Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

The Ruckus Bros. to pay tribute to iconic album

Diego Byrnes’ favorite Michael Jackson memory is his first time seeing the “Black and White” music video and its inspirational message.Pierce Maratto remembers the “Thriller” video scaring him as a child.Gene Stovall thinks back to watching Jackson perform on the “Motown 25: Anniversary Special” when he first did the moonwalk.“I remember the first time Michael Jackson did the moon walk and people went crazy,” said Stovall in a telephone interview on Thursday. “That’s probably one of my fondest Michael Jackson memories,”These three men are just a few of the current members of The Ruckus Bros., a local musician collective of one permanent member, Bynes, the founder.The Ruckus Bros. will team up with Touchfaster Entertainment to put on a tribute concert for Michael Jackson’s 1983 album “Thriller”at Mr. Small’s, on Oct. 25.After the group’s success with last year’s sold out tribute performance of the Beatles album, “Magical Mystery Tour,” Byrnes knew they had to do a tribute even greater the second time around.“We thought it might be nice to do another big band format to another classic album and then eventually someone said “Thriller” by Michael Jackson and we all got pretty excited,” said Byrnes in a telephone interview Tuesday.Jackson’s contribution to music goes as far back as the 1960s with the Jackson 5. The artist deemed the King of Pop is named one of the most successful artists of all time. His music, iconic videos and dance moves are recognized and loved all over the world even after his death.The band will play a funked out version of the best-selling album to date, according to some of the band members. However, they assure the sound will not stray far away from how it was originally done.“[The audience] should expect the album to be done as properly as it should be. It’s such an iconic album that we didn’t make the decision lightly,” said show producer Pierce Marratto in a Tuesday telephone interview.This 21-member group is made up with members from last year’s tribute and new band members. The group was put together by Byrnes who liked the idea of having a large band. The band first performed in 2012. Byrnes said one of the differences between last year’s tribute and this year was that last year’s band had people who were familiar with playing The Beatles. Everyone loves Michael Jackson but not everyone plays it, he added.“For every person in the band it was an opportunity to do something they weren’t so used to,” Byrnes said.Byrnes will channel his inner Michael Jackson as he sings. The band’s keyboardist Max Somerville said that he was not familiar with the “Thriller” record.“I think Michael Jackson is a genius, but except for the “Free Willy” incident, I’d never dug into his catalog,” said Somerville in a phone interview on Tuesday.Somerville shared that hearing the song, “Will You Be There” performed by Jackson in the 1993 movie “Free Willy” was one of his greatest Jackson memories.To keep up with the horror-oriented “Thriller,” this Halloween show will feature a costume contest with a prize giveaway. The band will wear Jackson-inspired costumes.The show will also include a dance performance by Evolve Productions, a custom animation show, a light show and a surprise transformation in the middle of the band’s performance inspired by Jackson’s “Thriller” music video.Most importantly, the band hopes the audience is ready to have fun and dance along to a classic album.“This piece of music came out a long time ago but it’s one of the best albums ever,” Stovall said. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Mr. Smalls, 400 Lincoln Ave. in Millvale. General admission tickets are $15 and VIP tickets are $32. All ages are welcomed.

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