Frankie Moreno and the BSO Pops bring a touch of Vegas magic to Baltimore
The energetic Moreno will perform a mix of originals and standards with the orchestra
Frankie Moreno isn’t your typical Vegas headliner. Not content with playing the expected variety of pop standards, the energetic 40-year-old brings a fair share of originals to the mix.
“I grew up being a songwriter, so playing other peoples’ music was always strange to me,” says Moreno, a three-time Vegas Headliner of the Year winner. “I’m not gonna sing an Elvis song better than Elvis Presley did or Bobby Darin song better than Bobby Darin, so why try? Why not do my own?”
Still, Moreno, who has had his own PBS special and has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, recognizes that audiences want to hear a smattering of hits. So, when he performs with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra next weekend, he’ll trot out a few crowd pleasers, including “Roll Over, Beethoven,” “Stand By Me,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and “Eleanor Rigby,” which he originally recorded with his friend, virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell.
Don’t expect Moreno to get on a political soapbox between numbers. “When you’re paying to see my show, you don’t need to hear my opinions,” he says. “You don’t need to hear my thoughts on Donald Trump or the Pope or even food choices. My job is to make you forget all your problems.”
Aiding him in that quest will be his 10-piece show band, giving the evening extra zing. “It’s a big, powerful sound,” he says. “When the band and the orchestra are focused and playing together, there’s nothing really better musically.”
And expect the show — “Vegas Nights” — to live up to its name. “We’re Vegas, so we definitely dress Vegas,” he says. “Everyone’s sparkly.”
“Vegas Nights with Frankie Moreno” is Thursday, April 12, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. Also Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 15, at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore. Tickets are $35 to $99. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.
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