August 18, 2005   Southwest News-Herald — City Edition

Ray Manzarek And D21C Roll Into St. Rita

By KRISTEN WAJDA
 

Ray Manzarek, former keyboardist for The Doors and current keyboardist for The Doors of the 21st Century, performed at his alma mater last Thursday.

Manzarek, a 1956 graduate of St. Rita High School, 7740 S. Western Ave. (then at 63rd and Claremont), performed on the school’s baseball diamond following local Irish band The Larkin Brothers as part of the school’s weekend-long 100th anniversary celebration.

“This is an absolutely fabulous campus,” Manzarek said before the performance.

He reminisced with the crowd on the time when he was a student at the school, where he participated in the jazz band, sports and the glee club.

“I was very impressed with the intellectual level of the priests at the high school,” Manzarek said.

By the age of 21, having started piano lessons when he was 9, the keyboardist had come close to perfecting his musical talent, which was influenced by a mixture of blues, rock, jazz and classical music.

He also had developed an interest in theater, and dabbled in acting before he left for Los Angeles to attend UCLA Film School.

In California, he met future Doors lead singer and songwriter, Jim Morrison.

From there, Manzarek became part of what is still considered one of the most controversial, yet talented and influential music groups.

His name is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Manzarek’s St. Rita performance was greeted by a crowd diverse in age, ranging from Baby Boomers, to Generations X and Y.

Parents came to relive fond memories of their youth, while 20-somethings, teenagers and kids came for a taste of the classic.

“Ever since Valentine’s Day when they played here, I’ve been waiting for this,” said Clearing resident Richard Anderson, whose son graduated from the school in 1990. Anderson attended the concert with friend and Gage Park resident Ed Schmit, who is a 1963 graduate of the school.

Beverly resident Dan Broderick Sr., whose son Dan Jr. graduated from the school in 2002, was proclaimed as a “huge Doors fan” by friends and fellow Beverly residents Donna Sweeney and Sara Hayes.

“Manzarek is one of the best keyboard players I’ve ever seen in my life,” Broderick said, also complimenting fellow D21C member Robby Krieger, another member of the original Doors band, on his guitar skills.

Kicking off the show with “Roadhouse Blues”, “Break On Through (To The Other Side)” and “Love Me Two Times”, the area directly in front of the stage became a dance floor as soon as the first few notes were played, when much of the crowd left their previous conversation posts near the concession stand and beer garden.

“We thought it would be fun to see them,” said former West Lawn residents Colleen Loehr and Donna Ready.

While Manzarek, well into his 60s, entered the stage in a Mr. Rogers-type sweater with a white button down dress shirt, just 10 seconds of keyboard playing reassured the crowd that he has still got it.  The shirt and sweater were stripped off to reveal a more rock-like black T-shirt.

In between songs, Manzarek shared a few memories from the road and some words of advice.

"Love your neighbor as yourself.   That's all we have to do," he said.

The event was hosted by master of ceremonies and former Chicago radio personality Garry Meier.

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