STAND UP AND SHOUT FOR RONNIE JAMES DIO’S BIRTHDAY, the star-studded global virtual concert set for Saturday, July 10 from Rolling Live Studios, has continued to add to the lineup of musical talent coming together for one-of-a-kind performances, artist interviews and special birthday messages all for a good cause. The event, hosted on rollinglivestudios.com, begins at 2:00PM Pacific time (PDT), benefiting The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), founded in memory of the late heavy metal icon who was the voice of Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and DIO before losing his battle with gastric cancer in 2010.

 

Tickets are now available for the VIP After Party the next day, Sunday, July 11, also at 2PM Pacific time (PDT).

 

The global fundraiser is bringing together celebrities and fans all over the world to honor Ronnie James Dio’s undeniable impact both on and off the stage. Rounding out the already enviable lineup are Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell) and Alice Cooper.

 

They are joining a stellar lineup that includes:  Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge, Beck; Bogert & Appice); Vinny Appice (DIO, Black Sabbath); Michael Angelo Batio (Nitro, Holland, Shout); Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi), Sebastian Bach, Joey Belladonna (Anthrax); Chuck Billy (Testament); John Bush (Armored Saint); Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses, Slash’s Snakepit); Mikkey Dee (Scorpions, Motörhead); the DIO band–Oni Logan and Tim “Ripper” Owens, vocals; Simon Wright, drums; Scott Warren, keyboards; Rowan Robertson, guitar; and Bjorn Englen, bass—Aynsley Dunbar (Journey, Frank Zappa); keyboard player Steve Ferlazzo, Frank Ferrer (Guns N’ Roses); Lita Ford; Chuck Garric (Alice Cooper); Sammy Hagar (Van Halen, Chickenfoot, Montrose); Lzzy Hale (Halestorm); Rob Halford (Judas Priest); Tony winning singer Lena Hall (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”); Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Country Communion); Terry Ilous (Great White, XYZ); Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell); Richie Kotzen (Poison, Smith/Kotzen); LA metal band Liliac; James LoMenzo (White Lion, Slash’s Snakepit) Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses); Sean McNabb (Quiet Riot, Dokken); Jeff Pilson (Foreigner, DIO); Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne); Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, “Raiding the Rock Vault”); Glen Sobel (Alice Cooper, Hollywood Vampires); guitarist Jasmine Star; Derek St. Holmes (Vanilla Fudge, Michael Schenker Group); Tenacious D’s Jack Black and Kyle Gass; Brian Tichy (Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne); Scott Travis (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy); Mexican rock band The Warning; Ricky Warwick (Black Star Riders) and Lajon Witherspoon (Sevendust).

 

Radio and television personalities Eddie Trunk and Matt Pinfield will co-host the event, conducting interviews with artists as well as with Dio record producer Wyn Davis; concert promoter Danny Zelisko and Ronnie’s widow and longtime manager Wendy Dio, among others.

 

Tickets are on sale now at https://rollinglivestudios.com/dio beginning at $20 for General Admission tickets to view the show. Tickets are also available for the VIP After Party the next day, Sunday, July 11, also beginning at 2PM Pacific time (PDT). The VIP After Party will feature exclusive performances by Joey Tempest (Europe), Paul Shortino and Richie Kotzen, among others, and artist interviews conducted by host Matt Pinfield, all of which will only be accessible to VIP After Party ticketholders.

 

In addition to viewing tickets, Rolling Live Studios is offering special merchandise packages and virtual VIP experiences for fans to participate in this unique worldwide event. Bidding is open for the “Dio Ultimate Bundle Auction,” comprising rare Dio-themed items hand-picked from the vault by Wendy Dio, and for a one-of-kind Dio-themed leather jacket that will be custom made for the winning bidder by celebrated artist Carin Hazmat.

 

There are many value-added items for purchase, including a “grab bag” of specially selected vintage DIO and Dio Cancer Fund event merchandise, a limited number of copies of RAINBOW IN THE DARK: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY, written by Ronnie James Dio (with Wendy Dio and Mick Wall) and signed by Wendy Dio, and specially designed event tee-shirts, baseball caps, laminates and lithographs.

