CLEARWATER — The Classic Albums Live Series will continue with a slate of performances at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, 405 Cleveland St., Clearwater.
The upcoming shows will include music by such musical icons as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Van Halen.
Today, when a new album is released, most music fans will find it on their favorite streaming platform. Some popular streaming services include Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, SoundCloud, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Most people are familiar with these platforms, but for some — particularly Zoomers — music streaming may be the only way they have experienced a new album.
Believe it or not, older generations had to purchase new albums on physical media, such as vinyl long play records, 8-track tapes, or audio cassettes. My parents owned a mid-century stereo console that took up a lot of real estate in the living room. It featured a radio, turntable, and 8-track player in a wood finished cabinet with a storage area for my father’s extensive collection of 101 Strings vinyl records. In those days, listening to a new album was practically a ritual: Music afficionados would slide the vinyl record out of the sleeve and drop the LP onto the turntable. The tone arm would lower, and the needle would connect — and, voilà! The room filled with glorious, melodious sounds.
The musicians behind Classic Albums Live Series remember the way it used to be.
Called “joyful and thrilling” by the Toronto Star, “perfect” by the Chicago Tribune, and hailed for their “amazing musicianship“ by the Orlando Sentinel, Classic Albums Live celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 with new albums, markets and partnerships.
Founded in Toronto in 2003 by Craig Martin, Classic Albums Live has become a beloved fixture in the music world, having delivered over 3,000 shows across the United States and Canada.
“We live in a unique time in history,” said Martin. “We have a new canon of music that has become ‘classic’ in our culture. Our role is to be stewards of these great albums, allowing people to experience them together and to hear the songs just as they were intended and recorded.”
The outfit prides itself on doing this note-for-note, cut-for-cut.
“We’re careful not to impart any personality on this music,” Martin said. “That is our mission statement. We think of ourselves as curators. We govern ourselves like an orchestra. The impact of our musicianship — coupled with these great works of art — is unparalleled. People care deeply about this music. It’s a joy to be able to properly share it with audiences.”
Following is a look at the next run of Classic Albums Live shows scheduled at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre:
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin I
Thursday, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m.
The debut album by Led Zeppelin was released in 1969 and showed the group’s fusion of blues and rock. The album featured band members Robert Plant, lead and harmony vocals and harmonica; Jimmy Page, electric and acoustic guitar; John Paul Jones, bass and Hammond organ; and John Bonham, drums and timpani. The album’s fusion of blues and hard rock proved commercially successful. The band’s debut album reached the Top 10 on album charts in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The album includes classic rock radio staples, including “Good Times Bad Times,” “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” “Dazed and Confused,” and “Your Time is Gonna Come,” along with “Communication Breakdown,” “Black Mountain Side,” and more.
Pink Floyd: The Dark Side Of The Moon
Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m.
Released in 1973, Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” is one of the best-selling albums in the world. Having sold more than 45 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling album of the 1970s, and the fourth-best-selling album of all time. At the time the album was recorded, Pink Floyd members included David Gilmour, vocals and guitars; Nick Mason, drums and percussion; Roger Waters, bass guitar and vocals; and Richard Wright, keyboards and vocals. Clare Torry provided vocals on “The Great Gig in the Sky.” Alan Parsons served as engineer on the album.
The album is known for its exploration of mature themes such as conflict, greed, time, death and mental illness. Many of the album’s songs have become classics, such as “Money,” “Us And Them” and “Time.” More than 50 years after its release, the album that is still celebrated as one of the greatest albums of all time.
AC/DC: Highway To Hell
Friday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.
“Highway to Hell” is the sixth studio album released in 1979 by AC/DC and was the last album featuring lead singer Bon Scott. “Highway to Hell” was the band’s first LP to break the U.S. Top 100 and is the second highest selling AC/DC album. In 2003, the album was ranked No. 199 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album features rock hits including the title track, “Girls Got Rhythm,” “Night Prowler” and “Touch Too Much.”
Van Halen: 1984
Sunday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m.
Released in 1984, “1984” is the sixth studio album released by Van Halen. It has sold more than 10 million copies in the United States. Rolling Stone ranked the album No. 81 on its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s. The album has been described as a mix of glam/pop metal, hard rock, heavy metal and synth rock. The album produced four singles, including “Jump,” “Panama,” “I’ll Wait” and “Hot for Teacher.”
“1984” was the band’s last studio album with lead singer David Lee Roth until his return for “A Different Kind of Truth” in 2012.
Times, dates, performances and description of performances are subject to change.
Single tickets start at $35 and series packages start at $99. Call 727-791-7400 or visit www.RuthEckerdHall.com.