids. It’s a fun way to raise money for a unique community event. You never know who’s going to be the next John, Paul, George or Ringo,” he added.
