Electric Youth Gives Free Concert in Franklin Tonight

Just back from a three-week concert tour of Austria and Italy, Electric Youth (EY) will perform free outdoor summer concerts tonight, July 30, from 6-8 p.m. on Franklin Town Common and on Thursday, July 31 from 6:30-8 p.m. on Norfolk Town Hill.

Electric Youth's 11th European tour featured shows in Vienna, Melk, Obergrafendorf and Steiermark, Austria, including a benefit concert at Vienna's historic 19th century Odeon Theater and workshop with students at the Amadeus International School. Performances in Italy featured a return Fourth of July show for U.S. Troops stationed at Aviano Air Force Base, multiple shows in Lignano and Bibione along the Adriatic Coast, a concert in the medieval Umbrian hilltop town of Todi, and shows in Montecatini Terme, Tuscany and at Lake Como.

Electric Youth shows deliver high-powered family entertainment with exciting choreography and impressive vocals for audiences of all ages. This season's wide-ranging repertoire includes hits by Aerosmith, The Beatles, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Carrie Underwood.

Trained at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), Electric Youth is backed by an eight-piece band of Boston musicians who've performed, recorded and toured with such music legends as Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, B.B. King, Diana Ross, The Temptations and Van Morrison.

Electric Youth 2014 debuted at Showcase Live, Patriot Place in February and returned on June 13 to perform a Bon Voyage concert. EY recorded the group's 6th professional album, Power Chord, at Mansfield's MockingBird Studios in May. As with EY shows, the studio album includes unique renditions of timeless hits. Electric Youth's music is available on iTunes and CD Baby.

Electric Youth members are chosen annually by audition for superior musicianship, stage presence and triple threat accomplishments in voice, dance and acting. Many members are preparing to pursue a career in the performing arts, while all are gaining valuable life skills through their participation, extensive training and travel experiences with the ensemble. Electric Youth 2014 includes Madison Asgeirsson, 16, Kendra Dombroski, 15, Ali Funkhouser, 18, Graham Hancock, 17, Jocelyn Jones, 15, and Shaina McGillis, 15, from Franklin; Michael Fajardo, 15, from Hopkinton; Sam Evans, 14, from Medfield; Maddy Williams, 15, from Medway; and Jenna McDermott, 15, from Wrentham.

EY's show band features Kenny Hadley on drums, Arnie Krakowsky on tenor saxophone, Artie Montanaro on trombone, Walter Platt on trumpet, Bill Miele on bass, Ken Reid on baritone saxophone, Mark White on guitar and Raye Lynn Mercer on piano. Under the direction of Mark Poniatowski, musical arrangers for Electric Youth are Rick Hammett, Jeff Perry, Walter Platt, Poniatowski, Mark White and Ben Whiting. Choreographers include Mercer, Casey Andrade, Cheryl Madeux, Nick Paone and Kellie Stamp.

For more information about Electric Youth or the EY summer Concerts on the Common, call FSPA at (508) 528-8668 or visit www.electricyouth.com.

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