Music Media Entertainment Technology program (MMET) just finished this year’s third and final big live show, Retrofest 197.8, and the theme was a 1978 radio station. From Queen to Elvis Costello there was a variety of the hottest hits performed by Huntington Beach High School’s (HBHS) ever-talented MMET.

The stage was dressed with a massive stereo and bits of advertisements and DJ anecdotes played from TV’s between songs. It was an immersive experience with visuals and instrumental arrangements—some iconic moments included a saxophone and a keytar. If you couldn’t see Pete Townshend jumping around stage in the ‘70s this show is the next best thing. 

Opening the show was an in-your-face section of Rock-n-Roll, which featured two Toto songs and a sprinkling of other big-name bands from the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. “Don’t Stop Me Now,” the Queen song previously mentioned, was performed by Emi Miguez, a senior at Edison High School, 

Interestingly, Billy Joel marked a switch in the setlist with “Big Shot” from Yacht Rock to early Punk bands like the Ramones and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and it also brought on one of the best performances in the show, Kelly Hunter’s rendition of “Roxanne” by The Police. Hunter, who is a sophomore at HBHS, is a bass player in the show but outdid The Police on their own hit with her smooth vocals. Everything, from the band to the lighting, directed by HBHS’ very own Technical Theatre department, brought out the ambiance of the song and really made it feel like the audience stepped into a Police concert. 

“Birdland,” a jazz song, leads to a quick dive into disco. And after that, we get another smashing hit of the night—“Renegade,” performed by HBHS senior Alani Browning. The dark opening with a soft spotlight on the singer seemed to really enrapture the crowd. We were dancing, we were screaming, and some of us were crying. 

Izabella Vosper, a sophomore and assistant lighting designer, said “Renegade was my favorite song to work on, it was fun to play with—especially from a lighting design perspective. The a cappella intro was food for a multitude of creative opportunities. I love incorporating lighting, music, and vocals because they always seem to come together in an unlikely yet gorgeous convergence.”

Although he may look a bit nerdy on stage with his huge, black-framed glasses, don’t be fooled. That’s just guitarist and singer Zach Perazzo’s Elvis Costello costume. “Radio, Radio” was fun, lively, and stood out from other vocal performances. 

Devendra Holiday, a junior at HBHS who saw the show Friday night, said “The performance has a lot of passion, that’s why these things are fun to watch. It’s eye-catching, and [Perrazzo] is really good.”

Perazzo played on a few songs throughout the night, but his solo really helped wrap up Act II. 

The show’s finale, “King Tut” by Steve Martin and The Toot Uncommons, really brought the house down—especially when the MMET crew stormed the front pit and stage to dance around in celebration. For a lot of the cast, it was their last performance before graduation. It’s a heartfelt sight to see the seniors doing their last concert.

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Perazzo, who performed “Radio, Radio” on vocals and many other songs as lead guitar, is graduating this year. He has been in MMET for all four years of his high school career. 

Perazzo is planning on going to Berklee College of Music in Boston, and said, “Music is my life and my passion, and I cannot see myself pursuing another career that isn’t music.”

While the last show is usually an emotional experience, there are many upsides for Perazzo. 

Perazzo said, “I’m very sad it’s my last show, but I’m also very satisfied with the time I had in MMET … I felt fulfilled at the end of my last show knowing that it was an incredible show to be my last… and I had a great time being backstage with all my favorite people for the last time.”

Perazzo, who is a teaching assistant at HBHS for their guitar class, embraces his role as an educator.

He said, “If I could change anything about the way this work is done, I would incorporate more instruction on how to run the show for underclassmen.” 

Andrew Selecky, who plays multiple instruments in the show and sang “Big Shot” by Billy Joel, is also graduating from HBHS this year. Like Perazzo and many other seniors, Selecky has been in MMET for his whole high school career. 

Selecky said, “I felt equally proud and amazed by the show… Although there were so many hit songs in 1978 that remain relevant today, the selection we displayed at Retrofest 197.8 was a great overview of such a golden era of music; I wouldn’t change a thing.”

In the fall, Selecky will be attending Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he will be continuing his music education. Selecky will be majoring in Commercial Music as a keyboardist. 

Selecky said, “My favorite part of the show was getting to ‘be’ a Bee Gee with my close friends Stephen and Brayden, both of whom are also graduating.”

As for what MMET has done in his life, Selecky said, “MMET has introduced me to nearly all of my friends. The opportunities I have been afforded to rehearse using state-of-the-art equipment, perform in our theatre, and travel across the country have allowed me to realize that I want music fully in my life.”

Aidan Phan is a graduating Senior and this past year was his first in MMET. He sang “Radio, Radio” and played guitar in the matinee show. 

He said, “The show run was the best I’ve experienced. It was full of energy, passion, and sorrow because it was the last show for many.”

Like many others, Phan was able to make incredible connections through MMET. 

Phan said, “This first and last year of MMET has given me a valuable experience of a professional and realistic experience of the music industry.”

While Phan is not majoring in music next year, he wants to continue playing and performing.

Anna Kee, who sang “I Will Survive” as the show closer, has been in MMET for four years, joining during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Next year, Kee will be attending Loyola Marymount University as an International Relations major. 

Kee said, “I really enjoyed getting to give a heartfelt performance and make the most of my last show with my friends.”

While Kee is not majoring in music, she said, “I am planning on pursuing music outside of high school. It has been my passion from a young age and always will be.”

Kee said, “My favorite part of the show was getting to perform with my friends and spend a whole week bonding during tech week. I have met some of my best friends through the program!”

Ava Johnson, a superstar guitarist and graduating senior at HBHS, played on many songs in this show as lead guitarist, including “Renegade,” “Just What I Needed” and “Psycho Killer.” When Johnson is not leading a rehearsal block at MMET, she can be found playing in a band called Pulse with her sister, Alana Johnson, and other MMET alumni. 

Johnson said, “There was no added pressure or nervousness surrounding the last show. There was only happiness.”

Johnson will attend the University of California, Berkeley, in the fall. While she is not majoring in music, she plans to pursue it for the rest of her life. 

Johnson said, “The show run was awesome. There were many tears shed, there were so many memories shared and everyone did amazing.”

She also said, “My favorite part of the show was playing ‘Psycho Killer’ with all of my friends and watching everyone rip.”

If anyone is interested in watching the show, or any of the previous performances, they can do so here.