Sunday
Feb282010
Bang Tango and Others Play Cancer Benefit Next Week in Pennsylvania
Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 09:56PM My friend Sweet Lou asked me to pop this flyer up since the show is for a great cause: raising money to kick cancer's ass. Bang Tango, the Bulletboys and Chris Holmes will all play. If you're in or around Pittsburgh next week, check out this show. It's just $15 at the door at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Reader Comments (18)
I thank you so much for this. Before anyone thinks I am just pimping a concert and my tv show, here is the official press release.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
On Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at The Pittsburgh Hard Rock Café at Station Square a benefit for local 80’s metal fan, Darryl Kunkle who was diagnosed with a form of cancer called, Mesothelioma. The show will begin at 6:30pm with a special spiritual tribute to Mr. Kunkle. The show being produced by Lawless Entertainment and will be filmed by local TV show “GlamSLAM28 Presents…The Music Asylum” for future airing, will offer 80’s “hairmetal” fans quite a show for a great cause.
The show will be a full on rock-n-roll spectacular for “The Darryl Kunkle’s KICK CANCER’S ASS” benefit show with “Bang Tango” featuring original lead singer, Joe Leste with Alex Grossi (Quiet Riot, Adler’s Appetite) on guitar, Anthony Focx (Beautiful Creatures) on guitar, Trent Anderson (Dogs Divine, D’Molls) on drums and bassist, Lance Eric (Lunchbox).
Also on the bill is 80’s favorites “The Bulletboys.” Original lead singer Marq Torien and his band will be doing their hits such as, “Smooth up in Ya,” “THC Groove,” “Talk to Your Daughter,” and more. JUST ADDED to this benefit show in a VERY SPECIAL APPEARANCE is “ORIGINAL GUITARST for W.A.S.P.” CHRIS HOLMES! Chris will be jamming a special “W.A.S.P. plus” set with members of Bang Tango and guest lead singers.
Mr. Kunkle recently underwent a 14.5 hour surgery earlier this month to remove a giant tumor from his abdomen to the crust of his diaphragm. While in the I.C.U. Mr. Kunkle awoke to greet his wife, Dianne with a “Hi ‘Sweet Pea”” and later alerted the doctors that in no way shape or form would he be staying in the hospital any longer than needed because he “had a show that he was NOT going to miss.” The doctors feel that they got 99% of the cancer out, but Mr. Kunkle will be undergoing additional Chemotherapy. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is believed to be attributed to exposure to Asbestos. Darryl Kunkle was enlisted in the Air Force stationed in Panama and was trained to work on brake linings that may have been lined with Asbestos. He was also employed by the Nabisco Company for 6 years in which the building he worked was closed for Asbestos removal. This show will benefit Mr. Kunkle’s additional medical and prescription costs. Get tickets at www.showclix.com or by contacting the Hard Rock Café by phone at 412-481-ROCK. Tickets are only $13 in advance and $15 at the door.
At Guitar Center in Robinson Township, Guitarists, Chris Holmes and Alex Grossi will be making an in-store appearance from 5-6PM. Bang Tango and Chris Holmes will be taking a private tour of Heinz Field soaking in the Pittsburgh Culture earlier in the day as well.
Sorry I couldn't make this show, which is unfortunate, as I'm sure it was awesome since you had a really great line-up.
Is there a way I can donate otherwise?
Uh Duh! I'm such a heel. I guess I should really check my calendar next time.
You're goin' right, Shadow?
Ask Lou for an address we can send to, if that's cool.
Or maybe he gave one to Al.
I'm in Naples, Florida and unable to swing up for this event.
It is an amazing cause. I just got back from the airport from picking Chris up. What a down to earth NO bullshit cat. We had a cool time and he is stoked about rocking out tomorrow night. I am worn out, he gave me such an unadulterated interview from the limo ride from the Airport to the hotel. We b.s. for a few hours having a few smokes outside the hotel. Looking forward to tomorrow something FIERCE!
See ya at the show SHADOW!! Get one of my security guys or camera guys the heads up so I can come over and we can have a shot!
Did he live up to his legacy in W.A.S.P.?
I bet he did. What a bad-a*s!
How was the show, dudes?
Dang, I wish I coulda made it and didn't have the chance to get a ticket! I'm such an idiot for not figuring that out! We'll figure something out.
Sweet Lou, it'll be great to see you and the Mrs. at M3, as well as all of the Bringbackglamsterz who are going, as I am hoping to, at last, meet you all, even ol' Fletchy Wetchy!
And since Only The Shadow Knows, how about the play by play on the show? And are you comin' to M3?
Chris Holmes was awesome! I almost forgot wild child. Blind in texas sounded great, and Animal was pure greatness. The Highway to Hell cover was neat to say the least, i didn't see it coming at all.
No Metalboy i'm not going. I'm working my ass off the next few months to pay for my semester in Austria next spring so i need all the money I can get so no massive expenditures.Plus you mention play by play, i'm doing that for my high school football team this fall also!
SweetLou totally awesome concert and i commend you for it! Great music!, Great crowd!, Great cause!
Oh yeah i should've mentioned i was 18 didn't think about it. Thanks for the offer though but even if i get teh chance to i don't drink(when my father died in a car wreck it wasn't from teh impact, he was unconcious and choked on his own vomit from drinking the night before, so its a personal reason) but enough on such subjects besides a jagermeister would've whiped my face clear off and as much as i need that believe me I don't trust my younger brother to not let me be if i'm toast.
