Posted March 8, 2018
DAYTON, OH (March 8, 2018) – On Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 8 pm in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present the fifth concert in the 2017–2018 Dayton Freight Rockin’ Orchestra Series, Windborne presents The Music of U2. The Dayton Philharmonic welcomes to the stage Guest Conductor Brent Havens for a night of tribute to one of the greatest Irish rock bands of all time, U2. Leadership Sponsor for this performance is First Financial Bancorp.
In previous years, Windborne and the DPO have brought classic rock to symphonic heights, performing the music of The Who, Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Whitney Houston, and just last month, the outstanding concert The Music of Led Zeppelin. In April, the magic continues with The Music of U2.
From their humble beginnings, the internationally acclaimed Irish rock band U2 were marked by their passion. “A band before we could play” was how Bono put it in early interviews. The four teenagers, who initially called themselves Feedback, rehearsed in Larry Mullen Jr.’s Dublin kitchen with Bono on vocals, The Edge on guitar, and Adam Clayton and Larry making up the rhythm section of bass and drums. Inspired by punk but insulated from the standoffish cool by the Irish Sea, Feedback changed their name to The Hype and then to U2, and they were soon building a local reputation based on the passion of their performances. Fast forward 40 years, and Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have released 14 studio albums, have sold more than 170 million records worldwide and have won a staggering 22 Grammys, more than any other rock band in history!
Conductor Brent Havens and lead vocalist and guitarist Brody Dolyniuk join the Dayton Philharmonic, along with Windborne’s ensemble of incredibly talented musicians–Dan Clemens on bass, Powell Randolph on drums, George Cintron on guitar, and Justin Avery on keyboards–to pay tribute to this musical powerhouse that has dominated the charts for decades.
Founder of the band Windborne, Brent Havens has been writing music for television, theatrical movies, music libraries and industrial productions since 1980. Windborne’s first live production of classic rock music with orchestra was in late 1995 with The Music of Led Zeppelin. Windborne now has twelve different classic rock shows to its name, and since that first performance in 1995, band members have traveled the world playing their music with orchestras large and small. Brent Havens joins the DPO as guest conductor of Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra for this Rockin’ Orchestra performance.
Singing lead vocal for this concert, Brody Dolyniuk is a multifaceted, self-taught musician who began his professional music career playing in piano bars. A chance meeting with a pair of star-shaped sunglasses led to the formation of an Elton John tribute band called Yellow Brick Road (YBR). Soon, YBR began going outside the Elton John catalog to perform hits from other classic rock giants, such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and more. After 14 years of solid work, Brody stepped down as front man for YBR to pursue other avenues, which has led to his role as a vocalist for Windborne, singing the music of Queen, and, later, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Journey, and, of course, U2.
The music featured in this evening dedicated to the most prolific Irish band of all time will make concertgoers understand just why their music has stood the test of time. Dolyniuk, Windborne, and the DPO will perform an evening full of U2’s smash hits, including “Beautiful Day,” “With or Without You,” “Joshua Tree,” “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Angel of Harlem,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” and “Vertigo.”
“Music can change the world because it can change people.” (Bono) Embrace this opportunity to absorb some wonderful music that seeks to change the world, one listener at a time.
Tickets for Windborne presents The Music of U2 range from $29 to $81 and are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org. Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at the box office. For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.