Franklin Park Band

As a summer-only band, Franklin Park's guys really look forward to shaking off the “rust” that accumulates since the prior summer's shows.  We do that each year with an overnight get-together and rehearsal at Big Whitefish Lake in Pierson, MI.  We call that “Band Camp”.  It's always fun to return to the prior year's set list and rehearse together for the first time the “new” songs we have worked on throughout the Winter and Spring.  

If you're in the vicinity of Whitefish Lake/Pierson on June 4 and 5, stop by, listen and say hello!

As always, our sold-out shows in the historic Lake Superior Theater in Marquette were great fun.  The standing ovation for the Abbey Road (Beatles) medley was very much appreciated.  And it was great to see the entire theater on their feet dancing at their seats for Twist and Shout and Gimme Some Lovin' which closed our show.  

Also very special was the unexpected TV coverage we received.  Thanks to the local CBS affiliate WZMQ's Scott Minshall, we now have yet another way to tell the Franklin Park story.  If you're interested it's right here:  Lower Michigan band formed in 1968 performs in Marquette (wzmq19.com)

Franklin Park was honored to play the great music of the ‘60s in Valparaiso, Indiana on August 3.  First FP show ever in our drummer Tom's adopted home state.  

Nearly 1500 people filled Valpo’s very impressive downtown amphitheater (Northwest Health Amphitheater at Central Park Plaza).  Valparaiso Events' professional sound company, Sounds Cool Live Audio, did a great job for us and for the audience.   When night came and the air cooled the dancing got serious and the big crowd stayed to the end.  Thank you, Valpo!  The FP consensus was we want to play Valpo again!

The amphitheater at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park rocked with the sounds of the 1960's on June 27.  Health concerns that day about the Canadian wildfire smoke hitting West Michigan kept the crowd down to about ⅔ full, but the smoke wasn't a problem during the show.   The enthusiastic crowd sang along, danced and cheered the great songs of the 60s.

The Gardens was helpful in recording the audio of our show that night.  Here's the Beatles trilogy of Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight and The End.  Unless you've been to a Paul McCartney show, you've probably never heard this trilogy performed live.  Enjoy!

Franklin Park “Beatles Trilogy” (Audio) on Vimeo

With sellout shows at Marquette's historic Lake Superior Theater in 2021 and 2022, the theater and the band decided to see in 2023 if a second Marquette show would work.  Both the August 23 and 25 shows sold out more than 2 months in advance!   We love Marquette, the adopted hometown of our frontman, Bernie R.

Marquette, you are wonderful (and very knowledgeable) music fans!  Thank you.  

L to R:  Mike J, John A, Chris Martin (holding guitar), Mike R

Franklin Park's guitarists, John Arendshorst, Mike Reid and Mike Julien, attended a fascinating presentation by C.F. (Chris) Martin IV, the owner and chairman of the C.F. Martin & Co, on May 3 in Grand Rapids.  

Chris Martin and his colleague, Craig Thatcher, displayed and played many special and historical models of Martin Guitars and told the very interesting history of this 190-year old family company, which is located in Nazareth, PA.  If you play guitar (or even if you don't!) you may wish to visit the company's museum there (Martin Guitar Museum).

As a summer-only band, the band's long layoff from Sept-April seems to go on forever.  So, the Franklin Park guys are excited to set a 2-day May rehearsal to get ready for our four shows this summer in Grand Rapids, Valparaiso (IN.) and Marquette.  If you're in the vicinity of Big Whitefish Lake on May 17-18, please drop by our rehearsal to say hi and listen for a while.

Speaking of Marquette, our very humble front man, Bernie, recently found a nice group photo on his wife Mary's phone, taken in August after our show at Marquette's historic Lake Superior Theater.  Thanks, Mary!

The Franklin Park guys are excited to announce that our summer 2023 schedule is now confirmed with a record number of shows (well, 4--we're old and live far apart).  A new highlight of this coming summer's schedule is our first show ever in Indiana, a state that drummer Tom Jones adopted as his home many years ago.  Come join us in Grand Rapids, Valparaiso or Marquette to hear the great sounds and songs of the 1960s, played and sung well.  Details on the SHOWS website page.  Rock On!

The Franklin Park guys were excited yesterday to learn that historic Lake Superior Theater (in the Upper Peninsula's queen city of Marquette) not only wants us back but asked us to do two shows in 2023.

Double the fun!

Don't delay your tickets purchase--Franklin Park's 2022 show there sold out months before the event!  Marquette music fans are great.

See you there on August 23 or 25--or both!

The final show of Franklin Park’s 2022 season was again at historic Lake Superior Theater in Marquette.  The sold out (with a waiting list!) crowd was again very knowledgeable of the great 60s music we play and very warm and appreciative of our performance.  We love playing at LST and were happy to donate our services to this great venue. 

Franklin Park loves Marquette, too.  The UP’s queen city offers a vibrant downtown, two fine breweries (BlackRock’s and Ore Docks), fresh whitefish caught that morning for cooking, memorable hiking in every direction and boating on Lake Superior.  FP loves staying at the Hewitt Onion House Manor (Airbnb), a circa 1890 luxurious house with a large and modern kitchen great for cooking that fresh caught whitefish.  It’s the perfect house for a large group. 

Here’s a few short videos of the show at LST: