Feature: Arcada Theatre Celebrating 100 Years
The historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles celebrates its 100th anniversary on September 6 this year.
Owner Ron Onesti, who also owns the Des Plaines Theatreâwhich celebrated its 100th anniversary last year â couldnât be happier to be celebrating the venueâs history. âThe Arcada Theatre has become a nationally recognized iconic music venue, and its meaning to not only the local community, but to the rock and roll community around the country has really intensified,â Onesti explains during a recent phone interview. âIt has come to be something that has been compared to the Fillmore East and West and some of these other iconic music venues. Weâre proud to say that what we did with this theater in particular has somewhat become a pattern to be followed that has been followed by venues of its type from all over the country as well.â
Over the decades, there have been countless testimonials from the venueâs patrons and performers who have raved about the theaterâs production values and acoustics, making the live experience unforgettable. âSome of our more prominent rock and rollers love the theater for a couple of reasons,â Onesti confesses. âNumber one, our balcony is so close to the stage and has these âarms’ to it that, as Brett Michaels has said to me, âit almost feels like your whole room is hugging me when Iâm on stage.â “So thereâs an intimate feeling there. The other thing is, between both theaters, these places were built in the 1920s, so theyâre acoustically perfect before electronic acoustics were introduced. You could be anywhere in that theater and anywhere on the stage, and practically hear a whisper.â
Some upcoming shows include a diverse lineup full of dynamic full-production tribute artists and bands, heritage acts, film series, and various shows dedicated to specific communities. A variety of standout shows this month include heritage acts such as Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Bandâone of the original Beach Boysâperforming the music of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys; George Thorogood and The Destroyers; â80s rockers Quiet Riot/Vixen; and country music star Josh Turner.
Personally booking up to 600 shows a year, Onesti faces stiff competition from several other nearby venues, free concerts in the parks, and at least seven casinos within double-digit miles of the theater. âItâs a very challenging situation; weâre very aggressive with booking shows, and we base it more than anything on my personal relationship with the agents, managers, and the artists themselves. That is probably the number one element that gives me a certain leg up on some acts.â
Not only does Onesti handle the daily operations of the Arcada Theatre, but he also gets to interact with all the performers on a personal level. One of the highlights of Onestiâs job is writing his âBackstage with Ron Onestiâ column, which features his interactions on the venueâs website. The Kane County Chronicle initially reached out to Onesti several years ago to begin publishing excerpts of his artist conversations in writing, followed by postings on The Daily Herald website. âIâve been fortunate and blessed to be doing this for 40-plus years,â Onesti admits. âIâve had hands-on experiences with the artists and their crew. Iâve cooked for them many times and have gotten to be friendly enough with them where theyâll call me about personal issues. We get this personal relationship that really makes a big difference here. Iâm here most of the time during the whole day, so theyâre hanging with us, and theyâre just people, too. Some of the coolest stories involve James Brown, Kevin Costner, Frank Sinatra Jr., and Rod Stewart. Iâve had some pretty cool experiences that people love to hear about, and they love to hear the behind-the-scenes experiences.â
For the venueâs 100th anniversary on September 6, Onesti and Arcada have something spectacular planned. They will be shutting down Route 64 on Main Street in St. Charles with a massive parade led by a Charlie Chaplin classic car and several other vintage cars from the â20s and â30s. Plus, Chubby Checker will also be on hand to do the largest âThe Twistâ dance for the **Guinness Book of World Records, while Priscilla Presley will be one of the grand marshals. For information, visit arcadalive.com
–Â Kelley Simms
