Happppppy New Year. Welcome to 2012. Hope everyone survived New Year’s Eve OK. So did I. In between working with Gallows Humor there were other things that caught my attention. Three stage productions and a classic concert.

Let us start with the concert. Frankie Beverly put what would become Maze together back in Philadelphia after trying his hand in a number of different groups. Frankie is not actually his given name. Beverly was so impressed with Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers he changed his name from Howard to Frankie. Beverly has been performing since the 1950s and actually toured as lead singer of the Silhouettes who are known for the hit, “Get A Job.”

In the early 1970s he found himself being influenced by such Bay area groups as Sly and the Family Stone, Santana and Cold Blood. Beverly moved his group to Oakland where his band caught the eye of Marvin Gaye. Gaye ended up hiring the group as his back up band for a tour and was instrumental in their changing their name from Raw Soul to Maze.

By 1977 Maze was coming into their own and have had 30 hit singles. The hit singles are not as frequent anymore, but Maze still tours and draws crowds of long time fans. They are currently on tour and made a stop at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino.

When they took the stage the band was dressed in white while Beverly came out in black. As Beverly took the stage he was given a standing ovation and the crowd, for the most part, kept standing throughout his show.

He and the group spent about 30 minutes just going from song to song without any interaction with the crowd. When he did talk to the audience, he informed them that he would soon be 65 years of age. He also gave a short history of the band, including the fact that Marvin Gaye did not care for the name Raw Soul but did like Maze much better.Some of the songs that were performed included “Laid Back Girl,” “Southern Girl,” “We Are One,” “Running Away,” “”Golden Time Of Day,” and “The Morning After.”

The crowd would respond when they would hear one of their favorites. The audience had a difficult time standing still as there was not only dancing in the aisles-- but even up and down the aisles. People were dancing either in singles or couples.

One interesting thing we noticed was that not only was the band selling souvenir merchandise, but there was a life-sized cardboard cutout of Beverly and the band that you could get a digital photo taken with.

Beverly and Maze may no longer be radio staples but their following is as fanatical as ever.

Upcoming shows at San Manuel include Mike Epps Still Standing Tour with special guests hosted by Nick Cannon on the 12th. Call the San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino box office at 888-777-7401, Ext. 2832 or go to the website at www.sanmanuel.com for more information.

The stage productions were in San Bernardino, Riverside and Claremont, California.

One was at the California Theater of the Performing Arts.

“Riverdance,” is the amazing show that showcases Irish dancing and is now in its 15th year of mesmerizing everyone who sees it. It started, appropriately enough, in Ireland in 1995 and soon moved across the pond to New York. There are now three “Riverdance” troupes that travel the world. Theatrical Arts International brought the so called farewell tour to the California Theatre of the Performing Arts in San Bernardino, but it is still touring and came back for another run at the California Theatre.

“Riverdance” attempts to tell the history of the Irish people in dance and song. For example, the first number, “Reel Around the Sun,” describes the people first coming to Ireland. As the troupe dances the look on their faces is one of determination and defiance.

Each scene or song is introduced by a voiceover. A poem is read that leads into the action of the scene. There is a live band on stage that backs up the dancers and singers. The band also has its own time in the spotlight, which not only entertains the audience but also gives the performers a chance to change into the costumes for the next scene. The band is quite talented and shines not only as an ensemble, but as soloists.

Irish music and dance are not the only things presented in “Riverdance”-- there is flamenco and tap. We found the flamenco soloist much improved over ones we have seen in past productions. The Russian folk ballet was missing from this performance but the tap, however, was astounding.

The tap number is called “Trading Taps.” In this scene two, tap dancers run across three Riverdancers and a competition ensues culminating in mutual respect for each other’s talent and culture. The dancing on both sides was nothing short of amazing.

The stage is set up quite simply. There are columns on stage that are reminiscent of Stonehenge. Creative lighting is used on the columns to evoke moods or set scenes. In the back of the stage is a screen that has pictures projected on it, such as the sun shining or the moon behind clouds. The picture on the screen changes to fit each scene.

The Irish Dance Troupe, as it is called in the playbill, is nothing less than phenomenal. They move with military precision while still displaying much grace. Irish dancing does not display a lot of hand movements, but their feet are moving in ways that it does not seem possible for feet to move. One possible reason for the inclusion of other styles of dance in the show could be that at times the Irish dancing seems similar to tap and other times flamenco. In this way, the roots of Irish dancing and what Irish dancing may have influenced (or been influenced by) are demonstrated.

The show also sports a singing troupe that performs alone and with the dancers. The harmonies are nice and help to move the show along.

Though it is in its 15th year, “Riverdance” still feels fresh and innovative. The audience that was there for opening night gave the show a thunderous standing ovation.

Upcoming shows at San Bernardino’s California Theatre of the Performing Arts include "Wondrous Winds" the 15th, "My Fair Lady" the 26th, and Lily Tomlin the 29th. For tickets or more information go to www.theatricalarts.com or call 909-885-5152.

