An all-star cast of musicians are playing a special concert for a great cause at Cranston’s Park Theatre this weekend, featuring not one, not two, not three… but five iconic Rhode Island-based acts. The Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame Legends Concert will feature five Hall inductees, including Duke Robillard, Sugar Ray, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, Rizzz, and organizers Steve Smith and the Nakeds.
We spoke to local music legend Steve Smith to learn more about the upcoming show.
“This event came about as a way to support the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame,” explained Smith. “As a member of the Hall of Fame, I feel it’s my duty to promote the Hall and to generate some money to keep the thing going. The plan is to have all four bands perform and bring back the memories all of us generated in the 70s and early 80s.”
The benefit is much needed – the Hall of Fame, like many entertainment halls and venues, is still struggling financially due to the pandemic. The historic Park Theatre has also fallen upon hard times in recent years. “The nightclub industry has declined over the years; many people don’t get out to see the bands play anymore. This is a good night to get everybody out, celebrate the Hall of Fame, and just have a good time,” added Smith.
Steve Smith and the Nakeds are one of the area’s best-loved bands, known for their infectious blend of “rock, rhythm, brass, and fun.” They’ve been celebrating 50 years as a band throughout 2023. “We’re in the last few months of our 50th anniversary year; it’s been a great year with all the shows and notoriety we’ve gotten. It seems like every night we play is part of the 50th anniversary celebration. It’s also our 10th anniversary of being inducted into the Hall of Fame,” said Smith.
Smith is upbeat about the future, while noting that the music industry hasn’t gotten any easier in recent years.
“It’s the computer age, people have become reclusive. People can go online and do anything they want to do, you can even gamble online now. We were raised in the 60s and 70s when everyone wanted to play an instrument and be in a band. That’s totally changed. A lot of the younger generation would rather sit home and play video games than sit in their room and learn how to play an instrument,” he said.
“COVID devastated the entertainment industry. Some of the places we played don’t exist anymore because of COVID; some may exist, but they got used to closing at 11, and some don’t have live entertainment anymore. It was devastating to the restaurant industry and the entertainment industry, and we’re still feeling the impact. This is a show to start getting people out and celebrating music again.”
“There is a trend of things coming back,” continued Smith. “When you go see a bunch of kids who are spending the time to hone the craft, they’re playing our music, our generation of music. It’s encouraging to see kids playing again. The problem is there is nowhere for them to play, once they put a band together. Back in the day, when the drinking age was 18, we worked seven nights a week. Some places had shows every night of the week. When the drinking age went back to 21, it became a weekend business.”
“We’re lucky to have made it to a higher level,” adds Smith. “Support live music and support the musicians who are doing it to make a living. We need to encourage the youth to get into live music and to play live music.”
A good time for those kids to start – the RI Legends Show. Click here for tickets to the show.
