Philly Pops to Reclaim Stage at Kimmel Center

The Philly Pops will perform at the Kimmel Center on Saturday, Oct. 25. This will be the first concert under its original name since its return following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Longtime principal trumpet player Matt Gallagher, who has been with the Philly Pops for 15 years, considers the performance a meaningful full-circle moment.

"I've known about the Philly Pops since I was a kid," Gallagher said to CBS News Philadelphia. "The trumpet player, prior to me becoming principal, I used to see him on TV on July Fourth, playing in the orchestra with Peter Nero. And I used to think, 'Wow, that would be pretty cool to be in that orchestra at some point and playing the trumpet.'"

After disbanding during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philly Pops temporarily performed under the name The No Name Pops, but officially reclaimed its original identity in July, performing on Independence Mall last summer.

Executive director Matthew Koveal explained the importance of performing at the Kimmel Center. He emphasized the Saturday program's focus on honoring the legacies of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, which will feature notable trumpet solos, including a large one from Gallagher on the Vernon Duke and Ira Gershwin standard "I Can't Get Started." 

"To be able to showcase Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra — two incredible artists of the last century," Koveal said in remarks made to CBS News Philadelphia. "There's going to be a lot of trumpet playing, a lot of brass playing."

The concert, entitled "Luck Be a Lady," will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St. in Philadelphia.