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'There's a kind of hush' for Noonatics at Lock 3 Saturday
By Kimberly Drezdzon
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 06:49 a.m. EDT, Aug 28, 2008
Peter Noone has been into ''something good'' since he was 16, and Akron's Lock 3 Park officials know a good thing when they see it.
For the fifth time in six years, Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone will perform at Lock 3. Noone, aka Herman, will take to the stage again on Saturday.
In his first appearance in 2003 — also the year that Lock 3 opened — Noone performed his many Herman's Hermits hits from the 1960s, including I'm Into Something Good (their breakthrough hit in 1964); Can't You Hear My Heartbeat; I'm Henry the Eighth, I am; Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter and more to a huge crowd.
He has appeared there every year since, except for 2007.
''I wonder how we missed a year?'' Howard Parr said with a laugh. Parr is executive director of the Akron Civic Theatre, which partners with the city of Akron in producing the shows.
Parr said the city keeps asking Noone back ''because he's a great performer. That's probably the biggest reason, and folks keep coming out to see him.
''He does a great job. He represents that '60s sound,'' he continued. ''We know the fans are going to come out, and the show will be high quality. He's a great guy on top of that.''
For Noone, 60, the feeling is mutual.
''I love playing at the Lock simply because it is a family crowd,'' Noone said. ''The crowd is a mixture of children, teens, their mums and dads and their mums and dads, which is comforting to me as an entertainer.
''I feel happy that my music can connect with all types and all generations, because of its honesty and integrity. The Lock is always one of my best concerts every year because the crowd is always so wonderful and diverse.''
Noone was rediscovered by many fans — and gained new ones — when he served as a guest coach on American Idol in March 2007. In his two-show stint, he helped out the male performers during British Invasion week, and performed his 1960s hit There's a Kind of Hush.
''I still do 100-plus concerts a year, but American Idol made people realize that we are in fact the real thing, which is very fulfilling in more ways than more concerts,'' he said. ''I like the fact that people who never heard of Herman's Hermits had to watch me on American Idol.''
After the original Herman's Hermits stopped performing together, Noone continued making solo appearances in the 1970s and over the years, has performed on Broadway, TV, and in movies. As Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone, he remains in demand, keeping up a busy concert schedule each year. Over the Labor Day weekend, he is scheduled to appear on the annual Jerry Lewis Telethon.
As Lock 3 officials have learned, schedule Peter Noone at Lock 3, and fans of all ages will come. And not just those from the Akron area.
Noone has a large, very active fan club of ''Noonatics,'' many of whom travel the country attending dozens of concerts each year. They'll be out in force Saturday, having journeyed from Ontario, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida, to name just a few places, as well as Cincinnati, Columbus and other Ohio cities. A lot will have already attended a concert Friday night in Wheeling, W.Va., before heading north to Akron.
Lock 3 officials didn't know what to expect in their first year of operation and were surprised to get calls from all over the country seeking advance tickets for Noone. However, they know now that Noonatics like to get their tickets early.
''We weren't really expecting to sell advance tickets,'' Parr said. ''He was definitely the leader of our advance tickets.''
The enthusiastic Noonatics, who keep in touch and plan activities through http://www.peternoone.com, will be obvious at the show with their T-shirts and the glowsticks they traditionally crack open for use as they sway to the music as Noone sings his hit Silhouettes. They pass out glowsticks to other fans, resulting in a colorful nighttime display.
''The idea of creating a following isn't unique to any business, and now I am known as the performer who brings his audience with him, like the Grateful Dead did,'' Noone said. ''My fans are livelier than the Deadheads and when they wave the glowsticks everyone on stage is given a buzz, which is indescribable.''
Performing at Lock 3 hasn't become old hat either:
''Every concert is totally unique so I look forward to them all with glee and trepidation,'' he said.
Kimberly Drezdzon can be reached at kdrezdzon@thebeaconjournal.com.
Peter Noone has been into ''something good'' since he was 16, and Akron's Lock 3 Park officials know a good thing when they see it.
For the fifth time in six years, Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone will perform at Lock 3. Noone, aka Herman, will take to the stage again on Saturday.
In his first appearance in 2003 — also the year that Lock 3 opened — Noone performed his many Herman's Hermits hits from the 1960s, including I'm Into Something Good (their breakthrough hit in 1964); Can't You Hear My Heartbeat; I'm Henry the Eighth, I am; Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter and more to a huge crowd.
He has appeared there every year since, except for 2007.
''I wonder how we missed a year?'' Howard Parr said with a laugh. Parr is executive director of the Akron Civic Theatre, which partners with the city of Akron in producing the shows.
Parr said the city keeps asking Noone back ''because he's a great performer. That's probably the biggest reason, and folks keep coming out to see him.
''He does a great job. He represents that '60s sound,'' he continued. ''We know the fans are going to come out, and the show will be high quality. He's a great guy on top of that.''
For Noone, 60, the feeling is mutual.
''I love playing at the Lock simply because it is a family crowd,'' Noone said. ''The crowd is a mixture of children, teens, their mums and dads and their mums and dads, which is comforting to me as an entertainer.
''I feel happy that my music can connect with all types and all generations, because of its honesty and integrity. The Lock is always one of my best concerts every year because the crowd is always so wonderful and diverse.''
Noone was rediscovered by many fans — and gained new ones — when he served as a guest coach on American Idol in March 2007. In his two-show stint, he helped out the male performers during British Invasion week, and performed his 1960s hit There's a Kind of Hush.
''I still do 100-plus concerts a year, but American Idol made people realize that we are in fact the real thing, which is very fulfilling in more ways than more concerts,'' he said. ''I like the fact that people who never heard of Herman's Hermits had to watch me on American Idol.''
After the original Herman's Hermits stopped performing together, Noone continued making solo appearances in the 1970s and over the years, has performed on Broadway, TV, and in movies. As Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone, he remains in demand, keeping up a busy concert schedule each year. Over the Labor Day weekend, he is scheduled to appear on the annual Jerry Lewis Telethon.
As Lock 3 officials have learned, schedule Peter Noone at Lock 3, and fans of all ages will come. And not just those from the Akron area.
Noone has a large, very active fan club of ''Noonatics,'' many of whom travel the country attending dozens of concerts each year. They'll be out in force Saturday, having journeyed from Ontario, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Florida, to name just a few places, as well as Cincinnati, Columbus and other Ohio cities. A lot will have already attended a concert Friday night in Wheeling, W.Va., before heading north to Akron.
Lock 3 officials didn't know what to expect in their first year of operation and were surprised to get calls from all over the country seeking advance tickets for Noone. However, they know now that Noonatics like to get their tickets early.
''We weren't really expecting to sell advance tickets,'' Parr said. ''He was definitely the leader of our advance tickets.''
The enthusiastic Noonatics, who keep in touch and plan activities through http://www.peternoone.com, will be obvious at the show with their T-shirts and the glowsticks they traditionally crack open for use as they sway to the music as Noone sings his hit Silhouettes. They pass out glowsticks to other fans, resulting in a colorful nighttime display.
''The idea of creating a following isn't unique to any business, and now I am known as the performer who brings his audience with him, like the Grateful Dead did,'' Noone said. ''My fans are livelier than the Deadheads and when they wave the glowsticks everyone on stage is given a buzz, which is indescribable.''
Performing at Lock 3 hasn't become old hat either:
''Every concert is totally unique so I look forward to them all with glee and trepidation,'' he said.
Kimberly Drezdzon can be reached at kdrezdzon@thebeaconjournal.com.
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