Weekend Entertainment | After 50 Years, War Soldiers On
“The World Is a Ghetto” by War was the top-selling album of 1973.
It solidified the status of the groundbreaking California band that mixed rock with soul, Latin and jazz. A special 50-year remix of the album was released last year.
Dozens of artists did stints with War, most famously founding member Eric Burdon, as the band soldiered on for over a half-century. The current iteration is led by original member Lonnie Jordan (keyboard, vocals).
War has produced a long and impressive list of hits that still sound as fresh as ever. They include “Spill the Wine,” “The World Is a Ghetto,” “The Cisco Kid,” “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” “Low Rider,” “Summer,” “Slippin’ into Darkness” and “All Day Music.”
To celebrate the rerelease of “Ghetto,” War embarked on a 50th anniversary tour that will make its way to the Robins Theatre in Warren tonight at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from $40 to $70 and will be sold at the box office.
Here’s a look at some other noteworthy events this weekend:
Project Mayhem, the rock orchestra composed of Boardman High School students, will give its annual concert at Spartan Stadium at 8:30 p.m. Friday. Admission is $10, and the stadium is behind the school campus on Glenwood Avenue. Boardman High School students are absurdly talented when it comes to theater, jazz and other performing arts. With a show that includes bombastic classic-rock anthems, multiple singers and professional production quality, Project Mayhem maintains the school’s lofty standards. It’s become locally famous over the past decade.
With migratory birds pouring into the area from South America, a symphony of birdsong can be heard this time of year at Mosquito Lake State Park. To take advantage of the moment, the park is presenting Big Birding Weekend from Friday-Sunday. There will be a range of events and informative walks. To learn more, click HERE.
Sebastian Bach, the hair metal rocker who rose to fame with Skid Row (“I Remember You,” “18 and Life”) is back with a new album that has drawn rave reviews. Bach will be at Packard Music Hall in Warren on Friday for an 8 p.m. concert. To learn more, click HERE.
Speaking of staying power, Saturday’s show by Tommy James and the Shondells at Robins Theatre in Warren is sold out, although some single seats remain available. The band was huge in the 1960s and ’70s, with hits like “Crystal Blue Persuasion,” “Mony Mony,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Sweet Cherry Wine,” “Draggin’ the Line,” “Hanky Panky” and “I Think We’re Alone Now.”
Finally, the crew from the popular TV show “Ancient Aliens” will land at the Robins Theatre on Sunday for a live event that will explore questions such as: Have extraterrestrials visited Earth? Are they here now? And when will they reveal themselves? For tickets, go to robinstheatre.com.
For a complete look at everything going on in the Mahoning Valley, check out The List.
Pictured at top: Lonnie Jordan, right, sings during a War concert.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
