A Wop Bop a Loo Bop - Little Richard at the Birchmere Monday

Yes, Little Richard, one of 'the' original founders of rock 'n' roll will be playing the Birchmere in Alexandria tonight, Monday, October 19. There aren't many left from those golden early days of rock 'n' roll: Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, and Little Richard are about it. And it's getting harder and harder to catch a glimpse of these remaining rock pioneers - soon they will have all disappeared. At 76-years-old, Little Richard may not give you too many more chances to catch him in concert, but for now he stills plays a number of shows a year and, based on the reviews I've read recently, he's still giving the audience a great show.


Fifty-four years after he first started recording, it's hard to understand just how original and outrageous Richard was in 1955. With his hair piled high and his makeup, Little Richard gave kids a peek into a crazy, flamboyant world that wouldn't reach its peak until the glam years in the 1970s. His world was so crazy, that after just a few years of hit singles, incessant touring, and wild parties, in 1957, at the top of his fame, he announced he was retiring from rock 'n' roll and enrolled in a Bible college. That phase didn't last too long and he eventually returned to the stage, playing shows in England with young bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as his openers. But that's all ancient history now - Little Richard lives on through his music and his wonderfully over-the-top interviews and performances in films. Check him out in the "Jimi Hendrix" documentary to see him at his most flamboyant! 


Birchmere Schedule Here