The City's Backyard Matt Zako

HELL'S BELLES are first and foremost dedicated AC/DC fanatics. This is what we all have in common. We're all part of a huge community of devotees to one of the greatest rock-n-roll bands in the world. This is who we all are, and this is what HELL'S BELLES strives to deliver with mechanical precision and passionate fury. Endorsed by Angus Young himself (Blender Magazine, 2003), HELL'S BELLES are the closest one can get without actually moving to Australia and joining AC/DC's road crew.
HELL'S BELLES are indeed ALL female, all the way to their rock-n-roll cores, all the time and without exception. Representing for a whole new generation of women that won't be intimidated, HELL'S BELLES actively encourage our legions of lady fans to stand up and be counted, and collaborate with women musicians and causes as a part of the mission towards rock and roll inclusion. Not some down-your-throat feminism, but a proactive support and action spirit towards the continued march towards balancing of the gender scales.
The thousands of shows HELL'S BELLES have played around the world, including Jordan, Singapore, Japan, Canada, and the good ol' USA (including Alaska), have become legendary nights of epic proportions. Consistently sexy and sold-out shows - there's not a HELL'S BELLES audience that hasn't been blown away by the raw power, attention to AC/DC details, and undeniable appeal that these bad ass belles deliver with undying devotion. From the Angus stripping  “Bad Boy Boogie" to “Dirty Deeds" to "TNT", not to mention AC/DC's landmark hits "Highway to Hell", "Thunderstruck", and "Back in Black". The marathon set lists change to include a fresh variety of classics, but the perfection and passion of the show never dies.

For more local dates in your area click on their website link: https://www.hellsbelles.info/#home

SEAN CHAMBERS TEAMS UP WITH THE SAVOY BROWN RHYTHM SECTION:
Sean Chambers and the members from Savoy Brown all became friends after playing a festival together in 2019.
In 2023, shortly after the unfortunate passing of Savoy Brown's founder & leader, Kim Simmonds, renowned guitarist and songwriter Sean Chambers teamed up with the Savoy Brown Rhythm Section consisting of Pat De Salvo on Bass, and Garnet Grimm on drums. Being that Savoy Brown and Chambers are on the same record label together, Quarto Valley Records, this change made sense and felt right to all three musicians. Kim Simmonds was in full support and gave the three his blessings shortly before his passing on December 13th, 2022.

These three accomplished musicians have come together to create what is undeniably one of the most entertaining, and powerful musical trio's on the scene today!
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR UPCOMNG SHOWS IN YOUR AREA!

https://www.seanchambers.com

SLOTHRUST rocks this episode of THE CITY'S BACKYARD PODCAST as we talk with lead singer/guitarist Leah Wellbaum!

Slothrust — the duo composed of principal songwriter, guitar player, and unrepentant aesthete Leah Wellbaum and drummer Will Gorin — recently unveiled their brand new EP entitledI Promise, out now via Dangerbird Records.

A key part of the tracklisting is the band's standout cover of Ginuwine's "Pony," on which they shamelessly wield and respect the track's raunchy nature and punch it up with a sludgy musicality, praised by outlets such as Billboard, Consequence, and Stereogum, and additionally added to the official Spotify 'Rock Covers' playlist.In addition to their new EP release, Slothrust has embarked on a tour in celebration of the 10-Year Anniversary of their release, Of Course You Do. The duo (a trio when playing live shows) is on it's  second leg of the tour, with continued support from Weakened Friends

For more on SLOTHRUST click here for tour info and more!
https://www.slothrust.com

Rock Icon Carmine Appice drops by to chat about Vanilla Fudge history and their local tour dates in the NorthEast in May! Carmine was in various bands after Vanilla Fudge, including Cactus, Beck, Bogart and Appice, Rod Stewart, King Cobra, Blue Murder and even toured with Ozzy Osbourne!

