BRINGING BACK THE BIG BAND

The big band sounds of the 1940s and '50s will come alive again beginning in February at the River City Yacht Club at Port Cape Girardeau.

It's an effort to give people the opportunity to dance to songs of that era, and to offer a type of entertainment not easily found in Southeast Missouri, said Dennis ("Doc") Cain, owner of the restaurant.

"When we opened the River City Yacht Club we wanted to be a variety club," Cain said. "So far we have accomplished that with some dinner shows and various other types of musical entertainment."

The big band dinner theater begins Feb. 17, and is tentatively scheduled for the second Sunday of each month, Cain said.

"We'll feature some of the best bands from the St. Louis and Cape Girardeau area," he said. "I think it's a wonderful era of music and I think our room lends itself to that."

Jerry Ford and His Nine-Piece Orchestra, featuring the vocals of Pat Blackwell, will be at the Yacht Club for the first show. The band plays music of the swing era and big band sounds of the 1940s, said Cain.

The Jake Stallcup orchestra is also scheduled as one of the featured bands, though no definite date has been set, Cain said.

The cover charge for the dinner theater is $16.95 per person, which includes an all-you-can-eat buffet of heavy hordorevs, he said. Reservations are advised. The night begins at 6 p.m., but Cain said people are welcome anytime. The evening concludes at 10 p.m., he said.

"They can just come and dance for a couple hours if they want," he said.

Cain said he expects people of all ages to be attracted to spending an evening listening to the big band sounds. He said this type of entertainment, specifically dancing to the big band sounds, isn't offered elsewhere in the Cape Girardeau area.

"We have been thinking about this for quite some time and have always had it in our long-range plan," he said. "As with everything it just takes time."

Also in February at the Yacht Club will be Spotlight Tonight!, a musical review featuring contemporary Top 40 tunes to 1940s jazz, rock 'n' roll from the '50s and early '60s, and country music from classics to modern. The groups often ends with gospel music.

The five-member group will perform every Friday and Saturday night. The group, directed by Mike Dumey of Cape Girardeau, played at the Yacht Club when it first opened in June.

For reservations for any of the shows, call Port Cape Girardeau at 334-0954.