The Performing Arts
For some time now, I have been a big fan(and supporter) of the
performing arts: theater, musicals, plays, etc. I enjoy live
music performances, both vocal and instrumental. My
particular favorite types of music are big band(swing), jazz,
blues, pop and rock 'n roll.
Over the past several years, I have had the opportunity to
see several performers, artists, etc. They include(in
alphabetic order, and category):
Last Updated: 12/23/2023
A Darlene Love Christmas(Grand Theater, Wausau)
"A Salute to Frank Sinatra" with Michael Matone & The Masters
of Jazz(Grand Theater, Wausau)
"A Tribute To Neil Diamond" with Denny Diamond & The
Jewels(Red & White Theater at Medford Area Senior High School)
Aaron Neville(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Acrobats of Taiwan(Grand Theater, Wausau)(with my nephew, Ryan)
Air
Force Band of Mid-America: "Shades of Blue"(Grand
Theater, Wausau)
America(Grand Theater, Wausau & Big Top Chautauqua, Bayfield,
WI-twice)
Amy Grant(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Andy Williams(Mystic Lake Casino, Twin Cities, MN & The
Moon River Theatre, Branson, MO)
Ann-Margret(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Anne Murray(Grand Theater, Wausau & Weidner Center, Green Bay)
Aretha Franklin(Mystic Lake Casino, Twin Cities, MN & Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Atlanta Rhythm Section(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Atomic Failfins(Lucille Tack Center For The Arts,
Spencer, WI)
B.J. Thomas(LCO Casino, Hayward; Grand Theater, Wausau &
Performing Arts Center of Wis. Rapids)
Billy Joel(a tribute to): Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer
Bobby McFerrin(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Bradley Joseph(Lucille Tack Center For The Arts,
Spencer)
Branford Marsalis (Grand Theater, Wauau)
"Brassfire - A Trumpet Spectacular" with Jens Lindemann(Volm
Theater at Antigo High School)
Chamber Orchestra Kremlin(Helen Connor Laird
Theatre, Marshfield, WI)
Cheap Trick(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Chicago(Mystic Lake Casino, Twin Cities,
MN)
Cristopher Cross(Weidner Center, Green Bay)
Chubby Checker(Mystic Lake Casino, Twin Cities,
MN)(with my nephew, Ryan-Ryan got his
autograph!)
Chuck Mangione: Lucille Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer(got his autograph, too!)
Cream(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Crystal Gayle(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Dallas Brass: Grand Theater, Wausau; Lucille Tack Center For
The Arts, Spencer(twice); & Performing
Arts Center of
Wisconsin
Rapids
Deana Martin(Dean Martin's daughter): A Tribute to Dean Martin
& Frank Sinatra(Grand Theater, Wausau)(got her autograph, too!)
Dennis DeYoung: The Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Album Tour(Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Dizzy Gillespie(Viterbo University
Fine Arts Center, La Crosse)
Don Mclean(Weidner
Center, Green Bay & The Grand Theater, Wausau)
Elton John(a tribute to): Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer
"Elvis Explosion
2014"(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Elvis Lives!(tribute): Grand Theater, Wausau
Englebert Humperdinck(Mystic
Lake Casino, Twin Cities, MN)
Five By Design: "Club Swing" (McComb-Bruchs
Performing Arts Center, Wautoma, WI;Helen Conner Laird
