I just spent way too much time scouring the Internet for a clip of the classic 1999 Saturday Night Live send-up of Behind The Music where Chris Kattan, playing John Oates, riffs on the fact that, yes, it was very much his idea to add in the handclap parts to Hall & Oates' "Private Eyes." Not the song itself, mind you -- just the handclaps. The whole thing ends with Kattan looking, deadpan, right at the camera, saying "I'm Oates." It's pretty amazing. But, no, I can't find it.
Which is really a shame, as it would've been the perfect clip to post in tandem with this news: On Friday, November 4, Oates will be performing in Denton as part of a three-day event being thrown at Hailey's Club to benefit the United Way of Denton. No Hall, just Oates -- although Oates will indeed be performing Hall & Oates material, as well as songs from his recent bluegrass releases, which, fittingly, include some twangier renditions of H&O classics (including "You Make My Dreams Come True").
Put together by Matthew Gray of Matthew & The Arrogant Sea's new company, Denton County Proper, the Thursday through Saturday event is the first of many that Gray hopes to throw to benefit Denton-area charities. Other performers for this Denton County Proper debut event include Brooklyn's Here We Go Magic, as well as, Gray promises, "a whole slew of other national acts," as well as a few locals that he can't yet announce.
"It's by no means a proper festival," Gray admits.
But, he says, Saturday's event, which Here We Go Magic will headline, will be an all-day affair. Tickets to the affair are already available here.
"After last year's [35 Denton], I'd been mulling over doing other events to help Denton," Gray says.
He currently also has plans to throw an event on New Year's Eve, as well as possibly on Halloween. Each event will benefit a different Denton area charity.
Check out the press release announcing Denton County Proper and the Oates performance below:
Denton County Proper Debut Event to feature John Oates, benefit United Way of Denton County
Friday, August 5, 2011
DENTON, TX - Musician and entrepreneur Matthew Gray (Matthew & The Arrogant Sea) will debut his latest project, a promotions company and website affectionately named Denton County Proper with a three-day inagural event on the weekend of November 3-5, 2011. John Oates, best known as half of the rock and soul duo Hall & Oates, is scheduled to headline Friday night's event at Hailey's in Denton.
Oates co-wrote eight Billboard number-one songs including "You Make My Dreams", "She's Gone", "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)", "Maneater" and "Out of Touch." In April of this year, he released his long-awaited Americana album, Mississippi Mile. Oates has not performed in the DFW area since a Hall & Oates reunion tour in 2000 and has never performed his solo material in this area.
Gray is currently in talks with several other acts to round out the weekend's lineup, which will be announced later this month.
"My goal is to bring unique talents to interesting environments," said Gray.
Gray, on behalf of Denton County Proper, will donate a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales to this event to United Way of Denton County.
"Every Denton County Proper event will be designed to promote and benefit Denton County in some way," said Gray. "For this kick-off event, I started thinking about charities in Denton County and of course, United Way of Denton County is the first one that came to mind."
For more information, please go to www.dentoncountyproper.net to purchase tickets,http://prekindle.com/promo/id/21692820750510204
ABOUT UNITED WAY OF DENTON COUNTY
United Way of Denton is a local and autonomous501(c)3 not-for-profit (community-based) organization with a governing board of directors working to advance the common good by focusing on education, income and health - the building blocks for a good life. Through the work of our partner agencies, it is our goal to: help families have financial stability, build healthy communities and help children and youth achieve their potential. For more information, please go to www.unitedwaydenton.org