Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Farewell season is in full swing and few are as hotly anticipated as Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, whose legendary front man is now 90, but is nonetheless wholeheartedly committed to “The Last Encores.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, his latest backing quartet, a large band and local horn section filled much of Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana, who yet again added a vitally important page to its annals in the form of easily the most enduring doo-wop and early rock and roll act.

Of course, much of the reason for the act’s resurgence is the regularly running Broadway blockbuster “Jersey Boys,” though there was no better way to encounter well over six decades of timeless tunes than from the original singer himself, who performed admirably considering his age, in addition to serving as a warm and witty master of ceremonies, although the sterling supporting cast seemed to provide significant supplementation.

Either way, the hit list was absolutely undeniable, starting with Valli and company making sure the showroom inside the casino knew “Grease” was still the word, followed by the golden harmonies of “Dawn (Go Away),” “Save It For Me” and “Beggin’,” which fellow Italian rockers Måneskin revived.

As a result of former member, songwriter, producer and current studio collaborator Bob Gaudio, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons always had a wall of sound on the recordings and that spirit continued to be replicated throughout the solos “Swearin’ To God” and “My Eyes Adored You,” plus the group’s “Working My Way Back To You.”

Everyone’s tone turned towards the soulful side of Ben E. King’s “Spanish Harlem,” The Temptations’ “My Girl” and The Rascals’ “Groovin’” on the way to the disco delights “Who Loves You” and “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night).”

Soon Valli switched to the beautifully orchestrated balled “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” later covered by R&B icon Lauryn Hill, while each of The Four Seasons lent their skills and slickly choreographed steps to “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like A Man” and “Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye).”

However, it was far from the end of the 90-minute night thanks to “Rag Doll” and “Let’s Hang On!,” after which Valli presumably left the Hard Rock for the final time, but with an unparalleled legacy that will never be forgotten.

For additional information on Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons, visit FrankieValliFourSeasons.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana include George Wallace, J. Anthony Brown, Michael Colyar, Ted Carpenter and Uncle Rail (Mar. 29); Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys (Apr. 5); Tyler Henry (Apr. 6); Walker Hayes (Apr. 19); Hollywood Undead and Tech N9ne (May 1); Marilyn Manson (May 3); George Lopez (May 16); Chippendales (May 17); Whiskey Myers (Jun. 14); Kevin Hart (Jun. 15); Wynonna Judd (Jul. 26); Travis Tritt (Aug. 16); Wanda Sykes (Sept. 6) and Sting (Nov. 23). For additional details, visit HardRockCasinoNorthernIndiana.com.

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