Theatre, Marshfield; Grand Theater,
Wausau; Viterbo
University Fine Arts Center, La Crosse; and
Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer,
WI)
Frankie Valli(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (Grand Theater, Wausau)
George Shearing(Viterbo
University Fine Arts Center, La Crosse)
George Winston(piano): Sentry
Insurance Theater, Stevens Point & Grand
Theater, Wausau
"Get The Led Out"-A Led Zeppelin Tribute(Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Gladys Knight(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Gordon Lightfoot(Grand Theater, Wausau(3 times) & Big
Top Chautauqua, Bayfield, WI)
Head East(Central Wisconsin State Fair-Fairgrounds,
Marshfield)(with my nephew, Ryan)
Holly Pisors, pianist((Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer, WI)
Jack Jones(Grand Theater,
Wausau)
Jan & Dean, Northern Wisconsin State Fair, Chippewa
Falls(with my nephew,
Ryan; Ryan got both of their
autographs, and got his picture
taken
with them)
John
Mueller's Winter Dance Party: The Music of Buddy Holly,
Ritchie Valens & The Big Bopper(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Johnny Cash(a tribute to): Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer
Judy Collins(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues (Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Kansas(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Keith Brion & His New Sousa Band(twice: Weidner Center,
Green Bay)
Kenny G (twice @ The Grand Theater,
Wausau)
Kingston Trio(Lucille Tack Center For The Arts,
Spencer)
Leon Bates, Piano - A Tribute To Duke Ellington(Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Little River Band(Northern Wisconsin State Fair, Chippewa
Falls, WI)
Lorie Line(& Her Pops Chamber Orchestra) - numerous
times, including Viterbo University Fine Arts Center, La
Crosse; Grand Theater,
Wausau(10 times)(numerous times with my nephew,
Ryan); La Crosse Center, La
Crosse(twice); Zorn Arena, Eau Claire(twice); Lucille
Tack Center
For The Arts, Spencer(twice);
Eau Claire Regional Arts Center, Eau Claire(twice-once with my nieces, Alexandra and
Jessica); Performing
Arts
Center of
Wisconsin
Rapids; The
Park Theater,
Hayward, WI
and Weidner
Center, Green
Bay
Manhattan Transfer(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Mannheim Steamroller(Grand Theater, Wausau-6 times &
Weidner Center, Green Bay)
Marcus Belgrave(tribute to Louis Armstrong): Grand Theater,
Wausau; Performing
Arts Center of
Wisconsin
Rapids; &
Viterbo
University
Fine
Arts Center,
La Crosse
Marvin Hamlisch(Viterbo
University Fine Arts Center, La Crosse)
Maynard Ferguson(Lucille Tack Center
For The Arts, Spencer)
Melissa Manchester & Paul Williams(Weidner Center, Green
Bay)
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Natalie Cole(Mystic Lake
Casino, Twin Cities, MN)
Olivia Newton-John(Mystic
Lake Casino, Twin Cities, MN)
"One Night Of Queen"(tribute): Grand Theater, Wausau
Osmond Brothers(Branson, MO)
Peter, Paul & Mary(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Peter Noone & Herman's Hermits(Weidner Center, Green
Bay; Grand
Theater, Wausau; Central
Wisconsin State Fair, Marshfield; & Wisconsin Valley
Fair, Wausau with my nephew, Ryan)
Peter Yarrow(Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Pure Prairie League(Grand Theater, Wausau)
"Rain: A Tribute To The
