words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

ZZ Top

While many designers tagged trendier (see younger) performers to appear at their Fashion Week soirees, many of which happened the day before for Fashion's Night Out, John Varvatos and show curator/drummer Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses) stayed true to the spirit of the Bowery store located where CBGB once stood, picking a lineup that would make Wayne and Garth tremble with a lack of self worth (Mike Meyers sitting on the side of the stage with a giddy grin would seem to confirm that).

Alejandro Escovedo performed first on Saturday night (9/11), churning out garage crunch with no less than 4 guitarists blazing on the Varvatos store's small stage. Ian Hunter (lead singer of Mott the Hopple) followed and was joined by Escovedo for a performance of glam cornerstone anthem "All The Young Dudes."

To break up the boys club, former Runaways singer Cherie Currie, one of rock's more underappreciated female frontwomen, came on next. Currie performed "Cherry Bomb," the Runaways' ode to young female rebellion, with a still palpable sense of angst, proving at the same time you're never too old to stop flaunting sex appeal (and to fit into leather corsets).

The Darling Stilettos

Taking a cue from the icon that preceded them, the night's youngest performers, The Darling Stilettos (think rock's answer to the Pussycat Dolls), danced and felt each other up in all the right places while screaming classic rock covers (and one original tune) like over-sexualized banshees.

There were new groups from established rockers as well. New York icon Jessie Malin performed with his latest musical collective The St. Marks Social, and recently formed rock super group Black Country Communion, consisting of former Deep Purple frontman/bassist Glenn Hughes, blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa, and prodigal son Jason Bonham (Led Zeppelin, Foreigner) gave a sneak preview of some of the heavy tracks from their upcoming self-titled debut.

After a brief pause, Los Angeles superstar cover band Camp Freddy settled in as the house band for the remainder of the show, welcoming on stage a revolving door of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alumni as the evening catapulted upward in intensity. Some played covers, like ZZ Top (who were in town to play two nights at Beacon Theatre) evoking the spirit of Hendrix with "Foxy Lady" and Perry Farrell aggressively launching into the audience during "Sympathy for the Devil." Others did their own songs, like MC5's outspoken guitarist Wayne Kramer urging the crowd on during "Kick Out the Jams" with help from Handsome Dick Manitoba, or Alice Cooper being diabolically stylish while performing "I'm 18" and "School's Out."

By the time Farrell ended the night with Jane's Addiction's "Mountain Song," the Varvatos store crowd had finally reached the feverish level of turbulence one would expect for such a night. In fact the performers throughout the night consistently displayed more energy than the predominantly younger audience. For an event full of aging rockers, it really just felt like a riotous gathering of all the young dudes.

The crowd was full of familiar faces as well. Chris Brown, Jimmy Kimmel, Rachael Ray, and Matt Pinfield were among those getting their picture taken on the red carpet and mingling with the fashioned-out crowd. Iggy Pop (who played Don Hill's the night before) and Robert Plant (who played Bowery Ballroom the next day) were nowhere in sight though. More pictures and some videos from the whole night below...

Continue reading "ZZ Top, Perry Farrell, Alice Cooper & many more played John Varvatos' 10th Anniversary @ the Bowery store (pics & video) "

photos by Chris La Putt

"Ah Lemmy, I ain't gonna be as sprightly as you are when I hit 63 (didja know he's only 5 years younger than Dylan?)" - Jason Gross

For a couple of weeks during Motörhead's U.S. headlining tour, the band's long-time basher of skins, drummer Mikkey Dee, will be filming season one of Kändisdjungeln, Sweden's version of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Of Here! where ten celebrities live together in the Malaysian jungle for 16 days. They are being watched by cameras 24/7 and the viewers will decide which celebrity will have to take on crazy and challenging contests. The contests will consist of everything from facing scary bugs to frightening heights. If the celebrities can overcome their phobias and fears, they can bring back food or other needed things to the jungle camp. Finally, the viewers will decide which celebrity will be the winner.

"I can't wait to see that," chuckles Lemmy to Canada's Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. "He's in the Malaysian jungle, and he doesn't like bugs. And I think they have to be parachuted into the f**king thing - and he doesn't like heights either. So it's definitely going to be worth watching." Mikkey had agreed to do the TV show before the tour was booked. Says Lemmy, "I think he's already had the f**king shots, the anti-tropical disease shots."

But the tour will go on.

Velvet Revolver drummer, Matt Sorum, got the call from Lemmy and will fill in during Mikkey's absence. Formerly of Guns N' Roses and The Cult, Matt is a world-class musician. He and Lemmy have been friends since they toured together when Motörhead performed some dates with GN'R and Metallica years ago. Matt will come out to a few of the early tour dates to "watch Mikkey and get the idea," says Lem. "He'll be alright, he's a professional." [All Access Magazine]

Matt Sorum was the drummer at last night's Motorhead show at Roseland Ballroom in NYC which had almost as many bands on the bill (4) as the number of dollars some people paid for tickets (5). Opening acts at the 9/9/9 show were Reverend Horton Heat, Nashville Pussy, and The Episodes who come from Ohio and have some members that aren't old enough to drive yet. More pictures, and a few more words about the show, below...

Continue reading "Motorhead (with Matt Sorum), Reverend Horton Heat, Nashville Pussy, & The Episodes @ Roseland Ballroom - pics "