Wednesday, October 31, 2012

RONNIE JAMES DIO "STAND UP & SHOUT CANCER FUND GALA" HELD OCTOBER 31 (Halloween) AT AVALON IN HOLLYWOOD

The Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund's" second Awards Gala was held  (Halloween night) October 31 at the Avalon nightclub in Hollywood and included not only a live performance from Dio Disciples (Ripper Owens, Craig Goldy, Scott Warren, Simon Wright & Blorn Englen)  but an all-star list of special friends including- Doug Aldrich (Dio),  Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), Stephen Pearcy (Ratt), Glenn Hughes, Eddie Money, "Geezer" Butler (Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell) Joey Vera (Armored Saint) Billy Morrison, Frankie Banali, Michael Sweet & Oz Fox (Stryper) and Central New York's own David "Rock" Feinstein (The Rods) and others
 
Also one of this year's honorees was legendary "Hall of Fame" guitarist Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath & Heaven & Hell) who donated a one-of-a-kind Gibson Iommi SG prototype guitar to be signed by Tony and included in the event's silent auction.
 
The events Special Guest emcee was Eddie Trunk of VH1 Classics's "That Metal Shop"..

All.to honor Ronnie, our very special friends mighty cause.

Monday, October 22, 2012

NEW SYRACUSE & CNY CD'S HIT THE MARKET- RONNIE JAMES DIO, TODD HOBIN, KAT TALE, MISS E, LAST TRAIN OUT, MASTER THIEVES, ISREAL HAGAN & JACK " PENETRATOR" LIPTON, AUSTIN JIMMY MURPHY, BURNS SISTERS, STEVE COREY, DUSTY PASCAL, SOUL RISIN, HANNA RICHARDSON & PHIL FLANAGAN, MANDATE OF HEAVEN and the newest releases, Two Cds by "THE ACTION"..

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC - CHAPTER 55 - MORE FAMOUS NAMES THAT PERFORMED OR SPOKE IN SYRACUSE BETWEEN 1950-1956

Apr 15, 1950    Eddie Arnold - Civic Theater

June 1, 1950     Jack Benny - New York State Fair Coliseum

Sept 29-Oct 1, 1950   Louis "Satchimo" Armstrong - 3 Rivers Inn

Oct 27, 1950    Duke Ellington  - 3 Rivers Inn

Nov 17-19, 1950    Tony Bennett - 3 Rivers Inn

Mar 17, 1951    Clarabell the Clown  - Paramount Theater
                          (of the Howdy Doody TV Show)

June 12, 1951   Hank Williams Sr. - Civic Theater

Apr 25-26, 1952   Les Paul & Mary Ford  - Loews State Theater

Oct 8, 1952     President Harry Truman - NY Central Train Depot

Oct 31, 1952   Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis  - War Memorial

Aug 21, 1953   Mickey Rooney  - 3 Rivers Inn

Oct 12-16, 1954  Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra  - Hotel Syracuse

Oct 11, 1955     Liberace  - War Memorial

Apr 16, 1956   Harry Bellafonte  - Loews State Theater

Apr 26, 1956   Bill Haley & The Comets  - War Memorial

Apr 23-25, 1956   Cab Calloway   Andre's Tic Toc Club

July 23-25, 1956   Charlton Heston - County Playhouse

Sept 24-29, 1956   Don Rickles  - 3 Rivers Inn

Nov 7, 1956    Hopalong Cassidy & Topper - War Memorial

Thursday, October 11, 2012

DAVID "ROCK" FEINSTEIN TO PERFORM AT DIO HALLOWEEN GALA IN HOLLYOOD, OCTOBER 31

Special guest David "Rock" Feinstein will perform his song "Metal Will Never Die" with Dio Disciples live on stage at the Ronnie James Dio "Stand Up And Shout" Cancer Fund Gala at the Avalon in Hollywood, Ca. on Halloween night October 31, 2012.
 
"Metal Will Never Die" is included on Ronnie's newest Cd "The Very Beast of Dio- Volume 2" released  on October 9 by Niji Entertainment.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC- CHAPTER 38 - THE WHO IN SYRACUSE 1969 & 1981 (Updated)


Today I read of Pete Townshend new biography being released and recently watched The WHO on the Palladia Music Television Network "BBC Electric Promo Live from the Roundhouse in London". It brought back many great memories of their shows in Syracuse.

November 15, 1969 at 8 PM at the War Memorial presented by Buffalo Festival. Tickets were $5.50. $4.50, $3.50. The Who arrived in Syracuse from Buffalo where they performed at Kleinhans Music Hall the evening before. Although not co-promoted by any radio station Rick Gary & I represented WOLF Radio and were lucky enough to meet and have photo taken backstage at the War Memorial with the band (Roger Daltrey, Peter Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon). Note- We were sitting on the backstage stairs leading to their dressing room. Keith Moon was sitting directly behind me had his drum sticks extending out of each of my ears, laughing.  To my right Townshend, to left Entwistle and directly in front of me Daltrey. What a thrill. Rick had the honor of introducing The Who on stage to an excited Syracuse audience.  That evening they played I Can't Explain, Young Man Blues, Substitute and others before they performed the entire rock opera "Tommy". The WHO ended the evening with a four-song encore that included "Summertime Blues" that would be included in their album "Live At Leeds." Of course "Tommy" itself included may great songs including- Amazing Journey, See Me, Feel Me, Acid Queen, I'm Free and Pinball Wizard.

