Two local businessmen, Vince Chiarelli and Peter Provenzano, share a vision to bring more live entertainment to downtown Rockford and the surrounding area. Chiarelli, a local musician and owner of Vincent Records, and Provenzano, owner of SupplyCore Inc. and chairman of the Rock River Development Partnership, hope to help stimulate the local music scene and economy by bringing exciting and unique concerts to the Rockford area. The two share the feeling that the local community strives for more mid-size and large national touring musical acts.

John Waite

Acting on that feeling, the two have partnered their production companies, Vincent Records & The Times Productions, to produce a music series. Their first show on January 23 will feature John Waite, of The Baby’s and Bad English, who will perform his first-ever duo acoustic show in Rockford at the Nordlof Center located at 118 N Main St. This will be a one-of-a-kind acoustic performance, in an intimate venue where there isn’t a bad seat in the house. 

Waite was a fixture of album-oriented rock radio stations during the 70s and 80s. He had a talent for power ballads and driving arena rock, occasionally touching on new wave-styled power pop as well, helping him achieve international success and create a legacy of songs which are still played on the radio today.

Waite’s catalogue of hits features some of the most loved songs of the 80s and 90s – including the #1 global hit, “Missing You,” The Baby’s “Isn't It Time,” and Bad English’s “When I See You Smile.” These songs rank amongst some of his biggest international hits and are still heard on the radio today. Some of his other hits include “Tears,” “Change,” and “These Times Are Hard For Lovers.”

Tickets for Waite’s performance are available at www.VincentRecords.com or by calling (815) 200-9567. The show will be located at the Nordlof Center located at 118 N Main St. Rockford, IL. The show time is 7:30 PM, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. 

Purple Madness

Vincent Records and The Times Productions have also partnered to produce the upcoming Purple Madness: The Ultimate Prince Tribute concert at the Coronado Performing Arts Center on February 9. Chiarelli and Provenzano hope to bring even more nationally touring acts to the area, while utilizing existing performance spaces.

For more information about the Purple Madness: Ultimate Prince Tribute, visit www.CoronadoPAC.org.

Purple Madness