Rock Around the Clock with the Clinton Rotary
Looking to support a good cause and attend a good show? The Clinton Rotary Club’s Rock Around the Clock fundraising concert on Saturday, June 18 will raise money to support the local club’s efforts.
The concert, billed as a rock and roll revival experience, will feature two local bands: The Convertibles and Number 9 (a Beatles tribute band) in The Morgan School theater, 71 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton. Tony Raucci, the director of the event, said the show will run about two hours and feature rock and roll music from the ’50s and ’60s and other favorite oldies. Besides the music, the show will also feature choreographed dance numbers and video clips from the era.
Tickets cost $20 for adults 18 and older and $10 for students. Tickets are available now on clintonrotaryct.com and will be available for purchase at the door the night of the show.
Asked what he enjoyed most about the show, Raucci pointed to the skill of the musicians who will be playing.
“I love the music, that’s my era of music,” Raucci said. “Both bands are fantastic and Number 9 is the best Beatles tribute band I’ve ever seen. For the dance numbers, I wanted to recreate American Bandstand with Dick Clark,” he added.
While the music and video clips of course will have a powerful nostalgic pull for anyone who hails from the era when music was still released on records, Raucci said that younger audiences will also appreciate the music, noting the wide appeal of the music and the prevalence of newer artists covering or sampling the old songs.
“It’s an event for all ages and I think younger people will also like the music. The theater holds 670 seats and I want to sell them all out, if possible,” said Raucci.
The money raised by the show helps fund different initiatives of the Clinton Rotary Club.
“The Rotary is a national nonprofit organization. They give back to local communities,” Raucci said.
Raucci highlighted local scholarships, programs with Families Helping Families, and generally helping those in need as the types of programs the Rotary helps.
“The only source of income for the club is from these fundraisers,” Raucci said.
Raucci, who has been a member of the Rotary Club for the last two years, said that he first conceived of the show last fall and approached club about doing the fundraiser. The rest of the club was receptive to the idea and Raucci soon began interviewing bands and setting up the show.
Since the pandemic hit the Rotary has been fortunate enough to hold other fundraisers, but Raucci said that this will be the first large indoor fundraiser from the club in two years.
Bottom line: “If you like the music and want to see a great show for $20, then come on down!” Raucci said.