For the Reporter

Singer Lisa Rock and her six-piece band are bringing the music of The Carpenters back to the stage with their spot-on renditions of Carpenters classics with Close to You: The Music of The Carpenters at the Auburn Avenue Theater on Saturday, May 7.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the historic theater, 10 Auburn Ave.

Considered one of the best vocalists of all time, Karen Carpenter captured the attention of a generation with her unabashedly catchy pop music. The Carpenters’ memorable love songs topped the Billboard charts with more than a dozen No. 1 hits.

Rock’s four-octave range allows her to sing the hits like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays” in their original key, keeping the songs genuine and more recognizable for the audience.

“When she hits the lower range of her marvelous voice,” noted Chicago critic Alan Bresloff, “if you close your eyes, you can see Karen Carpenter’s face.”

But Rock goes beyond the music in her concert. She draws the crowd in with anecdotes about Karen and Richard Carpenter, their lives and how some of the songs originated. Rock engages the audience to the point where they can’t help but sing along with her and share the memories of The Carpenters and their music.

Tickets are $20, $18 for seniors and students, and can be purchased online at AuburnWA.gov or by calling 253-931-3043.