Written and Photographed by : Eric Sperrazza

  Picture if you will a once vintage theater in the suburbs of Philadelphia that became a forty-year venue staple in the music industry; still adorning the lightbulb-lit marquee atop the entrance. Now imagine that same boutique venue packed with 500 fans on a warm spring night. Creating hot fusion and practically melding those in attendance together, as the imprinted energy of “David Bowie,” “The Ramones,” “Eric Clapton,”and “Pink Floyd” ooze from the pores of the walls. That was exactly the scene in Ardmore,  on Monday evening as fans took up every inch of real estate inside the legendary Ardmore Music Hall for a chance to see the elusive-faced guitar virtuoso that is Buckethead.

Born Brian Patrick Carroll in the heart of Orange County, CA, the persona of Buckethead was designed in the face of anxiety issues coupled with heart conditions. The “it-list” guitar hero wanted people to focus on his music and less on the man. An amalgam of “Michael Myers” and a night of good drive-thru chicken, the avatar was born and has stayed as Carroll’s alter ego.  From soundtracks to movies such as “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation”, “Last Action Hero”, and “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” to collaboration work with “Les Claypool”, “Bootsy Collins”, “Iggy Pop”, and “Guns & Roses”, “Buckethead” has stood on his vibrant talent and his quiet mystique in the realm of rock and roll for thirty-six years. 

As the packed-in Ardmore Music Hall became a human-powered convection oven, Buckethead silently took to the stage with Dan Monti (bass), Brian” Brain” Mantia (drums) and Madeline “Cyrille” Miller (vocals.) The scuttlebutt around the audience was that some fans had been lining up for prime general admission vantage points as early as noon, that day. As Buckethead and friends ripped into the song, “Fountains of the Forgotten,” that same passionate crowd came alive, making the temperature spike almost immediately to levels only rivaled by Arizona summers. Throughout the set, a potpourri of song offerings was delivered with as much surgical precision as the venue and subsequent equipment would allow. A venerable tour de force with the likes of Iron Maiden’s cover, “Wrathchild,”  Buckethead original “Night of Slunk” and even the Cyrille collaboration song, “Solar and Lunar Rain” were given up as a tribute to the rabid attendees. What’s more, was the covers of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and even the Rick Springfield classic, “Jessie’s Girl.” Without uttering a solitary word, Buckethead finished the almost two-hour event with his single, “Jordan.” Despite the enigmatic axe-man’s talent spilling over in abundance onto the powder keg of the crowd, the night was fraught with issues. For the songs Cyrille had offered up vocals for, it seemed like her microphone was inoperable, and thus even those in the very front of the stage could not hear her. At one point, fans were telling her, “Your mic isn’t on!”. Even Buckethead, himself, wasn’t immune to technical difficulties as his amplifier feedback was that of a garage band’s first practice on a second-hand Marshall box. At least a half-dozen times, roadies took to the stage, being whispered concerns in their ear by Buckethead and scurried about to try and save the day. Even Cyrille got down on her knees to try and ameliorate difficulties with floor pedals and wiring. 

Then there was the accommodation of the press, we were told moments before the show by the band to shut down the press photography area. The staff of AMH, photographers, and writers who were there to cover the show were forced to navigate the general admission crowd. The media that was there were met with militant ticketholders either too packed in to move or uninterested in giving an inch of the space they fought to imbue. The staff tried to accommodate and came off wildly apologetic, but it didn’t make the night any easier.

As the show ended, the live audience spewed out into the streets of Ardmore, drenched as if they spent all day at a summer festival during a heatwave. However, the chatter amongst concertgoers was, by large positive. Space and technical difficulties aside, Buckethead gave the crowd the experience of a living guitar legend in full-costumed regalia. Showcasing his untouchable talent and delighting those who came to bask in awe. 

As for those of us who frequent Ardmore Music Hall, there is plenty that could have been mitigated differently, but the vibe given was that it wasn’t missed by those working the venue. Hopefully, the next time a Monday night sold-out crowd arrives looking to satiate their desire for music, the famed Hall will be more than ready to accommodate.

