CLASSIC rock fans in the Philippines have a lot to look forward to in 2010 as the following acts are booked for concerts one after the other, all at the Araneta Coliseum: The Beach Boys on Jan. 27; Chicago on Feb. 16; Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs on March 9; and Tears For Fears on May 2.

The artists? bookings were confirmed by promoter Renen de Guia, whose Ovation Productions is mounting all the gigs.

No Brian Wilson

The Beach Boys last played at the Big Dome in 2005 and the show was sold out, said De Guia. Although the group?one of the greatest and best-selling American bands of all time?won?t be joined in by its leader and chief songwriter Brian Wilson due to legal complications, De Guia said it has retained its distinct sound and has Mike Love, an original member and Brian?s cousin, and Bruce Johnston, who joined the band in 1965, in the current lineup.

Chicago was supposed to play here last September but had to postpone its show when keyboardist/vocalist Robert Lamm accidentally broke his right leg. As everyone knows, former bassist/vocalist Peter Cetera has gone solo, but the band?s other original members are intact, including the horn section composed of James Pankow (trombone), Lee Loughnane (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Walter Parazaider (saxophone).

McDonald and Scaggs?still active as touring artists?will be performing here for the first time; ditto with Tears For Fears.

Prior to releasing his 1982 debut solo album, ?If That?s What It Takes? (which featured the hits ?I Keep Forgettin?? and ?I Gotta Try?), McDonald was a a member of the original touring band and regular sessionist of the rock-jazz duo Steely Dan. He sang backup vocals and played keyboards for Steely Dan starting on the ?Katy Lied? album onwards, most notably on the tracks ?Peg? and ?I Got the News? on ?Aja,? until 1980?s ?Gaucho.?

?Blue-eyed soul?

In 1975 McDonald was recruited by the versatile country-pop-rock band Doobie Brothers. His ?blue-eyed soul? singing would define the band?s new signature sound?much evident in the songs ?Takin? It to the Streets,? ?It Keeps You Runnin,?? ?Minute By Minute? and ?What a Fool Believes,? which McDonald co-wrote with Kenny Loggins and won for them the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and Record of the Year in 1980.

McDonald?s recent albums consisted of tributes to Motown and soul music.

?Silk Degrees?

Scaggs, a singer-songwriter who had stints with a number of groups, notably the Steve Miller Band, achieved fame in 1976 with his seventh solo album, ?Silk Degrees.? Recorded with the future members of Toto and featuring the tracks ?Lowdown,? ?Lido Shuffle? and ?We?re All Alone,? the album was a big hit, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard chart.

For a while, it seemed the Tears For Fears gig would never materialize. Originally scheduled for February next year, the show was reportedly cancelled due to kinks in the reunited duo?s Asian tour.

But fortunately, De Guia, who has been in touch with the group?s agents, has finally bagged the deal to bring key members Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith?whose music was identified with 1980s synth-pop?in the flesh.

Thanks to Adam

Tears For Fears had a good global exposure this year when one of its hit songs, ?Mad World,? was covered twice by Adam Lambert in Season 8 of ?American Idol.?

E-mail pconcepcion@inquirer.com.ph