By Don Hedeker
Forget Lollapalooza, it’s time for WALLYPALOOZA!!
That’s right, on Saturday, August 2nd, The Polkaholics will perform their polka-rock opera Wally! in its entirety at Quenchers (2401 N. Western, 773 276-9730) in their seventh annual celebration of Li’l Wally’s life and legacy (Li’l Wally’s birthday was August 1, 1930, and he passed away on August 17, 2006). Admission is $5 and the event will begin at 10 p.m. The amazing I Love Rich will open the show with their fun and entertaining brand of in-your-face ROCK!
Li’l Wally revolutionized polka in the 1950s by slowing it down to a danceable tempo, which became known as the “Chicago Style.” He is considered the Muddy Waters or Charlie Parker of polka. Though he retired to Florida in later years, The Polkaholics brought him back to Chicago for several memorable shows together before he died in 2006.
First performed live in 2008 and then released as a CD in 2009, Wally! tells the story of Li’l Wally’s rise to Chicago polka glory and Florida sunset in polka-rock opera form, with storied-songs like “Son of a Gun Polka,” “Division Street,” “Sea and Sand Polka,” “King of Happiness” and more. From a boy singing with polka bands at Caldwell Woods to being featured on The Lawrence Welk Show and playing for the Pope at the Vatican, Li’l Wally was the Horatio Alger of polka – and Wally! immortalizes his amazing journey!
This event will also serve as a Bon Voyage show for The Polkaholics, who will embark on a two-week tour of Germany in mid-August. Bringing their insane version of polka to Germany will be quite an adventure for The Polkaholics – one can only imagine what the Germans will think when they hear POLKAS ON GUITAR!!
–
Previously:
* The Weekend In Chicago Rock: Heather’s Last Country Calender Show (No. 7).
* Local Music Notebook: Wacos As T. Rex, Polkaholics Go Vinyl.
–
The Polkaholics Theme.
–
See also: The Polkaholics’ YouTube page.
–
Comments welcome.
Posted on July 9, 2014