Livingston County Concert Association

09/14/2026

It Takes Two
by Constance Kostelc

Awesome! Dynamic! Wow!

Livingston County Concert Association's first performance of the season was by the duo “It Takes Two.” This group featured a married couple Dan and Erinn. The high energy performance was a mixture of multimedia elements. The show utilized a back screen that maintained the audience's engagement during the many costume changes. I counted seven major costume changes in which the couple had to leave the stage. But were we left alone? No, we were not. There they were on screen doing little comedy skits in costume. Then they were back on stage in person without losing the crowd's attention. Then there were the minor changes that they did with each song in the set. While I have seen many shows that Incorporated back screens and have costume changes, this was way beyond anything that I have seen before. Amazing!

The program started on the back screen with Dan and Erinn dressed as Archie and Edith Bunker singing the title song "Those Were the Days" from their TV show “All In The Family.” And then Dan and Erinn came out dressed as the Blues Brothers, singing "Soul Man" and with Erinn doing a cartwheel. They continued on with "Everybody Needs Somebody."

The couple said they assembled duos from all over, each with their whole set of costumes. They wanted us to sing along, dance, laugh and remember the duos. The next duo was Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell one of the most legendary and successful duet partnerships in Motown history, singing " Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

As they danced off stage for another costume change, the screen came on with them dressed as the “Honeymooners” doing a mini comedy skit, two more as Hansel and Gretel and the Smothers Brothers. They came back as sibling acts. First as Donny and Marie then as the Everly Brothers, the Carpenters and the Proclaimers.

The back screen showed some Turner classic movies with Dan and Erinn dressed as the last scene from Casablanca, King Kong carrying Fay Wray in his hand and a clip of Lucy and Ethel at the candy shop. They made a quick change into formal wear, emerging in person as "Cheek to Cheek" with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers played on screen. They finished the dance on stage.

The show continued with more mini comedy skits interspersed with musical numbers so the audience never had down time but were constantly entertained.

Country music was covered in a variety of experiences from Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash singing “Jackson" to Loretta Lynn and Conway and the Judds. Then on-screen came Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton and the crowd went wild as Dan and Erinn sang "Islands In The Stream."

With another major costume change as we watched on screen the couple as Doc and Marty from “Back To The Future” and the Super Mario Brothers, they returned as Sonny (Erinn) and Cher (Dan) singing" I Got You Babe."

As intermission approached, a Batman and Robin skit appeared. It played the entire time of the break. So continuous entertainment even during break time.

Back from the break, were Wayne and Garth, then ET flying through the sky on the bike and MTV music television, so it had to be a tribute to the '80s. Dressed as Hall (Dan) and Oates (Erinn) they sang "You Make My Dreams Come True." Tears for Fears was up next with “Everybody Wants To Rule The World.” Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)” from 1983 followed. And, of course, a tribute to the 80s wouldn't be complete without the WHAM favorite “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” during which two beach balls were launched into play with the audience participating.

A Mary Poppins skit was followed by the Spaghetti scene from “Lady and the Tramp,” where the couple played both the dogs as well as the chef and accordionist. Cartoon couples followed.

When the duo returned from yet another change, they had an advertisement on screen for the “POWER COUPLE” music box set. Some of the power couples included Nate and Natalie Cole, Peaches and Herb, Captain and Tennille, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, Nancy and Frank Sinatra, the Righteous Brothers, Seals and Crofts as well as Simon and Garfunkel. Dan said they put this set together because they couldn't find another place to put them. But they wanted to include them.

The next set included Broadway duets from “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Anything Goes,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “Grease.”

Dan said that what inspired them to create this act was “well, there's two of us so it's a no-brainier.” He said, “life on the road is exciting with a lot of changes but the one thing you hope that doesn't change, is the person who is in the passenger or drivers seat next to you.. We aren't supposed to be carrying this weight alone.”

They ended the program with "The Prayer" made famous by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. Erinn sang in English and Dan sang the Andrea Bocelli part in Italian as Bocelli and Dion did on their award winning albums from the 90s. A beautiful ending for a wonderful show.

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08/30/2026

It Takes Two: A Legendary Duo Revue

It Takes Two: A Legendary Duo Revue, takes the stage in the Pontiac Community High School Auditorium on Wednesday, Sept 9th at 7:00 PM as the next concert in the Livingston County Concert Association’s 2026-2027 concert series.

