The Marshall Tucker Band to Headline Fundraising Event Benefiting Elyria’s Creation House 

Paul Grodell, Founding Pastor of Beyond The Walls Church (BTWC) in Elyria, announced today that The Marshall Tucker Band will headline ReCreation: A Concert For Change on Friday, June 24 at the Elyria School Performing Arts Center.  All event proceeds will go towards funding Creation House, a treatment and transitional housing facility to be built on the BTWC campus.  The event is the first Lorain County  appearance in over 20-years for the southern rock band currently in the middle of a 45th Anniversary Tour and best known for such as “Can’t You See,” “Fire on the Mountain,” and “Heard It In A Love Song.” 

In addition to The Marshall Tucker Band’s performance, the event will also include an optional pre-show dinner, silent auctions, raffles, and more as well as additional musical performances by Jimmie Bratcher and Jason Green & The Tritones, featuring Becky Boyd. 

Creation House will be a residential facility designed to reach the lost, restore the broken, and release the new creation and is based on highly successful models like Outcry in the Barrio and Teen Challenge.  

“I believe the heroin epidemic is the plague of the 21st Century,”  Grodell said.  “Lorain County has one of the highest percentages of deaths per capita in the nation, with 33 fatal overdoses this January & February alone.  Creation House will be a home to those in need, even those without resources, who want to walk free of their addictions and destructive lifestyles.” 

ReCreate: A Concert For Change will take place on Friday, June 24 at the Elyria Schools Center for the Performing Arts, located at 601 Middle Avenue in Elyria, Ohio. There will be an optional pre-show dinner with silent & live auctions and tickets for the evening will be available beginning April 22.   

ReCreation Concert will be the opening event of the larger ReCreation Weekend;  community activities on Saturday and Sunday on the BTWC campus will include a motorcycle run, community cookout, nondenominational services, and more.  

For more information, please visit recreationconcert.com.

Acoustic Performance Set for May 11 

Executive Chef, and Coda Owner, Dante Boccuzzi announced the next event in the Coda Underground Concert Series will be an acoustic performance by Kip Winger on Wednesday, May 11 at his Tremont venue.  Kip is known not only for his solo career but also for his role in the band Winger, whose 1988 debut album was recently named one of the 50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine.  Winger’s hits include “Seventeen,” “Miles Away,” “Headed For A Heartbreak,” and “Down Incognito.” 

The show adds to the growing list of national acts who have played the Coda stage in the venue’s short history, including Jack Russell’s Great White Unplugged earlier this month.     

Also a classical musician, the World Premier of Kip’s piece “Conversations with Nijinsky” will be performed by the San Fransisco Ballet Orchestra on March 25.  He also appeared on the all-star Hollywood Dead’s album this fall, alongside Alice Cooper, Johnny Depp, Dave Growl, Paul McCartney, Slash, and others.   

“I am pleased to bring someone with Kip’s talent to Coda,” said Boccuzzi.  “This is a must-attend event.” 

Open Thursday through Monday, Coda provides local musicians and fans with a place to come together to hear great music, with professional sound and lights.  Several times a year, however, Boccuzzi will bring in some of the legends of rock ’n roll, like Kip, to play intimate shows for longtime fans as part of the Coda Underground Concert Series. 

Kip Winger Unplugged takes place Wednesday, May 11 at Coda, located at 2247 Professor Street in Cleveland.  Tickets include a pre-show dinner at Dante Next Door and start at $85.   VIP packages are $125 and include dinner and the show plus a cocktail party, lanyard, and Meet & Greet.   Tickets are extremely limited - only 60 total will be available - and are on sale now. 

For more information on Coda and upcoming events, please visit danteboccuzzi.com.

Salt-N-Pepa and Vanilla Ice to Lead 7-Act Lineup  

University of Toledo Associate Athletic Director Tony Zaworski announced today that the I LOVE THE 90’s tour will be making at stop at Savage Arena on Saturday, August 20 as part of the SAVAGE LIVE Concert Series.  The event will be headlined by the Grammy Award winning group Salt-N-Pepa, best known for their groundbreaking efforts as one of the first all-female rap groups and numerous hits that have endured throughout three decades.  The lineup also includes Vanilla Ice, Coolio, Tone Loc, Kid ’n Play, Rob Base, and Young MC.  

Fans can count on a fun-filled evening grooving to hits such as “Push It,” “Shoop,” “Whatta Man,” “Ice, Ice Baby,” “Gansta’s Paradise,” “Wild Thing,” “Funky Cold Medina,” “Rollin’ With Kid ’n Play,” “It Takes Two,” “Joy and Pain,” “Bust A Move,” and more!  

I LOVE THE 90’s will be the second event in the SAVAGE LIVE, a multi-event concert series which kicks off March 19 with the sold-out ROCK THE ARENA, an 8-act rock fest headlined by Bret Michaels.  All shows will be open to the public with discount tickets available to current UT students.    

“We’re thrilled to announce I LOVE THE 90’s as the next event in the SAVAGE LIVE Concert Series,” said Zaworski.  “Our goal has always been to bring in entertainment that will appeal to both the campus and community and we believe this lineup does just that by taking us back to a decade that helped lay the foundation for today’s hip hop and rap artists with music that still permeates pop culture today.”  

