Featured in the photo from left to right are Sergio Galli, Dan Cooper and Mark Holmes.

Remember Platinum Blonde? Like many of you, I grew up listening to their hits in the 1980s. They were one of the hottest bands in North America with singles topping the charts and two albums going platinum. Their name mocked the Hollywood Glitter at the time, but their music was hard edge and serious. Their concerts drew tens of thousands of fans and they became magazine cover material and led a fashion revolution.

It’s been more than 20 years since they’ve appeared as Platinum Blonde, but today the band is getting back together and I’m excited that one of their first concerts before launching a Canadian comeback tour is at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts as part of the Dan Cooper Concert Series.

Mark February 26th on your calendar because it’s going to be one heck of a reunion. The hall is going to be rocking and if you enjoyed their music as much as I did, you won’t want to miss this party. OCPA is such a great venue for any performance. There isn’t a bad sightline in the theatre and with seating for only 464 people, you are completely up front and personal with the performers. When Platinum Blonde rockets back onto the charts, you will be able to say you were there.

Platinum Blonde emerged from the Toronto club scene with the hit EP Six Track Attack in 1983 that was later extended into a double platinum LP Standing In The Dark. A short year later the group had four hit singles hogging the airwaves across Canada and their Juno nominated Standing In The Dark and Doesn’t Really Matter music videos were getting plenty of airplay on the then novel Much Music channel. Their second album sold six times platinum. Their outstanding success put them in the Music Hall of Fame.

And then the band disbanded, almost as quickly as they had burst onto the scene. They had settled down in California and eventually drifted apart. Guitarist Sergio Galli, a Toronto native, returned to Ontario and began following another passion – designing and building homes. He studied architecture, got his design designation and began designing and building multi-million dollar custom homes – many of them right here in Oakville. He continues to build under Sergio Galli Design Build. You can see some of his work at www.sergiogalli.ca.

And while he has a passion for designing beautiful homes, the desire to get back onstage has become equally as strong, Sergio says today. “I’m looking forward to performing before an Oakville crowd,” Sergio says. “I have a soft spot for the town. I worked here and enjoy the people here. Oakville has been a great town to me.” It was through his home building that I got to know Sergio and we became friends. I was excited when he told me recently that Platinum Blonde was getting back together and we immediately talked about my sponsoring one of their first concerts before they launch their Canadian tour – and to do it right here in Oakville.

This is going to be an unbelievable party. Details are still being worked out and I will have more on those in future columns. I’m also proud to announce that a portion of the proceeds from this concert will be helping a great local cause – the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton. I have a deep commitment to this community and I give back every opportunity I get. I support a number of great organizations here and BBBSH is just one of those who need our help. They provide mentoring and programs for the youth-at-risk in our community, helping them become better citizens and future community leaders.

“We are so grateful to Dan Cooper and Don Parans (owner of Concept Lighting stores in the GTA) for providing Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton for this fabulous opportunity as the recipient of funds raised at the upcoming Platinum Blonde concert,” says Jules Graham-Hood, BBBSH executive director. “This is a great opportunity to enjoy an evening of superb entertainment and reminisce about the ’80s, all in support of youth-at-risk in our local communities. These funds support positive mentoring programs for these kids which make a positive impact in their lives forever! BBBSH requires $1,000 a year to match a child today in a Big and Little program versus $58,000 a year to keep a child in juvenile detention because they do not have a positive mentor in their lives…the choice is easy to make.”

So there you have it – an evening of Great Music for a Great Cause!

Dan Cooper is an award winning Broker with Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage – the Number 1 Royal LePage Team for Canada in 2009. He can be reached at 905.338.3737, direct line at 905.849.3303 or through his innovative and interactive website at DanCooper.com. Be sure to catch the Dan Cooper Real Estate Series on DailyWebTV.com. For his free booklet How To Sell Your House For Top Dollar – Fast! or his Guide to Oakville Real Estate, please call the Dan Cooper Team.