Every year, Abbey Road on the River holds a feature concert. AROTR is no stranger to pulling out all the stops for this show, and they certainly didn’t this year. This year’s feature concert was none other than The Orchestra featuring former members of ELO.
Formed in Birmingham, England, it’s easy to hear how the Beatles influenced this legendary rock group. With their psychedelic sound, The Orchestra transported audience members back in time.
Songs like “Evil Woman,” “Strange Magic,” “Can’t Get It Out of My Head,” and “Xanadu” were crowd favorites. The Orchestra also performed plenty of Beatles tunes. My personal favorite was their beautiful rendition of “Dear Prudence.”
The crowd was the biggest I’ve ever seen at AROTR including last year’s Beach Boys crowd. Every time I left my spot at the Rachel Blanton main stage to check out other bands, grab food, or cool off it seemed like the crowd had doubled in size by the time I returned.
Even The Orchestra’s sound check earlier in the day sounded awesome. Their use of string instruments, traditional rock and roll instruments, and keyboards blended perfectly. Local musicians, including friends of mine, also performed with The Orchestra as a part of their string section. I could’ve been fooled into thinking they had all played together for many years. The talent onstage was astounding.
Of course, The Orchestra wasn’t the only concert of the day. Abbey Road on the River veteran bands and newbies alike played all throughout the day. Everywhere you turn at AROTR there’s beautiful music, and that’s the best part!
For more information about Abbey Road on the River, visit www.arotr.com, and check back with Louisville.com for daily recaps. AROTR runs through Monday, so don’t miss it!
Photos by Jenna Foster
