Photos by Andy Argyrakis

If the walls inside the Arcada Theatre could talk, they would surely have at least a million stories to tell throughout 100 years of history, especially since it was meticulously restored by Ron Onesti in 2005 and run by Onesti Entertainment.

In honor of the once-in-a-generation anniversary, the President and CEO, who took the venue from a local St. Charles performance space to an international touring destination, kicked off the celebration day with an enormous Centennial Parade down Main Street.

Joining Onesti were several celebrity friends, including Grand Marshall Priscilla Presley, Chubby Checker leading “the largest ‘Twist’ dance” of what was reported to be around 12,000 strong, plus groundbreaking hard rock brothers Carmine and Vinny Appice each warmly greeting the American flag-waving community while riding down the road.

There was even a faithful re-creation of the parade scene straight out of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” for its 40th birthday, specifically the “Shout” scream-a-long, since after all, the blockbuster movie was filmed right here in Illinois.

From there, the stars and fans moved inside to the actual Arcada for an exclusive Onesti-moderated conversation entitled “The History Of Rock N’ Roll,” followed by an Arcada Legacy Award presentation, featuring Presley, an iconic actress in her own right thanks to “The Naked Gun” and “Dallas,” giving an all-access glimpse into the one and only Elvis Presley, such as a hilarious story when the somewhat starstruck Beatles came to visit “The King.”

Checker spoke of how the dance floor’s entire evolution could not only be traced to “The Twist,” but also “The Pony,” “The Fly,” “The Shake,” “The Hucklebuck,” while warmly recalling a friendship with Dick Clark and his wife, appearing on “American Bandstand” and the sensational package tours of rock’s earliest era.

Representing the harder side of the dial, Carmine Appice, drummer for Led Zeppelin inspirations Vanilla Fudge and Cactus, alongside fellow beat keeper Vinny Appice of Black Sabbath and Dio fame, spoke fondly of working with their respective bands, Rod Stewart, Ozzy Osbourne and John Lennon, the latter having never returned their Italian mother’s lasagna pan.

On top of those advertised, surprises abounded, including radio personal Mancow Muller, Mayor Clint Hull and a multitude of venue VIPs, suggesting there’s no telling exactly who might show up on any given night at the Arcada, all while raising a toast to at least a century’s worth of legends that have thus far graced its storied stage.

For additional information on Priscilla Presley, Chubby Checker, Carmine Appice and Vinny Appice, visit PriscillaPresley.com, ChubbyChecker.com, CarmineAppice.com and VinnyAppice.com.

Upcoming concerts at the Arcada Theatre include Tormé Sings Tormé (Sept. 13); Kamelot (Sept. 17); Air Supply (Sept. 18); Live And Let Die (Sept. 19); Justin Hayward (Sept. 20); Mr. Speed (Sept. 24); Hammerfall (Sept. 25); “I’m Not A Comedian…I’m Lenny Bruce” (Sept. 27); Michael Lives Forever (Sept. 30); Tennessee Whiskey and Ultimate Eric Church Experience (Oct. 1); Pure Prairie League and Pablo Cruise (Oct. 2); Tommy James & The Shondells (Oct. 3); Leonid & Friends (Oct. 4); Ikons Of Rock (Oct. 8); W.A.S.P. (Oct. 10-11); Big Head Todd & The Monsters (Oct. 13); Robin Trower (Oct. 14); The Musical Box (Oct. 16); Y&T (Oct. 17); Mushroomhead and Fear Factory (Oct. 23); Winger and Orianthi (Oct. 24); The Stylistics (Oct. 25); Angel (Oct. 30) and Feels Like The First Time (Oct. 31). For additional details, visit ArcadaLive.com.

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