TAYLOR SUMMER FESTIVAL: Tickets on sale now for concert featuring The Romantics and Sponge

Legendary Detroit rock group THE ROMANTICS, along with special guest SPONGE, will headline the concert offerings at the 2015 Taylor Summer Festival. 

The four-day festival runs June 25-28 and includes the MASCO Taylor Summer Festival Fireworks Display (free 10 p.m. Saturday, June 27), carnivals, vendors, a family fun zone and much more!

The Romantics and Sponge will take the stage in the Sheridan Open Air Pavilion inside Heritage Park on Friday, June 26. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with an opening act at 6 and Sponge taking the stage at 8 and The Romantics at 9:30. Heritage Park is located at the corner of North Line and Pardee roads in Taylor, west of I-75 and east of Telegraph Road.

The concert will offer a limited amount of VIP seating, where individual tickets will be $30 (advance only) and include the concert, drink tickets and free food. There will be a general admission (standing only) area located behind the VIP seating for $5 per person in advance, $10 at the door. 

Concert tickets are on sale at the Taylor Recreation Center, 22805 Goddard Road, Taylor, MI, 48180 and online through Brown Paper Tickets (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/). The recreation center is open 6 a.m. until noon and 4:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

The Romantics started in 1977, adopting the name because they formed on Valentine's Day. They achieved popularity during the first half of the 1980s on the strength of the band's songs and music videos. The group's record debut was the 1978 single, "Little White Lies" / "I Can't Tell You Anything,” followed that year by the single "Tell It to Carrie" / "First in Line.” All of these were re-recorded later for the first LP, and that album yielded the hit "What I Like About You," which reached No. 49 in the U.S., No. 12 in the Netherlands and No. 2 in Australia, where the band was especially popular.

The Romantics achieved their greatest commercial success in 1983-84 with the release of the album In Heat, which was awarded a gold album in the United States for selling over 500,000 copies. The first single taken from In Heat, "Talking In Your Sleep," rose to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and hit No. 1 on the Hot Dance Club Play and Album Rock Tracks charts.

The Romantics' original lineup consisted of lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and harmonicist Wally Palmar; lead guitarist and backup vocalist Mike Skill; bassist and backup vocalist Rich Cole; and drummer and lead vocalist/drummer Jimmy Marinos. Palmar and Skill were considered the band's primary tunesmiths. Palmar, Skill and Cole remain with the group today, and have been joined by Brad Elvis.

In addition to being a staple on classic and contemporary rock radio, television commercials and movies, Sirius/XM Satellite radio has also embraced The Romantics. Their songs can be heard on a number of stations including Little Steven’s Underground Garage.

Formed in 1991, Sponge has proven to be one of the Motor City's heaviest hitters after gaining international notoriety with their debut album "Rotting Piñata,” with hits like "Plowed" and "Molly (16 Candles)." The band found itself receiving airplay on radio stations from coast to coast and in the MTV rotation. Both “Plowed” and “Molly” hit No. 5 on Billboard’s Modern Rock Charts, catapulting “Rotting Piñata” to Gold and ultimately Platinum status.

Sponge's follow up CD, the critically lauded “Wax Ecstatic,” scored additional Top 10 Billboard hits including "Wax Ecstatic" and "Have You Seen Mary?"  The band’s music was also featured in popular movies “The Craft,” “Chasing Amy,” “Mall Rats” and “Empire Records.”  Sponge’s star rose with network appearances on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and the “Conan O’Brien Show.”

Sponge’s subsequent releases “New Pop Sunday,” “For All The Drugs in The World,” “The Man,” “Galore Galore,” and “Destroy the Boy,” showcased the band’s swirling sonic attack, rooted in 70's glam and of course, the Motor City influences of The Stooges, The MC5 and Motown – but still sounding distinctly like no one else.

“Plowed” continues to be the band’s signature rock track, having been spotlighted on Guitar Hero’s “Warriors of Rock – 90’s Rock Track Pack” – and on the Paper Jamz Guitar Series 2, in addition to the soundtrack for the Gerard Butler surf movie “Chasing Mavericks.”

Having shared stages the world over with Guns N’ Roses, Nickelback, Iggy Pop, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Kiss, Sponge continues to be one of rock’s most sought after live acts and the combination of The Romantics and Sponge should have Taylor rocking on June 26.

Find updates on the 2015 Taylor Summer Festival on the following locations online:

www.cityoftaylor.com

www.taylorfestival.com (currently being revised)

www.facebook.com/taylorsummerfestival

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2015 Taylor Summer Festival Highlights

Heritage Park, Taylor, MI

Thursday, June 25

(Hours 4-11 p.m.)

• Carnival opens

Friday, June 26

(Hours 11 a.m.-11 p.m.)

• Carnival continues daylong

• Vendors open daylong

• Beer vendors open daylong

• Family Fun Area and Moonwalks (noon-5 p.m.)

• The Romantics and Sponge concert (gates open at 5 p.m.; opening act at 6; Sponge on stage at 8; The Romantics on stage at 9:30. Tickets $30 VIP, $5 GA standing room advance, $10 GA at the door)

Saturday, June 27

(Hours 11 a.m.-11 p.m.)

• Carnival continues daylong

• Vendors open daylong

• Beer vendors open daylong

• Family Fun Area and Moonwalks (noon- 5 p.m.)

• Local bands on stage inside the pavilion (evening / free admission)

• Masco Fireworks Display (10 p.m. – free)

Sunday, June 28

(Hours 11 a.m.-5 p.m.)

• Carnival continues daylong

Parking: Vehicle parking will be available both inside and outside of Heritage Park for $5. Official festival parking will be located at the southern end of the park (Northline Road entrance); First Albanian "Teqe Bektashiane" field (Northline Road and Racho, just outside the south entrance); and at the Wayne County Community College-Taylor Campus (outside the eastern most end of the park). Other private paid parking will be available in the surrounding areas.

One-side parking will be posted on the following city streets during the festival: Brest, Clinton, W. Keyes, Moran, Klebba, Phyllis, Livingston, Ernst, Ran, Birch, Morley, Maplelawn, Goldenridge, Lincoln, McKinley, Beechwood, Katherine, Dudley, William, Baraga and Mortenview Violators will be ticketed and towed.

Please Note: Pardee Road will be closed between Northline and Goddard at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 27 (fireworks night). All side streets feeding Pardee will also be closed in that location. Only residential traffic will be allowed through the barricades, and drivers will have to show proof of residency.