The upcoming season at the Sturges Center includes the Doo Wah Riders January 28th, the cute little stage show “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change" from February 10th – 12th, "Rocky Horror Picture Show" February 24th, the irrepressible Debbie Reynolds March 3rd and "Robin Hood" from May 18th – 20th. For season, individual tickets or other information call 909-885-5152 or go to the website at www.sturgescenter.org.

The next show we will discuss was presented in Riverside, California. There have been many arguments as to who was the father of rock and roll. Was it Bill Haley with “Rock Around The Clock"? Was it Elvis, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley or Little Richard? Arguments could be made for all of them. When rock first got off the ground, many performers relied on songwriters for their material. These songwriters were probably as important to the birth of rock as any of the above mentioned performers.

Two of the most successful were Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. These two guys wrote many of the most recognizable songs from the 1950s and 1960s. Some of the many acts that recorded their tunes included Elvis, The Coasters and The Drifters, just to name a few. In 1995 a musical revue of Leiber and Stoller songs (as well as a couple they co-wrote with others) opened on Broadway in New York. It became the longest running musical revue in Broadway history topping out at 2,036 performances. It closed on Broadway in 2000, but it lives on in touring company’s and regional revivals. One such regional revival took place at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside and it was just a delight.

The show features more than 30 Leiber and Stoller classics. They include, to name just a few, “Young Blood,” “Ruby Baby,” “Kansas City,” “Poison Ivy,” “On Broadway,” “Yakety Yak,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Loving You,” “Hound Dog,” “Stand By Me,” “Love Potion No. 9” and “Spanish Harlem.”

Some of the songs are given new arrangements. For example, the bluesy “Kansas City” is given a big band arrangement. Elvis sang the song “Trouble” as a challenge in the movie “King Creole.” “Smokey Joe’s Café” it is sung by a female cast member as a sensuous vamp.

The Fox put together a stellar cast for a show that truly rocked. Returning with another triumphant performance is Vonetta Mixson. Mixson, who was so marvelous in “Dreamgirls”, is superb here as well. Her rendition of “Hound Dog” would make Big Mama Thornton proud.

John Woodard III took care of the bass vocal parts so essential in Leiber and Stoller songs. All of the actors voices blended well and the harmonies were excellent. The cast had skills as dancers as well.

There is a live band on stage. For the first half they are behind a curtain but the second half starts out with a re-creation of a nightclub called, oddly enough, Smokey Joe’s Café. The band is then exposed as the nightclub entertainment. The band is superb and even got to do “Baby That Is Rock & Roll” without the actors.

During this segment, the actors put songs together to create a little story. For example at one point a male actor sings “Treat Me Nice” which is immediately followed by Mixon’s rendition of “Hound Dog.”

The show received a well deserved standing ovation and it is a shame that this cast came together for only three performances, as this was a truly exceptional presentation.

Upcoming shows at the Fox in Riverside are "The Orient Express" on the 10th and the guys from the television show "Myth Busters" the 18th. Go to the website at www.foxriversidelive.com for more information.

Last but certainly not least was the annual holiday show at the Candlelight Pavilion. This year the show was called “Santa’s Christmas Wish” and was written, as last year’s show was, by artistic director John LaLonde who also directed the show.

The premise of the show is that Tinker’s Toy Shop, a family owned business inherited by three brothers, is feeling the pains of low sales. Thinking of closing their doors, they respond to a newspaper ad by Santa Claus himself. Santa is looking for toy makers to supplement the toys needed for his annual visit. There are five rules that must be met to be chosen as Santa’s helper and every time you break one you get a strike. Three strikes and you are out of the competition. How they meet Santa’s requirements and the lessons they learn is quite entertaining. There are a few twists such as that the elf sent to judge the shop is actually a triplet with each one thinking they were evaluating the shop so even thought they get three strikes they are given by each one of the triplets thereby getting Santa to think the shop only got one.

The show is set in the year 1954, and it is amusing how they reference today’s realities as it might relate to 1954.

One of the subplots of the show is about one of the brothers, who is a widower, and his relationship with his son. Nathan Lightfoot plays Charlie, the son. Lightfoot was seen as one of Will Rogers children in the “Will Roger’s Follies.” He is truly impressive here. Lightfoot, whose voice has yet to change, has a stage presence well beyond his years. When he danced with the ensemble he matched the adults step for step. There is also a performance of "Little Drummer Boy" where Nathan mimes playing the drum. He matched the recorded drum beat lick for lick.

Other Candlelight veterans who add to the show include David Aldrete, Janice Lee, Emily Lopez and Chris Duir just to name a few.

The scenery consists almost entirely of the toy shop which can close to become a street scene or be open to occupy the whole stage.

The ensemble cast goes through a lot of costume changes as they portray people on the street, elves, and toys. The harmonies were excellent as usual.

