Starship feat. Mickey Thomas plays free outdoor concert in Wilkes-Barre on Aug. 16
From a press release:
Today, Wilkes-Barre Mayor George C. Brown announced that, for the second consecutive year, the city will host a free summer concert on Public Square.
Multi-platinum rock band Starship featuring Mickey Thomas will perform on Friday, Aug. 16.
The all-ages show starts at 6 p.m., with Starship taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. to play their greatest hits, including “We Built This City,” “Jane,” “Sara,” “Nothing’s Going to Stop Us Now,” “Laying It on the Line,” and “Find Your Way Back.” The setlist will also include selections from Jefferson Starship and Jefferson Airplane, as a nod to both bands’ beginnings, such as “Somebody to Love.” Thomas’ own 1976 hit with blues guitarist Elvin Bishop, “Fooled Around and Fell in Love,” will be incorporated as well.
The event will include local food vendors; alcohol is not permitted. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets. For safety, Public Square will be closed to traffic during the show. For more details, see the Facebook event page.
Mickey Thomas is the owner of the soaring voice that propelled Starship through the decade of the 1980s. With his soulful and compelling vocals, he has established himself as one of rock music’s most recognizable stars.
Thomas made his mark in 1976 as lead vocalist on “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” with the Elvin Bishop Group. In 1979, he joined Jefferson Starship as the lead vocalist, after the departure of Grace Slick and Marty Balin, and recorded a string of hits, including “Jane,” “No Way Out,” “Find Your Way Back,” “Stranger,” and “Layin It on the Line.”
The group was renamed Starship in 1985 and went on to record three No. 1 hits – “We Built This City,” “Sara,” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” from the film “Mannequin,” which also was an Academy Award nominee. Their hit “It’s Not Over (‘Til It’s Over)” became Major League Baseball’s theme in 1987. Thomas’ stellar voice and video charisma on Starships video classics such as “We Built This City” and “Sara” became staples on MTV and VH1.
Last year’s free summer concert with classic rock band The Guess Who drew about 6,000 people to Public Square. Supporting sponsors this year are Downtown Wilkes-Barre, Visit Luzerne County, and The Luzerne Foundation, with assistance from the F.M. Kirby Center.
