The most recent announcement from the Lowell Summer Music Series is for a type of band that isn’t usually on my radar, but I trust the judgment of the Series.  I’m pleased to announce that Classic Albums Live will perform The Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ in its entirety along with other Beatles’ hits at the Series on Friday, September 5.

Lowell Summer Music Series

I do not usually go out to hear tribute bands, but when the Fab Faux appeared at the Series several years ago I adored the show so I think Classic Albums Live will be awesome.

Classic Albums Live (Official Photo)

According to the band’s press release, “Anything but a cover band, Classic Albums Live forgoes the gimmickry of costumes and impersonations, putting the music first. These world-class musicians tackle iconic music, concentrating solely on re-creating it as you remember it from the original recording. The attention to detail is staggering – every sound from the album is re-created live on stage by world-class musicians assembled for each album presentation. As many musicians as it takes to faithfully re-create each recording – including horns and strings – are used for each album presentation, no matter how complex the album may be. ”

Sounds like a winner to me. This should be especially wonderful since 2014 is the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and the 40th anniversary of the release of ‘Abbey Road’.

Tickets for the Classic Albums Live show are priced at $28 in advance (fee-free!), $35 on the day of the show (if available), and children 12 and under are always free courtesy of Eastern Bank. There are also premium seats – beach chairs are provided by the Series – set in two rows directly in front of the stage for $128.  Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 30 at 9 a.m. through Lowell Summer Music Series.

For those of you who are unaware of the  Series, or if you are aware of it but have never attended a show there, it is an outdoor (weather permitting) concert series held on National Park Service grounds in Lowell, Massachusetts. The Series is not-for-profit, which helps keep the ticket prices reasonable.

Surrounding Boarding House Park are old mill buildings, part of the Lowell National Historical Park, which you can tour if you arrive early enough. They provide an unusual setting for an evening of great music and ambiance.

The Series generally runs from late June to early September.

This Series is dear to my heart. I have been a season pass holder since 2007 and it is one of the highlights of the year (and of summer in particular) for me. Many lasting friendships have been made there. I expect this will be an especially excellent year since they are celebrating their 25th season!

I will post additional announcements for the Series as they are made.

Shows announced to date are:

Ziggy Marley – Thursday, June 19

Delta Rae – Friday, June 20

Amos Lee – Saturday, June 21

Lucinda Williams – Friday, June 27

Neko Case – Saturday, June 28

Trombone Shorty – Thursday, July 10

Andrew Bird – Saturday, July 12

Barenaked Ladies – Saturday, July 19

Howie Day and Carbon Leaf – Saturday, August 2

Marcia Ball – Friday, August 8

Gregg Allman – Saturday, August 9

JJ Grey and Mofro – Thursday, August 14

Lyle Lovett and His Large Band – Saturday, August 16

Peter Wolf & The Midnight Travelers – Friday, August 22

Classic Albums Live – Friday, September 5