Fourth Annual Rock Against MS Benefit Concert

March 10, 2016
Whisky A Go-Go
Hollywood, CA

Photos and article by TourBusLive.com

Every single hour in the U.S. alone, someone new is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  This progressive and disabling disease affects the central nervous system and is unpredictable, causing symptoms ranging from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis.  Every single hour in the U.S. alone, someone new is diagnosed with MS.  And when well-known L.A. area rock-n-roll publicist Nancy Sayle got the diagnosis a couple of years ago that she herself has Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, she decided to do something about it.  She started the Rock Against MS (RAMS) foundation.

Asking some of her long-time friends and associates to join her in her battle, the Rock Against MS Benefit Concert was born in 2013, and had its first benefit show in March of that same year.

This year, at the world famous Whisky A Go-Go, The Fourth Annual ROCK AGAINST MS Benefit Concert was held on March 10, and the show was SO kick-ass, it’s hard to put it down in words.

Sponsored by KLOS, Monster, D’Addario, Schecter, The Roxy, the Whisky, Guitar Center, SIR Recording Studios, Pro-Mark, Evans, and yours truly at TourBusLive.com, this show was another non-stop parade of rock music’s most talented local artists.

Hosted by KLOS’s own STEW HERRERA and the hilarious actor/comedian CRAIG GASS (did you see the glazed donut episode of Sex and the City?), the night was a hit from start to finish.

Lucky for the folks who arrived early enough, the amazing Seattle-based band THE GUESSING GAME (Jeff Rouse, Kathy Moore, Keith Ash, and Shawn Zellar) graciously made the trip down to the Sunset Strip and kicked off this huge night of music with a ripping set!

The rest of the evening was one amazing supergroup after another, including (in no particular order) Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy), Dug Pinnick (King’s X), Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big), Jeff Scott Soto (TSO, Talisman, Journey), Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake, Night Ranger), Chas West (Lynch Mob, Bonham), Phil Buckman (Filter), Marty O’Brien (Lita Ford, Tommy Lee), Pat Torpey (Mr. Big), Gretchen Bonaduce, Patrick Stone (Adler’s Appetite), Joshua Ray (Shania Twain), Derek Frank (Shania Twain), Elijah Wood (Shania Twain), Matt Starr (Ace Frehley), Jessy Greene (Foo Fighters), Lucky Lehrer (Circle Jerks), Anthony “Tiny” Biuso (TSOL, The Dickies), Steve Ferlazzo (Avril Lavigne, DramaGods), Todd Morse (Todd’s Planet), Ed Davis (Juliette and the Licks), Jason Womack (Juliette and the Licks), Kemble Walters (Juliette and the Licks), Lisa Foreman (Todd’s Planet), Yolanda Thomas (Yolanda and the Stolen Boys), Alex Kane (Richie Ramone Band), Barry Pointer (Methods of Mayhem), Ira Black (Attika7), Ace Von Johnson (Faster Pussycat), Mitch Perry (Michael Schenker Group), Tanya O’Callahan (Bonnie Wood), Rafael Moreira (Paul Stanley’s Soul Station), and Nicki Tedesco (Frantic Ginger).

And if those accomplished musicians in these great line-ups weren’t enough, the night saw some very big appearances from JACK RUSSELL’s GREAT WHITE (including Jack Russell, Robby Lochner, Tony Montana, Dan McNay, and Dicki Fliszar), tribute band PETTY CASH (yes, they cover Tom Petty and Johnny Cash songs – how clever is their name!?!?), and the one and only STEPHEN PERKINS (of Jane’s Addiction) and his new band TABITHA, featuring the OKAI SISTERS (Mayuko on guitar and Tsuzumi on bass) – who stepped on stage and completely blew away the crowd with their original songs, as well as cover of Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” sung by SURPRISE guest singer TAYLOR HAWKINS of the FOO FIGHTERS and some AC/DC (with guest singer WILEY HODGDEN of CHEVY METAL/BIRDS OF SATAN)!  Seriously – those Okai sisters rock!!

And for those who stayed until the very end (it was a long night of great music – WELL worth the entrance fee!), they got a treat with the final performance line-up, which featured a number of QUEEN songs covered by tribute band Queen Nation’s own Gregory Finsley – who is a dead ringer both in sight and sound for Freddie Mercury – along with Howie Simon (Alcatrazz), Jeff Duncan(Armored Saint), Joey Vera (Armored Saint), Shawn Duncan (Bullet Boys), and, singing backing vocals on “Under Pressure”, Jeff Scott Soto.  UNBELIEVABLE set!!

TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS OF THIS NIGHT

Earlier in the evening, awards were given to some long-time supporters, including Stephen Perkins, Jack Russell, Marty O’Brien, technician Mark Rojas, and yours truly (sponsors/designers/photographers TourBusLive.com). We were all humbled by this honor.

And, throughout the night, fans were able to donate more by purchasing special ROCK AGAINST MS and, F*CK MS t-shirts, signed guitars and drum heads, and one lucky fan even went home with the raffle-winning Schecter guitar signed by most of the night’s participants.

More autographed items will be up for auction on Ebay to continue to raise funds to help people living with MS.

Congratulations to Nancy, her tireless crew of technicians, her event team, the sponsors, and to all the musicians for a successful night!  And a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who came out to support this worthy cause.

SET LISTS:

• GUESSING GAME (from Seattle) (original set)
• GRETCHEN BONADUCE/ JOSHUA RAY/ DEREK FRANK/ ELIJAH WOOD/ STEVE FERLAZZO
• ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, HELLA GOOD, and DO YOU WANNA TOUCH
• PETTY CASH  (Petty and Cash covers)
• YOLANDA THOMAS/ ALEX KANE/ BARRY POINTER/ JOHNNY MARTIN/ TINY BIUSO
   NEON NIGHTS, LOVE GUN, BAD ROMANCE
• JACK RUSSELL/ ROBBY LOCHNER/ TONY MONTANA/DAN MCNEY /DICKI FLISZAR
• ALL OVER NOW, LADY RED LIGHT, ROCK ME, ONCE BITTEN
• TABITHA (featuring MAYUKO OKAI/ TSUZUMI OKAI/ STEPHEN PERKINS)
  Original songs plus ZIGGY STARDUST (with surprise singer TAYLOR HAWKINS of the FOO FIGHTERS) and LET THERE BE ROCK (with guest singer WILEY HODGDEN of CHEVY METAL/BIRDS OF SATAN)
• PATRICK STONE / ACE VON JOHNSON / ALEX KANE/ JOHNNY MARTIN/ LUCKY LEHRER
  SEDATED, BLITZKREIG BOP
• LISA FOREMAN/ ALEX KANE/ ACE VON JOHNSON/ JOHNNY MARTIN/ LUCKY LEHRER, STEVE FERLAZZO
  ROCK N ROLL
• TODD MORSE/ IRA BLACK/ BARRY POINTER/ MARTY O/ TINY
  MOTHER, MAN IN THE BOX, VASELINE
• MATT STARR/ JOSHUA RAY/ DEREK FRANK/ ELIJAH WOOD
• HOLE IN THE SKY
• PATRICK STONE/ RAFAEL MOREIRA/ TANYA O/ SHAWN DUNCAN
  COCHISE, MOUNTAIN SONG
• DUG PINNICK/ JEFF DUNCAN/ JOEY VERA/ SHAWN DUNCAN/ STEVE FERLAZZO
  SUPERSTITION, FOXY LADY, AMERICAN WOMAN
• PAT TORPEY/ HOWIE SIMON/ BILLY SHEEHAN/ MATT STARR
  AIN’T THAT A SHAME, LIVIN AFTER MIDNIGHT
• HOWIE SIMON/ JOEL HOEKSTRA/ RUDY SARZO/ MATT STARR/ STEVE FERLAZZO
  FOOL 4 UR LOVIN
• CHAS WEST/ JOEL HOEKSTRA/ RUDY SARZO/ MATT STARR/ STEVE FERLAZZO
  SLIDE IT IN, FOX ON THE RUN
• JEFF SCOTT SOTO/ JOEL HOEKSTRA/ RUDY SARZO/ MATT STARR/ STEVE FERLAZZO
  DANCE NIGHT AWAY, I DON’T KNOW
• GREG FINSLEY/ HOWIE SIMON/ JEFF DUNCAN/ JOEY VERA/ SHAWN DUNCAN
  DRAGON ATTACK, SOMEBODY TO LOVE, TIE UR MOTHER DOWN
• GREG FINSLEY/ JEFF SCOTT SOTO/ HOWIE SIMON/ JEFF DUNCAN/ JOEY VERA/SHAWN DUNCAN
  UNDER PRESSURE