The Overland Park Fall Festival returns on Saturday, September 24 featuring a hometown parade, arts and crafts, a car show, food trucks, live musical performances on three stages and other events—headlining the city’s community-wide event this year is Jersey-based alternative rock band The Smithereens.
Known for its captivating ’60s-esque power pop sound and lyrics, the band has created a style all to its own. The group has collaborated with several musicians like The Kinks and Graham Parker and is incredibly well-known for its covers of such artists as The Beatles and The Who. It first came into the limelight when its original song “Blood and Roses” was included in the motion picture soundtrack of teen vigilante film “Dangerously Close” (1986). The group saw a load of success on the Mainstream Rock chart during the ’80s and had its biggest hit of the decade with “Girl Like You” (1989). Lead singer Pat DiNizio wrote the tune with the romantic comedy film “Say Anything” (1989) in mind, but decided to save it as a single for the band’s third record. The Smithereens have released 10 studio albums in total plus four live albums.
THE SMITHEREENS SINGLES IN THE 1980s
“Blood and Roses” (1986) [No. 14 Mainstream Rock]
“Behind the Wall of Sleep” (1986) [No. 23 Mainstream Rock]
“Only a Memory” (1988) [No. 92 Hot 100/No. 1 Mainstream Rock]
“House We Used to Live In” (1988) [No. 14 Mainstream Rock]
“Drown in My Own Tears” (1988) [No. 34 Mainstream Rock]
“A Girl Like You” (1989) [No. 38 Hot 100/No. 3 Modern Rock/No. 2 Mainstream Rock]
The Smithereens celebrate 30 years this year since the release of its debut album, “Especially for You” (1986) and that first big hit. Welcome in the new season with this extraordinary opportunity to catch the group in one of its phenomenally fun and entertaining live shows right here in our own backyard. Admission is FREE, band takes the stage at 3:30pm.
