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Spring 2012
Apr 2, 2012

I would like to take a moment to thank all the people who have hired me to play music for their events so far this year. Mar 2012 was great with 13 shows (including the 2 open mics I hosted at Lovell's) plus some stage time at Paul Allodi's (Since I Was Three) band karaoke on Thurs. Mar. 29th at Tailgaters in Bolingbrook. This past weekend was a blast with a duo performance at the Countryside Saloon in Des Plaines where we kept going until past 1am. A few memorable songs performed Friday night were: No Excuses - Alice In Chains, Plush - Stone Temple Pilots, Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People, All For You - Sister Hazel, Free Yet - Bobby Rex, Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order, and about 35 more songs from the 50s to today. The duo really rocked. We even managed to get in I Left My Heart In San Franciso - T. Bennett & That's Amore - Dean Martin. 

The Saturday night Mar 31st Biff and the Waybacks benefit show for American Cancer Society Relay for Life at D's Sports Bar and Betting facility at Arlington Park Racetrack went phenomenal also. Biff and the Waybacks' 5-piece rock n' roll cover band performed party favorites in between raffles, auctions, and benefit announcements. Attendance was good and much money was raised for the cause. Biff and the Waybacks are still available for summer dates so contact Bobby or Paul to set something up if you are having a party and want a fun, rockin' cover band (with saxophone) and over 400 songs in our repertoire to choose from.

Here are some upcoming dates & places to catch Bobby Rex:

  • Thurs Apr 5 at Lovell's of Lake Forest as host of the new open mic 7:30p
  • Sat Apr 7 at Lovell's of Lake Forest Captain's Quarters in Duo with Steve Wall
  • Fri Apr 13 at Lovell's of Lake Forest - CQ in Duo with Paul Allodi 8p
  • Sat Apr 14 at Lovell's of Lake Forest - CQ in Duo with Grateful Gary Gibula 8p
  • Thurs Apr 19 at Lovell's of Lake Forest as host of the new open mic 7:30p
  • Fri Apr 20 at Scapa Italian Kitchen in Clarendon Hills in Duo with Steve Wall
  • Sat Apr 21 at Lovell's of Lake Forest - CQ in Duo with Steve Wall 8p
  • Fri Apr 27 at Weber Grill Lombard in Duo with Steve Wall at 6pm
  • Thurs May 3 at Lovell's of Lake Forest as host of the acoustic open mic 7:30p
  • Fri May 4 at Winberies of Buffalo Grove in Duo with Steve Wall at 8p
  • Sat May 5 at Lovell's of Lake Forest - CQ in Duo with Steve Wall 8p

Lots more shows are coming throughout May & June, so check back here again!