Beatles"(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Randy Bachman (Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Ray Charles(Mohican North Star Casino, Bowler,
WI)(with my nephew, Ryan)
REO Speedwagon(Wisconsin Valley Fair, Wausau)
Rhythm & Brass(Sentry Theater, Stevens Point)
Righteous Brothers(Mystic Lake Casino, Twin Cities, MN
& Grand
Theater, Wausau)
Roberta Flack(Grand Theater, Wausau)
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, with Bobby McFerrin,
conducting(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Sha Na Na(Grand Theater, Wausau)
"Simply Sinatra": A Tribute To Frank Sinatra(McComb/Bruchs
Performing
Arts Center,
Wautoma)
Sonos Handbell Ensemble(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Steve Allen(Viterbo
University Fine Arts Center, La Crosse)
Steve
March Torme(son of Mel Torme): Grand Theater, Wausau
"Straighten Up & Fly Right"(tribute to Nat King
Cole): Big
Top
Chautauqua,
Bayfield, WI
Styx(Central
Wisconsin State Fair-Fairgrounds, Marshfield)(with my nephew,
Ryan)
The Association(McComb/Bruchs Performing Arts
Center, Wautoma, WI & Lucille
Tack Center
For The Arts,
Spencer,
WI)
The Beach Boys(Big
Top
Chautauqua,
Bayfield, WI;
Wisconsin Valley Fair, Wausau, WI & Grand
Theater, Wausau)
The Beatles(tribute bands): Grand Theater(twice)(at least once with my nephew, Ryan);
Weidner Center; Green Bay; "1964...The Tribute",
Helen
Connor Laird Theatre, Marshfield; &
Yesterday,
"A Tribute to the Beatles",
Lucille Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer(with my nephew, Ryan)
"The Buddy Holly Story": Grand Theater, Wausau(with my nephew, Ryan)
The Canadian
Brass(Viterbo University Fine Arts Center, La
Crosse & Grand Theater, Wausau)
The Coasters: Wisconsin Valley State Fair(with my nephew, Ryan)
The
Diamonds: (Antigo High School's Volm Theatre)
The Drifters: Wisconsin
Valley State Fair(with my nephew, Ryan)
The Everly Brothers:
Grand Theater, Wausau(with my nephew, Ryan)
The Fab Four: A Beatles Tribute Group(Grand Theater,
Wausau)
The 5th Dimension(Mystic
Lake Casino, Twin Cities, MN)
The Four Tops(Mystic
Lake Casino, Twin Cities,
MN)
The Guess Who(Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse)
The Kingston Trio
(Lucille Tack
Center For The
Arts, Spencer)
The Lettermen (Central
Wisconsin State Fair,
Grandstand, Marshfield; The
Grand Theater,
Wausau(twice); & Mystic
Lake Casino, Twin
Cities, MN)
The Madison Brass
(Lucille
Tack Center
For The Arts,
Spencer)
The Mills Brothers
(Big
Top
Chautauqua,
Bayfield, WI)
The Official Blues Brothers
Revue: Big
Top
Chautauqua,
Bayfield, WI
& Grand
Theater,
Wausau(with my nephew, Ryan)
The
Oak Ridge Boys (Grand
Theater, Wausau)
The
Platters: Wisconsin
Valley State
Fair(with my nephew, Ryan)
The Righteous Brothers (Mystic
Lake Casino,
Twin Cities, MN)
The Spencer's
Magic: Grand
Theater, Wausau(with my nephew, Ryan)
The
Temptations: Grand
Theater,
Wausau &
Mystic Lake
Casino, Twin
Cities, MN(with my nephew, Ryan)
Three
Dog Night: Big
Top
Chautauqua,
Bayfield, WI,
twice(once with my nephew, Ryan), Grand
Theater,
Wausau &
Central
Wisconsin
State Fair,
Marshfield
Three Hits
& A
Miss(Medford
Area Senior
High School,
Medford, WI
and Lucille
Tack Center
For The Arts,
Spencer, WI)
Tingstad &
Rumbel(Lucille
Tack Center
For The Arts,
Spencer, WI)
Tom Jones(Mystic
Lake Casino,
Twin Cities,
MN)
Tom
Wopat(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
