Tag: Chicago

REBELMANN® Chicago’s Rock‘n Roll‘n Mann-iacs

rebelmann registered logo 495rm

REBELMANN® is exactly what the trademarked name implies:  REBEL – MANN. The teen rock band sensation from Chicago consists of siblings Clayton Mann, and his twin brothers, Johnathon and Bryce Mann. Music is obviously what they do.  Schooled in the arts from a very early age; the Mann brothers have combined training on piano, viola, cello, bass guitar, guitar, and drums.  All three brothers played in their school’s orchestra, and remain schooled in music today. It is with this desire to play “real” music, that the Mann brothers chose the name of their band – REBELMANN® . The name “REBEL” because they play “real” music, no computers, no backing tracks, just live music; and “MANN,” well because that is obvious.  In addition to their band name, all 3 brothers helped design their trademarked crossed-guitar logo.  With the clashing lefty and righty guitars, the broken strings represent the brother’s hard-hitting sound of rock ‘n roll.  Johnathon added the ‘electrical sparks’ around the guitars, Clayton the barbed wire, and Bryce the wings as a nod to the history of rock ‘n roll.

REBELMANN
(REBELMANN) is: Clayton , Johnathon & Bryce Mann

The Mann’s are serious about music. Their resume validates it: The famed Whisky-a-Go-Go on the Hollywood Sunset Strip, not once, but twice; called back by Whisky management to open for LA Guns New Year’s Eve. That was when Clayton was just 12 years old. Second place – on a coin toss – at the Chicago Hard Rock Battle of the Bands; a 3 AM encore decided that one! (Yes, 3 AM, at just 13 and 16 years old.) Nashville has been played, Dallas too; not to mention the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Currently, REBELMANN® is a touring artist on the anti-bullying Teen Nation Tour, set to rock NASCAR’s Charlotte Motor Speedway this October. They simply call it, “on the grind.” 

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And then there’s Gene Simmons, the iconic bassist and founder of the megaband, KISS.   Would you ever believe a headline to read like this?

“Gene Simmons Blown Away By 13-Year-Old Guitarist”

Yes, Clayton Mann pulled that one off too!

It’s all good with Mr. Simmons. REBELMANN® attended the Rock Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas where they met the iconic bassist, along with former KISS guitarist, Bruce Kulick, who now mentors the young band of brothers.

THE BOYS

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Tommy Batchelor’s Final Performance as “Billy Elliot”

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Tommy Batchelor

Tommy Batchelor‘s last performance as Billy Elliot on the Oriental Stage in Chicago was on 10/10/10. For me, this day will long be remembered as one of the most memorable occasions in my blogging career. While I had often wanted to go to New York to see this musical, it seems that every time I made those plans something prevented me from making the trip.  When it was announced about a year ago that the musical would be coming to Chicago, I was ecstatic, because that location was much closer for me to attend.  When I discovered that Tommy’s last performance would be on October 10th , I rushed to my computer and secured a ticket.

Tommy Batchelor, now 15, is one of the original four Billys to have played the role on the Imperial Theatre stage in New York.  Because I knew that I would be guaranteed to see one of the best (and actually the last of the four original US boys to play in that role), I was very excited to attend that particular show!

Oriental approachAs I arrived in the Windy City, excitement began to grow as I knew the theatre in Chicago was nearly twice the size of the Imperial in NYC.  Having seen “Oliver!” in Grand Rapids years earlier, I knew that this was going to be a real experience.

When I approached the theatre, it finally became a reality for me.  I was going to see Billy Elliot, a true Broadway production and one that has received nothing but positive reviews from the whole of the entertainment industry. Continue reading “Tommy Batchelor’s Final Performance as “Billy Elliot””