Hey how long did Bullet Boys perform after i left? i saw them back in back looking kinda impatient,did they do a number with holmes also?
It really was a great cause and we raised and awful lot of money for Darryl and his family. My apologies for not being able to spend more time with you, BUT that is because there was a LOT of drama behind the scenes that I needed to take care of. Seems that a certain band had to be prima donnas and wanted to be taken care of with the uptmost respect that they themselves did not reciprocte. This band treated everyone from the Hard Rock staff, my limo drive, my camera crew, my partner, my friends, to the local bands and to Bang Tango and Chis Holmes and most of all the fans with a total LACK of care or respect. Anything and EVERYTHING they did was for themselves and without care for anyone. They didn't care WHAT the cause was, they "hid" behind how much they "do" for causes everyday...which is complete and utter BULLSHIT. When you grit your teeth and growl at me (and I quote), "I don't give a FUCK about this benefit, I do shows for every cause. I sold TEN MILLION records and Bang Tango sold FIVE. To disrespect ME by not even giving ME a soundcheck..THIS is FUCKED." Well, the band in question WAS given PLENTY of time for a soundcheck. We actually blocked off and HOUR for them so they would NOT attend a meet-n-greet at Guitar Center that they weren't even INVITED to, nor were they WANTED by Guitar Center...yet, HE, still wanted to go. They were notified DAYS in advance that they would be soundchecked at 4 and had to be DONE by 6 because the Hard Rock had a party table of 50 coming in for dinner before the show at 7. BUT..they chose to ARRIVE as a BAND at 5:57! THEN as they whined to the other promoter about equipment he allowed them to use their own equipment because "ours" wasn't good enough, they totally stripped down and UNPLUGGED Chris Holmes's stack. By doing so they changed ALL of his settings that we did at souncheck. Chris went up to check his guitar (BEHIND the stage) only to find even his TUNER wouldn't work. Then a member of the Bulletboys's came onstage to confront Chris only to be threatened within an inch of his life. Chris had every right to be angry as hell...he doesn't play out much and this was a sold out show (of course I also had to hear how the Bulletboys are playing to sold out crowds every night and the night before they played to a thousand people...frankly THAT was a lie because they ripped me off checking into the hotel THE NIGHT BEFORE! and if they HAVE played to 1,000 people it was OPENING for W.A.S.P. on those shows). The Bulletboys wanted to close the show at ANY COST. AND they got their wish by freight training anything and everything in their way. SURE they took pictures with fans, but they could give a FUCK about fans...they care about how they come ACCROSS to fans and this is to let you know...I could give a flying FUCK if I EVER see or hear them again and I was FRIENDS with Marq and worked with him MANY times before. He gave me some problems prior, but it was always rectified in a decent manner. Tonight however he went out of his way to make problems for everyone while I WASN't there, then when I did get there he backed the fuck down. I made a statement ON CAMERA after all the drama that there was MORE to the reason that Marq wanted to close the show. I actually laughed and said with a new band he probably only does 3 songs...seems I was pretty close, they did FIVE and that includes an acoustic COVER of "I'll Be There" by Michael Jackson. He made a statement from the stage that "THE ONLY REASON I AM PLAYING TONIGHT IS BECAUSE OF DARRYL." It made Darryl feel good, but the rest of the crowd thought the set was pathetic. I'm sure there were a few hardcore nutswingers that still found the set "amazing," but I didn't talk to them or didn't hear them. What the biggest shame is, Marq really is a talented cat...when HE chooses to be. Sadly, he hasn't chosen that for a while according to a lot of the message boards.
I knew my time to bitch would be after the show so I only jokingly "referenced" the drama on stage a few times because most of the crowd KNEW what had happened. I had the opportunity to REALLY expose it and drive it home when Stevie Rachelle called me about 20 minutes prior to the Bulletboobs taking the stage and I could have REALLY driven it home by mic'ing my cell phone into the board and having $tevil himself do a little introduction. The little class I had kept me from even answering the call again (which by the way had NOTHING to do with the show LOL). I just ended my MCing duties after the Bang Tango/Chris Holmes/Robby Meyers set. I said my thank you's as well as Don did and just left for the backstage area to make sure the other bands were happy and continue making sure the crowd was having fun. Judging from the clearing of the crowd from the stage area after the second song, I believe they showed THEIR respect for the Bulletboys set LMAO. We have some great footage of a sold out, filled up staging area to a vast wasteland of people TRYING to have a little fun.
Bang Tango only took a little extra time because of what I just explained about the equipment. Joe and the guys were totally stoked about performing and even cut their set short so the Bulletboobs HAD an hour to perform, but they didn't even need to. It sucked, but on the BRIGHT SIDE...they offered to come back just before M3 and hopefully we will have them AND J****y (hahahahahahaha) on the same bill! I'd really like to get Chris back and talk Joe into taking him to M3 as a SURPRISE guest in their set. How sweet would that be?
I probably shouldn't have used this as a forum for my tirade, but I am DONE with artists acting like complete twits and everyone keeping their mouths shut. I'm too Italian to shut my piehole hahahahaha.
Again thanks for coming out and I hope to see you out at the Lizzy Borden show in May! And I am very sorry to have heard about your Dad my man...that is brutal. You're an awesome kid with a great head on your shoulders...stay in school and stay SOBER!
Sweet Lou.