Join globally-renowned entertainers Erinn Dearth and Dan Beckmann (of Letters From Home) for an unforgettable musical journey celebrating the iconic duos that have shaped history in their latest show It Takes Two: A Legendary Duo Revue. From legendary musicians like Johnny Cash & June Carter to iconic on-screen pairs like Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, this dynamic team performance brings classic hits and Broadway showstoppers to playful nods to pop culture favorites like Batman & Robin and The Odd Couple. Blending the legacy of timeless hits with the wit and edge of classic sketch comedy, It Takes Two is an incredibly unique musical experience guaranteed to delight all generations.

With powerful harmonies, heartwarming moments, gut-busting comedy and plenty of surprises, It Takes Two: A Legendary Duo Revue is a celebration of the magic that happens with the power of two.

For ticket information please contact Rodney Patterson at (815) 674-3467 or email [email protected].

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05/15/2026

Live from Laurel Canyon

by Constance Kostelc

"Live from Laurel Canyon" entertained the Livingston County Concert Association with music from the 60s and 70s that came out of folk rock groups that congregated in the Laurel Canyon area of Los Angeles, California. Besides singing music of the era, they also told stories which were supplemented by on-screen photos and videos.

One of the first groups to move to the area was the" Mamas and the Papas" & started by John Phillips. John started the band with his wife Michelle Phillips and Denny Doherty. When Cass Elliot originally auditioned for the band, Phillips felt she wasn't quite right but later relented. According to legend that Elliot confirmed, after being hit on the head by a metal pipe and waking up with a concussion she could sing three notes higher. (Do not try this!)

The first song of the evening was "California Dreaming," a song written by Michelle Phillips about living in New York in the cold and missing California. But soon their dream came true and the group moved back to LA and settled in the Laurel Canyon area. Laurel Canyon seemed to give off artist vibes as many other groups congregated there.

After the intermission, the group discussed Carol King who began her career at age 18 as a staff songwriter. In 1968, Carol moved to Laurel Canyon. She wrote her second solo album there in 15 weeks. This album is known as “Tapestry” and it stayed on the charts for six years.

The audience was then given two choices of Carole King songs to choose. They chose “Natural Woman,” which Carol wrote in 1967 with then husband Gerry Goffin.

James Taylor spent time in New York and London before he moved to Laurel Canyon and met Carole King. His second single made him a household name. This song was “Fire and Rain” and discussed the su***de of a friend.

The group “America” was represented with the song “ A Horse with No Name.” The first song on their second album helped nominate them as best new artist. This song “Ventura Highway” mentioned purple rain in the song. This inspired Prince to write his own song about purple rain.

Jackson Browne had a father who loved jazz and would have jam sessions at the house. Browne decided to go to Greenwich Village and, much like Carol King, he became a staff writer there. But he would also visit friends in California and would crash at homes in Laurel Canyon.

Linda Ronstadt began “The Stone Ponys,” who would play at open mic on Monday evenings at the legendary live music venue “The Troubadour.” There were a lot of industry people and artists in the area and it was the best place to find a manager. The group"s tribute to Ronstadt was “You're No Good” and “When Will I be Loved.” Other artists that congregated in the area were Glenn Frey and Don Henley. And of course, to experience the Eagles, “Laurel Canyon” sang “Hotel California”.

They then performed the Buffalo Springfield iconic protest song "Something Happening Here." While many people thought of it as an anti-Vietnam War song, it was actually inspired by confrontations between the police and youth over the closure of a popular club called Pandora's box.

“The Doors” also found inspiration in a rented place in Laurel Canyon. Lead singer and writer Jim Morrison wrote the hit song “Light my Fire”. The next year, José Feliciano did a Latin inspired version. "Laurel Canyon" chose to celebrate both versions with their rendition of the song.

Don't forget to purchase your tickets for next year's concerts if you haven't already. They make a great Mother's Day, Father's Day or Fourth of July present.

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04/27/2026

Just a quick reminder, our concert is tonight, April 27th at 7pm at the Pontiac township high school auditorium. Please try to be seated 15 minutes ahead if you already have season tickets. If you need to buy tickets for this show, they are $30 per adult and can be bought at the first table inside the double doors. Our staff is there to assist you with filling out the patron card and providing tickets. Also, it appears Monday may have some inclement storms, so if you're in or out of town, please use your judgement to attend.