 

The STAND UP AND SHOUT FOR RONNIE JAMES DIO’S BIRTHDAY virtual fund-raising concert will also feature exclusive archival footage from Dio’s life and long-spanning career and never-before-seen footage from Dio Cancer Fund events held in Los Angeles since 2011 when the organization began. Through musical performances and storytelling, a wide array of guests will celebrate the life of a man who deeply influenced their lives through his artistry and larger-than-life presence.

 

Throughout his career, Ronnie James Dio was a passionate supporter and contributor to charitable work and numerous animal charities. He was an artist who was not only well respected for his talent, but also admired and loved by his peers and fans worldwide, some of which included renowned celebrities, musicians, and prominent individuals from all walks of life.

 

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (www.diocancerfund.org), dedicated to cancer prevention, research and education, has raised over $2 million in its history. The organization’s last in-person event was its 10th Anniversary Gala held at the Avalon in Hollywood in February, 2020. Its annual RIDE FOR RONNIE Motorcycle Ride and Concert and BOWL FOR RONNIE Celebrity Bowling Tournament have been temporarily suspended as the result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

STAND UP AND SHOUT FOR RONNIE JAMES DIO’S BIRTHDAY is the latest in a lineup of stellar events produced by Rolling Live Studios. In January, the studio worked alongside Mike Garson to bring together an extraordinary slate of vocalists to perform with David Bowie’s band alumni for “A Bowie Celebration: Just for One Day” streaming concert event. The following month, YUNGBLUD’s stunning performance of “Life on Mars?” from the event played after millions of viewers watched NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully touch down on Mars.

 

About The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund:

The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable fund formed in honor of the legendary Ronnie James Dio, who lost his life to stomach cancer on May 16, 2010. Cancer is a deadly disease that robs families of loved ones, and the Dio Cancer Fund is dedicated to support cancer prevention research, raise awareness and educate the public with the focus that early detection and prevention saves lives.

 

Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, AIDS and Leukemia Research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. Since 2016, the Dio Cancer Fund has also committed funds to support the research of Dr. David Wong and his team at the UCLA School of Dentistry in developing a simple, non-invasive saliva test for the early detection of cancer, which is in keeping with the Fund’s mission of cancer prevention, research and education.

 

About Rolling Live Studios

Rolling Live Studios takes virtual live events to the next level. Since its inception, Rolling Live Studios has produced over 75 live virtual events and helped raise over $27 million in donations for an array of charities. Recent credits include Jeffery Katzenberg’s Virtual “Evening Before,” Chrysalis Night In – Virtual Gala, Richard and Demi Weitz’s RW Quarantunes, The Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation Virtual pre-show and multiple livestreams for The Recording Academy. Rolling Live Studios was founded by Kerry Brown, who has managed and produced multi-platinum artists (The Smashing Pumpkins, Miley Cyrus, Cheap Trick, among others), feature films, television, and video games (Blow, Along Came Polly, Scream, The Academy Awards, and more). Kerry produced the live multimedia show BLACKOUT, a collaboration between PepsiCo and the NFL to celebrate the Super Bowl, among other live events.

 

To purchase tickets and VIP and merchandise packages for the Ronnie James Dio Virtual   Birthday Celebration, visit: https://rollinglivestudios.com/dio

 

Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund:

www.diocancerfund.org

www.facebook.com/RJDSUASCF

https://twitter.com/DioCancerFund

https://www.instagram.com/diocancerfund/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpIsd0Sa3IXQY2t33G3oEEg

 

Follow Rolling Live Studios:

www.RollingLiveStudios.com

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Geezer Butler & Alice Cooper Join Lineup for July 10 ‘Stand Up and Shout for Ronnie James Dio’s Birthday’ first appeared on Game On Media.

2020 has been an atypical year for the music industry. The usual album and tour cycles have been turned on their heads. Some bands chose to hold their albums for when touring starts up again. Some bands found creative ways to release their albums, many with livestreams to go with it. Other bands took the opportunity to record and release unexpected music, and much more of that will be coming in 2021. Heavy Metal has always been a cathartic release, and that was much needed in 2020. There were plenty of incredible headbangers to help us get through it all. Here are our Five Fave: 2020 Mainstream Metal Albums.

5 – Lamb Of God – Lamb Of God

This self-titled album from metal masters Lamb Of God is everything you hope for. The sounds, the screams, the lyrical messages, are all American metal at its best. Vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and new drummer Art Cruz are in perfect sync.

