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By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson
May 9, 2017 (El Cajon) -- It’s going to be hard to stay still in those Sycuan Casino concert seats with the hit band Loverboy pumping out the bass, the vocals, and the memories at their concerts this weekend! “Turn Me Loose” or turn you loose, with flickering lights and almost karaoke night for all those who know every word of their songs.
The Canadian rock band Loverboy’s lead singer, Mike Reno, has a meme about him that asks, “What would Mike Reno do?” Reno will appear at the Sycuan Casino with the band in concert on Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13th. Workers who are “Working for the Weekend” might want to include his concerts in their weekends.
What else might Reno do? Who might he toy with? Known for wearing bandanas on stage, Reno, in a phone interview when asked, speculated that he would change out his bandanas to flags ---American, Mexican, and Canadian. Time will tell if he switches up his bandanas, which are his trademark apparel.
When asked what he wants to accomplish before he dies, Reno quipped, “I want to win a PGA tournament.” Get an Augusta’s Masters’ green jacket ready for him.
Loverboy was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2009. Reno has memories about the ceremony and the stage that had surreal, multi-colored leaves “We felt like we were in a dream---very colorful and very wacky,” he says, adding, “I thanked my parents for being very supportive (Stephen and Patricia) and thanked my family.” He also thanked fans and other music professionals.
Loverboy broke out onto the music scene big time in the 1980’s with songs like “Working for the Weekend” and “Turn me Loose.’ They went multi-platinum in record sales and become household names internationally. They have also won Juno awards, Canada’s highest honor for music.
The band currently consists of Mike (Rynoski) Reno, Paul Dean, Doug Johnson, Matt Frenette, and Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve. (Former member Scott Smith has passed away.)
Many remember the Saturday Night Live skit with Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley doing a Chippendale audition to the Loverboy song “Working for the Weekend.” Reno described when the skit came on the TV, “I was in my hotel room, and I look, and it starts. I loved it.”
“Working for the Weekend” made it in to the 2001 Zoolander movie. Reno has also collaborated with Ann Wilson of Heart fame with “Almost Paradise” that was in the Footloose soundtrack. Loverboy’s song “Heaven in your Eyes” made it into the movie Top Gun.
In 2016, the band appeared in a commercial for National Car Rental. In 2012, a commercial for Mr. Lube featured their “Turn Me Loose” song. In 2013 comedian Will Ferrell performed “Working for the Weekend” on Conan. Those are just a few sightings of the band and their music.
They met Princess Diana, toured with KISS among many other groups, recorded a theme for the 1984 summer Olympics, and their list or accomplishments goes on and on.
While many think they played at high school proms, they did not. “We played zero” said Reno. But their songs were so widely played that they are remembered as part of the whole experience from people’s proms.
Their most recent album “Unfinished Business” is their ninth studio album and was released in July of 2014.
They will be touring in the USA and Canada all year with an appearance in the U.K. in October.
What would Mike Reno want on his tombstone?
“He lived life to the fullest and loved life. He rocked hard and loved hard,” Reno affirmed.
He promised, “We do autographs!” So bring your sharpies to Loverboy’s concerts at Sycuan Casino this Friday, May 12th, and Saturday, May 13th.
For more information visit: www.sycuan.com/.
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