The Sixties Show brings its live recreation of 1960s music to downtown Cincinnati's Aronoff Center on Friday evening, October 16, 2026. The two-hour multimedia production features musicians with ties to The Who, The Rascals and John Fogerty's band, alongside period-inspired staging and material from the decade's music and pop culture.
The performance is part of the Cincinnati Arts Association's CAA PRESENTS! 2026-27 season, according to Cincinnati Arts, which describes the production as award-winning and off-Broadway. Rick Pender's CityBeat report identifies Craig O'Keefe and Tom Licameli as the show's co-creators and O'Keefe as its co-founder, producer, artistic director and musical director.
No Tapes, No Shortcuts, Just a Live Six-Piece Band
Cincinnati Arts says every part of the music is performed live, without samples, backing tracks or other prerecorded elements, using authentic 1960s-era vintage and reissue instruments. CityBeat reports that the six-musician lineup includes O'Keefe on bass, Licameli on guitar and bass, Jim Boggia on guitar and ukulele, Kevin Bents on keyboards, guitar and bass, Jeff Miller on keyboards, and Scott Devours on drums.
The cast's connections to established acts are part of the production's credentials: Cincinnati Arts notes current and former members of The Who, The Rascals and John Fogerty's Creedence Clearwater Revival are involved. CityBeat reports that O'Keefe played bass for The Rascals on their 60th-anniversary tour.
From Small Clubs to Theater Stages
CityBeat reports that Licameli and O'Keefe developed The Sixties Show as an off-Broadway production in the 2010s. The show has since moved from small-club engagements to larger clubs and midsized theaters; CityBeat also reported a planned London trip in 2027.
In an interview with Hamptons.com, O'Keefe described the show's growth “from playing small bars with ten people to selling out all the venues they now play, rooms with up to 1,500 people.” Cincinnati Arts characterizes the production as a cross-generational draw that has been selling out theaters and performing arts centers across the country.
Beatles to Bee Gees, With a VW Microbus Onstage
The repertoire spans artists including The Beatles, the Beach Boys, The Doors, The Kinks, The Byrds, Cream, The Rolling Stones, Bee Gees and the Dave Clark Five, according to CityBeat. Behind the Curtain Cincy says the show also reaches beyond familiar hits to include rare B-sides and deep cuts.
The staging gives the performance a time-travel theme. CityBeat describes a set resembling an old TV studio, with a VW Beetle, a microbus and an image of an Apollo astronaut space suit; performers wear mod styles of the period. Cincinnati Arts says the production also uses time-travel-themed effects, narration, archival audio and newsreel footage, and a dynamic light show. Multiple projection screens reinforce the period visuals, CityBeat reports.
A Separate Chapter in Cincinnati Music History
The show is a touring production, but Cincinnati has its own documented recording history from the decade. According to Ohio History Connection, James Brown and his band arrived at King Records' 1540 Brewster Avenue studio in May 1967 for a recording session. The account identifies Brown and the session but does not name the song recorded that day.
Tickets, Timing and Who It's For
The Aronoff Center performance runs two hours and 10 minutes, including an intermission, and is recommended for ages six and up, according to Cincinnati Arts. Tickets were listed as starting at $52.75, inclusive of all fees, per Behind the Curtain Cincy. Tickets are available through cincinnatiarts.org and by phone at 513-621-2787, while group sales of 10 or more require calling 513-977-4155, according to Cincinnati Arts.