Tony Bennett(Mystic
Lake Casino,
Twin Cities,
MN &
Weidner
Center, Green
Bay)
"Twin Cities
Bronze"
Handbell
Ensemble(Lucille
Tack Center
For
The Arts,
Spencer, WI)
U.S. Army
Field
Band("Jazz
Ambassadors"):
Performing
Arts Center of
Wisconsin
Rapids
UW-Madison
Varsity Band
Spring
Concert: Kohl
Center,
Madison(numerous
times)(at least twice with my nephew, Ryan; one year with my)
nieces,
Jessica &
Alexandra)
Wayne
Newton(Mystic
Lake Casino,
Twin Cities,
MN)
W.C. Handy All
Stars(Weidner
Center, Green
Bay)
Wynton
Marsalis(&
Lincoln Center
Jazz
Orchestra):
Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse; Grand
Theater,
Wausau(with my nephew,
Ryan);
& Weidner
Center, Green
Bay
Big Band/Swing(including tribute bands)
"A Swingshift Christmas: Big Band Holiday Show" with John
Greiner(Merrill, WI High School Theater)
"A Tribute To Benny Goodman"-The Julian Bliss Septet(Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse)
Artie Shaw Orchestra(Performing Arts Center of Wis. Rapids)(with my high school band director, Martin
Schultz)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy(contemporary swing): Big Top
Chautauqua, Bayfield, WI(three times); Grand
Theater, Wausau(at least twice); and Eau Claire Regional Arts
Center
Brian Setzer Orchestra(contemporary swing): Grand Theater,
Wausau
Cab Calloway Orchestra(directed by Cab Calloway's grandson): Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse
Club Swing(Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse)
Count Basie
Orchestra(Weidner
Center, Green
Bay; and
Northern Aire
Jazz Festival,
Nekoosa, WI)
Dick
Jurgens
Orchestra(McComb/Bruchs
Performing
Arts Center,
Wautoma)
Doc
Severinsen(&
His Big Band)
- at least 4
times: Weidner
Center, Green
Bay(twice); Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse;
Performing
Arts Center of
Wis. Rapids;
and Grand
Theater,
Wausau(with my nephew, Ryan-both Ryan and I got his
autograph!)
Duke
Ellington
Orchestra(directed
by his son,
Mercer
Ellington):
Grand Theater,
Wausau
Glenn
Miller
Orchestra(Performing
Arts Center of
Wisconsin
Rapids; Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse(twice);
Grand Theater,
Wausau;
Weidner
Center, Green
Bay; Lucille
Tack Center
For The Arts,
Spencer; McComb/Bruchs
Performing
Arts Center,
Wautoma);
Lakeland Union
High School
Theatre,
Minocqua, WI;
Merrill High
School
Auditorium,
Merrill, WI
and Antigo
High School,
Antigo, WI(includes several times with my nephew, Ryan)
Guy Lombardo
Orchestra(McComb/Bruchs
Performing
Arts Center,
Wautoma)(with my nephew, Ryan)
Harry
James
Orchestra(Lakeland
Union High
School
Theatre,
Minocqua, WI)
"In The
Mood"(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Nelson Riddle Orchestra(Lucille Tack Center For The Arts,
Spencer, WI)
Rick Schalk Orchestra(Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer, WI)
Sherrie Maricle & the Diva Jazz Orchestra(Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer,
WI & Sentry Insurance Theater, Stevens Point)
Si Zentner & His Orchestra: Volm Theatre, Antigo High School,
Antigo(with my nephew, Ryan)(I
got his autograph, too!)
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra(Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer, WI; LCO Casino,
Hayward, WI; &
Grand Theater, Wausau)
Woody Herman Orchestra(Lucille Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer,
WI)
Blues
B.B.
