Public invited to free March 4 exhibition & concert featuring Cronin, Billy Gibbons, Vince Gill & Stephen Stills
Kevin Cronin, the iconic lead vocalist for the legendary REO Speedwagon, will join Indianapolis Colts Owner & CEO Jim Irsay and his all-star band for a free, one-night-only performance in Las Vegas celebrating The Jim Irsay Collection, Irsay’s traveling museum of iconic artifacts from rock music, American history and pop culture.
The event will feature a free concert by The Jim Irsay Band, joined by Cronin, fellow rock legends Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top) and Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills & Nash) and 22-time Grammy winner Vince Gill. The show will include a special tribute to the late David Crosby, legendary member of Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Byrds, who recently passed away.
Formed in 1967, signed in 1971, and fronted by Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon’s unrelenting drive, as well as non-stop touring and recording jump-started the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest.
Platinum albums and radio staples soon followed, setting the stage for the release of the band’s explosive Hi Infidelity in 1980, which contained the massive hit singles “Keep On Loving You” and “Take It On the Run.”
That landmark album spent 15 weeks in the No. 1 slot and has since earned the RIAA’s coveted 10X Diamond Award for surpassing sales of 10 million units in the United States.
From 1977 to 1989, REO Speedwagon released nine consecutive albums all certified Platinum or higher. The Cronin-penned “Can’t Fight This Feeling” and “Keep On Loving You” both reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart.
Today, REO Speedwagon has sold more than 40 million albums around the globe, and Cronin and bandmates are still electrifying audiences worldwide in concert with the aforementioned hits, plus fan-favorites such as “Ridin’ The Storm Out,” “Time For Me To Fly,” “Roll With The Changes,” and many more.WHEN: Saturday, March 46-11 p.m. WHERE: Downtown Las Vegas Event Center, 200 S. 3rd St. · This event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. · To reserve a ticket, visit jimirsaycollection.com or Eventbrite. · Tickets are free, but guests may choose to donate to Kicking The Stigma, the Irsay family initiative to raise awareness about mental health, when they register.· Capacity is limited. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Members of The Jim Irsay Band include Kenny Aronoff on drums (Paul McCartney, John Mellencamp, The Rolling Stones, Sting, Bob Dylan), Tom Bukovac on guitar (played on over 700 albums with major artists), Mike Mills on bass & vocals (founding member of R.E.M.), Danny Nucci on guitar & saxophone (actor, Titanic, The Rock), Michael Ramos on keyboards (Mellencamp, Patti Griffin, Paul Simon), Carmella Ramsey on violin, mandolin & vocals (Reba McEntire, John Hiatt, Olivia Newton-John), Kenny Wayne Shepherd on guitar & vocals (five-time Grammy nominee) and Mike Wanchic on guitar (Mellencamp).
The evening centers around the exhibition of the collection, including Irsay’s world-famous guitar and instrument collection, as well as artifacts from American history and popular culture.
This will be the ninth free exhibition Irsay has hosted, with past stops in Nashville, Tenn., Austin, Tex., Washington, DC, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Indianapolis and San Francisco.