December 10, 1982 at the Carrier Dome- The Second part of their North American Tour. The second part of the "Its Hard Tour" started November 27 in Orlando, Florida and ended December 14 in Cleveland, Ohio. In a packed Syracuse Carrier Dome December 10, 1982, the WHO at 7 PM opened with  "My Generation" and followed with 23 others listed below. It long so here we go...listed in order. Tickets started at $15.00

My Generation, I Can't Explain,  Dangerous, Sister Disco, The Quiet One, It's Hard, Eminence Front, Behind Blue Eyes, Babe O'Riley, Doctor Jimmy, Boris the Spider, Drowned, Cry I f You Want, Who Are You, Pinball Wizard, See Me, Feel Me, Love Ain't for Keepin, 5:15,  Love, Reign O'ver Me, Long Live Rock, Won't Get Fooled Again. ending with encore songs Naked Eye, Squeeze Box and Twist and Shout.

PS. I noticed they are still selling backstage sticker  passes for Dec 10, 1982 show on eBay....

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC - CHAPTER # 54- Ten Famous Names Who Performed or Spoke in Syracuse between 1861-1905

Between 1861-1905 many famous names visited the Syracuse area making historic speeches or performing on stage. Here's ten names with dates and locations for your enjoyment.....

Feb 18, 1861   Abraham Lincoln - spoke in Vanderbilt Square in downtown Syracuse

Oct 16, 1869   Charles Dickens- Recited his readings at the Wieting Opera House

Dec  6, 1871    Mark Twain- Wieting Opera House

Jan 16, 1879    "Buffalo Bill' Cody- Wieting Opera House (again Feb 12, 1881)

July 24, 1881     P.T. Barnum- Brought his "Greatest Show on Earth" to Syracuse

Sept 4-9, 1888  John L. Sullivan (World Boxing Champion) Jacob Opera House

Jan 14, 1890     John Phillip Sousa Orchestra- Wieting Opera House (first of many)

Aug  5, 1895    "Buffalo Bill's" Wild West Show with Annie Oakley at Kirk Park

Nov 5, 1902     Eddie Foy and the Seven Little Foys - Wieting Opera House

Dec 19-21, 1905  Will Rogers - Vaudeville Act at Keiths Grand Theater

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC - CHAPTER 53 - WOLF RADIO SUPER DANCES 1975-1977

Here are the dates and lineups I remember from the three WOLF Radio Super Dances held between 1975-77.

February 14-15, 1975 - WOLF Radio Super Dance #1 held at the New York State Fair Center of Progress Building. Headliners- ELF w/ Ronnie James Dio and the James Gang (minus Joe Walsh).

The many others that performed include- The Alligators (Taddeo, Green, Pacella, Campbell etc), Bad Medicine (Rado, Corradino, Clarke, Johnson, Morton), Cross Creek (Cadley, Novak, Carr, Lawrence,  Hodgson, McIntyre), Crystal Blues Band,  Darlin  (McKenna, Moosebugger, Lutters, Whyte),  Deium & Erie Street, Harpy w/ Dave Porter, Todd Hobin, Kane (Harold Mantor, Lou & Mike Segreti), Mad Stop (Doug Moncrief & Shawn Hobin), Magic Fingers (Mark Hoffmann), Rocky and the Rollers,  Scarecrow Jones (Zogg, Lavancher, Sauer, Navin),  Timrick, Toots Revue (Hopkins, Kane, Jewell),  Walrus and the Stan Colella Orchestra.


February 13, 1976 - WOLF Radio Super Dance #2 held at the War Memorial.  C.R.A.C, Dean Brothers, Sandy Bigtree Band, Soda Ash Six, Stan Colella Orchestra & a few others. C.R.A.C. performed on live television (TV-5) at 11 pm

April 1-2, 1977- WOLF Radio Super Dance Marathon #3 for Musular Distrophy held at Onondaga Community College. AlecStar, The Alligators, Sandy Bigtree  Band, C.R.A.C., Mark Hoffmann, Gary Dunes & the DelTunes, Daybreak, Strombecker Lighthouse, Toe Jam and appearances by WOLF's Rick Gary & Ron Bee.

Friday, October 5, 2012

"ROCK" FEINSTEIN TRACK APPEARS ON NEW RONNIE JAMES DIO CD - THE VERY BEAST OF DIO - VOLUME 2" ARRIVES

David "Rock" Feinstein appears on the new Ronnie James Dio Cd "The Very Beast of Dio- Volume 2" that was just received from Niji Entertainment . Dio's new Cd includes the Dio / Feinstein track "Metal Will Never Die" recorded at Feinstein's Studio in Cortland, NY and mastered by Dio,  Feinstein & Wyn Davis at Total Access Recording in Redoindo Beach, Ca. "Metal Will Never Die" is Dio's final recording.
 

Unlike Volume 1, The Very Beast of Dio- Vol 2 will be a worldwide release, Volume 1 was released only in the USA & Canada.

The new "Very Beast of Dio- Volume 2" Cd can be ordered form the Dio "Official" Internet Website, Dio Facebook Fan page or from Amazon.com

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

DIO - "LAST IN LINE" - AUDIO FIDELITY 24K GOLD COMPACT DISC AVAILABLE SOON...

Audio Fidelity with release on October 16, the Ronnie James Dio 24K Gold compact disc "The Last in Line". This is the second Dio recording released in the 24k Gold Cd format, the first being "Holy Diver". Pre-orders can now be placed though Amazon.com...