Some area seniors would rather burn out than rust

Mar. 23—The fountain of youth is flowing in Kirtland.

Some young-at-heart types on hand at the Kirtlander Party Center remember hearing some Blue Evolution band members at Hullabaloo in Chester Township when they opened for the Raspberries in 1971. Things were different back then, including their ages, clothing and dance styles. But some of the same band members now play '60s and '70s hits at the Kirtlander and other venues, luring older folks back to the dance floor.

The years fall away as the movement begins among those with graying men's ponytails and bell-bottoms concealing compression socks when "We Gotta Get out of This Place" and "She Loves You" fill the air. Dancers become young again as the rhythms of British Invasion-era rock played by men their own age becomes contagious and the dance floor pulses with new energy.

Back in the day, the band was Bluestone Union, revived as Blue Evolution with Ron Sukalac on lead guitar and vocals; Mike Kwitowski on lead vocals, harmonica and percussion; Norm Isaac on bass guitar and vocals; Jay Brindo on guitar and vocals; and Rick Snider on drums.

"Except for our drummer, we're all over 70," says Kwitowski, who graduated from Mentor High School in 1971. "Six of us got together after high school and played at clubs throughout the area."

As Bluestone Union, they opened for Michael Stanley, Chubby Checker, the Raspberries and others for several years, playing at Utopia, Hullabaloo and Mentor High. Kwitowski and some band members were self-taught, while others had the advantage of music lessons.

Kwitowski remembers the full-page story in November 1973 when Jane Scott, the legendary Cleveland Plain Dealer entertainment journalist, spotlighted Bluestone Union. It's now up on the Blue Evolution website.

But on this recent Wednesday evening, the music from Blue Evolution had become a magic elixir, drawing to their feet those drinking beer and wine as they sat at tables perusing menus from the adjacent Sausalito Restaurant at the Party Center, 9270 Chillicothe Road. The dance floor soon throbs with rhythms of the past, making conversation difficult but transforming grandparents into their younger selves.

"I've got to go easy since I just had cataracts removed," says Margie O'Connor of Concord Township, who hasn't let entering her 70s change much of anything.

She and her husband, Bill, enjoy dancing throughout the area, but he's not with her this evening.

"It's a girls' night out," she says.

The O'Connors enjoy line dancing at Fairport Harbor Senior Center, contra dancing at a Cleveland Heights church and swing dancing the first Saturday of every month at the Federated Church Family Life Center in Bainbridge Township.

She looks forward to warm weather, when some bands move outdoors and people bring their portable chairs to watch and join the dance.

"There are many great tribute bands in this area," O'Connor says. "At most of the performances, you will see people dancing the dances that match the music of the era, and many of them are seniors who grew up with that music."

O'Connor's sister, Maureen Meehan, 75, of Mentor, dances beside her. Meehan has already recorded 20,000 steps this day on her FitBit, despite having worked an eight-hour day in her full-time work-from-home journalism job. Another sister, Kathy Howell of Mentor, says, "My mind doesn't know how old my body is."

They all ascribe to Neil Young's words: "It's better to burn out than it is to rust."

Nearby on the same dance floor, Anne Marie and John don't spare the athletics despite both turning 70 soon. Her skirt encircles them as they twirl, and he swings her up over his shoulder, her feet barely missing the chandelier overhead.

"We've been doing East Coast Swing together for 18 years," she says, her skin glistening with the effort but barely out of breath.

They decline to share their full names, citing "privacy issues," but they're out dancing several times a week and thoroughly enjoy Blue Evolution.

"We're really looking forward to the opening of the Tricky Tortoise," she says of spot taking over the former Willoughby Brewing Co. space in Downtown Willoughby, "and dancing on its Brazilian Cherry hardwood floor when it opens next month.

"I jump as he swings me up," Anne Marie adds, sharing a timing secret of their impressive aerial moves.

Their favorite places to dance include the Sound Stage Tavern in Wickliffe, The Hooley Pub & Kitchen in Mentor and B*Rox Grill and Swill in Painesville Township.

But the Kirtlander Party Center becomes more popular as word of its dancing spreads.

"This place has great acoustics, and the owners are wonderful to work with," says Kwitowski.

Blue Evolution will be back in Kirtland at 6 p.m. April 10 and also plays at the Grindstone Tap House in Berea, several church festivals in the summer and at Painesaville's annual Party in the Park.

"We play about 36 gigs a year," he says, adding that the group practices three hours per week.

They've got about 110 numbers memorized and don't accept requests because they like to have rehearsed their repertoire.

"We're serious about reproducing the songs properly," Kwitowski says.

But "Happy Birthday" is almost always among the regular tunes, he says.

"We like to take people back to an earlier time and make them happy," he says.