What a show we had with true Chicago icons! Actually, most of them are all pretty amazing, but recently at The Arcada we put on an event I called “Rockin’ Chicago Style.” It was a true, hometown party!

For the most part, the celebs I deal with are really cool people. Especially because most of my shows involve entertainers who have been around a while. But then there are those few who still believe they are “above the law” when it comes to being nice.

Growing up an hooked on radio and music, one of those distinctive voices for me was that of B.J. Thomas. B.J. returned to The Arcada for a command performance last week and it was magical!

The Arcada Theatre has given me so many gifts. I’ve had it for 13 years, and the treasured moments I have experienced there are numerous, yet each one is as special as the one before.Being a child of the ’70s, my center of musical gravity includes Led Zeppelin, STYX, Chicago, Journey, BOSTON, KANSAS and others from that Classic Rock era. But my musical journey has led me down many paths, and those paths have all led to the historic Arcada stage.And this past weekend was a prime example.I hosted a classic “Doo Wop” show that starred Ladd Vance, The Tokens, Larry Chance & The Earls and Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon. It was nothing short of spectacular! Yes, I LOVED it! Even though I am, as many people call me, the “Rocker from The Arcada,” those pure harmonies, heartwarming ballads and fun pop tunes are as much a part of Americana as is singing the national anthem at a ballgame.I was rockin’ to those deep anthems by Alice Cooper and RUSH coming home from school, and I would watch the weekly television variety show, “Sha Na Na” at night. That show turned me on to what is now called “Doo Wop” music, referring to the “Doo Wop” sound of a cappella group background vocals singing on the East-Coast street corners in the 1950s and early ’60s. It was years later, however, that I learned those great songs weren’t originals by the guys on the TV show!I have always loved those harmonies as they represented for me a more wholesome style of music than the acid rock of the time. There is a time and a place for all music, and when I was in an “all-American” mood, there was nothin’ like the music of Dion & The Belmonts and The Duprees!What occurred on our stage last Sunday was American music at its finest. Ladd Vance, who is the son of Kenny Vance of The Planotones, can’t be more than 40 years old or so, started it off with great renditions of songs from the time, with The El Reys from Pittsburgh backing him up. It was great to see a young man keeping the music alive — and did he do his father proud!Then, Larry Chance and The Earls came onstage. To see these guys, all pressed in their matching bright blue suits and patent leather shoes, was wonderful. I could only imagine what it was like when they hopped on stage back in the day, getting the sock hops going!Larry got emotional as he introduced their hit, “I Believe.” It is a great song of hope that originally was written about the Korean War. The Earls recorded it later, but after Larry survived throat cancer in 2000, the song had a whole new meaning for him. It was an inspirational moment for everyone in the room and an incredible performance by Larry and the guys.Jay Seigel of The Tokens was next. He was in astonishingly good shape — at 80 years old! And when he hit the high notes on the smash hit, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” the whole theater was on its feet! It was great to see 12-year-olds to 70-year-olds singing the song together, word for word.One of the highlights of the night for me was meeting Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon. It was my first time working with him and what a treat it was! He was spry and funny, as excited to play The Arcada as he was at any of his record breaking 110 appearances on “American Bandstand.”“Ron! So great to finally meet you! Everyone I know talks about this place,” he said. I was humbled.He was also excited to finally meet my friend Kent Kotel, who hosts a blog called, “Forgotten Hits.” Kent had been communicating with Freddy for over 10 years via the site, but the two never met in person. Freddy wanted to meet Kent for many reasons, but one was quite a good story.

My Sunday mornings usually start early, even though I was probably out late cleaning up empty beer bottles after some rock star sold out The Arcada the night before. Sundays are a true gift. What makes this day special is a musical vibe that seems to exist on Sundays.

I have not really been an autograph hound for the countless celebs we deal with on a weekly basis over here at The Arcada. However, I’ve recently been on a quest to have specific individuals who represent America in an iconic way sign my “Americana” guitar.

In my three-plus-decade career in the entertainment biz, I have been so very fortunate to work with legends, icons and one-hit wonders. Most of them are/were from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. And as we lose so many of these stars of our childhoods every year, their memories resonate as their songs come on the radio during my long drives from venue to venue.

I have been coming to Las Vegas for so many years and watched Vegas history disappear right in front of my eyes. Those days of showrooms filled with tuxedoed crooners are all but gone. There just isn’t anything like “Old Vegas.”

As the owner of a live-music venue, Ron Onesti of the Arcada Theatre worries about technological advances that allow people to make music using computers, without employing a band or even knowing how to play an instrument.

One of the reasons we are able to secure so many of these quality acts is that we treat them as if they were coming to our home. I actually cook for many of the bands myself, a rare offering from a venue owner.