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Written & Photographed By: Eric Sperrazza

It was 1998 and I was in the fledgling stages of my love affair with punk music. Freshly moved from Queens, New York where I spent my time discovering the East Village and the full breadth of the Bowery, I was given a ticket to join a friend for the Vans Warped Tour on the Camden, New Jersey Waterfront. There, I would hear the sounds for the first time of Bad Religion, Rancid, Dropkick Murphys, NOFX, The Bouncing Souls, The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, and a band called Save Ferris. I was taken aback by this continuation of my punk journey, so far from Greenwich Village. As we drove back to my apartment, sweaty, dirty, and with bags of vendor swag, I asked my friend if she had any CDs of the bands we saw to play in her car. At that moment, she pulled out a copy of Save Ferris’s album, It Means Everything, and proceeded to listen to it, all the way home. It wasn’t long after that I began a hunt to own all the music that touched my soul, on that day. What St. Marks Place started in lower Manhattan, a scorching day under the summer sun in Camden had finished.

Written and Photographed by: Rev TJ McGlinchey

I got an email from their press agent Zoe. Fishbone was coming to Philly! Well, not Philly, really; but to the Ardmore Music Hall. Out in the suburbs on the main line among the yuppies and investment bankers. My old stomping ground from the woodshed days of being a singer-songwriter guy in DelCo. A return to the old place, what used to be Brownies 23 East, where Splintered Sunlight’s gathering of Deadheads would wobble the nights away. Where a younger, more naive version of myself floated amongst the wobbling hippies trying to score some weed or make out with a pretty girl. Ahh, yes. The good old days. But here we are now, at this moment, needing to be entertained. And why not assign me to cover one of my favorite bands of all time? Yes, please, and thank you, dearest Zoe; I would love to be there.

I recently dug out an old digital camera my dad gave me, so I charged it up, ensured the old card still worked and turned myself into my photographer. I got eyes as well as ears, yes? Here we go; time to put on all the hats and do the thing. I called my friend Bunny (whose name is Rob, but we all call him Bunny) to see if he was free and could get over there in time. So there it was the plan. I go to Ardmore, and Bunny and I go to see Fishbone. Bunny has been around a bit and has many fascinating and elaborate stories. He’s met the guys in the band numerous times, partied with them, and told me all about them. The stories that man can tell, but I digest. I was fighting the impulse to fanboy on these guys, and he helped steel my will with his sarcastic humor and special way of getting me stoned every time we hung out. So we stroll across the street while the opening band is on to smoke a pipe in the parking lot. We discussed our band, PLIB, and the show we had played at The RUBA Club two nights before. We talked about how dispensary weed is ridiculously strong nowadays. And then Bill McThrill popped up seemingly out of nowhere, said hello, and went to eat before Fishbone played.

We went in and caught the end of the opening band’s set. Rk$tdy were tight; tight horn section and sound overall. They had the crowd moving. The sax solos were incredibly funky, considering they were coming from David Fishkin of Johnny Showcase and West Philly Orchestra fame. They were a perfect fit to warm up the crowd for Fishbone. I wandered around getting photos for a few minutes and then returned to the dancefloor to catch their finale. The crowd was starting to simmer, and people were still rolling in through the doors and past the merch tables. The main act was about to begin. I can’t help but enjoy the circus/carnival-sounding environment that Fishbone has cultivated for over 40 years. Their carney-flavored blend of punk, reggae, ska, metal, etc., has been in my ears since at least the early nineties. I played in ska and punk bands while attending Upper Darby High School. 

The week before, I had been studying Reggae and Ska and Rastafarianism. I reconnected with something from my past and awakened a new part of my antiracist mission. I was there to get information; I needed some ancient information that is only conveyed in music, in dissonance and harmony, in the way the air moves when you make it really loudly in a crowded room. I was there for religion, for initiation. The band came out swinging with “Sunless Saturday,” “Bonin’ In The Boneyard,” and then played a new song called “I Don’t Care,” which went right into a tune that hits home for many, “Ma & Pa.” They rocked out the classic “A Selection,” the new “All We Have Is Now,” and the very jolly “Cholly” before continuing with “Knock It,'” “Behavior Control Technician,” “Subliminal Fascism” and “Pressure.” Angelo Moore’s voice was as golden as ever, with a vibrato that could woo the gods themselves, and he was jumping from lead singer to saxophone and keyboard. He even had a theremin on stage to rock some cosmic vibrations. Chris Dowd‘s return made the evening more electric. He was on fire the whole time as well.

