One of the most amazing feelings and accomplishments in life is to be able to help someone when they are in need. On Thursday June 23, 2011 part of our Tucson community pulled together to put on a benefit concert to aid those that have either lost their homes, been evacuated, or have been fighting the horrific fires that have ripped through Arizona and caused mass destruction and devastation to the beautiful Grand Canyon State.
The tagline of the this band should be a good indicator of just what kind of show you’re getting ready to see when you walk into a local bar to see Crash Academy. Like your favorite sweater or comfort food, Crash Academy is the type of band that you appreciate over time. One reason being they are a cover band, so there’s an instant familiarity, and they are one of the very few in town that play mainly Alternative 90’s rock. However, their range stretches from popular classic rock to what’s popular on the radio today.
A local bar, the C-Note, located on the West side of town was gracious enough to open their doors and allow us to use their space to put on the benefit. A Mayflower truck donated by Meridian Moving Systems was stationed outside to hold donations of toys, clothes, Chapstick, canned goods, blankets, non perishable items and anything usable by both the victims and the firefighters fighting the fire. Local businesses donated many items to be raffled off, and there was food and “artistic” things (such as jewelry) for sale as well to raise funds.
The night was a great success and featured performances by The Brian Dean Trio, Cinder Bridge,
Savage Zoo, The Arizona Bay Outriders and The Dave Owens Band.
So many people joined together for this event and the turnout was phenomenal, being able to donate my time was very liberating and I felt very honored to have been asked to do so.
The Bryan Dean Trio opened the evening and set the tone with a set of their electric wide-spectrum blues. They call it “wide-spectrum” because it is not straight blues, but includes elements of jazz, funk, country and rock as well. Bryan Dean, Koko, and Erik Truelove were at the top of their game. With a member of the Blues Hall of Fame in the band you can't go wrong with them!
Listening to and photographing Cinder Bridge, a two-piece band, which included the vocals and keyboards of Susan Wenger and the percussion of Ron Amistadi was very intriguing to me. Susan’s voice had the sound of folk mixed in with the vocals of Melissa Etheridge. Ron’s kit was simple, yet with so many sounds were produced with the use of “Hot Rods” (the drumsticks he was using) which made for a lighter sound.
Savage Zoo came next, and unlike the musicians that had played before them was more Rock 'n Roll for the soul, playing the tunes of the Scorpions. They were a perfect middle point to the benefit and provided the energy to keep the rest of the evening alive.
My favorite of the evenings’ events was The Arizona Bay Outriders. They got both the young and old out of their seats to the dance floor, even the owners of the C-Note had a blast 2 stepping a note or two. Chuck Aubrey, the singer of the band, has energy and charisma that lights up a room, but when you add Chuck’s personality to Tom Baile, a lightning-rod on the guitar, the wild antics and playing of Andy “Ando” Miller and Mike Behan, the bass player they form an amazing bond on stage.
The headlining band of the evening, the Dave Owens Band, brought their good looks and hee-haw music to end the night, allowing special guests like Dan Freeman to sing Bob Segers’ Turn The Page and Tom Baile to play as a second guitarist.
The benefit made such an impression that KGUN9 On Your Side showed up at the event to interview, and during the set of Savage Zoo Fox News Channel 11 filmed them playing? WOW, amazing! The Camera Eye Photography donated their time and services as the event photographer, and Frank Ramos also donated his time as event videographer. BSceneLive.com set up and hosted a live video webcast. Jane Kramer Dennehy worked tirelessly to resolve the minor details you never expect, but which always show up anyway.
It was all-in-all a really great evening, an awesome idea of three people, Amy Mason, Carolyn “Trouble” Cary and Dave Owens, who were just chatting one day on how they could help both the victims and the firefighters of the Arizona wildfires and the outcome was … truly awesome!
The night was a great success and featured performances by The Brian Dean Trio, Cinder Bridge,
Savage Zoo, The Arizona Bay Outriders and The Dave Owens Band.
So many people joined together for this event and the turnout was phenomenal, being able to donate my time was very liberating and I felt very honored to have been asked to do so.
The Bryan Dean Trio opened the evening and set the tone with a set of their electric wide-spectrum blues. They call it “wide-spectrum” because it is not straight blues, but includes elements of jazz, funk, country and rock as well. Bryan Dean, Koko, and Erik Truelove were at the top of their game. With a member of the Blues Hall of Fame in the band you can't go wrong with them!
Listening to and photographing Cinder Bridge, a two-piece band, which included the vocals and keyboards of Susan Wenger and the percussion of Ron Amistadi was very intriguing to me. Susan’s voice had the sound of folk mixed in with the vocals of Melissa Etheridge. Ron’s kit was simple, yet with so many sounds were produced with the use of “Hot Rods” (the drumsticks he was using) which made for a lighter sound.
Savage Zoo came next, and unlike the musicians that had played before them was more Rock 'n Roll for the soul, playing the tunes of the Scorpions. They were a perfect middle point to the benefit and provided the energy to keep the rest of the evening alive.
My favorite of the evenings’ events was The Arizona Bay Outriders. They got both the young and old out of their seats to the dance floor, even the owners of the C-Note had a blast 2 stepping a note or two. Chuck Aubrey, the singer of the band, has energy and charisma that lights up a room, but when you add Chuck’s personality to Tom Baile, a lightning-rod on the guitar, the wild antics and playing of Andy “Ando” Miller and Mike Behan, the bass player they form an amazing bond on stage.
The headlining band of the evening, the Dave Owens Band, brought their good looks and hee-haw music to end the night, allowing special guests like Dan Freeman to sing Bob Segers’ Turn The Page and Tom Baile to play as a second guitarist.
The benefit made such an impression that KGUN9 On Your Side showed up at the event to interview, and during the set of Savage Zoo Fox News Channel 11 filmed them playing? WOW, amazing! The Camera Eye Photography donated their time and services as the event photographer, and Frank Ramos also donated his time as event videographer. BSceneLive.com set up and hosted a live video webcast. Jane Kramer Dennehy worked tirelessly to resolve the minor details you never expect, but which always show up anyway.
It was all-in-all a really great evening, an awesome idea of three people, Amy Mason, Carolyn “Trouble” Cary and Dave Owens, who were just chatting one day on how they could help both the victims and the firefighters of the Arizona wildfires and the outcome was … truly awesome!