Vanilla Fudge was one of the first American groups to infuse psychedelia into a heavy rock sound to create “psychedelic symphonic rock” an eclectic genre which would, among its many offshoots, eventually morph into heavy metal. Although, at first, the band did not record original material, they were best known for their dramatic heavy, slowed-down arrangements of contemporary pop songs which they developed into works of epic proportion. Originally, Vanilla Fudge was a blue-eyed soul cover band called The Pigeons, formed in  1965 with organist, Mark Stein, bassist, Tim Bogert and drummer, Joey Brennan, and guitarist, vocalist and US Navy veteran, Vince Martell. They built a following by gigging extensively up and down the East Coast, and earned extra money by providing freelance in-concert backing for hit-record girl groups. In early 1966, the group recorded a set of eight demos that were released several years later as “While the World Was Eating Vanilla Fudge.”

In 1968, Vanilla Fudge headlined the Fillmore West with Steve Miller. The group then performed “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” on The Ed Sullivan Show, and released their second album, “The Beat Goes On.” Despite its avant-garde conceptualization and execution, the LP was a hit and climbed into the Top Twenty. That summer, Atco reissued “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” and the second time around it climbed into the Top Ten. It was followed by Renaissance, one of Vanilla Fudge’s best albums, which also hit the Top Twenty. The band had three albums in the Top One Hundred, two of which were in the Top Twenty and one in the Top Five Single. The band toured with Jimi Hendrix, played dates equal billed or headlined with groups such as Cream, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, among many others; late in the year, they toured with the fledgling Led Zeppelin as their opening act.

For more  on Vanilla Fudge click on the link
https://vanillafudge.com

– ROGER EARL –
Celebrating 50 years of Foghat in 2021,  Roger Earl is still ferociously banging away!  Born in London, England (Hampton Court & raised in Hounslow) in 1946 to a musical family where his father played piano at home and local pubs and there was always music in the house.  Although he wanted to play piano, his older brother Colin Earl (keyboard player with the band Mungo Jerry of ‘In the Summertime’ fame) won that right. Roger began to play drums at the age of 12, took lessons for two years, and played with local bands around London while working as a commercial artist. He had a measure of success before auditioning for and joining the British Blues band Savoy Brown at age 20, with whom he recorded 5 albums (1967-1970) and toured the U.S. extensively.
In 1970, Roger and Lonesome Dave Peverett decided to leave Savoy Brown to form Foghat.  They enlisted former Savoy bass player Tony Stevens and Slide guitarist Rod Price and the rest has been rock n’ roll history.
Moving from England to the North Shore of Long Island in 1973, the band settled around the Port Jefferson area since their manager lived there.  Roger loved the area and being an avid fisherman, especially enjoyed the fishing.
During the 70’s Foghat had a series of hit records such as “I Just Want to Make Love to You”, “Fool for the City”, “Slow Ride”, “Stone Blue”, “Drivin’ Wheel”, “Third Time Lucky” and more.  They were known as the hardest working band in Rock n’ Roll since they toured 10 out of 12 months during this period.

FOGHAT has a new album out called SONIC MOJO!

https://foghat.com

https://foghat.com/tour

The Petty/Drayton Episode on The City's Backyard Podcast talks about The Petty/Drayton music program and the importance of supporting the arts. We chat with Adria Petty the daughter of rock icon Tom Petty, and Adria's extended family, Charley Drayton and Bernard Drayton about mentors in art and how to make the world a better place.
Please join us at The Norwalk Art Space to help make the arts accessible to all! Arts Bash 2024 is scheduled for Thursday, May 30th and will feature live music, an art auction and catering by Marcia Selden Catering, Bill Taibe and The Art Space Cafe. All proceeds will support FREE art and music classes for under-served local students, and free studios and exhibitions for under-represented Connecticut artists. Tickets available here:
https://www.thenorwalkartspace.org

To donate or buy tickets to the Gala on May 30th click on the safe link below!

https://norwalkartspace-bloom.kindful.com/e/2024-gala