Royal Crown Revue Dazzles Crowd With 20th Anniversary Show
Pioneering Band of Past Two Decades Debuts New 'Rat Pack Concerto' Homage to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. and Other Musical Surprises. Group Plans on 20th Anniversary Release Later in 2009
Press Release (PressBurner) Mar 17, 2009 - Royal Crown Revue celebrated its 20th Anniversary in style on Saturday, March 14 by premiering a brand new show at the Cerritos Center for Performing Arts.
In addition to classics from the band’s repertoire like “Hey Pachuco” and “Zip Gun Bop,” the show featured 15 brand new charts and introduced seductive songbird Jennifer Keith, who showcased numbers by the likes of Peggy Lee and June Christy, and joined front man Eddie Nichols for a high-energy tribute to Louis Prima and Keely Smith. The show also paired a special acoustic set by Nichols with the world premiere of the “Rat Pack Concerto” – in homage to Las Vegas legends Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin.
Presented in RCR’s trademark high-powered style, the show included bodacious burlesque showgirls, an expanded horn section and legendary L.A. hipster Maxwell DeMille as master of ceremonies.
Formed in 1989 in Los Angeles, Royal Crown Revue was conceived by Eddie Nichols and saxophonist Mando Dorame. The band’s hybrid sound emerged out of their mutual admiration and love for Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, Punk, Rockabilly Soul, and Swing, among other styles of American roots music.
RCR is often credited with starting the Retro-Swing Revival movement of the 1990s. In 1993, they began playing regularly at The Derby, a landmark club in Los Angeles. It was there that RCR began to gain worldwide recognition from such films as The Mask. The underground scene they created at the Derby became the basis for the hit film, Swingers.
Not to be tied to a single genre, however, RCR has also enjoyed great success as a headliner on the Van's Warped Tour, road work with the B-52's and Pretenders, appearances at major US Jazz Festivals as well as with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In the 2004-2005 season, the band backed Bette Midler on her top-grossing Kiss My Brass tour. In 2008, RCR recorded with and performed a sold out show in Las Vegas with KISS front man Gene Simmons, as part of a three-episode arc of Simmons’ "Family Jewels" reality show.
Stronger than ever, Royal Crown Revue continues to play to capacity crowds in Australia, Europe, and the US. The band plans to release an anniversary CD later in 2009 that includes favorites from the last 20 years along with new tunes that will satisfy long time fans and welcome the next generation of “royalty.”
