Ralph Covert and The Bad Examples to bring rock ‘n roll energy to The Venue

The last time Ralph Covert performed at The Venue in Aurora, he was part of a songwriters showcase.

On Saturday, he will bring his band The Bad Examples with him for a night that will celebrate the power of music. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets range in price from $20 to $25.

Tickets are available at themusicvenue.org. The Venue is located at 21 S. Broadway Ave. (Route 25) in downtown Aurora. Those attending the show must show proof of vaccination for COVID-19 and masks are also required for entry.

Covert and his band combine high energy with catchy melodies that sink deep into your brain. Covert, a 1980 Glenbard West High School graduate and Glen Ellyn resident, is also known for his children’s musical project, Ralph’s World. The Ralph’s World album “Green Gorilla, Monster & Me” was nominated for a Grammy award.

Those who come out to the show can expect to hear songs like the band’s biggest hit – “Not Dead Yet” – along with new songs like “Church of Rock & Roll Guitar” and “Things Change.”

Kane County Chronicle reporter Eric Schelkopf had the chance to talk to Covert about the show. The interview has been edited for length and style.

Eric Schelkopf: So you are headed back to The Venue. Are you anxious to play there again and this time, with your band?

Ralph Covert: Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. It’s a beautiful place to play and audiences really enjoy it. It’s a good listening room.

We’re going to do some deep cuts and some new songs. I’ve been writing up a storm. I have tons and tons of new material.

Schelkopf: Of course, you haven’t had as many live shows. Has that given you time to write?

Covert: Yeah, time to write and I’ve been doing my Staycation streaming shows, five nights a week most weeks.

Schelkopf: So you haven’t been doing as many live shows, but you are doing your Staycation shows five nights a week, for the most part. So in essence, are you maybe playing more these days than if you were out playing live?

Covert: Yeah, for sure, playing more and writing more than I was before the COVID thing.

Schelkopf: With your Staycation shows, you literally have a worldwide audience. Have you found the Staycation shows have given you a bigger audience?

Covert: Yeah, it’s been really neat connecting with folks from all across the country. I let the audience pick all the songs. They tell me what songs they want to hear and I play them.

It’s interesting. Early on, they wanted the hits and then they started going into deeper cuts on the albums.

Now they are deep into the catalog. The more obscure, the better for them, which is great fun.

Schelkopf: You remastered the song “Let Her Go” in 2020. You are really stretching your vocal chords on that one, especially live, it seems like.

Covert: Yeah, it’s a fun song to sing. It’s always a great live favorite and the band always whips up the energy for it.

Schelkopf: Are you going to play it Saturday?

Covert: Oh, for sure. That’s such a fun song to do. It’s tough to play a show and not want to do it.

Schelkopf: You were talking about writing new songs. For one thing, you have the song “Church of Rock & Roll Guitar.” Is that one of the songs you wrote or started during the pandemic?

Covert: We started some new songs in the studio right before the pandemic. And that was one of those.

Schelkopf: Do you miss not playing as many live shows as you did before the pandemic?

Covert: When we’ve had the chance to play, it’s been such a blast and such a joyous celebration with the audience. We’re really looking forward to the opportunity just to get together.

You mentioned the song “Church of Rock & Roll Guitar” and I kind of feel that’s what we’re all due for.