Playing the Sorg Opera House ‘a little surreal’ for Butler County band

The Wonderlands headlining a concert Feb. 4 at downtown Middletown historic venue

A Butler County band is headlining a concert at the Sorg Opera House in Middletown and one member called it “a little surreal.”

Miles Jena, a 2017 Fenwick High School and 2021 Ball State University graduate, grew up in Middletown at a time when the Sorg and other historic downtown buildings were “really abandoned structures,” he said.

That’s no longer the case and the revitalization of the Sorg, which opened in 1891, is leading the way during downtown’s comeback. Countless volunteers spent years raising the funds needed to repair the Sorg, owned and managed by the Sorg Opera Revitalization Group (SORG), a non-profit organization.

“It’s amazing that project got finished,” Jena said. “So many of them don’t.”

The Wonderlands rocking the crowd at Bogarts in Cincinnati last night. Looks like Miles Jena was having some fun!

Posted by Jeffrey Jena on Sunday, November 21, 2021

Jena and the rest of the band, The Wonderlands, are heading a concert Feb. 4 at the Sorg, 63 S. Main St. A special guest, a female artist whom Jena couldn’t name due to her contract restrictions, will take the stage first.

This will be the first concert for the Wonderlands at the Sorg.

“A great moment for us,” he said. “We have heard it’s a great sounding room.”

The Wonderlands are working on booking larger shows and going out on tour, Jena said.

“Things are progressing pretty well,” he said.

But that can change overnight with COVID-19 “still wreaking havoc,” he said.

The band has gigs scheduled in March and April and Jena is concerned about them being rescheduled. But then again, that’s becoming the norm in the entertainment business.

“That makes playing more special,” Jena said. “I never take it for granted anymore.”

The band recently played Bogart’s in Cincinnati in front of about 1,250 fans, Jena said. That was the first time he experienced “a wall of sound” from the audience coming back at him.

Besides Jena, the band includes Adam Steele, a 2015 Middletown High School graduate who plays bass and sings; Jillian Gavigan, a 2019 Fenwick graduate who sings and plays keyboard; Derek Johnson, a 2018 Ross High School graduate who plays drums; and Patrick Oakes, a 2019 Turpin High graduate, who plays guitar and sings.


HOW TO GO:

WHAT: The Wonderlands

WHEN: 8-11 p.m., Feb. 4

WHERE: Sorg Opera House, 63. S. Main St., Middletown

HOW MUCH: $20

PURCHASE TICKETS: www.sorgoperahouse.org, www.thewonderlandsband.com

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