4 – Trivium – What The Dead Men Say

Trivium has been kicking ass and taking names for a long time. They consistently deliver crushing tunes, full of aggression and lyrics that make you think. There is plenty to love about “What The Dead Men Say” and we simply cannot wait to finally hear these songs performed live.

3 – Killer Be Killed – Reluctant Hero

The second release from supergroup Killer Be Killed is outstanding.  The band has three lead singers, and they all take their moments to shine. KBK is The Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist/guitarist Greg Puciato, Soulfly / Cavalera Conspiracy / ex-Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera, Mastodon bassist/co-vocalist Troy Sanders and Converge drummer Ben Koller.

2- Armored Saint – Punching The Sky

Legendary thrash masters Armored Saint dropped their first new album in 5 years, and all of the pent-up energy is fully released on “Punching The Sky”. John Bush, Joey Vera, Jeff Duncan and the Sandoval brothers, Gonzo and Phil, are still as relevant and impressive 4 decades in as they have ever been.

1 – Avatar – Hunter Gatherer

Sweden continues to produce creative and dynamic rock bands, who continue to push themselves with each album release. Avatar continues to push boundaries with “Hunter Gatherer”, possibly their most completely satisfying effort to date. Check out their upcoming livestream specials coming in January.

Five Fave: 2020 Mainstream Metal Albums first appeared on Game On Media.

The annual DIMEBASH is an all-star jam honoring the life and legacy of “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, the late co-founder and guitarist of Pantera and Damageplan, and the unofficial kickoff party for the NAMM convention. Jose Mangin and Riki Rachtman co-hosted the event on January 16, 2020 at The Observatory OC in Santa Ana, California.

Over 5 incredible hours, artists from dozens of bands rotated on and off the stage, performing 40 songs, including Pantera classics and other legendary tunes. Sadly, this event now also honors the late Vinnie Paul, drummer of Pantera, Damageplan and Hellyeah, and Dimebag’s brother. Both men were more than stellar musicians, they were incredible human beings who brought light into so many lives. It is no surprise that their musical peers and friends show up in droves to honor their memory by playing their songs, and sharing their love for these two giants.

The one-of-a-kind lineup featured members of Accept, Act Of Defiance, Anthrax, Armored Saint, Bad Wolves, Bad Guys Wear Black, Broken Hope, Butcher Babies, Cody Jinks, Crowbar, Cypress Hill, Dylan Rose, Foo Fighters, Grim Reaper, Hatebreed, Hellyeah, In Flames, In This Moment, Iron Maidens, Kill Devil Hill, King Diamond, King’s X, Kyng, Lamb of God, Lita Ford, Pearl, Prong, Sebastian Bach, Sepultura, Stone Sour, The Haunted, Testament, Tyr, Vio-Lence and more, including the debut of Revel Ian, son of Scott Ian and Pearl Aday.

Jose “Metal Ambassador” Mangin kicked things off on lead vocals, performing the second song from all over the crowd, as fans surfed him from the front of the house all the way back to the stage. He also shared emotional speeches about the power of music and love and gratitude. Riki Rachtman also told stories from his days on MTV’s Headbangers Ball, where he was forced to call him “Diamond” Darrell instead of “Dimebag” due to outrageous censorship.

Ron Williams of RONZ WORLD Custom Painted Guitars delivered yet another amazing original piece, which was auctioned off, as the winner was chosen by Rita Haney, Dime’s longtime girlfriend and keeper of his legacy. Proceeds from the event will benefit music education and animal rescues.

After the show, VIP guests were able to join the artists backstage to enjoy Back Beat BBQ, which none other than Dave Grohl himself had been cooking since 8:00 that morning. This was the best pulled pork and ribs that I have ever eaten. Is there nothing this man cannot do? All in all, it was an emotional, empowering evening of entertainment and excess.

NAMM 2020 Dimebash

57 photos

Dimebash 2020 Honors “Dimebag” Darrell with All Star Jam and Dave Grohl’s BackBeat BBQ first appeared on Game On Media.