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Gigs at a Glance
Sprig O' Mint Trio
Mar 16 @ 08:30 PM
Bobby Rex acoustic
Mar 30 @ 07:00 PM
Bobby Rex Duo
Apr 20 @ 8 to 11:30pm
Bobby Rex
May 3 @ 09:30 PM
Bobby Rex solo acoustic
May 25 @ 07:00 PM
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With Ruby Harris at The Kerry Piper Cheers Midlothian / Summer 2017 Ruby & Bobby Sept 2017 Anna Palooza backyard party July 27, 2010 with Biff and the Waybacks. This is Donna Blanchard dancing with Paul&#39;s dad. Steve & Bobby Live March 17, 2014 Private Party Sept. 2018 Photo taken by Stacy Recchia in July 2011. Weddinjg Shot <p>The full 6-piece band of Biff and the Waybacks at Bobby's wedding reception at Lovell's of Lake Forest Feb. 15, 2003</p> <p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bobby Rex &amp;&nbsp;Paul Allodi have been performing together for&nbsp;20 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Steve Wall became part of the band over 17 years ago.&nbsp; This trio performs together several times every year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo of trio taken by Katharina Mark on April 19, 2010</span></p> Photo by Tom Yurik Mar 17, 2014. <p><span style="font-size: small;">Photo by Tom Yurik March 17, 2014.</span></p> <p><strong><em>Ira Sussman, Bobby Rex, and Steve Wall</em></strong> at the Union League Club performing for the NY Life awards banquet Jan. 29, 2010. Thanks to Doug Schultz for the recommendation. The band also goes by the name 50 Degrees in June (or was it 40 Degress in June?). The band name "the Sellouts" has already been taken several times over.</p> Wine Merchant <p><span style="font-size: small;">Photo by Katharina Mark April 10, 2010.</span></p> This is Bobby Rex with Chris Grant as the Sprig O&#39; Mint Duo in March 2012. Come see us at Irish Patriot in Orland Park March 16, 2014. Tom Yurik took this one of me also on March 17, 2014. <p><span style="font-size: small;">Ira, Bobby, and Steve on Dec 31, 2009 in the Captain's Quarters at Lovell's.&nbsp; A couple more hours until midnight!</span>&nbsp;</p> Tom Yurick Logo in Lemon Lime. The first House of Blues show - Feb 2014. B Rex Aug 2004 Backstage with Michele (Karina&#39;s mom) and Chris Medina. Chris was the headliner. Steve and Bobby. Photo by Katharina Mark Three Song Demo Tape Cover ~ January 1992 <p><span style="font-size: x-small;">This was our main Biff promo shot for a number of years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Biff and the Waybacks in April 2010.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Photo by Katharina Mark.</span></p> <p>Logo created August 29, 2012. Special thanks to TomYurik.</p> With Steve Wall at Lovell&#39;s on Feb. 1, 2005. With Jay &amp; Darice&#39;s blessing I had started the live music duos at Lovell&#39;s 5 months earlier, and I had played down there every Saturday, several Fridays, and a couple Thursdays leading up to this point. I remember the date because the next morning I went to Schuba&#39;s and auditioned for the lead singer role in INXS. I did not get that role as you now know. <p><strong>Bobby</strong> and <strong>Steve </strong>in Westerly, RI - May 1, 2009 at Aaron &amp; Stacy's Rehearsal Dinner Party at Stacy's Parents' House</p> <p>Having to get some guitar playing time in&nbsp;for just a few songs during our wedding night celebration - Feb. 15, 2003.</p> Steve, Paul, Bobby, Herman, and Tom in April 2010. Photo by Katharina Mark From left to right we have Chris Grant from Barington on violin &amp; mandolin, &#34;Grateful&#34; Gary Gibula on upright bass, acoustic guitar &amp; vocals, and Bobby Rex on vocals &amp; guitar. Looking forward to performing our favorite Irish classics for 4 years in a row! Grateful Gary Gibula on upright bass <p align="justify"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times; color: #3366ff; font-size: small;"><strong>Bobby Rex and Paul Allodi have performed as a duo right from the time they met at Johnny's Backroon Open Mic back in 1991. Through the years this duo has been Biff &amp; the Waybacks along with many other musical projects and configurations.</strong></span></p> Bob &amp; Steve at Weber Grill Lombard in the Spring of 2012 Paul, Bobby, Herman, and Tom in April 2010. Photo by Katharina Mark. <p>The Given Music with Bobby Rex album cover completed by Emily Mather-Moritz in June 2012.</p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Schaumburg's Prairie Center for the Arts on the Sunday before Labor Day Sept. 4, 2011 performing in the dining tent for several hundred. I wish we would have taken a photo facing the other direction so you could see the huge crowd we played before.<br /></span></p> Bobby &amp; Steve in front of Lovell&#39;s of Lake Forest in Apr. 2010. Bobby Rex August 2004. Photo taken by Ellen at Fred Fox studios in Naperville. Union League Club for company party January 2010. <p><span style="font-size: small;">A Saturd<img class="mceSeparatorLine" src="scripts/tiny_mce/themes/advanced/images/separator.gif" alt="" width="2" height="20" />ay afternoon in 1999. That guitar was lost to the fire in Nov 2007.