Howard Rego is back again – with another great fundraiser for the Bermuda Society of Arts.

Following on the huge successes of his earlier shows, 'The Booze Brothers' and 'The Motown Soul Revue', the promoter and professional drummer is promising another fabulous night of nostalgia with his 1960s LIVE Rock and Roll Music Revue' in the City Hall gallery on November 20 and 21.

In fact, the event is also a continuation of Mr. Rego's 'MusicQuest', which he began at the Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society several years ago with the aim of bringing live music to the forefront of the local scene.

Of his latest musical offering the promoter says: "It is in this spirit that we are putting on a rock and roll show to highlight the music which made such an impact on so many people at the time, and is still popular today.

"We hope to recreate the optimism of that time, and not only jog people's memories, but also make new musical memories for everyone who attends. We encourage young people to come and enjoy a scene that is not far removed from their own. The musical generation gap is far smaller than it ever was, and the intensity of the music, and the excitement it still generates, rivals anything that is being produced today. You will not be disappointed."

To get everyone back onto the dance floor, and into the spirit of rock and roll, Mr. Rego reveals that he has reunited Red Alert – a band he formed in New York in the 1980s to play here at the Robin Hood.

"These musicians have been chosen because of their musical excellence, and ability to perform at the highest level possible," he said. "They are: Jimmy Keneally (bass and lead vocals), Louis Landon (piano and vocals), Michael Torres (lead guitar and lead vocals), Tim De Huff (lead guitar), and myself on drums and vocals."

Red Alert's repertoire has been chosen to include many of the classic hits. Mr. Rego says it is sure to capture the attention of the audience.

"They say that if you remember the '60s, you weren't there, but you will probably remember these songs – 'Hang on Sloopy', 'Woolly Bully', 'We Gotta Get Outta This Place', 'Sounds of Silence', 'Satisfaction', 'Twist and Shout', 'Can't Buy Me Love', 'House of the Rising Sun' and 'Love Potion No. 9' – just for starters."

By popular demand, the band will also include a tribute to The Savages by showcasing their number one hit, 'No, No, No'.

Tracing the evolution of the music of the '60s, Mr. Rego says it was "the defining decade of rock and roll – a new music for a restless generation determined to create a sound of their own".

"This decade brought the coming-of-age of the baby boomers, with their social conscience, which resulted in the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Liberation Movement, and the anti-war protests. Sentiments ran high, and turbulent times called for turbulent music, of which there was an endless flow. A creative license was issued to all who dared to come up with something different, musically or otherwise."

If the '60s marked the defining decade of rock and roll, it was the late '50s which actually gave birth to the genre which is still going strong today, Mr. Rego adds. "The soul and blues men of the Mississippi Delta region, along with a handful of white musicians, fed off each other's creative processes, and in this exchange a thing called rock and roll was born," he says.

"The rhythmic content of this new music was such that new dances were created, inspired by the beat, which is better known as 'back beat music'."

He credits the enduring success of rock and roll to such artists as Little Richard, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, "who literally built, shaped and formed this music".

"Their music captured the attention of many aspiring young talents in the region – most notably Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison – who, along with many more like them, literally set the rock and roll trail ablaze."

As the success of rock and roll impacted the musical world, and groups and vast numbers of teenagers everywhere embraced the new equipment and technology, garage bands sprang up worldwide, including Bermuda. Mr. Rego remembers them well.

"The Savages, The Gents and The Silvertones were three such bands in the mid-1960s," he says. "The most popular bands performed six nights a week at local night clubs, such as El Matador, the Ace of Clubs and the Guinea discotheque.

"They also played at the Bermudiana Beach Club, Woody's Drive Inn, the Elbow Beach for College Weeks, the US base, and numerous rock and roll parties and cruises.

"It marked the beginning of two decades of live entertainment which captured the attention of thousands of young college students, and made Bermuda a sough-after destination."

It is memories like these, and the conviction that Bermuda needs to showcase more live entertainment, which leads Mr. Rego to continue with his series of popular fundraisers at, and for, the Bermuda Society of Arts.

Showtime will be from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on November 21 and 22, with doors opening at 7 p.m. There will be a cash bar. Tickets ($50) are available on line at www.bdatix.bm or by telephoning 292-3824.

To further encourage the continuation of live music performance in Bermuda, the band members will give a rhythm section master class at the Bermuda Society of Arts on Saturday, November 21 from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. Reservations are required. Free admission for music students, for adults the fee is $10.