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LOCAL MUSIC NEWS COLUMN by Tom Lounges HELP FEED THE REGION’S...
Though details were still coming together on this way cool event, I want to give readers a heads up to mark their calendars and keep Sunday, June 5 open for a special event called –– “The Canned Jam” –– which will raise money and food donation for the Northwest Indiana Food Bank.
That’s the day Midwest BEAT and several other sponsors –– The Times, X-ROCK, Night Rock, The Post-Tribune, etc. –– will team up to present a multi-band show at the Celebrity Ballroom at the Radisson Hotel (I-65 & US 30) in Merrillville. Doors will open at 1pm and show time is 2pm to 8pm.
The event is being coordinated by local musician Michael Wallace, who is also a manager at the Radisson. Bands already on board to perform include –– X-Girlfriend, The Stray Toasters and Asteria... More on this event next month!
BONGO DICK BENEFIT...
The entertainment line-up has coming together for the April 17th benefit concert for local bluesman, Bongo Dick Schultz, who has been diagnosed with bone cancer. The event is being coordinated by Schultz’ friend and fellow blues artist, Glenn “The Wiz” Wierzbicki, and will take place at Jay’s Bar & Grill (13849 South Cicero) in Crestwood, Illinois.
Among those who are scheduled to perform are –– Bad Idea, Billy Branch, The Planetary Blues band, Chicago Kingsnakes, Jimmy Johnson, Phil Guy, Melva LeBlanc, Killer Ray Allison, Steepwater Band, John Primer, Wally World, The Chicago Blues Posse, Deb Seitz, Guitar Red, Small Time Dave, and Billy King.
More info by emailing at: Gwiz057@aol.com or calling (708) 388-3883.
“PET ROCK” HELPS SHELTER...
The Humane Society of Northwest Indiana will benefit from the time and talent of several area rock bands when “Pet Rock” is presented on April 16, at Angelo’s Sicilian Cart (1515 E. 82nd Ave.) in Merrillville.
The event is once again being coordinated by Don Baron, the vocalist of retro group, Bravo Johnny. Baron will join me live on Night Rock Radio (103.9FM) on April 10 to chat about the event. Two of the headlining acts are Bravo Johnny (as expected) and renown tribute band, The Soundz Of Santana. Other bands, still awaiting confirmation at press time will also perform.
NIGHT ROCK Turns One Year Old...
I would like to thank my very good friend, Jim Peterik (of Ides Of March/Survivor/Pride Of Lions), for spending Sunday, March 20 on the air with me and helping to celebrate the first anniversary of the “Night Rock” radio program I host each week with Scotty Rosenberg and Hegewisch Lisa.
Aside from bring along some cool CDs from his personal collection to share while guest DJ-ing with me, Jim played acoustically live on the air. He treated our listening audience to a few of the more famous songs he has written over the years (“Heavy Metal” for Sammy Hagar and a .38 Special medley – “Hold On Loosely,” “Fantasy Girl,” and “Rockin’ Into The Night”).
As part of our anniversary celebration, we also did a month long contest, “Lick It Up!”, where listener’s had to identify the artist, guitarist and song each time we played a famous “guitar lick” sound bite. Congratulations to our grand finalist winner – Oscar “Big O” Medina of Hammond – and thanks to the fine folks at Dynamite Music for setting us up with that sweet cherry red S101 geeee-tar!
Medina is shown here holding his new S101 Guitar after being presented with it by Night Rock Radio’s co-host Scotty Rosenberg.
THE MUSIC CENTER @ MINDY’S
Mindy’s One Of A Kind Hair Care & Art Gallery (5490 U.S. Hwy. 6) in Portage, has started a “Local Music Center” and would like area bands interested in having their music included and marketed to contact her.
The shop will not only sell local music CDs and t-shirts on a consignment basis, but also play local music in the shop for patrons and offer special hair styling deals for patrons who purchase a local CD from her shop inventory.
Original music artists often bemoan the fact that they have few places in which they can market their product. So it would be nice to see those same artists their fingers busy, dialing Mindy and taking advantage of a local merchant’s offer to get actively involved in promoting local music. Call her during business hours (Tues.-Sat.) at: (219) 762-9644.
PURDUE ROCKS FOR VICTIMS…
Purdue University Calumet Campus will host a concert for tsunami relief on Friday, April 29 at 7pm. The Student Programming Board of Purdue University Calumet will present the concert in the Physical Education and Recreation Building. Headlining the performance will be the national recording artist, Sleeping At Last, with support provided by regional recording artist, Emitter.
Emitter, who enjoyed a modest local radio hit in 2004 with their song, “White Trash Town,” has been recording downstate this winter and has wrapped up sessions for their second band album. Guesting on some of those tracks is renown session player, Kenny Aronoff, of Smashing Pumpkins/John Mellencamp fame.
All proceeds from the Purdue concert will benefit the UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund. Tickets are modestly priced at $4.00 for general admission and $2.00 with a Purdue Student I.D. The event is open to all ages. More info or for advance tickets, call – (219) 989-2369.
BAND BITS...
• Former Sucker Punch vocalist, Donnie Thaxton, has been named as the new singer of the heavy Hoosier rockers, Mas Kaos. He has big shoes to step into, replacing founding frontman Brian “Bubba” Price, who is currently forming a new musical project.
• Northwest Indiana-based Pearl Jam tribute group, Evenflow, began a seven state tour of Illinois, Minnesota, Kentucky, Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin the last week on March. The biggest gigs of the multi-week tour will take place at The Madison Theatre in Kentucky on April 13 and at Cleveland's House Of Blues on April 30.
