Franklin Park Band

We concluded our summer season with two sold-out shows at Marquette's historic Lake Superior Theater in beautiful Marquette, MI.  Our final show there had an amped-up crowd who sang along with so many of our great 60s music songs.  The crowd's energy brought energy to the band and was great fun for all of us there.  We love playing for Marquette's knowledgeable and fun music fans.  Thank you for that standing ovation after we played the “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End” medley from “Abbey Road”.

A new highlight of our Set 2 was adding the Vanilla Fudge version of “You Keep Me Hangin' On”.  If you like that song, check out the Vanilla Fudge Ed Sullivan Show version on YouTube, from 1968.  It's spectacular and fortunately, Franklin Park does it well too!  

In each of our 6 years of shows in Marquette, we have stayed at an Airbnb called Hewitt Onion House (or Manor).  Great historic home built in the late 19th century.  With a modern kitchen and with so many of us including our spouses, we cook dinner there several nights and enjoy the two dining rooms, the charming front porch and the modern deck and grill behind.  It's a great place to stay in the Upper Peninsula's queen city.

On a perfect weather evening, we had the honor and joy of being on the stage of the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park beautiful amphitheater for an 8th time.  The huge crowd of nearly 2,000 danced and cheered all through the show.  Thank you!

And Meijer Gardens' Ted Bufkin told the crowd “you broke the parking lot” since the Gardens had to open the “emergency parking” area for the large crowd.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support these 8 years!

As high school classmates, we are all reach the same age every year. In celebration of all 6 of us reaching 75 (!) this year, we named our brief “tour” this year Heaven Can Wait 2026.  Bandmate John did a great job designing and sponsoring the new 2026 FP shirt, pictured below.  

Please join us in Grand Rapids or Marquette for a happy reminder that heaven, indeed, can wait while you and we rock on with the great music of the 60s.

It's been several years (too long!) since we played in our hometown of Holland as part of its summer concert series at beautiful Kollen Park on Lake Macatawa.  Thanks to FP's lead guitarist John A, who still lives in Holland, we have a commitment for a Franklin Park 60s music show next summer, on Friday, June 18, 2027.  We will confirm this show and put it on the “Shows” page in early 2027.  

But if you're already planning Summer 2027 (who isn't?) please put June 18 on your calendar!

Thank you, Marquette 60s music fans, for your now long-running and enthusiastic support!  Our two shows at historic Lake Superior Theater in August sold out again this year, this time in only 4 days.  When we first played Marquette at LST in 2021, we never imagined that we would could later add a second show and that both would sell out so fast.  We are all looking forward to our 6th (!) trip to the UP's queen city for great scenery, great hiking, great food, great beer and great music and your great support.

As a summer-only band, after the long Fall and Winter pause, it's great to get together again each Spring.  For the tenth year in a row, Franklin Park will gather for several days on the shores of Big Whitefish Lake, Pierson, MI for what we call “band camp”.  With no shows immediately after, it's a great time for blowing the rust off last year's set list and practicing 60s songs that are “new” to us for this year's set list.  Some fun golf and boating are also likely.

If you're in the area, our rehearsal days are May 27-28.  Feel free to stop by, say hi, and listen for a while!

Loaded in, all set up, ready for Gardens sound check and ….Gardens show cancelled!

Meijer Gardens staff made the right call.  Later weather radar shows what came through Grand Rapids. Disappointment for all.   Safety for all.  Safety wins.  Special thanks to the early arriving fans who said hi before we all evacuated the Gardens amphitheater.

See you next year!

Please join Franklin Park for our 5th annual trip to the UP's great city of Marquette (with Blackrocks and Oredocks breweries and The Honorable Distillery, under the Nordic marquee) and for our two great 60s music shows at the historic Lake Superior Theater on Marquette Harbor.  Great beer, drinks, food and music, in the UP's queen city.  And if all that isn't enough, stay the weekend for Marquette's fun HarborFest.

If it's summer it's time for great concerts at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.  Franklin Park is very honored to be asked to again play the great music of the 60s in the Gardens' beautiful amphitheater this coming summer.  Our 7th Tuesday Evening Music Club show is scheduled for August 12, 2025 at 700pm.  It's a ticketed event, free to Gardens members.   

After two very fun sold-out shows (with unfilled waiting lists) at historic Lake Superior Theater, on Marquette's Lower Harbor, Franklin Park concluded its 2024 summer schedule with a special performance for the Marquette Graveraet High School Class of 1964 Reunion.  Three shows in 5 days was “a lot” for the 6 “old guys” in the band, but the enthusiasm of the slightly older reunion attendees got us through, with lots of fun for all.  Marquette is a great town, with great (and knowledgeable) music fans.  We hope to get an opportunity to return next year.