King(Weidner
Center, Green
Bay &
Grand Theater,
Wausau)
Charlie
Musselwhite(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
Dr. John &
His Band(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
Joe
Bonamassa(Grand
Theater,
Wausau &
Big Bull Falls
Blues Fest,
Wausau)
Robert
Cray
Band(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
West Side Andy
& The Mel
Ford Band(Pittsville
Area Foundation for the Arts, Pittsville &
Big Bull Falls
Blues Fest,
Wausau)
Comedians/Comediennes/Comedy
Acts
A.J. Jamal(Lucille
Tack Center
For The Arts,
Spencer, WI)
Bill
Cosby(Weidner
Center, Green
Bay)
Chicago City
Limits(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
Colin Mochrie
& Brad
Sherwood:
Weidner
Center, Green
Bay(twice);
Grand Theater,
Wausau(4
times)(at least
once with my
nephew, Ryan)
Gallagher:
Grand Theater,
Wausau(three
times)(at least once with my nephew, Ryan)
Howie
Mandell(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
Jay Leno(Mystic
Lake Casino,
Twin Cities,
MN)
Jerry
Seinfeld(Weidner
Center, Green
Bay
Jim Belushi
& Chicago
Board of
Comedy(Grand
Theater,
Wausau, three
times)
Lily
Tomlin(Grand
Theater,
Wausau &
Weidner
Center, Green
Bay)
Red Green(Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse, three
times)(got his autograph for my nephew, Ryan)
Rich
Little(Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
Rita Rudner(Mystic
Lake Casino,
Twin Cities,
MN)
Ron
White(Grand
Theater,
Wausau-with my nephew, Ryan)
The Capitol
Steps(Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse; Performing
Arts Center of
Wisconsin
Rapids;
& Grand
Theater,
Wausau)
The Flying
Karamazov
Brothers:
Weidner
Center, Green
Bay & The
Grand Theater,
Wausau(with my
nephew, Ryan)
The Smothers
Brothers: Big
Top
Chautauqua,
Bayfield, WI
& Grand
Theater,
Wausau(both times with my nephew, Ryan)
Tim Conway
& Harvey
Korman(Weidner
Center, Green
Bay)
Victor Borge(Viterbo
University
Fine Arts
Center, La
Crosse)
Wayne
Brady(Weidner
Center, Green
Bay-with my nephew, Ryan)
Jazz
Banu Gibson(jazz singer) & the New Orleans Hot Jazz: Helen
Connor Laird Theatre, Marshfield
Barbary Coast Dixieland Band(Merrill Senior High School
Auditorium, Merrill)
Chris Botti(jazz trumpet): Grand Theater, Wausau(got his autograph, too!)
Claudia Acuna(Meyer Theatre, Green Bay)
David Sanborn(saxophone): Mystic
Lake Casino, Twin Cities, MN & Sentry Insurance
Theater, Stevens Point
Dianne Reeves(Grand Theater, Wausau & Weidner Center,
Green Bay)
Dixie Power Trio(Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer, WI)
Elaine Elias Jazz Trio(Grand Theater, Wausau)
Hot Club Of San Francisco(Weidner Center, Green Bay)
James Dapogny's Chicago Jazz Band(Sentry
Insurance Theater, Stevens Point & Helen
Connor Laird Theatre, Marshfield, WI-with my nephew,
Ryan)
Kurt Elling & The Kurt Elling Quartet(Grand Theater,
Wausau)
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers(Meyer Theatre,
Green Bay)
Loston Harris(Grand Theater, Wausau & Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer)
Madisalsa(Helen Connor Laird Theatre, Marshfield, WI;
Riverfront Jazz Festival, Stevents Point; and Northern Aire
Jazz Festival, Nekoosa, WI)
Marcia Ball(w/BeauSoleil @ Grand Theater, Wausau; w/The Dirty
Dozen Brass Band @ Weidner Center, Green Bay; &
Big Bull Falls
Blues
Fest, Wausau)
Mary Louise Knutson Trio(jazz
pianist): Grand Theater, Wausau
New Orleans Jazz Orchestra(Grand Theater,
Wausau & Weidner Center, Green Bay)
Newport Jazz(Grand Theater, Wausau-with
my nephew, Ryan)
Nnenna Freelon(jazz singer): Grand Theater, Wausau
Preservation Hall Jazz Band(Zorn Arena, UW-Eau Claire, Eau
Claire; Grand Theater, Wausau(with my nephew, Ryan);
and Weidner Center,
Green Bay)
Ronnie Kole Duo(New Orleans-style jazz): Park Falls High
School & Minocqua High School
Side Street Strutters(Grand
Theater, Wausau;Lakeland Union
High School
Theatre,
Minocqua, WI
& Lucille
Tack Center For The Arts, Spencer)
St. Louis Stompers(Helen Conner Laird Theatre, Marshfield)
The Butch Thompson Trio(jazz pianist): Weidner Center, Green
Bay
The Jazz Missionaries: Helen Connor Laird Theatre, Marshfield,
WI
To
assist others with locating area performing arts events,
venues, and groups, I've created this webpage.
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