The Hit Men

Date/Time
Date(s) - 02/05/2016
7:30 pm

Location
State Theatre Center for the Arts

Category(ies)

Website
http://www.statetheatre.org

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Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro. They may not be household names but back in the 70’s, you bought all of their records. You heard them on the radio.  Saw them on TV. Went to their concerts. So who are they?  They’re the former stars of the hit-making factory known as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. These guys toured the world with Frankie, recorded numerous hit albums with him, and sang the lead vocals on songs like “Oh What a Night” – the biggest Seasons hit of all time.

Show time is 7:30 PM.  Tickets are $45 and $35 and can be purchased by visiting the State Theatre Box Office, 453 Northampton Street, Easton, by calling 1-800-999-STATE, 610-252-3132 or online at www.statetheatre.org. Sponsored by enTrust Merchant Services, an agency of Credomatic & News Radio WAEB 790.

When they met in 1973, they were two boys from New Jersey barely out of their teens, and the Four Seasons hadn’t had a charted hit record in years. Along with Valli and songwriter/ producer Bob Gaudio, Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro successfully transitioned the group’s sound from ‘60s doo-wop to ‘70s pop with mega-hit songs like “Who Loves You” and “Oh What a Night”.

Spurred by the runaway success of “Jersey Boys”, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical based on the Four Seasons’ career, these former Seasons, who are now in their late 50s and early 60s, decided to re-unite — along with an A-list group of musicians who wrote, recorded and performed with Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, Elton John, Jim Croce, Chicago, Luther Vandross, The Ramones, Carole King, and other mega-star acts of the era — and give touring one more shot. They now call themselves The Hit Men.

Their show is an amazing look back through rock and roll history, including fascinating back stories of what it was like being on the road and in the recording studios with Frankie, Tommy, Carly, Cat, Jim and Elton. And, of course, there are all those amazing hits…with The Hit Men performing great songs from the Four Seasons songbook  (from “Rag Doll”, “Dawn”, and “Walk Like a Man”, to “Can’t Take My Eyes Of You”, “Marianne” and “Sherry”),  plus other mega hits that members of The Hit Men helped make famous back in the day such as Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train”,  Jim Croce’s “Leroy Brown”, Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” and Tommy James’ “Mony Mony”.

Says music director and former Four Seasons member Lee Shapiro, “This show is a chance for everyone to relive the glory days of rock and roll with a great group of guys who actually lived and breathed the experience.  You’ll walk out of the theatre exhilarated, excited and wanting more. We guarantee it.”