The Orchestra Starring Electric Light Orchestra & ELO Part "former members" blue skies forever tour

Age limit: 15 years
Salon doors: 19.10 | On stage: 19.30
Duration: 90 minutes
Bars in the Marble Foyer and Gold Foyer open from 18.30

THE ORCHESTRA Starring ELO and ELO Part II Former Members is a successor band to Electric Light Orchestra, formed by former members of ELO and ELO Part II. The group was founded in 1988 as ELO Part II by drummer Bev Bevan, with five former ELO members in the original lineup, and has since grown into a rock supergroup that continues ELO's music and legacy.

The story begins in 1970 in Birmingham, where Electric Light Orchestra established itself as one of the world's most popular rock bands - known for its blend of Beatles-inspired pop and classical arrangements. Mik Kaminski joined in 1973 with his blue violin, and in 1974 the classic lineup was completed with bassist and singer Kelly Groucutt and orchestrator Lou Clark. Together they appeared on albums such as Eldorado, Face the Music, A New World Record, Out of the Blue, Discovery and Xanadu - records that sold over 50 million copies worldwide.

After the original lineup dissolved in 1986, Bevan formed ELO Part II in 1988 with guitarists Pete Haycock and Phil Bates, keyboardist and songwriter Eric Troyer, cellist Hugh McDowell, and Kaminski, Clark and Groucutt. In 2000 the band changed its name to THE ORCHESTRA and released the album No Rewind, featuring original compositions by Kaminski, Troyer, Huxley and Groucutt as well as a version of "Twist and Shout". In 2009 Kelly Groucutt died unexpectedly the day after a concert in Berlin - his place on stage was taken by Glen Burtnik, former bassist of Styx. Louis Clark Jr., son of Lou Clark, became a permanent band member in 2011 and continues in his father's - who died in 2021 - role as orchestral keyboardist and symphonic conductor. Since 2017 multi-instrumentalist Cliff Hillis has contributed on guitar, bass and vocals, and in 2025 five-time Grammy-nominated violinist Susan Aquila joined, who has previously performed with Paul McCartney, Elton John and