Music that transcends generations, that’s what maestro Lonnie Klein calls the performances of Tony Kishman, the masterful powerhouse who has been bringing the music of the Beatles and Paul McCartney to life for over two decades. Having brought Tony to Las Cruces twice before, both times to play with the Las Cruces Symphony, Lonnie is bringing him back for a third run. This time around, he will present Live And Let Die, A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney, complete with a 26-member orchestra and his own band on stage at the AmadorLive Eatery & Entertainment District, Thursday, October 6, 2022.
The creator and band leader of Live And Let Die, Tony starred for six years in both the national and international tours of Broadway’s smash hit musical, Beatlemania. He also performs in the international symphonic Beatles production, Classical Mystery Tour. What he presents here is a full multimedia experience, helped in no small part by his own multi-talented band of musicians. Having performed this award-winning show around the globe, he has won raves from critics and fans alike for his uncanny resemblance both visually and vocally to the beloved Beatle. But it’s the music itself that truly sells the experience.
“These guys are incredible,” Lonnie says. “Tony Kishman is like the Beatlemania guy of the world. He’s unbelievable. His drummer plays for Bon Jovi, and the keyboardist plays with Max Weinberg. They’re the real deal!”
What Lonnie brings to the mix is the symphonic backup. “I’ve got a double string quartet, I have saxes, flute, oboe, trombone, trumpets, and percussion. Twenty-six players total.” And though fans of the maestro will no doubt be thrilled at the opportunity to see him at work again, he’s hoping to broaden his audience for this show. “We’re hoping to pull in people that would never come to the Atkinson Recital Hall for a classical concert, but they’ll come downtown for a pops concert, with a full orchestra and Tony Kishman’s band.”
It’s been a long time coming, Lonnie says. Tony was originally slated to play for a third time with the full symphony back in 2020. The pandemic put the kibosh on that concert, but it was never far from the maestro’s mind. Now that he’s retired, he’s doing it on his own, through his newest venture, Lonnie Klein Productions. All he had to do was line up musicians and a venue, something that gave him more freedom than he had previously experienced.
Though venues in Las Cruces are growing in number, most are small and don’t hold many people. The Atkinson Recital Hall on the NMSU campus only holds 500, while the Rio Grande Theatre downtown holds 400. Back in February, Lonnie and the LCSO brought Earth, Wind, And Fire to town and played at the Atkinson Recital Hall, but that only proved that a larger venue was needed. What he found when he visited AmadorLive, was a full slate of possibilities.
“First of all, we can seat 400 people in front of the stage alone,” Lonnie says. “That means we can have VIP table seating right up front, chairs behind that, and three balcony levels with great views of the stage. 1400 total, and the stage is big enough to fit all the musicians and their equipment. Secondly, they’ve got plenty of bathrooms, signature restaurants, pub food, plenty of parking and people can have adult beverages, which is what they want at pops concerts. It’s going to be a great event in a great location, and because it’s downtown, it’s very user-friendly.”
Live And Let Die, A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m., for early dining. Tickets go for $35 per person general admission, table reservations on the elevated patios start at $240 for a table of four guests, and VIP tables of eight go for $1000, which includes a couple bottles of wine, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and recognition at the concert. A massive LED screen will also be in place behind the stage, so every seat is great. For more information, visit the website.
Posted by LasCruces.com