Norwood Fisher’s bass was knocking the room about as well. If only the clean guitar were loud enough to skank properly, that might have been where we stood in the room. They pumped through “If I were… I’d,” “Lyin Ass Bitch, ‘I Wish I Had A Date,” and “Pray to the Junkiemaker” before the new tune “Estranged Fruit” and classic ska anthem “Alcoholic,” with which the crowd amiably sang along as they wobbled amongst themselves. They put a little button on it with “Skankin’ To The Beat” and the ever-more-true “Party At Ground Zero.” Once they had left the stage, the crowd demanded an encore with chants of “Fishbone is red hot!” and the boys obliged with “Hide Behind My Glasses,” “Everyday Sunshine,” the classic Curtis Mayfield classic from the Superfly film soundtrack “Freddy’s Dead” and then sent us all packing with a rare performance of “Servitude,” after which my initiation was complete. I felt the magic of the moment.

As the lights came up and the crowd poured out onto the sidewalk of Lancaster Avenue, I quickly bought a CD copy of the new album to be kept unopened and a funky but expensive, two-tone Fishbone hat. I had decided not to go backstage to Fanboy after the show for several reasons. One was I was tired, and I needed rest. The others, well, you can do the math. So we drove out to Glenside past the Keswick Theater and stopped there quickly before heading out. ‘Twas a fulfilling evening of music. I see more connections, and I hear more information. Thanks to everyone there and to Rk$dy and Fishbone for making it all perfect. I went home and jammed out the new eponymous album while preparing for bed and reminiscing on my recent studies into Ska and Reggae and Rastafarianism and the sources of antiracism and how all that led to where we are now out here in Babylon. In a time long past, I once knew the ancient songs and danced around the sacred fires.

Cheers,

Rev. TJ McGlinchey

Editor-In-Chief

Fishbone

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By Killian O’Neil Photos By Lead Photographer Liv Foltiny

I walked into AMH around eight that evening and people were slowly starting to file in. The attendance at the beginning of the night was scarce while We are Minka was playing on stage. The lead singer was initially dressed in a silver sequin blazer and silver pants dancing and hitting the keys like they owed him money. But by the end of the set, he was stripped down into silver boy shorts and doing top tier crowd work to keep the energy up. They are a funk synth band from Philadelphia who sound like The Talking Heads and David Bowie. If that is something that tickles your fancy, I suggest you check them out, they are a hell of a time. While We are Minka was wrapping up, the venue started to fill up. 

We Are Minka

AMH was getting so packed that the air was turning humid and damp. If you’ve never been to this venue, think of a smaller version of the TLA and that is exactly what it is. It didn’t take long for We Are Minka to exit the stage and for Dry Reef to set up. In total about a 20-minute exchange. It was right around 8:50 when the lights did a strobe flicker and the boys filed onto the stage.

For those of you who don’t know who Dry Reef is, they are a local band from the greater Philadelphia area. I had the pleasure of interviewing them this last month and finally got to see them play again. Except this time, they were dual headlining and I was able to catch a full set. Friday kicked off a string of shows that they have lined up on the east coast in the coming weeks. This particular night was an extremely intimate setting with it being a hometown show. Friends and family were riddled throughout the crowd in support. It’s easy to be in support of this band when they are that good.

DR went right into the first song New Soul off one of their Ep’s titled, “Alright Revival” that was released in 2018 and immediately drew the crowd in. They played a mix of older songs as well as some newer songs that haven’t been released yet. Mid-set the band mixed it up a bit and threw a bonus cover of “Shadow People” by Dr. Dog in. At first, I was extremely taken aback by hearing the song. Mainly because it’s next to impossible to sound like the lead singer from Dr.Dog and Pat Gillen nailed it. Which goes to show the level of talent he possesses. The rest of the band also was impeccable while playing that song. For a few short moments I thought I time traveled back in time to Denver when I saw Dr. Dog perform. It was so good. 