04/08/2026

Live from Laurel Canyon

Harken back to the era of the mid ‘60s and ‘70s when some of the most influential songwriters were creating a new sound in the hills of Los Angeles. Live from Laurel Canyon will share the music and stories of folk rock with audiences on Monday, April 27th, 7 pm at the Pontiac Township High School Auditorium as the next concert in the Livingston County Concert Association’s concert series.

Laurel Canyon sits in the hills above Los Angeles and was a community of artists who created a new genre of music—Folk Rock— which forever changed the look, sound, and attitude of American pop music. Live From Laurel Canyon celebrates the Mamas & the Papas, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, James Taylor, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, and America. Their fresh versions of iconic songs, coupled with the stories that inspired the artists and the music, create an insightful, beautiful, humorous, and memorable evening.

For ticket information please contact Nanette Marx at (815) 674-7733 or Rod Patterson at (815) 844-7833.

04/07/2026

She Gees

by Constance Kostelc

After the She Gee's concert, I asked the ladies why they chose the Bee Gees to cover - They all joined in by saying, “Because They Rock!" Then they added, “and their music spans the generations." It would be hard for anyone who was attending the concert to disagree with that, since the audience was wildly enthusiastic about the concert, joining in whenever they could with singing and a few people even dancing.

The concert began when the three ladies in glistening attire joined their three band mates onstage singing "Tragedy." They informed us they were going to be singing 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. They continued with the disco piece “More than a Woman” from the movie “Saturday Night Fever.” They then said they would only be doing a little bit of what the Bee Gees wrote, otherwise they'd be here for 60 hours – over 2 1/2 days.

After some hot disco music, they segued into a quieter song, the Bee Gees first US hit “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.” Then the gentle tune “Run to Me.”

Each of the ladies in turn sang lead on different songs. Caiti Marlowe, who is from Massachusetts sang, "Massachusetts." Katie Miller is from West Virginia and Allison Parker is from Chico, California just north of San Francisco.

The ladies then shared the lead in the Barbara Streisand/Barry Gibbs hit "Guilty." They reminded us that the Bee Gees also wrote songs for other singers such as Diana Ross, whose 1985 album "Eaten Alive," was largely written and produced by the Bee Gees.

One of the ladies then came down into the audience to sing "Crying in the Rain" to one of the audience members. Their next piece was a mix of "Heart Breaker" and "Chain Reaction," followed by "If I Can't Have You."

The group then jumped back to 1967 with a song called "New York Mining Disaster" sometimes referred to as “Mr. Jones,” that discussed a mining accident in New York in 1941. It is a compilation of two mining accidents, one in Wales and one in New York. This piece is much less well-known but darker than their other hits.

Back to Disco, in slow disco this time, they sang "Too Much Heaven" and "Love is Such a Beautiful Thing." Another shared Bee Gees hit was " To Love Somebody" from 1969. This became a big hit for Michael Bolton in 1992.

After the break and a costume change, the ladies came into the audience dancing to “Jive Talkin'.”

Bee Gees had more hits in the 1970s than any other group. In the US, one of those songs, “Nights on Broadway,” was on the “Main Course” album that was released in 1975. But soon another album, “Saturday Night Fever,” was the soundtrack of the movie bumped that even higher.

Their hits continued for them into the next century, with the 2001 song "Gotta Get a Message to You," in which each lady shared the lead.

The audience swayed to their rendition of "How Deep is Your Love," which was the end song for the movie "Saturday Night Fever." It is also the most streamed of any of the Bee Gee songs.

The tone of the songs changed with the sad song "I Started a Joke," But quickly picked up again when they did a medley from "Saturday Night Fever," including "Walkin' After Midnight" and "You Should Be Dancing.” Ending the concert with the audience on their feet dancing.

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The next concert will be "Live from Laurel Canyon" will be on Monday, April 27. This is the last concert for this season. Sign up at this concert and you will receive a free ticket for one of the concerts next season.

If you know someone who would like to join or you would like to gift them with tickets for next year, this is the time to do, since the "Laurel Canyon" Concert will be included. Use contact information below or bring them to the concert to purchase them that night.

Concerts for next year are:
It Takes Two -- Legendary Duo Revue
Shake Rattle and Roll -- 1950s music
Garth LIVE! – tribute to Garth Brooks
Jersey Tenors – Frankie Vallie, Four Seasons, Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston

Also Canton and Ottawa concerts are reciprocal with a Pontiac ticket.

To purchase a ticket for next season contact:
Nanette Marx at 815 674-7733 Or Rodney Patterson at 815 844-7833