Suburban talent winners get chance to open at Arcada

Two top musicians who competed in Suburban Chicago's Got Talent in 2014 will soon give opening performances at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.

Though singer-songwriter Dennis Caravello of Mount Prospect earned the opportunity by winning the competition last year, scheduling conflicts pushed his gig into 2015. He will perform Saturday, Oct. 10, when he opens for the Tex-Mex band Los Lonely Boys.

And 2014 Top 10 SCGT finalist Bryana Martinez, a 13-year-old violinist from Chicago Ridge, makes claim on a promise that allows her to perform alongside the Mariachi Divas on Sunday, Oct. 18.

Caravello plans to do an acoustic guitar set for his performance, including his song “California Lady,” which he sang as part of SCGT.

“I think I'll probably focus on originals since it's my name up there,” Caravello said, happy to perform his own material to precede the Grammy Award-winning Los Loney Boys. “I love what those guys do.”

Caravello and Martinez's Arcada performances are due to Ron Onesti, the president and CEO of Onesti Entertainment, which operates the historic St. Charles theater. Onesti Entertainment has been a co-sponsor along with the Daily Herald for Suburban Chicago's Got Talent, while Onesti himself has sat as a panel judge for the past two years of the 4-year-old competition.

“The main reason I accept the honor of being a judge for these competitions is because I have a unique opportunity to provide situations for budding young artists who are really and truly talented,” Onesti said. “I'm trying to do as much as possible to help them out in their careers.”

Caravello has already shot and filmed promotional concert footage and photo stills of him onstage at the Arcada before an invited audience of friends and family as one of his other prizes for winning SCGT. Yet Caravello is really looking forward to performing for a large crowd.

“Playing live is the biggest thing I like to focus on,” said Caravello, who still works a day job while rehearsing and writing during his time off. “The opening act deal is what I've been looking forward to most.”

Martinez may not have won Suburban Chicago's Got Talent, but she is benefiting from taking part in the competition. During a judging session, Martinez revealed that her musical icons were the Mariachi Divas, a Grammy Award-winning all-Latina band from California that puts their own mark on traditional Mexican music. Onesti promised Martinez that he would do everything possible to help her perform with Mariachi Divas by booking them at the Arcada.

“I do want to play violin and trumpet and other instruments that they have in mariachi,” Martinez said. “I hope that I can audition to be one of the members in Mariachi Divas. That's one of my future goals.”

As fate would have it, Martinez's participation with the Chicago Mariachi Project for school-age children and teens has already allowed her to share the stage with Mariachi Divas. It happened this past summer at the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park.

Nonetheless, Onesti is fulfilling his promise to Martinez, even though Arcada audiences have come to expect classic rock and country music stars.

“The reality of it is that I may lose money on this deal,” Onesti said. “But it was just a unique opportunity I had to provide for this little girl, and for me that's worth it.”

Onesti has booked other Suburban Chicago's Got Talent finalists such as the bands Serendipity and Aviation and the War to perform as Arcada openers and at Onesti Entertainment-sponsored events like the CineFest Backlot Block Party in Chicago. The 2015 Suburban Chicago's Got Talent winners, Ryan Cooper and the band Burke Valley, have yet to announce their Arcada dates.

“I couldn't believe the level of talent that was in this competition,” said Onesti about the 2015 contestants. “Any one of them could have won.”

Los Lonely Boys with opening act Dennis Caravello

<b>Where:</b> Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 962-7000 or <a href="http://oshows.com">oshows.com</a>

<b>When:</b> 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10

<b>Tickets:</b> $29-$125

<b>Mariachi Divas with violinist Bryana Martinez</b>

<b>Where:</b> Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 962-7000 or <a href="http://oshows.com">oshows.com</a>

<b>When:</b> 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18

<b>Tickets:</b> $29-$49