After a five-year hiatus, Felix Cavaliere and Gene Cornish from the ’60s band The Rascals are ready to hit the stage to perform their classic, chart-topping tunes with drummer Carmine Appice.
“I went to Hawaii to do two shows in 2017 and the people there asked us [if we] could come back for one more show, one more time because … a long time ago, we were extremely popular there,” says Cavaliere. “I called up all the guys and Gene said yes. I’m really looking forward to it.”
“At 74 years old, to get another chance to play these songs for our fans, it’s just an overwhelmingly happy situation,” Cornish explains.
Known for hits like “Groovin’,” “People Got To Be Free” and “Good Lovin’,” both Cavaliere and Cornish admit that their ’60s hits still have relevance in 2018, a testament to their musicality.
“Unfortunately a lot of the messages are still relevant,” Cavaliere says. “If we start talking about ‘People Got To Be Free,’ we still got to get it together as a country. I mean it’s kind of embarrassing that the song is still as important now as it was then.”
“It’s not an oldie show. The music that we produced seems to have a life of its own even now,” Cornish says.
Cavaliere hopes that their performance can remind people just how important music was and continues to be in communication.
“Our generation communicated to each other through the music,” he says. “That’s what I try to do, I try to bring that same mood to the atmosphere of the audience and I ask them to sing, I ask them to join in and it brings back a lot of their memories about what was going on in those days.”
However, this performance isn’t only for their loyal fans, which have been patiently waiting for over 40 years. It’s a way for Cavaliere and Cornish to create a new fanbase.
“We are playing for our audience, but our audience doesn’t just consist of baby boomers,” Cornish says. “It consists of their children and their grandchildren who have heard the music on TV for commercials. We are building a new audience as well as pleasing our old audience.”
Above all, they hope this performance honors the steadfast love that their fans have shown them throughout the years—they wouldn’t be where they are without it.
“I want to thank all the wonderful friends and fans that have supported the Rascals over 53 years,” Cornish says. “We love you all for supporting us.”
Felix Cavaliere & Gene Cornish’s Rascals will be performing at The Birchmere on Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online.
