“RAVE ON, IT’S A CRAZY FEELING, RAVE ON, IT’S GOT ME REELING”
Buddy Holly, 1958
Charting the meteoric rise of Rock and Roll, Rave On is an exciting new show that promises a thrilling tour through music’s most revolutionary decades. The production features a young, era obsessed group of musicians on a mission to re-ignite the nation’s love of early rock and roll music – a sound that helped put Britain on the music map.
Continuing its UK tour in spectacular style and bringing some welcome musical joy, Rave On charts the emergence of early Rock and Roll in the United States, through its heyday in the late 1950s and deep into the 1960s. From Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee to the Beat Boom, the British Invasion and beyond, Rave On is a musical adventure presented with authenticity in an engaging concert style.
Rave On features iconic hits of the 1950s and 60s – Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, Connie Francis, Eddie Cochran to Little Richard, Roy Orbison, Lulu, Cliff Richard and so many more.
Show creators Dan Graham and Oliver Seymour-Marsh cultivated a wealth of experience in this era of music playing leading roles in various West End productions and International Tours. From The Buddy Holly Story, Million Dollar Quartet, The NT’s One Man Two Guvnors and Dreamboats and Petticoats to playing festivals and events around the world. Their desire to present the history of rock and roll in a new and engaging way has been the driving force behind Rave On since its first performance in 2021.
Their shared experience includes a career highlight opportunity: an invitation to play at Buddy Holly’s birthday celebration in Lubbock, Texas in front of Buddy’s family, his widow Maria Elena and guitar legend Duane Eddy, who described them, whilst performing the songs of Buddy Holly, as “Fantastic” and the “Real Deal”.
Rave On has been touring since 2017 and playing to thousands of fans and sell-out audiences at venues across the UK. Speaking about the show, Oliver says:
“We’ve had the chance to explore this classic material in a completely new way. When there are seemingly so many rock and roll shows playing the regional theatre circuit, it’s vital to stand out from the crowd. We knew that a cast with youth, vibrancy, an obsession with authenticity and a meticulous ear was paramount. All the musicians we work with are huge fans of this era of music, the quality of the show depends on it!
Dan adds: “We are so excited being onstage in front of live audiences – every show feels like such a joy! Every note of Rave On is played live with as much faith to the original recordings as we could find. We love these songs as much as the audiences do and hope to play a part in keeping them alive for new generations to discover!”
- Rave On comes to Riverfront Newport on Wed 4 October |7.30pm. Tickets from £25.50 can be purchased from newportlive.co.uk or by contacting the box office 01633 656757.