Being immersed in the music the entire night was the only way to be, there wasn’t a single moment where I wasn’t moving my body. Not a single person was standing still, everyone was dancing to the beat of their own drum while singing along. Dry Reef takes you on a journey when you see them live. They have a magic on stage that draws you in and keeps you there. The Jammy reggae vibe which invades the airwaves is something that puts them ahead of the curve because it is their own sound unlike so many other bands these days. 

The night was wrapped up with “Checkpoints”, a song they released in 2017. The crowd was going wild and the dancing intensified. The atmosphere at this point of the night was what you would expect at a Lotus show. It was a solid three-minute song with a bunch of airy breakdowns riddled throughout. I kept thinking to myself how talented this band is. Each and every one of them are intricate pieces of this band, which comes through when they play. The synergy they share onstage is unmatched. During “Checkpoints” is when I really took notice of Joey, their drummer. Who’s stick handling had me hypnotized on drums and he didn’t fall off click once. He even got the memo not to wear shoes, which is a pro move. Once that song wrapped the crowd begged for an encore. Dry Reef seems to be in the business of making their fans happy, so that is exactly what they did.

It took all of four minutes for the band to not only come back on for the encore but to have an outfit change as well.

Remember when I said that the birds were in the Superbowl? Well, each member of the band came back out in an Eagles jersey. Collin, one of their guitarists, came out sporting an OG Eagles flag worn as a cape along with a helmet and a Jersey. 

The entire room was lit up green from the lights and Eagles chants started to ensue. One second the venue was chanting and screaming. The next second everyone fell silent once Collin hit the first chord of the famous Eagles Fight song on his electric guitar. The shredding that happened during that was absolutely incredible and ended with the building practically shaking while going into the E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES chant. 

 As soon as the chant ended DR made a smooth transition into a wonderful rendition of, “Fly Like An Eagle”and closed out the night. Which couldn’t have been more appropriate seeing as current events. During the encore you could see the fun they were all having up on stage. It was a contagious energy in the building on Friday night. Yes, we were playing in the Superbowl but Dry Reef was able to harness that energy and use it in their performance which is a rare thing to be able to do. They closed out the show with that song. Soon after they ended, the music hall pretty much cleared out. As much as it was a dual headlining show it was very apparent that the majority of people came out to see Dry Reef.

The band had this to say about Friday’s show:

     “[We] definitely had some pre-show jitters [because] it was our first show in a few months, but we definitely felt the love from the Ardmore crowd pretty early on, and kept the energy up for the whole set. Gotta give a huge shout-out to Keliann’s Bar and Grill in Philly for letting us borrow the helmet at the last minute…the crowd ate it up and it made the Eagles fandom real.”

The UK’s very own, Modern English spent the night playing After the Snow, in its entirety, the band’s second studio album, initially released in May of 1982, on Wednesday, September 7 at Ardmore Music Hall, with special guests, Bootblacks.

Modern English commemorates its 40th anniversary of I Melt With You this year. The album not only leads them into mainstream exposure but permanence in pop culture, unlike their post-punk counterparts. 

Modern English is Robbie Grey on vocals, Gary McDowell on guitar, Stephan Walker on keyboards, Mick Conroy on bass, and Roy Martin on drums. 

Leave it to the mainstream to take a dark love song about a nuclear holocaust, and turn it into an anthem of love and hope. Isn’t that beautiful? How the interpretation of the masses can ultimately alter the artist’s creative idea. The band’s interpretation of taking this dark idea of two people making love and melting together during an apocalypse and creating a catchy pop song is artistry. This single became an entire brand, with its worldwide timelessness and universally relatable lyrics, making it quite possibly one of the most well-known songs of our lifetime, by being infiltrated into commercials, movies, etc. Not many songs reach that type of audience. That’s a mainstream wave any band may (secretly) wish they could ride for 40 years. That’s the beauty of art in motion, an evolution from an artist’s pencil to the masses. 

