Foundational rockers The Yardbirds tonight in St. Charles

If ever a band earned its place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it's The Yardbirds. The band's influential run during the sixties produced enduring songs including "Heart Full of Soul" and "For Your Love." The group also introduced the world to three of the top five guitar players on Rolling Stone's list of rock music's 100 top guitarists. The careers of Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck trace significant (and divergent) threads through decades of rock music history. 

            Forty-five years after The Yardbirds' initial five-year lifespan, founding drummer Jim McCarty leads a new band under the name to honor and celebrate his musical legacy's fiftieth anniversary. The line-up also includes Anthony Topham, who returns to The Yardbirds after a fifty-year absence. At age fifteen in 1963, Topham was the band's original lead guitarist. Clapton replaced him during the same year, following objections by Topham's parents to the idea of their son abandoning school and becoming a professional musician.

            Twenty-nine year old guitarist Ben King is an eight-year veteran of The Yardbirds' line-up. His mastery of blues guitar and classic British pop styles has ignited Yardbirds concert staples including "I'm a Man" and "Train Kept A' Rollin'." McCarty and founding rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja, who is on leave from the group, recruited King into the band.

            Performances by The Yardbirds serve a dual purpose. Foremost, the band is a formidable rock and roll engine, bringing life and personal connection to timeless rockers like "Over Under Sideways Down" and "Shapes of Things." Furthermore, The Yardbirds represent a living history connected directly to the British Invasion of music that dominated American radio during the 60s and 70s – and remain staples of the classic rock format today.

            The Yardbirds perform tonight at the beautifully restored Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles, Illinois. Opening the show will be Kashmir, a tribute to Led Zeppelin – the band created by Jimmy Page upon the Yardbirds' initial breakup.

* The Yardbirds with special guest Kashmir, Friday, Sept. 13, 8:00PM, Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main Street, St Charles, IL 60174. Tickets: $39-$59. (630) 962-7000; www.oshows.com

Video: "For Your Love" – http://bit.ly/18YHsBu

Spotify playlist – http://spoti.fi/18hw7BB