Rio Grande Rock Ensemble to Perform Nov. 20

RIO GRANDE, Ohio – The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College Rock Ensemble will offer up two New York stories for its annual fall concert on Thursday, Nov. 20 in the Berry Fine & Performing Arts Center.

Under the direction of Rio Grande Music Professor Chris Kenney, D.M.A., the concert is free and open to the public. The Rock Ensemble will perform the music of Simon and Garfunkel and Blondie.

Simon and Garfunkel delivers the folk-rock counter-culture scene centered in Greenwich Village during the mid-to-late 60s. The performance will include “Blessed,” “We’ve Got a Groovy Thing Goin’,” “Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine” and “America.”

“I’ve always listened to Simon and Garfunkel with my dad since I was a kid,” guitarist Andy Milliken said. “It was cool to get a chance to learn to play them.”

The music of Blondie encapsulates the emergence of the punk/new wave scene of New York in the mid 70s. The performance will include “Call Me,” “One Way or Another” and “Hanging on the Telephone.”

“I enjoy singing Blondie because I get to be a little bit girly,” and a little bit Rock and Roll all at once,” vocalist Ally Waddell said.

The Rock Ensembles includes: Zach Dameron (guitar), Jeff James (bass), Jordan Lombardo (drums), Nick Shepherd (vocals, guitar), Brooke Wolni (vocals) and Director Kenney (guitar, vocals).