<br /></span></p> <p>Photo of Bobby Rex perfroming solo at Inovasi Restaurant in Lake Bluff, IL&nbsp;in October of 2011. &nbsp;Photo by Donna Herula.</p> This was a solo performance at the Salt Creek Wine Bar on Tuesday night August 16, 2011. Newly remastered Brand New Freak cd available. Photo by Carolyn Morriss. Thanks to all of you who were there! Taken sometime in 2006 on the Beer Garden Stage at Navy Pier with Biff and the Waybacks. New logo created by Tom Yurik April 16, 2012 B Rex - July 2012 Herman on drums.&nbsp; Bobby on guitar.&nbsp; Backyard wedding 1999. <strong><font size="2"><em>Bobby Rex</em></font></strong> on guitar with <font face="comic sans ms,sand" size="2" color="#339999"><strong><em>Biff and the Waybacks</em></strong></font> at Navy Pier Beer Garden summer 2004. Photo by Frances Recchia Steve and Bobby at private engagement on Nov. 3, 2007. Photo taken and provided courtesy of Katharina Mark. Photo of Biff and the Waybacks taken in Chicago by Frances Recchia in mid 2000. Bobby performing solo on a rare Thursday night at Lovell&#39;s in February 2005. <font size="3">Biff and the Waybacks 2000</font> Paul, Herman, Steve, Tom, and Bobby April 2010. Photo by Katharina Mark. Steve and Bobby Nov 5, 2007.&nbsp; Photo by Kat.&nbsp; Would like to find her - we lost touch.?&nbsp; This particular job was upstairs in the Odyssey Room at Lovell&#39;s performing for Adam Rich&#39;s son&#39;s Bar Mitzvah I dare admit.&nbsp; It was a great time actually.&nbsp; He brought his drum kit and played along with The Jersey Boys&#39; Soundtrack.&nbsp; We really had a blast.&nbsp; We miss Adam and Gwen! The band when John Hermanson played bass with us.&nbsp; Photo taken possibly April 1993. Paul A. & Bob R. 2010 Photo taken by Katharina Mark on April 19, 2010. Bobby on guitar and vocals with The Chauffeurs on Sept 11, 2010 at Markapalooza honoring &quot;Beatle&quot; Mark Eskin held at the Morton Grove Civic Center.&nbsp; Proceeds from the event went to Mark&#39;s family.&nbsp; Other acts that night were The Stingrays, The New Colony Six, Byte, and Instant Karma. Tom Malec, Alex Recchia, and Bobby Rex performing with Biff and the Waybacks July 2006 below ground level at Chicago&#39;s John Hancock building. Biff and the Waybacks 5 piece band at Navy Pier, Chicago 2004. Bobby and Paul perfoming with Biff and the Waybacks for a certain backyard wedding in 1999.&nbsp; <p>The New Foliage Trio was Gary Gibula, Bobby Rex, and Dave D'Allessandro. This gig was either at A&amp;J's County &amp; Western in Chicago near 63rd and Harlem, or it was at the Lansing, IL airport bar. Estimated date of show was June 1991. Thanks Gary for finding and sending this photo along! It brings back some good memories!</p> <font size="2">Promo poster for the Norton&#39;s Music Emporium show on May 29, 2010 featuring Fifty Degrees in June with Dave Harris on Drums.</font> <p>Biff and the Waybacks played at Navy Pier twice&nbsp;a year every year from 1997 thru 2007, when we weren't getting rained out.&nbsp; I remember this time in my life comparing notes with various moms about making homemade baby food.&nbsp; Alex was about 21&nbsp;months old at the time.</p> Biff and the Waybacks 1996 with (l-r) Steve Wall, Tom Malec, Paul Allodi, Bobby Rex, and Myron Medwecki (God rest his soul). Steve Wall, Paul Allodi, and Bobby Rex as Biff and the Waybacks in Sept 1998 at Chicago&#39;s Navy Pier. The stage was on the south side as the beer garden was under renovation. It was crazy crowded that evening. <p>Logo created Aug 29, 2012. Special thanks to Tom Yurik.</p> <p>Photo taken by Kristelle Brister in&nbsp;March 1992 at Sharon's apartment in the west Mount Greenwood area of Chicago.</p> <p>Possibly my first gig evere. Playing guitar at my sister's wedding in 1984. JoAnn Recchia and Jerry Horst were married in the outdoor garden of the Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs, IL on south Archer Ave. Musicians were myself, Al Mezny on bass, Patty Manion on vocals, and an unknown flautist, girlfriend of Al's at the time. We played Bouree - the Jethro Tull version, You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder, and another I can't remember (Joni Mitchell?). The guitar I was playing was my dad's 1937 Harmony made right here in Chicago for Sears. We had it fixed up for the event and it was very playable was a slim neck and an arched top. The instrument is; however, no longer.</p> The Given. Gene, Jim, and Rex with B.B on drums at Orphans on Lincoln Ave. in Chicago April 1989. the given: Bob Rex (bass and vocals), Bob Boyle (drums and vocals), Jim H.(vocals and guitar), and Gene Tenuta (guitars and vocals) at the Cubby Bear Chicago March 1989 The Given at the Cubby Bear in Chicago March 1989. Bob Rex, Jim H., and Gene Tenuta with Bob Boyle on drums. <p>Bobby Rex Group logo in blue created Aug 29, 2012. Special thanks to Tom Yurik.</p> Bobby Rex and Randi Fox taken at Fred Fox studios in Niles, IL summer 2005 Bobby &amp; Randi taken at Fred Fox studios in Niles, IL summer 2005. <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Variation of the logo created by Tom Yurik in Sept. 2012. The one is white and blue.</span></p>