The Buckinghams, the Chicago band behind the 1967 No. 1 hit "Kind of a Drag," will play the Egyptian Theatre for the first time when they take the stage for two shows on Saturday, Aug. 22 and Sunday, Aug. 23.
Founding guitarist and singer Carl Giammarese told the Park Record that the Park City run marks the group's first at the Egyptian and that he's been impressed by the venue's crew. The Saturday show starts at 8 p.m.; Sunday's matinee begins at 5 p.m. Both performances take place inside the 266-seat theater at 328 Main St., which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Giammarese and founding bassist Nick Fortuna still anchor the lineup, joined by guitarist Dave Zane, keyboardist Bruce Soboroff and drummer Tommy Scheckel. The hits came fast. The Buckinghams charted five Top 40 singles in 1967 alone, and "Kind of a Drag" reached No. 1 while Giammarese was still a high school senior. They signed with Clive Davis at Columbia Records and worked with producer Jim Guercio, who later produced Chicago.
The band travels with a live horn section to recreate the brass-heavy arrangements fans expect.
"You do feel responsible for giving people what they want to hear," Giammarese said. "So, we travel with a horn section because The Buckinghams' sound was definitely horn driven, especially with the trombone."
The setlist leans on the originals: "Don't You Care," "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and "Kind of a Drag," performed as close to the studio arrangements as possible, plus era-appropriate covers. Giammarese keeps the band's touring schedule to 35 to 40 dates a year, a far cry from the roughly 300 shows they played annually during their late-1960s peak.
Their audience now spans three generations. Original fans from the 1960s brought their children along in the 1980s when the band returned after sitting out much of the 1970s, and grandparents have since introduced the music to younger family members. The Buckinghams celebrated their 60th anniversary last year.
Tickets are available at NowPlayingUtah.com, by calling 855-745-SHOW or at parkcityshows.com and thebuckinghams.com.
Upcoming at the Egyptian Theatre:
- Saturday, Aug. 22: The Buckinghams, 8 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 23: The Buckinghams, 5 p.m.
