MmboSlmrCasalad
10-14-2004, 11:01 PM
So there I was in a feather accented grass skirt, in whiteface with yellow moons under my eyes and a red stripe down the middle of my face. Not a typical day in my life, but there's a first time for everything! And this wasn't just anything...this was Diamond Dave's 50th Birthday Bash. It was the only event of it's kind in the entire world. Well, except for the one Dave was probably enjoying with his crew...!
Anyway, I was in the subterranean lounge of the Tribeca Rock Club getting into my "Eat 'em and Smile"-themed garb as cohost for the occasion and trying to get into character. "Do cannibals talk?" "What do I say?" "How do I act?" All these thoughts disappeared when I heard the house music playing upstairs (a compilation of a varied group of DLR's influences over the years) and I realized the club opened its doors and people were already inside the place ahead of schedule. An hour and a half later, I powdered my face one last time and put on my headdress. I looked at Ron Albanese, (my partner in the IT AIN'T VAN HALEN WITHOUT DAVID LEE ROTH campaign) dressed in his "California Girls"-styled white tux (peach was unavailable) and said, "This is so ridiculous that it rules."
We made people smile, did some giveaways, and Unchained delivered the best VH tribute show I have ever seen. Definitely played their A game. The first set was a tight 45-minute set heavy on the more obscure VH material: "Sinner's Swing," "Hang 'em High", "Light Up the Sky." During the drum breakdown in the latter tune, 'Our Guide' and I carried the sacrificial piñata to the stage and hoisted it. After one mishap, we elevated it in time for Ricky McCoy to execute a DLR-styled kick into our effigy of Sammy at the start of "Hot For Teacher" and WHAM-O! An explosion of confetti, M&Ms, and...CHEESE!! The piñata appeared to crowd surf as it got passed to the back of the audience where it was pummelled--frighteningly so! And I don't scare easily--after all, I'm a cannibal...
We did some more giveaways, read some quotes and birthday tributes we received along the way (from the likes of Billy Sheehan, Ray Luzier and Karen McDougal) before Unchained took the stage for a two-and-a-half hour second set! A line up of ladies joined the band onstage for their rendition of "California Girls" (even the one who was eating M&M's from the piñata off the club's floor--was she secretly Tribeca's custodian?) and Ron and I were even invited to the stage during "Ice Cream Man." The mic was handed over to me for one line which I sang in key, giving me hope that there is a future in rock and roll for tribal clansmen like myself...
Alright, alright, that's enough out of me! But seriously, the night was a huge success and judging by the enthusiasm of the estimated couple of hundred in attendance, there is still a tremendous love for David Lee Roth and his contributions to music, video and pop-culture.
The night was intended to be a celebration of David's life and his career. Like all his projects, every last detail was laboriously thought out for maximum impact and no one left disappointed. Unless there's anyone upset that they could not locate the one brown M&M that was stuffed in the piñata to claim the grand prize (a complete classic VH catalog donated by WEA). If so, we should track down the girl who was eating them--it may still be digesting!
Moving forward, there are plans for international press for this event and we will update everyone when we have more concrete info. We actually made a return to the Creedence and Bishop Show on Carolina's Pure Rock 105.1 in Jacksonville, NC earlier this evening to talk about Dave's Birthday Bash among other things.
Many thanks to all who attended and helped make this night a special event!
Ron Albanese, Vaughn and everyone at diamonddavidleeroth.com, MAX here at the Army, Debbie, classicvanhalen.com for driving up from Philly, (My) Michelle and Germaine for doing a great job displaying and selling special edition "It Ain't Van Halen Without David Lee Roth" T-shirts and to Ad Sales for spittin' 'em out at lightning speed, everyone who contributed prizes for giveaways (WEA, Magna Carta, Big Daddy B.), All our friends who attended (you know who you are!), all our friends who didn't attend (you know who you are!),Piñata Zone for doing an amazing job constructing Little Sammy, who was not combat ready (the night was about Dave, but we couldn't resist a cheap shot!),Kind Kenny for filming and photos, the other half of Joanie Loves Chachi for photos,Tribeca and Rocks Off for hosting (thanks--sorry about the mess), Unchained (great show guys--you were the stars of the night!) and to David Lee Roth--the reason for all these hijinks. Uh, please don't be embarrassed...! And of course, Happy Birthday!
Unchained's first set:
ROMEO DELIGHT
ON FIRE
HANG 'EM HIGH
FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT
BOTTOMS UP!!
SINNERS SWING!!
HEAR ABOUT IT LATER
DROP DEAD LEGS
AND THE CRADLE WILL ROCK...
LIGHT UP THE SKY
DRUM SOLO
HOT FOR TEACHER
JUST LIKE PARADISE
Unchained's second set:
UNCHAINED
PANAMA
SOMEBODY GET ME A DOCTOR
I'M THE ONE
MEAN STREET
ATOMIC PUNK
I'LL WAIT
DANCING IN THE STREET
TAKE YOUR WHISKEY HOME
JAMIES CRYIN'
CALIFORNIA GIRLS
JUST A GIGOLO
PRETTY WOMAN
BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
DANCE NIGHT AWAY
GIRL GONE BAD
EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!
RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL
GUITAR SOLO
YOU REALLY GOT ME
ICE CREAM MAN
AIN'T TALKIN' BOUT LOVE
JUMP
Anyway, I was in the subterranean lounge of the Tribeca Rock Club getting into my "Eat 'em and Smile"-themed garb as cohost for the occasion and trying to get into character. "Do cannibals talk?" "What do I say?" "How do I act?" All these thoughts disappeared when I heard the house music playing upstairs (a compilation of a varied group of DLR's influences over the years) and I realized the club opened its doors and people were already inside the place ahead of schedule. An hour and a half later, I powdered my face one last time and put on my headdress. I looked at Ron Albanese, (my partner in the IT AIN'T VAN HALEN WITHOUT DAVID LEE ROTH campaign) dressed in his "California Girls"-styled white tux (peach was unavailable) and said, "This is so ridiculous that it rules."
We made people smile, did some giveaways, and Unchained delivered the best VH tribute show I have ever seen. Definitely played their A game. The first set was a tight 45-minute set heavy on the more obscure VH material: "Sinner's Swing," "Hang 'em High", "Light Up the Sky." During the drum breakdown in the latter tune, 'Our Guide' and I carried the sacrificial piñata to the stage and hoisted it. After one mishap, we elevated it in time for Ricky McCoy to execute a DLR-styled kick into our effigy of Sammy at the start of "Hot For Teacher" and WHAM-O! An explosion of confetti, M&Ms, and...CHEESE!! The piñata appeared to crowd surf as it got passed to the back of the audience where it was pummelled--frighteningly so! And I don't scare easily--after all, I'm a cannibal...
We did some more giveaways, read some quotes and birthday tributes we received along the way (from the likes of Billy Sheehan, Ray Luzier and Karen McDougal) before Unchained took the stage for a two-and-a-half hour second set! A line up of ladies joined the band onstage for their rendition of "California Girls" (even the one who was eating M&M's from the piñata off the club's floor--was she secretly Tribeca's custodian?) and Ron and I were even invited to the stage during "Ice Cream Man." The mic was handed over to me for one line which I sang in key, giving me hope that there is a future in rock and roll for tribal clansmen like myself...
Alright, alright, that's enough out of me! But seriously, the night was a huge success and judging by the enthusiasm of the estimated couple of hundred in attendance, there is still a tremendous love for David Lee Roth and his contributions to music, video and pop-culture.
The night was intended to be a celebration of David's life and his career. Like all his projects, every last detail was laboriously thought out for maximum impact and no one left disappointed. Unless there's anyone upset that they could not locate the one brown M&M that was stuffed in the piñata to claim the grand prize (a complete classic VH catalog donated by WEA). If so, we should track down the girl who was eating them--it may still be digesting!
Moving forward, there are plans for international press for this event and we will update everyone when we have more concrete info. We actually made a return to the Creedence and Bishop Show on Carolina's Pure Rock 105.1 in Jacksonville, NC earlier this evening to talk about Dave's Birthday Bash among other things.
Many thanks to all who attended and helped make this night a special event!
Ron Albanese, Vaughn and everyone at diamonddavidleeroth.com, MAX here at the Army, Debbie, classicvanhalen.com for driving up from Philly, (My) Michelle and Germaine for doing a great job displaying and selling special edition "It Ain't Van Halen Without David Lee Roth" T-shirts and to Ad Sales for spittin' 'em out at lightning speed, everyone who contributed prizes for giveaways (WEA, Magna Carta, Big Daddy B.), All our friends who attended (you know who you are!), all our friends who didn't attend (you know who you are!),Piñata Zone for doing an amazing job constructing Little Sammy, who was not combat ready (the night was about Dave, but we couldn't resist a cheap shot!),Kind Kenny for filming and photos, the other half of Joanie Loves Chachi for photos,Tribeca and Rocks Off for hosting (thanks--sorry about the mess), Unchained (great show guys--you were the stars of the night!) and to David Lee Roth--the reason for all these hijinks. Uh, please don't be embarrassed...! And of course, Happy Birthday!
Unchained's first set:
ROMEO DELIGHT
ON FIRE
HANG 'EM HIGH
FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT
BOTTOMS UP!!
SINNERS SWING!!
HEAR ABOUT IT LATER
DROP DEAD LEGS
AND THE CRADLE WILL ROCK...
LIGHT UP THE SKY
DRUM SOLO
HOT FOR TEACHER
JUST LIKE PARADISE
Unchained's second set:
UNCHAINED
PANAMA
SOMEBODY GET ME A DOCTOR
I'M THE ONE
MEAN STREET
ATOMIC PUNK
I'LL WAIT
DANCING IN THE STREET
TAKE YOUR WHISKEY HOME
JAMIES CRYIN'
CALIFORNIA GIRLS
JUST A GIGOLO
PRETTY WOMAN
BEAUTIFUL GIRLS
DANCE NIGHT AWAY
GIRL GONE BAD
EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!
RUNNIN' WITH THE DEVIL
GUITAR SOLO
YOU REALLY GOT ME
ICE CREAM MAN
AIN'T TALKIN' BOUT LOVE
JUMP