Modern English’s performance not only included the songs “Carry Me Down,” “Dawn Chorus,” and “Life in the Gladhouse” they also included songs from their 2016 release “Take Me to the Trees,” “Moonbeam,” and “Hands Across the Sea.” After playing “Face of Wood,” Grey mentioned that he hoped the crowd enjoyed the exclusive performance because that was the 3rd time in 20 years that the band had performed the track. They closed the first night of their tour in America with “Tables Turning” before ending the evening with “After the Snow.”

Grey’s voice is as young and beautiful as ever. To that, ding dong, darling! So, seeing the American leg of their 2022 tour with Bootblacks is imperative to your musical bucket list. Getting chances to hear albums in their entirety is a rarity. These gentlemen are giving you a chance to do it in an intimate setting, with lots of cheap merch! It’s an 80s music lover’s gotta-go show. Especially with their opening act, Bootblacks. This post-punk band from Brooklyn, NY, will give you all the David Gahan of Depeche Mode and Ian Curtis of Joy Division goth, industrial, and electronica vibes you didn’t know you needed in your playlists.

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Toby & Zach of Dr. Dog

Written by Brian Cronin  Photos provided by Lisa Schaffer

The first annual We Live On benefit concert was held on March 13 and March 15 at Ardmore Music Hall (AMH) in Ardmore, right outside of Philadelphia, and was hosted by Dan Fein. The benefit was set up to raise money for Derek Dorsey, a longtime music promoter, manager, and talent buyer in the Philadelphia music scene.

Sunday’s show brought out many artists and folks to support both Derek and this new foundation.  

I attended Sunday’s show that featured: Dr. Dog‘s Toby and Zach, Hoots & Hellmouth, Hezekiah Jones, John Faye, Anjuli Josephine, Stargazer Lily, Ben Arnold, Illinois, Andrew Lipke, Don McCloskey, Johnny Showcase & The Mystic Ticket, to name a few. It was a great night of music as each one of the artists had been covered by Origivation/THAT MAG at some point throughout the years.

Personally, for me, it was good to reconnect with the artists both performing or showing their support in the crowd. AMH did a great job, as always, with their house sound and keeping the night on a constant flow. Derek has touched so many lives throughout the years, and to see and feel the energy in the room, was electrifying.

I regrettably did not attend Tuesday’s night’s show, as they had another great lineup featuring Talib Kweli, Karl “Dice Raw” Jenkins, Schooly D., Chris and Herb of Fathead, Mike Voss, Flipside Esq., and Wardell Piper. Tuesday night’s festivities were hosted by Elements of Hip Hop. Not only were the funds raised to help Derek with his immense medical bills, but also for his new foundation, We Live On. The foundation has the goal of creating a space for people with rare diseases to network and to provide information on services and providers available. We Live On strives to create that safe community space as rare diseases are isolating and often end in suicide rather than death by disease. Most importantly, the foundation will serve its community of individuals and families who are facing medical adversity, establishing that people are not alone and that there is hope.

And the DJ yells: “Wyclef won’t perform on a cold stage ya’ll!”

He had nothing to worry about in the packed Ardmore Music Hall Saturday night.  The house had been warmed up by Philly’s own Kuf Knotz with harpist/singer Christine Elise and George Stanford of Townhall.  Two disparate acts at the top of their games.

During the warmup, Wyclef was spotted in the back corner with a hoodie covering his head and behind sunglasses watching the crowd.  On cue, he took the stage with “Ready or Not”, dressed in black with his signature hoodie and a “Warrior” hat.  The hat became a prop as he turned it to different sides throughout the song, posing for the crowd.

There were a number of covers in the set, including two Bob Marley numbers: “No Woman, No Cry” and “Redemption Song.”  The tour is in support of his third installment of Carnival but was packed with career-spanning tunes.

