The Seattle Rock Orchestra begins its 2011-2012 season Saturday night at the Moore Theatre with a tribute to Stevie Wonder. The SRO has already taken on tributes to Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Davie Bowie, Queen and other iconic musicians and today the ambitious group, headed by Scott Teske, announced its full lineup for its upcoming season. This season’s notable tributes include Muse and the Beatles Revolver and Rubber Soul.
Here’s the complete lineup that was sent my way by the SRO folks this morning:
A Tribute to Stevie Wonder
October 8, 2011, The Moore Theatre
Presented by Seattle Theatre Group and Seattle Rock Orchestra
Seattle Rock Orchestra explores the best of Stevie Wonder’s Song Book, from his early career as an emerging recording artist for Motown Records to his quintessential output from classic albums such as Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. Featuring guest vocals by Allen Stone, Galen Disston, Michele Khazak, okanamodé, Fysah Thomas, Darrius Willrich, Flora McGill, Mycle Wastman, Carson Henley and Tiffany Wilson.
Seattle Rock Orchestra presents Chamber Rock
November 17, 2011, Chop Suey
Seattle Rock Orchestra scales down to explore the intimate art of chamber music, pairing local artists with quartets and quintets of SRO musicians. The event will also celebrate SROs recent conversion to a non-profit arts organization with a raffle and silent auction, with all proceeds benefiting SRO’s 2011 – 2012 season. Performances by Chris Cunningham of Ravenna Woods, Kris Orlowski, Jen Wood, Jace Krause of Fort Union, Hannalee , Barry Uhl of Brother Bear, Ian Bell & John Teske, Tamara Powers-Drutis, James Lanman of the Good Hurt, Big Sur and more.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
December 9, 2011, Town Hall
Presented by Seattle Rock Orchestr, The Bushwick Bookclub Seattle and Town Hall
The Bushwick Book Club Seattle is not your run-of-the-mill book club: This West Coast chapter of the Brooklyn original is made up of local songwriters, ranging from Wes Weddell to Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground, who plumb the depths of a literary gem, then write and perform original songs inspired by it. Similarly, Seattle RockOrchestra is not your typical orchestra. Put the two together, and you get an evening that is sure to be entertaining, unexpected and completely original this time, with music inspired by Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson. Featuring performances by Noah Gunderson, Led to Sea, Tai Shan, The Thoughts, Bucket of Honey, Mike Votava, Andrew Nunez, Jason Dodson, Hannah Williams of Youth Rescue Mission, Scott Teske & Geoff Larson, Emily Westman and Galen Green of Tiny Weapons.
A Tribute to Muse
February 18, 2012, The Moore Theatre
Presented by Seattle Theatre Group and Seattle Rock Orchestra
Seattle Rock Orchestra performs the best of Muse, drawing highlights from all five of their studio albums, beginning with 1999s Showbiz and ending with 2009s The Resistance. Featured songs include Super Massive Black Hole, Uprising, Starlight, Knights of Cydonia, Time is Running Out, Take a Bow, Muscle Museum, Hysteria, and more.
Gustafer Yellowgold
March 24th, 2012, Town Hall
Presented by Town Hall
Created by performer and illustrator Morgan Taylor, Gustafer Yellowgold is a friendly creature who came to Earth from the sun and is living out an explorers life in a slightly psychedelic version of the Minnesota woods. His adventures are brought to life in a multi-media performance of live music, animated illustrations and storytelling that is equally compelling for kids and adults. SRO accompanies Gustafer in his west coast premiere with full symphony orchestra.
Poetry Apocalypse 2012
April 6, 2012, Town Hall
Presented by Seattle Rock Orchestra and TumbleMe Productions and Town Hall
Join Seattle’s coolest orchestra and the city’s most beloved poets for an epic evening of collaborative mayhem! First, seven poets will explore the heartaches and hopes of an uncertain world with an uncertain future, backed by an original orchestral score. Then, SRO will perform an apocalypse-themed song-cycle based on the poets’ collective libretto. Sponsored by Write Bloody Publishing and featuring poets Buddy Wakefield, Roberto Ascalon, Karen Finneyfrock, Derrick Brown, Elaina M. Ellis, Tara Hardy, and Storme Webber.
Tribute to the Beatles’ Rubber Soul & Revolver
May 12 (evening) & 13 (matinee) 2012, The Moore Theatre
Presented by Seattle Theatre Group
Seattle Rock Orchestra celebrates the worlds most influential and beloved band with a performance of Rubber Soul and Revolver in their entireties–two albums that introduced the world to the Beatles mature sound. This concert marks the first in an annual tribute that will explore two of the Beatles most treasured albums.
New Works for Orchestra
June 8, 2012, The Chapel Performance Space at The Good Shepherd Center
Seattle Rock Orchestra closes its season with a showcase of all new, rock-inspired classical compositions for chamber orchestra, written by regional composers selected from the orchestras first annual composition contest.
