‘Legends’ comes alive at New Frontier

Joe Delaney

Friday, Nov. 30, 2001 | 9:44 a.m.

"Rock 'n' Roll Legends" at the New Frontier is quality, low-priced entertainment. It is a no-frills show with good lighting and sound production and talented youngsters duplicating Roy Orbison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Neil Diamond and Elvis Presley, using their own voices against a rerecorded sound track.

Johnny Edwards opens the show as Orbison and scores nicely with "Only the Lonely," "Mean Woman Blues" and "Pretty Woman." This is followed by Shaun Friedrichs as Lennon and Frank Mendonca III as McCartney with a Beatles medley that seems overlong compared to what preceded it.

"Hard Day's Night," "Back in the U.S.S.R.," "Penny Lane," a standout, "Come Together," "Revolution," and "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude" as a medley is followed by Friedrichs' exit and a solo by Mendonca with a hit from McCartney's band Wings -- "Jet."

An offstage voice introduces each of the replications. Candi James as Nicks, originally with Fleetwood Mac, sings "Dreams." Rick Pierce was up next as Diamond singing "Cherry Cherry," "Sweet Caroline," "Love on the Rocks" and "America," the best-received effort next to Edwards' Orbison opener and Presley closer.

Friedrichs returns, seated at an electric piano, for "Imagine," a nice change of pace preceding the classic Presley "2001" overture, and Edwards' entrance with "C.C. Rider," followed by "Burning Love," "Love Me," complete with giveaway scarves and audience interaction, then "Suspicious Minds," "Teddy Bear" and "Don't Be Cruel" as a medley and "My Way."

All five performers came out for bows and a well-deserved response from a goodly house. This production started with a 4 p.m. slot. The response at that hour was good enough to recently add a 7 p.m. show, giving the New Frontier's showroom five shows a day, including the recently returned "Thunder From Down Under."