“We will end our tour with a homecoming show at Buddy & Pals in Valparaiso on May 6th, where we will host a benefit to help raise money for cancer,” explained vocalist Steve “Beaver” Lopez. “A portion of the $6.00 cover that night will be presented to Michelle Powers on stage. She is a local girl who is doing a walk for the cause. We have also been raising money at shows since February 25th and so far have raised over $500 with just 4 shows. We will continue to raise money on the tour dates as well. Our goal as a band is to raise at least $2000.”
More information: www.evenflowrocks.com
• Drummer/band leader, Mike Columbo, announced via email that his eclectic musical group –– Hot Damn! –– has officially disbanded. In the wake of their demise, Columbo has put together two different spin off bands. He is now pounding the skins with The Hydrophonics, a “jam band” akin to Hot Damn! The Jerry Parks Band, finds Columbo front and center stage as lead vocalist rather than beat keeping behind a drum kit.
• Buddy & Pal’s in Valparaiso has teamed up with Cronies Charhouse & Gin Mill in Kouts to co-sponsor a weekly Porter County “Battle Of The Bands” that kicks off on April 6 at Buddy & Pal’s. The contest is open only to artists who do their own original music. Each artist must perform a 45-minute set. More info: (219) 663-7992 or www.buddyandpals.com
• Congrats to Northwest Indiana alt-metal group, Emisis, for making it past the second round of the worldwide Emergenza Festival band battle last month at The Note night club in Chicago. The group moves on to the Double Door in Chicago in May, getting them closer to winning a chance to play Germany and headline the annual festival. For more info online, log on at: www.emisismusic.com and www.emergenza.net
• Tressa Luttrell, vocalist for local retro-rock group, Retropolitan, has accepted a position with the Chicago Performing Arts Society. This means her permanent participation in the band will soon come to an end. Luttrell will remain with the group until all booking commitments through mid-summer are filled or until a suitable replacement can be found.
According to rhythm guitarist, co-vocalist Steve Rempis, the search for a new “Retro-grrrl” is on. Those wishing to audition can reach the band via the website: www.retropolitan.us or by calling (219) 741-5820.
• To borrow the lyrics from one of their original songs, Northwest Indiana’s Premonition are “the chosen ones” to open the show for Judas Priest and Queensryche with that tour stops at Tinley Park’s Tweeter Center on June 3.
Premonition, who have five hard-hitting nationally-released CDs to their credit, will perform on the secondary stage located inside the concessions area prior to Queensryche’s taking the main stage. Metal heads are well advised to arrive early, because Premonition is a band not to be missed.
• Vocalist Bill Kaczmarski (ex-Trauma, Excaliber and Traxx) is back in action once again and fronting the Peotone, Illinois-based group, K.O. Bossy. More info: www.KOBossy.com
• Chicago’s Fall Out Boy, who stepped up from indie artist status to major label status with a contract from Island Records, has been confirmed for a Main Stage slot on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour this summer.
The band’s new CD, From Under The Cork Tree, produced by Neal Avron (New Found Glory, Yellowcard) hits May 3rd.
• As we went to press, we learned that respected Chicago metal drummer Barry Stern passed away on April 1, from what is believed to be complications from a recent hip replacement surgery. He was age 45.
Barry made an impact on the Chicago metal scene in the ‘80s with Zoetrope who put out the landmark Amnesty and Life Of Crime releases. At the turn of the ‘90s, Stern became drummer for the Chicago-based national metal group, Trouble. Stern’s powerful drumming can be heard on that band’s self-titled album and their Manic Frustration, both via Metal Blade Records www.newtrouble.com
Years later, Stern started playing with the local heavy rock act, Debris Inc., and toured Europe.
Stern’s last official recordings appear on the self titled Debris Inc. debut which come out April 5th via Rise Above Records/Candlelight USA (www.debrisinc.com ). At the time of his death, Stern was also at the helm of a heavy music side project called D-Connect.
Along with doing their own original set, the SWB boys have been asked to step in as sidemen for blues/R&B legend, Little Milton, during his set at the event. The guys are thrilled to be able to be working with one of their collective blues idols. More info: www.steepwaterband.com
THIS ‘N’ THAT...
• Congratulations to Myke and Julie Romano, the owners of Romano’s Pizza, Pasta & Grill on U.S. 30 in Schererville. The business celebrates their first anniversary in business this month.
Himself a longtime guitarist on the local music scene, Myke Romano, has tried to make his restaurant a haven for area musicians of all ages wanting a stage on which to perform. The venue presents an all ages “jam/open mic night” every Friday, with live band concerts every Saturday. More info: (219) 864-9999.
• Musicians looking to cover their assets, may want to make a point to mark their day planners with this information.
Lawyers for The Creative Arts will present three free seminars to answer questions that local musicians may have regarding music law. The LCA advises artist and art organizations in the full array of legal services they encounter and offers pro bono legal services to qualifying individuals and organizations in the arts. Attendance is free to all seminars, but advance registration is require to insure seating. Register by calling (312) 649-4111 or emailing to: info@law-arts.org
The free LCA seminars are as follows: Tuesday, April 12 from 6-9 pm at DuSable Museum/Ames Auditorium (740 E. 56th Place) in Chicago; Saturday, April 16 from 10am to 1pm at the Garfield Park Conservatory/Jenson Room (300 N. Central Park) in Chicago; and Wednesday, April 20 from 6-9pm at the University Center/Lake Room (525 S. State St.) in Chicago.
That’s all for this month! C-Ya!
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The Steepwatrer Band will perform at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville, TN on April 28 as part of a charity event to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. The event is being organized by the Dark Side of the Radio, an internet-based, roots ‘n’ blues radio station.