“After selling out ROCK THE ARENA, we believe this next installment in our series will continue to show that Savage Arena is once again a thriving venue for live entertainment in Toledo, Ohio.”  

I LOVE THE 90’s takes place Saturday, August 20 at John F. Savage arena, located on the University of Toledo campus at 2025 North Douglas Road in Toledo, Ohio.  Doors open at 6:00 and music begins at 7:00.  Tickets starting at $35 go on sale Thursday, March 3 and will be available online at UTSavageLive.com or at the UT Ticket Office at Savage Arena.  Limited student tickets are available with current ID for $25 at the ticket office starting Monday, February 29.  

For more information on this and other upcoming SAVAGE LIVE events, please visit UTSAVAGELIVE.com. 

8-Act Rock Fest Takes Place at Savage Arena on March 19 

University of Toledo Associate Athletic Director Tony Zaworski has announced two changes to the ROCK THE ARENA festival at Savage Arena on March 19; L.A. Guns is no longer available for the show but multiplatinum band Dokken has been added to the bill.  The Grammy-nominated Dokken is best known for songs such as “Burning Like A Flame,” “In My Dreams,” and “Alone Again.” 

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, L.A. Guns will not be performing on March 19; however, we are thrilled to have Dokken in the lineup,” Zaworski said.  “We can’t really say Dokken is ‘stepping in for L.A. Guns’ because, with over 10 million albums sold, they are on a different level.  Having Dokken on the bill adds value for the fans.” 

“We appreciate how great Don (Dokken) has been, even agreeing to play an early slot than normal to accommodate other bands’ travel schedules, which were already set.” 

ROCK THE ARENA will kick off the SAVAGE LIVE concert series, a multi-event concert series recently announced by The University of Toledo Athletic Department.  

The all-day music fest will be headlined by Bret Michaels, best known as the frontman for Poison as well as for his “Rock of Love” reality show, winning “Celebrity Apprentice,” and an extensive solo career.  The lineup also includes RATT, Warrant, Winger, Dokken, Lita Ford, Firehouse, and Trixter.   

ROCK THE ARENA takes place Saturday, March 19 at John F. Savage Arena, located on The University of Toledo campus at 2025 North Douglas Road in Toledo, Ohio.  Doors open at 12:30 and music begins at 1:30. 

Tickets starting at $35.50 are on sale at UTROCKETS.com or through the UT Ticket Office at Savage Arena.  Currently, only single tickets for the event remain available to the public; however, limited University holds will be released on January 21 and February 5.   

For more information on ROCK THE ARENA and other upcoming SAVAGE LIVE events, please visit UTROCKETS.com or follow the concert series on Twitter and Facebook.

Rock & Roll to the Rescue Returns to Hard Rock Rocksino - Northfield Park in November

Howard Perl, CEO of Howard Perl Productions, announced today that Eddie Money will headline Rock & Roll to the Rescue (Part 2) on Sunday, November 8th at the Hard Rock Rocksino - Northfield Park.  The event will benefit Geauga Humane Society’s Rescue Village and is the first Rocksino appearance for the legendary rocker known for hits such as “Two Tickets to Paradise,”  “Take Me Home Tonight,” and “Baby Hold On.”  

 

The  benefit follows January’s sold out inaugural event, which featured Chubby Checker and was hailed by The Plain Dealer as “one of the best evenings of the year.”

 

Perl is confident attendees will enjoy this show as well.  

 

“Rock & Roll to the Rescue is unlike any other fundraiser in town.  We produce Vegas-style shows to put the fun back in fundraising,” he said.  “Part 2 will be a unique extension of the gala back in January and will have the same goal - to raise much needed funds for the homeless dogs, cats, horses, and other animals at Rescue Village.”

 

Rock & Roll to the Rescue (Part 2), presented by Ganley Subaru of Bedford and The Barkley Pet Hotel & Day Spa, will take place Sunday, November 8th at the Hard Rock Rocksino -  Northfield Park, located at 10777 Northfield Road in Northfield, Ohio. The fundraising portion of the evening begins at 6:00 pm with showtime set for 7:30 pm.  

Tickets start at $25 and go on sale this Friday, September 4th, at 10 am and will be available at the Rocksino box-office or through Ticketmaster.  Rescue Village, the beneficiary of the evening, will also offer VIP passes in exchange for donations online at rescueconcert.com.

 

Rescue Village, located in Russell Township, is a vital center for animal welfare in Northeast Ohio.  Animals at Rescue Village are cared for until they find a new home and are never euthanized due to age, special needs, or lack of space.  100% of the care of these animals comes from private donations.  For more information about their mission, please visit geaugahumane.org.