As is a Candlelight Pavilion tradition, kids were encouraged to write out a Christmas list which is read on stage by Santa. Afterward all children are invited up to sit with Santa and Mrs. Claus to take pictures.

The show was a big hit with the sold out audience on the day we saw it

The next show is “Fiddler On The Roof," which starts on the 13th and runs through February 26th. The price of admission includes salad, warm rolls, entrée, the show and sales tax. Appetizers, beverages, desserts and gratuities are extra. Ticket prices range from $48-$68, while admission for children runs between $25-$30. Call 909-626-1254 for ticket information or go to the website at www.candlelightpavilion.com.

Michael Ryan, the guitarist who performs before shows, has a new website for the holidays, www.christmascds.net. Check it out for some wonderful guitar renditions of holiday favorites.

OK, now let us see what we can see this month.

Starting in the usual order there are the two House of Blues venues in the Southland, Anaheim and the Sunset Strip.

Starting with HOB Anaheim at Downtown Disney, Tesla (acoustic) show up on the 5th, Secret Chief Presents the 6th, Atomic Punks the 7th, Cab and Summer Set the 11th, NOFX the 12th and 13th, Andy Grammar and others the 14th, Eric Johnson the 18th, Testament and Anthrax the 23rd, O.A.R. the 26th, The Adicts the 27th, All Star Weekend the 28th, and Metal 101 the 31st.

HOB Sunset Strip has the return of Steel Panther Mondays starting the 9th, and continuing the 16th, 23rd and 30th. In between see Sister Hazel the 13th, NOFX the 17th and 18th, Eric Johnson the 19th, Led Zepagain the 20th, Dashboard Confessional the 21st, O.A.R. the 27th, The Addicts the 28th, and All Star Weekend the 29th.

At the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal City Walk is Night Wish the 21st.

The Hollywood Palladium has Wilco on the 24th.

The Wiltern has Wilco the very next night on the 25th.

Go to www.livenation.com for more information about these and other shows.

Lewis Family Playhouse will present "Abba – Mania & Night Fever" the 13th, Dionne Warwick the 14th and "Sleeping Beauty: The Time Traveler" weekends from the 28th through February 12th. For information on this and other upcoming shows call the box office at 909-477-2752 or go to the website at www.lewisfamilyplayhouse.com.

At the Ontario Improv JB Smoove is there from the 6th - 8th, Jim Jeffries the 13th – 15th, Tommy Davidson from the 19th – 22nd, and Ralphie May the 26th – 28th. Individual night shows include Big Mike Mitchell the 3rd, Refried Wednesday with Richard Villa the 4th, Contagious Comedy with Romarick the 10th, Mike Cano the 17th, Cory and Chad the 18th, Rick Martinez the 25th, All Comedy Radio Live the 31st and Chris Kattan on February 1st. Call 909-484-5411 or go to the web site at www.improv.com for tickets or more information.

Center Theatre Group is presenting “A Raisin In The Sun” at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from the 19th through 2/19.  “Clybourne Park” is at the Mark Taper Forum from the 11th – Feb. 26. The Ahmanson Theatre has “Fela” through Jan. 22. Go to www.centertheatregroup.org for more information.

The Grove of Anaheim has Lisa Lampanelli the 15th, Wu Tu Clan the 18th and Styx the 25th.

Go to http://www.Nederlander.com for more information on The Grove.

At Nokia LA Live Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes and others are on the 13th, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly is on the 14th, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman the 15th and Kim Bunsoo the 27th.

At Club Nokia is Sanctuary the 7th, M83 the 12th and 13th, Guitar Center Drum Off the 14th, David Garrett the 18th, Wu Tu Clan the 21st, and Mint Condition the 28th.

Citizen’s Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California has George Lopez the 28th in between all the hockey.

Go to www.goldenvoice.com for more information on shows at the Nokias.

At the Staples Center is Calibash 2012 the 24th squeezed in between the basketball and hockey.

The Fox in Redlands has Vern James comedy/dinner show on the 27th. Call 909-528- 0255 or go to www.foxeventcenter.com for more information. Tell the Duchess hi for us!

At the gorgeous Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts you have River North Chicago Dance Company the 13th, Christine Ebersole the 14th, Second Generation Stars the 15th, Christopher O’Riley the 18th, New Shanghai Circus the 21st and 22nd, WMIG? Beethoven the 25th and My Fair Lady from the 27th – 29th. The ticket office phone number is 562-916-8500 or go to www.cerritoscenter.com if you need more information.

Broadway/LA at the Pantages Theatre has "Wicked" through January 29th. For tickets call 800-982-2787, go to the Pantages box office or go to www.broadwayla.org.

Disneyland Resorts turns into the Merriest Place On Earth through January 8th with Small World Christmas Around the Globe and other holiday changes. Go to www.disneyland.com or call 714-781-4565 for more information and to purchase tickets in advance.

Make sure to come back next month as there is a very special announcement.