Early in the show, Wyclef set the stage for the night that the performance would flow as if everyone was in the studio and that anything could happen.  He instructed the DJ to play the Santana parts of the hit “Maria Maria” and the house sang every note.

And that’s how the evening progressed.  More than half of the set list was packed with covers and homages to other artists.

A humorous medley early on was a mash-up of “If I Was President” and “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.”  The choice had a double meaning.  He took a few swipes at U.S. President Trump, but the tune reminds that in 2010, Wyclef Jean ran for President of his homeland, Haiti.  Despite strong support, officials disqualified him from the race for residency reasons.

Now 48 years old, Wyclef proved he still has a very diverse following and plenty of energy and charisma left in the tank.  Many were pleasantly surprised to find him in a club as intimate as the Ardmore. It was a rare and pleasant experience for all to be so close to the star.

Opening for Wyclef was ever-popular Philly native and rapper Kuf Knotz.  I’ve seen Knotz perform a number of times in the past and he oftentimes brings a unique spin to the genre with collaborators, including this night.  Backed by the Trap Rabbit band, Kuf introduced harpist/singer Christine Elise as his duet partner for the evening.  Reminiscent of Eminem’s duet with Dido on “Stan,” Elise offered an exciting sung counterpoint to the rhymes with her engaging soprano. They were visually interesting as well.  Knotz in street camo with his customary braids piled high and Elise in a colorful feminine 60’s inspired full-length print dress and conservative hairstyle. They performed a six-song set with “Soul Music” satisfying the audience as an impromptu sing-along.

George Stanford, also of Philly, took the stage with a fine set of classic rock inspired tunes and a hot band behind him.  The set of originals were a complete departure from what was otherwise an evening of hip hop.  The audience was polite, but a little restless during his excellent performance.

Finally, before Wyclef took the stage, newcomer “Jazzy” brought the evening back to the expected genre with a handful of soulful hip hop tunes. No fear of a cold stage here.  The place was hot!

All Photos By Dan Williams

Ace Frehley in Ardmore?  That’s what exactly what I thought when I first heard that original KISS guitarist was headlining a show in support of his latest album, Origins Vol. 1.  Even Ace himself commented that same thought when he thought he was playing Philly and recognized that he wasn’t. Space Ace played The Ardmore Music Hall this past Sunday and left us all wanting more.

The night started out with lines going down Lancaster Ave, then once inside, lines forming at the bar.  Some people paid for priority seating, while others had general admission. I remember thinking, who wants to sit down at a rock concert because you know you won’t be sitting long.  The look around the room was your typical atmosphere from young ambitious fans to the young at heart fans that grew up along with the spaceman.

The stage lights go on and here comes Jacky Bam Bam (WMMR radio jock) introducing one of Philadelphia’s break-through bands, Mach 22.  Jacky is definitely the right man for this job and his knowledge of music is outwardly obvious.  He knows everything from legendary rockers to the local unsung heroes just making their name.  The house gets quiet as the band enters the stage; the pause was intense just before (Lamont) Caldwell breaks into song.

Photo by R. Reinhardt

Now I have seen this band emerge throughout the years and to witness their growth spurt before my eyes was just amazing.  This wasn’t their first big opener as they previously were local support for Gene Simmons (KISS),  Brett Michaels (Poison), Bon Jovi and last year’s Gun N’ Roses reunion.  So opening for someone of Ace’s stature is obviously the perfect choice for these guys.  And there was no short of a performance at all, they gave it their all and the crowd was definitely not disappointed.  Folks throughout the audience seemed to have been more than impressed.  Side note, I can’t wait to see where these boys go from here, only up I would imagine.

The only downside about the show was the LONG wait between Mach 22 and when Frehley finally came out.  Hitting the stage in order was Richie Scarlet (Frehley’s Comets, Mountain), Chris Wyse (The Cult, Ozzy), Scot Coogan and of course, Frehley.  Opening the show with a KISS classic, “Parasite” went off without a hitch.  The roar of the audience as he continued to play “Toys” and “Rip it Out” from his previous solo records which were such a crowd pleaser for sure.

