Herman’s Hermits and Peter Noone deliver a nostalgic walk through music history with Gary Lewis and the Playboys and Mitch Ryder.
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for the Louisville area as a massive storm front rolled through the area threatening tonight’s performances at the Kentucky State Fair. One thing you can always count on around these parts is “if you don’t like the weather, wait 30 minutes and it will change” and just as quickly as the storm appeared, it passed leaving dramatically cooler temperatures and a slightly delayed gate opening.
Sponsored by local radio station WAKY 103.5 playing Kentuckiana’s greatest classic hits, tonight’s performances promised to be a fun and memorable journey through classic 60’s hits and history.
Opening the evening, Mitch Ryder, who had a string of hit songs in the mid to late 1960s fronting his band The Detroit Wheels, including “Devil with a Blue Dress On”, their highest-charting single at number four, as well as “Sock It to Me, Baby!”, a number six hit in 1967, and “Jenny Take a Ride!”, which reached number 10 in 1965.
With support from the Playboys, Mitch Ryder took us through a fun set of songs and stories about his musical journey during the 60’s including the aforementioned “Devil with a Blue Dress On” and “Sock It to Me, Baby” along with “Shake a Tail Feather” and “Good Golly, Miss Molly”.
Next to take the stage was Gary Lewis and the Playboys. With 8 Gold Singles, 17 Top 40 Hits, 4 Gold Albums, and more than 45 million records sold worldwide there is little question of their importance in music history. Gary Lewis and the Playboys 1965 hit song “This Diamond Ring” hit #1 on the Billboard top 100 in February of that year.
With that vast catalog of hit songs to draw from, Gary Lewis and The Playboys rocked through a fun set which included “Save Your Heart for Me,” “Everybody Loves a Clown,” “She’s Just My Style,” “Sure Gonna Miss Her,” “Green Grass” and “My Heart Symphony”. The crowd seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the performance, with many standing in the aisles dancing and singing along with the guys on stage. Expertly mixed into the set were some familiar 60’s covers including Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs cover of “Wooly Bully” and one of the Monkee’s biggest hits “I’m a Believer”
After a brief stage reset it was time for Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone. With the sun now completely below the horizon and perfect mid 70’s temperatures after the earlier storm passed, everyone was on their feet as Peter Noone and Herman’s Hermits took to the stage. Donning an electric blue blazer and a smile stretching from ear to ear, Peter Noone and the guys opened the show with the feel-good hit “I’m Into Something Good” and never looked back.
Over the next 75 minutes or so Peter Noone entertained like no other, telling stories about the songs and the music landscape in the mid to late ’60s as the British invasion hit it’s peak while delivering one hit song after another to the more than willing audience. The setlist tonight included “Sea Cruise,” ”Love Potion #9,” “Just a Little Bit Better,” “Silhouettes,” “Listen People,” “No Milk Today” and one of Peter’s favorite Herman’s Hermits songs “The End Of The World.”
With the evening coming to its close, Peter Noone brought out the big guns with “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter“ and “I’m Henry the Eighth I Am” with the whole venue singing right along. Peter Noone closed out the nostalgic evening of fantastic and memorable hit songs from the ’60s with their mega-hit “There’s a Kind of Hush”. After the lights came up Peter was at the merchandise table signing autographs and taking pictures with everyone who was interested, putting the final touches on a perfect evening.
Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
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Gary Lewis and The Playboys
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Mitch Ryder
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Kentucky State Fair
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