The Left Banke
with ALAN MERRILL
Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 8 p.m.
The Left Banke produced two of the most enduring and bittersweet songs of the 1960’s - “Walk Away Renee” and “Pretty Ballerina” - which have been covered by everyone from Rickie Lee Jones to Alice Cooper.
However, the group’s impact goes far beyond their placement on the Billboard Top 20 charts. Their pioneering use of Classical string arrangements and lush vocal harmonies helped usher in the “Baroque Pop” movement…soon championed by The Beatles, Beach Boys, Love and Procol Harum. Interest in Left Banke’s now-classic catalogue has continued to soar in the intervening decades, with their out-of-print albums trading for over $150 online, until Sundazed Records reissued “Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina” and “The Left Banke Too” in 2011 (selling over 15,000 units in the first months of release!). And the band’s huge influence is apparent in the new Baroque Pop revival exemplified by artists like Belle & Sebastian and Regina Spektor.
No longer able to resist the calls for a reunion, founding members Tom Finn and George Cameron have reformed The Left Banke for their first live performances since 1970. In order to recreate the unique sound of their recordings, Finn and Cameron have assembled some of New York City’s finest musicians, including long-time Left Banke collaborator Charly Cazalet on bass, Mike Fornatale (lead vocals, guitar), Paul Alves (guitar), Mickey Finn (keyboards), and the Grip Weeds' Rick Reil on drums, along with a small string section. The recent NYC-area reunion shows (including 2 sold-out nights at Joe’s Pub, and a holiday performance with NYU’s All-University Choir) have generated a tremendous amount of buzz among music journalists and fan-sites, and the band is now gearing up to actively tour throughout 2012!
Tickets are $25 Regular, $23 Seniors and Students
