DIS

DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY 6, 2016
Sounds | 9
RYLAN HOWE | STAFF WRITER
Close to You
Band brings music of the Carpenters to Okoboji
They’ve only just begun.
In the first show of the 2016
performing arts season Pearson
Lakes Art Center will host Close To
You: The Music of the Carpenters on
Thursday, Feb. 12 in Okoboji.
“I think it’s a show that will really
go over well and be a lot of fun to
kick off the new season,” performing
arts director Amanda Schindler said.
“We’ve got a really good lineup this
season with a lot of old favorites and
new shows.”
For the first show of the year the
audience gets to revisit the music of
the sibling duo the Carpenters. Songs
like “(They Long to Be) Close to You,”
“We’ve Only Just Begun,” and “Rainy
Days and Mondays” are just some
their iconic and instantly recognizable
hits.
Those and many more will be
brought to the stage with Close To
You: The Music of the Carpenters.
Lead singer Lisa Rock brings the
voice of Karen Carpenter to center
stage along with a six-piece band,
which has been touring and performing
the Carpenters’ music at more
than 125 shows and in 28 states coastto-coast
for almost seven years.
Rock has written about 25 shows
and the debut of the Carpenters’ one
in 2010 sold out a month ahead of
time. The director of the theatre suggested
they make a go of it full-time
and they’ve been at it ever since.
“We’ve been having a great time,
it’s been a lot of fun for us as professional
musicians to put on this show,”
Rock said. “The audiences has been so
responsive. It’s awesome. We’re still
overwhelmed by the response we get
and it’s always a thrill.”
The rest of the band includes Amy
Malouf on vocals, Justin Boller on
bass guitar, Eric Engelson on drums
and Dave Orlicz on woodwinds along
with Ken McMullen and Micky York
on piano. Rock describes the bands as
a family.
“I have an amazing band. The
love and respect we have for each
other comes through in the show. The
chemistry we have on stage and the
great music of the Carpenters really
make the show,” Rock said.
Rock said she’s always loved music,
her parents had a Carpenters album,
which she grew up listening to, along
with many others.
“Karen Carpenter is one of the top
female singers of all time, she’s always
on those lists,” Rock said. “She
definitely had an influence on me as
a musician. It’s about 47 years after
they started making music and people
still know it and recognize it’s poignancy.”
Close To You: The Music of the
Carpenters does everything in their
original key and interacts with their
audience telling stories and andecdotes
between songs.
While much of their audience is
already familiar with the music, Rock
says a common reaction from people
of all ages is surprise at knowing
nearly every song they play.
“Great music stands the test of time
and it’s maybe more meaningful now
than people maybe realized back
then,” Rock said.
“It’s an honor to keep the music
alive and introduce it to another generation.”
Whether it’s introducing great songs
to a new group of listeners, such as
the high school choirs that sometimes
join the show, or reinforcing the love
of the music for decades-long Carpenters
fans, Lisa Rock and the band always
have fun performing the music.
Join in the fun at the Pearson Lakes
Art Center with the music of the Carpenters.
F
Okoboji | Iowa
At a Glance:
WHAT: Close to You: The Music of
the Carpenters
WHERE: Pearson Lakes Art Center,
2201 Hwy 71, Okoboji, IA
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11
COST: $25/non-member, $20/member,
$15/student
CONTACT: 712-332-7013
ONLINE: www.lakesart.org
Discography:
Offering - 1969
Close To You - 1970
Carpenters - 1971
A Song For You - 1972
Now & Then - 1973
Live in Japan - 1974
Horizon - 1975
Live at the Palladium - 1976
A Kind of Hush - 1976
Passage - 1977
Christmas Portrait - 1978
Made in America - 1981