Photo by R. Reinhardt

As the night continued on they performed songs from Origins, his solo hits, “New York Groove” and “Rock Soldiers” as well as other KISS classics “Love Gun”, “Shock Me” and ending with “Cold Gin”.  Just when you think the night was over, they return to the stage with encores of “Detroit Rock City” and “Deuce“ which literally made the crowd instantly go insane.  To say that the show was good is an understatement, these classic rockers showed us all where their place is in the world.

Time and time again I like a band that sounds great until I see their live shows then I just fade in the back with disappointment.  It’s a shame that a lot of the musicians today do not know how to entertain their audiences.  It’s more than the music we come to watch a show, it’s the performance.  We want excitement as we sing along to their songs that we connect with.  We want a band to get us up and that is exactly what Ace Frehley and band did to us. They made us feel the music and not just fade into the back.

Photo by R. Reinhardt

Frehley will be joining Gene Simmons in St. Paul, MN tomorrow for a show benefiting victims of Hurricane Harvey then joining Alice Cooper’s tour in Australia and New Zealand.  If you ever get a chance to see the band, I strongly urge you to go as you never know when he will join KISS again for another tour.  Maybe I am just hoping, or am I?

Show review by Brian Cronin

Rating: BAD ASS

Photo by R. Reinhardt

Photo by R. Reinhardt

Photo by R. Reinhardt

At That Music Mag, we love to share amazing, fun events with you, while spreading out the word about great causes. Once again, we’re doing that and we are very excited to tell you all about the 2^nd Annual Dan’s Voice Loud and Clear Music Festival, happening this Sunday, June 5^th at the Ardmore Music All.

For those of you who might not be aware of what Dan’s Voice is, let’s play catch-up. Dan’s Voice is a memorial fund for the treatment and research of head and neck cancer, founded to honor the memory of Dan Rich, a loving husband, father, entrepreneur, coach and musician. He lost his voice, and ultimately his life, to laryngeal/esophageal cancer. Her wife, Brenda Rich, founder, said “(he) suffered in silence and approached each day with a mentally strong attitude. (…) Cancer took many things from him but not his passion for living, and loving his family and friends. (…) When cancer took his ability to speak, I became his voice… Now his story is mine to tell.”

For the second time, Dan’s Voice is organizing its annual Loud and Clear music festival, with Beru Revue, as well as Ben Arnold, The Fractals, and Two Brothers, all coming together for a fun-filled evening. On a press release, Vaudevillian front man Bob Beru said: “Paul Reitano first contacted me about playing the show for his friend’s foundation, Dan’s Voice. The more we talked, the more synergy we discovered. In the early phase of the band, Beru lost out beloved bass played, Johnny Sacks to cancer. More recently our long time roadie and friend, Dave Potts, succumbed to the disease. So I was sensitive to Paul’s wanting to raise money and awareness in his friend’s name.”

Paul Reitano, tonsil cancer survivor, became highly invested in Dan’s Voice in 2014 and played a huge part in creating the Annual Loud and Clear Music Festival. On an interview with the Fox Chase Cancer Center, he said: “Dan Rich was a musician, and in the spirit of the name ‘Dan’s Voice,’ I thought, what better way to honor him than to get some unique voices and play loud and from the heart. The idea of getting some great bands together to play in a show was really honoring the spirit of the man, and it tied the event to the name.”

Tickets are only $24 in advance and $30 on the day of the show, and all proceeds will go directly to Dan’s Voice, and to the Fox Chase Cancer Center, to support treatment and research of head and neck cancer. Make sure to stop by the Ardmore Music Hall on Sunday for an evening filled with music, friends, and hope, and to sing your heart out, as loud as possible, for all those who lost their voice.

What: 2^nd Annual Dan’s Voice Loud and Clear Music Festival

When: Sunday, June 5^th 2016, doors at 4:30pm, show at 5:30pm

Where: Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19002

How much: $24 advance, $30 day of show

Tickets and info available at http://www.ardmoremusic.com/event/1179991-beru-revue-miracle-spring-ardmore/

Please note this event is 21 and over.

Donations at http://www.dansvoice.org/donate.html