The LFO Story
Date: Friday, September 8, 2023
Location: Roar Comedy Club, Springfield MGM Hall
The LFO story is a special concert where the group’s sole surviving member, Brad Fischetti honors and celebrates the lives of his late bandmates, Brian Gillis, Rich Cronin and Devin Lima.
Normally, I see LFO as part of the Pop2000 lineup with O-Town, Chris Kirkpatrick and Ryan Cabrera. This was my first full LFO solo show.
The concert took place in the city of Springfield, approximately two hours west of Boston
Birthday Pizza Party
Prior to the concert, Brad hosted a Pizza Party with some VIP fans and his bandmates at Red Rose Pizzeria, a restaurant next to the concert venue.
The Pizza Party became extra special because the day also happened to be Brad’s birthday. Two fans brought cakes (one chocolate and one ice cream). And we sang Happy Birthday to Brad.
During the party, Brad definitely lets his guard down. Even though we were a large group with one long table at the restaurant, Brad makes sure he meets and talks with everybody. I appreciated the extended time with him.
The Music Band
Brad’s music band consisted of his friends from Florida who all happen to be active in their church choirs/band. I will say these guys are very friendly and genuine who share great camaraderie and support one another. The band consist of Craig Wilson (keys), Floyd McCollum (drums) , Wayne Carter (bass), Alan Binau (guitar) and Mika Thompson (guitar).
Change of Venue
The concert was originally scheduled to take place at the Plaza outside the MGM Hall Springfield. However, in the middle of the band’s soundcheck, a thunderstorm broke out forcing the band to abruptly stop.
The concert was originally scheduled to take place at the Plaza outside the MGM Hall Springfield. However, in the middle of the band’s soundcheck, a thunderstorm broke out forcing the band to abruptly stop.
The band had to shelter at the Roar Comedy Club. At first, Brad and the crew decided to wait out the storm. An hour later, the rain kept pouring and didn’t show any signs of slowing down.
MGM Hall originally proposed canceling the concert. Considering the band flew all the way from Florida, canceling was not an option. For a while, Brad and the MGM team were negotiating back and forth on moving the concert at the Comedy Club.
Anticipating that the turnout will be lower than expected, the band was fine with playing for the people who already showed up. The concert was free anyways.
Fortunately, MGM gave in and allowed the band to perform at the Comedy Club.
The Concert
Despite the thunderstorm, much to the band's surprise and relief, fans still turned out in high numbers and filled up the comedy club. I was happy to see LFO supporters come out and celebrate the LFO legacy.
During the show, Brad combines narrative story-telling and vocal performances.
He starts by reminiscing about his first meeting with bandmates Rich and Brian and later meeting Devin who replaced Brian. He also talks about how LFO got their start, the band’s highs and lows and when they went on hiatus (break up).
Along with his music band, Joel Helgeson (O-Town’s Tour Manager) and Michelle Brooks-Thompson ( The Voice Season 3 Finalist) joined Brad onstage for accompanying vocals.
Side note: Joel originally auditioned for O-Town with Trevor but did not make the cut!
I was super honored to also play a role in the concert. I was the sneaker keeper for LFO where I brought out Devin’s sneakers to the stage. Previously I had been a watergirl for the past Pop2000 shows in Stamford and Portland. My friend, Margaret, was the watergirl this time round.
As the show progresses, Brad talked about Rich and Devin’s individual battles with cancer. Rich was diagnosed with Leukemia and battled the disease for five years before his passing. Devin died from stage four adrenal cancer, 13 months after he had surgery to remove the tumor.
“A one in a million cancer for a one in a million man” according to Brad. During the show, I definitely felt Brad’s grief and vulnerability and his sense of sadness and loss of his friends.
Following the deaths of his bandmates, Brad contemplated whether he can carry on as an artist. I was glad to hear that Jeff Timmons from 98 Degrees convinced Brad to continue and honor Devin and Rich’s legacy.
Brad kicked off the setlist by first singing the LFO song “Baby Be Mine” .
Then he sang “La Bamba”, the first song LFO ever sung together as a group. Something I also didn’t know!
Brad keeps the show’s energy up with“Can’t Have You”, “West Side Story”, “Every Other Time”, “Alayna” and “Life is Good” - a popular fan request.
My favorite performances were the ballads “Girl On TV” and “Perfect 10”. Both songs are a clear nod to Devin’s vocals. They also slow down and deepen the mood of the show. You can also see the band’s guitar and bass strings clearly on both songs.
Finally, Brad closes the show with LFO’s biggest hit, “Summer Girls”. The crowd got to their feet and sang along. A perfect ending to celebrating LFO.
Overall, Brad hosted a wonderful concert honoring the LFO story. I had a great time.
Moving the concert indoors was extremely beneficial because the acoustics inside the Comedy Club were excellent. The indoor acoustics amplified Brad, Joel, Kimberly’s voices. Though the venue and stage was smaller, the intimate setting allowed the audience to feel and connect with the music.
I truly commend Brad and his team who did not give up without finding an alternative solution to still put on a show. They definitely did not disappoint the fans.
If LFO ever comes to city/town near you, I high recommend you check out their concerts. If you can, you should consider doing the VIP lunch with Brad. It’s a great opportunity to get to know him as a person.