I am not exaggerating when I say I have zero musical ability.   I played trombone, clarinet, and percussion in middle school only because we had to take the class and I went through three instruments in two years because my band directors got frustrated with my lack of basic skills.  I drive my spin instructor nuts because I can’t “drop it on the beat”.   I would be a rockstar if I could sing but even my kids ask me to please stop when I karaoke in the car.  But I LOVE music because I love what it can do.  I love that a song can transport you back to a specific moment in time.  I love that a song allows you to portray an emotion to someone else when words fail.  I love that a song instantly makes you think of your mom, or high school boyfriend, or best friend out of the blue.   I love that a song can have meaning to a whole new generation long after the songwriters or recording artists have gone.   

I also love that the performance of live music sometimes creates an atmosphere so special that it is engrained in your mind forever.  I experienced one of those magical nights last weekend on the Rock Legends Cruise when the Marshall Tucker Band opened up their Saturday night set to members of the other groups onboard.

This is not meant to be a review of the show.  It will not contain technical descriptions of who played what riff, when or even who joined in on which specific song.  It is simply my recollection of a night when 21 artists representing 13 different groups joined B.B. Borden, Pat Ellwood, Marcus Henderson, Chris Hicks, Shane Pruitt, Rick Willis, Leroy Wilson, and Doug Gray onstage and played the hell out of the Marshall Tucker catalog for well over three hours.  

 

The Marshall Tucker Band has been a part of the Rock Legends cruise since its maiden voyage and, over the past three trips, their Saturday night jam has become a tradition with a diverse group of musicians participating; this year’s class included artists from .38 Special, Blue Oyster Cult, War, JGB, Alice Cooper, Royal Southern Brotherhood, Artimus Pyle, Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, Dave Mason, Blue Lords, Pat Travers Band, and the Doobie Brothers.  The talent in that room was amazing, starting with the tremendous skills of the MTB.

 

I was lucky enough to have been helping with logistics backstage on Saturday, meaning I was literally perched behind the drums to organize and track the artists who wanted to participate, which gave me a unique perspective in that I not only able to hear the music but I was also able to interact with the players and that’s how I know it was a special night for many of them as well.  

 

For those of you who have not yet experienced a Rock Legends Cruise, most bands play three shows over the course of four days plus have a scheduled meet and greet in addition to visiting with fans on deck, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of free time.  That backstage area was full Saturday night, however, both with musicians who wanted to join in and with others who had simply heard the buzz and wanted to check it out for themselves.  Many who told me they were only staying for a song or two were still there grinning from ear to ear two hours later.   It was like a big family reunion, with artists reconnecting with former bandmates and hanging out with those who had influenced them over the years.  

 

As incredible a night as it was for the musicians, it was just as cool for the fans and you don’t need to play an instrument to appreciate the intricacy of what was happening on stage.  To me, it was like watching a dance as artists communicated only with eye contact and head nods and the beauty of the music unfolded in front of us all.

 

I cannot think of another arena where an event like this could have happened, where the stars would align to bring that much talent in one place at one time and I am sure fans and musicians alike are already looking forward to next year.

 

The details of the evening, to the best of my knowledge, are as follows:

 

Artists:

 

Buck Dharma              Blue Oyster Cult                      Guitar

Richie Castellano        Blue Oyster Cult                      Guitar

Sal Rodriquez             War                                          Congas

Dave  Herbert             Melvin Seals & JGB                 Guitar

Gary Moffatt                .38 Special                               Drums

Glen Sobel                 Alice Cooper                             Drums

Charlie Wooton          Royal Southern Brotherhood    Bass

Brad Durden              Artimus Pyle                              Keyboards

Chris Anderson         Outlaws                                     Guitar

Ed Toth                      Doobie Brothers                        Drums

Scott Raines              Artimus Pyle                              Guitar

Tony Black                 Artimus Pyle                              Bass

Phil McCormack        Molly Hatchet                             Vocals

Jerry Lyda                  Artimus Pyle                              Guitar

Bart Walker                Royal Southern Brotherhood    Guitar

Johnne Sambataro    Dave Mason                              Guitar

Tony Bullard               Blue Lords                                 Guitar

Rodney O’Quinn        Pat Travers                                Bass

John Galvin               Molly Hatchet                             Keyboard

Stanley Barris            War                                            Harmonica

 

Special shoutout to those who had not yet had the chance to take the stage when they needed to leave or before the 3:00 AM venue curfew, including BOC’s Kasim Sulton, Molly Hatchet’s Shawn Beamer, and JGB’s Pete Lavezzoli, and to Doug’s daughters, Gabrielle and Mariah, who joined with Chris Hicks to perform I Love You That Way as a surprise for their dad.

 

Set List:

 

This Ol’ Cowboy

Dog Eat Dog World

Fire On The Mountain

I’ll Be Loving You

Midnight Promises

Hillbilly Band

Ramblin’

(Blues Jam)

I Love You That Way

Desert Skies

Blue Ridge Mountain sky

Can’t You See

 

 

Please feel free to comment below, whether you were also there for the jam, or if you simply would like to share other musical memories.  To access my pictures of Day 3, including the jam, click here.  Since I was only able to get pictures from my spot behind the stage, I would love to see yours;  use #mtbjam when on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to share your photos.  Additional photos of the Rock Legend Cruise can be seen by clicking here for Days 1 & 2 or here for Day 4.