Tag Archives: Ron Onesti

  It was a Festa della Repubblica the likes of which Chicago had never witnessed. On June 2, more than 400 revelers converged on the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame on historic Taylor Street to enjoy a gala event staged by Onesti Entertainment. The event was sponsored by the Chicago offices of the Italian Consulate General, Italian Cultural Institute and Italian Trade Agency as well as the Italian American Chamber of Commerce-Midwest and Onesti Entertainment. “The Hall of Fame was the perfect setting, and Onesti Entertainment took the event to a new level,” Consul General Adriano Monti stated. …

  As I was hustling between the raindrops en route to our place in the local Memorial Day Parade (my daughter’s grammar school class marches every year and I’m in charge of the all-important tossable candy), I was stopped by a group of “bikers” in the parade who have come to my rock shows before. “Hey, thanks for all the great music. We come to all your shows,” the leather-clad rider said. A couple other Harley owners also gave me a “thumbs up.” Now, I am not a biker nor have I ever ridden on one before. Have I ever …

  If the Rock Hall of Fame were a person, who would it be? In my humble opinion, few individuals embody the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the way ’60s girl-group superstar Ronnie Spector does. You see it in the way her remarkable career has intertwined with so many legendary figures in music. It’s truly amazing to speak to her about it, as I did backstage prior to our holiday show at the Arcada Theatre last year. It’s equally amazing the degree to which her Christmas songs have become international staples, musically branding the holiday itself! As we all …

  I am a HUGE Chicago sports fan, really loving all the excitement and pride that goes along with it. One of my particular favorite experiences is to visit the boys on the ice, my Chicago Blackhawks. One of the best experiences in all of sports was the singing of the national anthem in the old Chicago Stadium. Bone-chilling volume coupled with red, white and blue flowing through the veins of every fan on his and her feet was something I will never forget. Another unsung hero is something that really goes unnoticed while at the same time is a …

During baseball season, three things bring me to an out-of-body, Field-of-Dreams experience: having a couple of smokie-link sandwiches in the left field box seats at Wrigley facing the base that Santo built; throwing down a cold one while watching the post-home-run fireworks at Comiskey (sorry, it will always be Comiskey); and recalling my day with a man who is spoken of in the same conversation as is Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig: Joe DiMaggio. For many years, I volunteered my time to The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame on Taylor Street in Chicago. I produced all its fundraising …

One of the most popular television commercials out today features rock icon Eddie Money as a travel agency owner singing “Two Tickets To Paradise” to a family looking for tickets to a vacation. The humor of the commercial stems from Money holding two plane tickets in his hand and doing the song a cappella in a somewhat inebriated state. A fair representation of a stereotypical rocker of the ’70s and ’80s, this spot proves that comedy was never really meant to be pretty. I have worked with Eddie on several occasions, most recently two sold-out shows at the Arcada Theatre …

It’s been 86 years since the Arcada Theatre opened to Vaudeville audiences in St. Charles. The biggest names of the day graced its stage: George Burns & Gracie Allen, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, The Little Rascals and so many more. For the next 80 years, its ride would be a rocky one. From talking pictures to community theater, back to film blockbusters and local events, then to its semi-retirement with $4 brew-n-views. I have been in the entertainment industry for more than 25 years producing concerts, festivals and corporate events around the country. I had always dreamed of a …

QUESTION: How many careers did Dick Clark launch or foster? How many millions of Americans watched the 7,500-plus shows he produced? How many lives did he touch? ANSWER: Immeasurable! I never met the man. I never actually pursued it. And it’s ironic, because all the tributes and testimonials I read were by people I have known for years! Legends like Little Anthony, Neil Sedaka, Danny & The Juniors, Frankie Avalon, Frankie Valli, Tom Dreesen, Mary Wilson, Pat Boone, James Darren, Nancy Sinatra … the list goes on and on. All good friends of ours, and all who attribute their careers …

Where to begin? Probably like everybody else, when I was a young fan of the Monkees. We all were inexplicably drawn to their crazy antics, screaming girls and pre-MTV-style concert footage. The music was infectious and it sure wasn’t the show’s plots that kept me engaged. His natural qualities as a human being transcended into his character. I was fortunate to work with Davy on many occasions. Each time we got together, I was met with a warm embrace and his own impersonation of my Chic-ah-go style “How ya coin’?” He really loved coming back to Chicago, marveling at the …

The Arcada has made some great strides over the past seven years. From hosting big-name entertainment to becoming a venue the community can truly enjoy, the place has made a whole lotta people happy. But I believe what really underscores the theater’s move to the next level are its excursions into the land of television. After bringing together five of the country’s funniest stand-up comics, I co-produced a show called “The Godfathers of Comedy.” It was a seven-camera, high-definition shoot with all the bells and whistles of a big-time television production. We built out the stage and added amazing lighting …