Abba To Zeppelin

Concert commits to making ‘memories, tears and fun’

Peter Gatti says the three words he most wants to hear are “memories, tears and fun” — memories of great times, tears when songs recall romance and “the most fun I’ve had in years.”

“That was our goal — to bring people’s emotions into play.”

Gatti, a keyboard player, is talking about a combination concert and theatrical performance he created three years ago with the help of drummer Mark Blinkhorn. Called “Decades Rewind,” it takes audiences from the 1980s back through musical time to the 1960s and includes pieces of more than 60 songs, arranged in 10 medleys: “Dance Medley,” “Motown Medley,” “British Invasion Medley” and so forth.

“You’ll know every word,” he says, “and you’ll leave emotionally and physically exhausted.”

Gatti has been a musician from the get-go, playing organ in an Italian family where that was the evolution of the accordion. “I played in the typical garage bands,” he says, “then played professionally in my late teens and early 20s.”

Like many people, Gatti was called away by marriage and real life, but he returned to music about 15 years ago. He and Blinkhorn were playing in a cover band, and one night they started talking. “Like most good ideas, a beer and a napkin were involved,” he says with a chuckle. The premise of a ’60s, ’70s and ’80s cover band “has evolved into a lot more than the original concept,” complete with 14 musicians, video screens and about 100 costume changes. And the regional tours of 2015 and 2016 have turned into a national tour this year.

“At the end of the day, it’s a big party,” he says.

COURTESY PHOTO “Decades Rewind” takes audiences from the 1980s back through musical time to the 1960s and includes pieces of more than 60 songs, arranged in 10 medleys.