April 8, 2014 - Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Director Al Moll was joined today by Mayor Tom Henry and corporate and media sponsors as he announced the 2014 summer concert lineup at Foellinger Outdoor Theatre: “You’ve Been Waiting…for a Summer Like This!”

The concert season, which begins May 18, will feature nationally acclaimed musicians such as Foreigner, The Guess Who, Mavis Staples, Styx and REO Speedwagon. In addition, well-loved acts like Hotel California, The Grass Roots, with The Buckinghams as co-headliners, and BritBeat will return to the stage.

“The Parks & Recreation Department is committed to bringing the highest quality performances to Foellinger Theatre,” said Director Moll. “We’re extremely grateful for the continued response and support the community gives us as we kick it up a notch each year.”

2014 Signature Concerts include:

Saturday, May 24, 8:00 p.m.
Hotel California: A Salute to the Eagles

This wildly popular and extremely talented Eagles tribute band brings their faithful and accurate renditions of the timeless songs of the Eagles back to the Theatre. The five musicians cover hits from the Eagles first in 1972, “Take it Easy,” to “Hotel California,” “Heartache Tonight,” and even the more recent releases “Get Over It” and “Love Will Keep Us Alive.” Sponsored by Fun 101.7. www.hotelcal.com

Friday, June 6, 8:00 p.m.
The Guess Who

Co-founding members Jim Kale and Garry Peterson bring this 1970s super group back to the Foellinger Theatre. You’ll rock to their mega-hits, including “These Eyes,” “No Sugar Tonight,” “Clap for the Wolfman,” “American Woman,” and the band’s entire collection of hits. Sponsored by Fun 101.7. www.theguesswho.com

Saturday, June 21, 8:00 p.m.
The Hit Men Featuring the Former Stars of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons!

These former members of mega-hit acts including Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons,Tommy James and the Shondells, The Critters, Jim Croce, Carly Simon, and more, bring a high energy performance to our stage for their inaugural visit. As soon as the hits start rolling, it will be easy to see why these guys are having the time of their lives sharing their musical legacy with audiences around the world. They’ll perform hit after hit including “Sherry,” “Let’s Hang On,” “Crocodile Rock,” “Peace Train,” and medleys from all of their famous groups. Sponsored by PBS39 WFWI TV, WGL Oldies and Whatzup. www.thehitmensite.com

Tuesday, June 24, 8:00 p.m.
REO Speedwagon

Founding member Neal Doughty and Kevin Cronin, lead singer since 1972, brings this Champaign, Ill originated band back to the Midwest. They’ll play their biggest hits “Keep on Lovin’ You,” “Time for Me to Fly,” “Roll with the Changes,” “Ridin’ the Storm Out,” and your favorites from their 40 million albums sold. REO Speedwagon is presented by Pacific Coast Concerts. Sponsored by Whatzup, Wooden Nickel Records, and Rock 104. www.reospeedwagon.com

Saturday, June 28, 8:00 p.m.
BritBeat

This Fab Four tribute act returns with an Ed Sullivan impersonator in tow to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Britbeat will take us through the Magical Mystery Tour, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Yellow Submarine.  Later in the evening, experience songs from a different era--music from their Abbey Road and Let it Be albums. Sponsored by Fun 101.7 and Whatzup. www.britbeat.com

Saturday, July 12, 8:00 p.m.
Foreigner

Bolstered by the return of founding member and primary song writer Mick Jones, Foreigner makes Foellinger Theatre a stop on their 2014 World Tour. With enduring anthems like “Juke Box Hero,” “Hot Blooded,” and “I Want to Know What Love Is,” Foreigner continues to be one of the most popular rock acts in the world. They bring 30 years of rock and roll majesty, along with ten multi-platinum albums, and 16 top 30 hits. We’d have to be “cold as ice” not to be anticipating a concert like this. Sponsored by Sweetwater Sound and Fun 101.7.  www.foreigneronline.com

Saturday, August 2, 8:00 p.m.
American Pop Featuring The Grass Roots and The Buckinghams

The Grass Roots have thrilled audiences before at the Foellinger Theatre. This time they arrive with The Buckinghams as co-headliners. 

The Buckinghams, hailing from the north side of Chicago and fronted by original members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna, will start the evening with their hits “Hey Baby (They’re Playing Our Song),” “Susan, Don’t You Care,” and their number one smash hit “Kind of a Drag.” Billboard Magazine dubbed the Buckinghams “the most listened to band in America.”

The Grass Roots will be playing their biggest hits “Temptation Eyes,” “Live for Today,” “Where Were You When I Needed You,” along with the rest of their 14 top 40 billboard hits, and many more. The Grass Roots have sold over 20 million records worldwide, and were on the Billboard charts for a record breaking 307 straight weeks. Sponsored by WGL Oldies. www.the-grassroots.com and www.thebuckinghams.com

Saturday, August 16, 8:00 p.m.
Styx

Tommy Shaw, James ‘JY’ Young, and Lawrence Gowan will be leading this Chicago founded band through “Renegade,” “Come Sail Away,” “Too Much Time on My Hands,” “Babe,” “Fooling Yourself” and many more of their hits from soaring power ballads to big rockers. Styx became the arena rock band prototype by the late ‘70s. Drummer Todd Sucherman, bass player Ricky Phillips, with occasional appearances by founding member Chuck Panozzo, complete the band’s current line-up. Styx is presented by Pacific Coast Concerts. Sponsored by Whatzup, Wooden Nickel Records, and Rock 104. https://www.styxworld.com

Saturday, August 23, 8:00 p.m.
Mavis Staples

From the delta-inflected gospel sound she helped create in the 1950s as a member of The Staples Singers, to the engaged protest of the civil rights era, and then, amazingly, on pop radio in the Stax era with a series of soul anthems like “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself,” Mavis carried on. On her second album collaboration with Jeff Tweedy from Wilco, Staples continues her five-decade long career ascent that should by now surprise no one. Sponsored by PBS39 WFWI and 89.1 WBOI NPR News and Diverse Music. www.mavisstaples.com

Saturday, September 27, 8:00 p.m.
Los Lobos

More than three decades have passed since Los Lobos released their debut album “Just Another Band from East L.A.” Since then, they’ve repeatedly disproven that title with three Grammys and hits like “La Bamba,” “Come On, Let’s Go,” and “Will the Wolf Survive?” This Rock/Tex-Mex/Country/Folk/R & B/Blues group still jams with the same raw intensity they had when they began in that East L.A. garage in 1973. Sponsored by Rock 104 and WANE TV. www.loslobos.com

Foellinger Theatre has eight free, family-friendly movies on the schedule that will start at 9 pm. The Nut Job will kick off the movie season on Wednesday, June 15. We will also feature Frozen, Monsters University, Saving Mr. Banks, Mary Poppins, The Lego Movie, Despicable Me 2 and The Wizard of Oz. Free movies are sponsored by 97.3 WMEE.

The 2014 Foellinger Theatre Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Lincoln Financial Foundation, Sweetwater Sound and MedPartners. Media sponsors are: Fun101.7 Classic Hits, 89.1 WBOI NPR News and Diverse Music, WGL Oldies, PBS 39 WFWA-TV and Whatzup.