The Cascades: Parting is such sweet sorrow

As Funfare reported a few issues ago, The Cascades is breaking up and is coming to Manila for a series of shows.

So how do you bid goodbye to someone about to leave for destinations unknown in search of new horizons? There’s no formula that makes parting easy. It’s always painful. And if the person has brought tremendous joy and pleasure to one’s life, the sense of loss and anguish becomes deeper, more profound, more lasting.

Such is the sentiment that pervades the musical landscape which is now faced with the sad prospect of the departure of The Cascades, the sensational singing group of the ’60s that gave us the classic hit Rhythm Of The Rain. The Cascades will disband after a successful series of revival concert tours these past two years.

The Cascades’ timeless music has won Pinoy fans. And the group will bow out of the concert scene gracefully and in style by celebrating the event through a series of farewell performances to be mounted in August by Steve O’Neal Productions, starting with a major concert on Aug. 3 at Aliw Theater at the CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. Other shows in the eight-city tour billed Farewell Tour: The Cascades are scheduled at Centro, Legenda Hotel, Subic Bay Freeport (Aug. 9; Hyatt Hotel & Casino-Manila (Aug. 10), Casino Filipino-Angeles City (Aug. 11), Casino Filipino-Tagaytay City (Aug. 12), Capiz Auditorium, Roxas City (Aug. 14), Cebu International Convention Center (Aug. 17) and Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City (Aug. 19).

Concert promoter Steve O’Neal says, “Fans should not miss this opportunity to see the farewell concert because no one can tell when The Cascades will sing together again.” He adds that when The Cascades regrouped two years ago, its members agreed to perform only for a limited period of time, that’s why they took an indefinite leave from their regular jobs.

The Cascades chose Manila as the venue of its farewell tour as “a token of appreciation” for its thousands of fans who have shown their unwavering devotion and support during the past 40 years. Because of this, the group prepared a special and different line-up of new and old songs, mostly from its last album, All The Way To Yesterday, a compilation of the acoustic versions of its hit tunes, including the title song.

The love affair between The Cascades and Filipino fans began in the late ‘60s. It took the next 40 years to cement the musical tie when the foursome of John Gummoe, Gabe Lapano, Tony Grasso and Chuck Crews reunited in 2005 for a series of revival concerts that kicked off in Manila.

It received the ultimate tribute in June last year when the Cascades 2006 international tour turned into a massive, resounding demonstration of affection and admiration from an overflow crowd that filled the Big Dome, shattering all previous attendance records for a Cascades concert.

As one of the most enduring singing acts of the ‘60s, The Cascades has transcended time and defied fans’ changing tastes for new styles and beats, earning worldwide acclaim for its songs which are distinguished by their sweet, soft, recognizable harmonies.

The Cascades had its beginnings in 1960 when three young men serving in the US Navy (led by Gummoe) got together in San Diego, California and formed a band called The Silver Strands to perform in US shows.

After leaving the naval service, the band became known as The Thundernotes and changed its name to The Cascades, when it signed up with Valiant Records. It released Rhythm Of The Rain in November 1962. The song, which followed the group’s debut single, There’s A Reason, hit Billboard charts at No. 80 and rocketed to the Top 10 before exploding all over the world and becoming No. 1 in many countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and the Philippines.

Considered one of the last great songs of the pre-Beatles era in rock and roll history, Rhythm Of The Rain has remained one of the most recognizable songs even among younger generations of fans. It has been played over six million times, making it No. 9 in BMI’s Top 100 most performed songs of the century. Other records released by The Cascades during its early days were The Last Leaf, For Your Sweet Love and Truly Julie’s Blues. Other memorable songs from The Cascades include Shy Girl, Angel On My Shoulder, Let Me Be, Dreamin’, Lucky Guy, First Love Never Dies, Good Day For The Blues, Lisa’s Eyes, I Just Came By To Get A Smile, My First Day Alone, Punch And Judy, I Wanna Be Your Lover, Was I Dreamin’ and many more.

(Tickets to the Aliw Theater concert are priced at P2,500, P2,000, P1,500 and P1,000 and available at Ticketworld outlets at major National Book Store branches, Robinson’s Department Stores, Tower Records and Ayala Centers. For inquiries, call Ticketworld at 891-9999.)