The Bart Pack at the Tangled Wood -- July 1.
Saturday, July 1, 7 p.m.
The Tangled Wood, 3636 Tanglewood Road, Bettendorf IA
Hailing from Champaign, Illinois, the ever-popular, time-traveling tribute pop, rock, and New Wave artists of The Brat Pack headline a July 1 Bettendorf engagement in the Tangled Wood's Summer Concert Series, with the cheeky and vocally gifted musicians' “almost totally '80s music” playlist updated with a smattering of modern hits.
Performing with period-appropriate costumes, choreography, and occasional film clips and sound bites from seminal movies of the era, The Brat Pack is in its 27th year of celebrating 1980s rock and pop through elaborate, interactive shows in concert halls, event centers, outdoor festivals, and wedding receptions. Their repertoire consists of nearly 100 '80s tunes by artists ranging from Madonna to Guns N' Roses to Loverboy, with more than two dozen 21st Century hits now also featured in the mix, including Taylor Swift's “Skae It Off,” Lady Gaga's “Just Dance,” and Cee Lo Green's “F--- You.”
Currently, The Brat Pack is composed of six musicians whose stage monikers are almost as colorful as their TheBratPack.com biographies: Jesse Van Halen, Lynn D. Lauper, Josh of Seagulls, Jon-Claude Jon Damme, Diamond Dave, and Joe Bon Joey.
Get to know the musicians:
Jesse Van Halen: "During his years as a robotic personal assistant and yes-man for Wham! and Debbie Gibson, Jesse Van Halen shed all his inhibitions and bought some shiny pants, and now he is the head-bangingest keyboard player alive. When he’s not in the basement laboratory experimenting with Smurf genetics, this hyper-genius is kickin it with Jesse’s girl."
Lynn D. Lauper: " This material girl was homeless during the super boring 90s when people forgot how to shake it. Philanthropist and Olympic athlete Alex in Chains was so sure Lauper's quick-change chameleon act would put the Brat Pack over the top that she woke her from her park bench and offered her the world. This butterfly-turned-caterpillar-turned-imitation-rock-legend-and-occasional-zombie has been walkin' on sunshine ever since."
Josh of Seagulls: "A star of both stage and screen, Josh of Seagulls is more than just a pretty face and a big fat royalties check. When he’s not jamming for the cameras in Hollywood, he’s got a pocket protector full of surprises for the ladies. He may be the nerd of the group, but he’ll take his revenge on the drums. He loves his mom and is currently working on building the perfect woman with his best friend, the Apple IIE."
Jon-Claude Jon Damme: " Jon-Claude Jon Damme has not only mastered dodging paparazzi and beer cans at gigs, he exists simultaneously in an infinity of universes. In one world, he's reviewing all the products. In another, he's a witty teenaged Instacart Shopper. He's even a Professor of Strings Theory somewhere or everywhere. In our universe, he's co-pilot of the cargo van and Employee of the Month every month. Maybe he thinks Joe Bon Joey will actually pay those bonuses. We're building a time machine to send Jon to a point in the future when he stops being Employee of the Month so the rest of us have a chance."
Diamond Dave: "Born in a hurricane of glitter and laser lights, Diamond Dave pilots the Brat Pack's rhythm rocket on a collision course with their musical destiny. After spending the 90s wandering aimlessly in a funk metal band featuring flute and accordion arrangements, Diamond Dave found his density laying down tasty grooves to Josh of Seagulls sick beats. When he and Seagulls aren't controlling the dirty dancing floor with their throbbing beats, Diamond and Brendan goes to Hollywood patrol the backstage areas of your heart with their signature double-rainbow rock kicks."
Joe Bon Joey: "Prior to singing and dancing his way into your heart with the Brat Pack, Joe Bon Joey supervised Tuesday night bingo for yesterday's baddest bad boys, including Jean Claude Van Damme, Charles Bronson, Steven Seagal, Hulk Hogan, and Rick Astley. Whenever Chuck Norris is feeling down, he cries on Bon Joey's shoulder. In his spare time, Joe walks Clint Eastwood's bunny and gives Stallone advice on girls."
The Brat Pack plays their Bettendorf engagement in the Summer Concert series on July 1, admission to the 7 p.m. event is free, and more information is available by calling (563)949-1000 and visiting TheTangledWood.com.