Additional All-Star Talent Announced For

Dimebash

Event Honoring “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott Will Feature Members Of

Anthrax, Bad Wolves, Cypress Hill, Foo Fighters,

Hatebreed, Hellyeah, In Flames, In This Moment,

 Lamb of God, Sepultura, Stone Sour, Testament & More

Co-Hosted by SiriusXM’s Jose Mangin and Riki Rachtman

Thursday, January 16

At The Observatory OC In Santa Ana, CA

With Exclusive Artist & VIP Backstage Afterparty Featuring

Dave Grohl’s BackBeat BBQ

Limited Number Of Tickets Still Available

Additional talent has been announced for the upcoming Dimebash all-star jam tribute to “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, the late co-founder and guitarist of Pantera and Damageplan. Set for Thursday, January 16 at The Observatory OC in Santa Ana, California, the one-of-a-kind lineup will feature members of Accept, Act Of Defiance, Anthrax, Armored Saint, Bad Wolves, Bad Guys Wear Black, Broken Hope, Butcher Babies, Cody Jinks, Crowbar, Cypress Hill, Dylan Rose, Foo Fighters, Hatebreed, Hellyeah, In Flames, In This Moment, Iron Maidens, Kill Devil Hill, King Diamond, King’s X, Kyng, Lamb of God, Lita Ford, Pearl, Prong, Sebastian Bach, Sepultura, Stone Sour, The Haunted, Testament, Tyr and more surprise guests.

The all-star jam will feature Dime’s music and some of his favorite songs, with the Texas homegrown sounds of WhiskeyDick opening the show as top rock and metal artists honor the guitar legend 15 years after his untimely passing. See highlights from the 2019 Dimebash and Backbeat BBQ event in this new video:

www.facebook.com/dimebagdarrell/videos/996125130761585/

The all-ages event, which also serves as the unofficial kick-off for the Winter NAMM show, starts at 7:00 PM and will be hosted by metal ambassadors Jose Mangin (Affliction / SiriusXM) and Riki Rachtman (former MTV Headbangers Ball host / Cathouse founder). A limited number of general admission tickets are still available for $33 (plus fees) via www.DimebagDarrell.com. There will also be lots of great raffle prizes to win throughout the night.

Dimebash 2020 partners include Metal Blade, Dunlop Manufacturing, Dean Guitars, BackBeat BBQ, Affliction, Paiste Cymbals, Creekstone Farms and Ronz World Guitars. Proceeds from the event will benefit music education and animal rescues.

The Observatory OC is located at 3503 S. Harbor Blvd. in Santa Ana, CA.

To further celebrate Dimebag’s life, fans can order Dimevision Vol. 2: Roll With It Or Get Rolled Over via Metal Blade Records here: https://www.metalblade.com/dimevision/#order. Dimevision Vol. 2… is a true celebration of Dimebag and how he lived his life. The DVD/CD set includes classic video clips as well as five demos picked from a vast catalog that Dimebag accrued starting in 1984 when longtime girlfriend Rita Haney gave him his first 4-track. Dimevision Vol. 2 also includes never before published photos from Stephanie Cabral, dates, stories, and notes on the five tracks. Rita worked in collaboration with Daryl “Bobby Tongs” Arnberger–who was one of Dimebag‘s closest friends and an official videographer for Pantera and Damageplan—and film editor Rob Fenn to choose 33 segments for Dimevision Vol. 2.

For more information on Dimebash 2020, visit:

www.DimebagDarrell.com

www.facebook.com/dimebagdarrell

@dimebagdarrell

Dimebash Event Honoring Dimebag Darrell Announces All-Star Talent first appeared on Game On Media.

The inaugural Megadeth’s MegaCruise set sail from Los Angeles, California to San Diego and Mexico in October 2019. Armored Saint lit up the deck stage, under the stars, as the ship sailed through the Pacific Ocean.

Armored Saint formed in 1982 and is one of the rare bands that still feature all of their original members, with the obvious exception of founding guitarist Dave Prichard, who passed in 1990, and was replaced by Jeff Duncan.

Vocalist John Bush has one of the most powerful and emotional voices in thrash, and he shined as bright as the full moon on this night. Joey Vera was as cool as ever on the bass and backing vocals. Drummer Gonzo Sandoval and his brother, guitarist Phil Sandoval bring the family bond that draws in the audience.

MegaCruise Armored Saint

17 photos

Armored Saint on MegaCruise 2019 first appeared on Game On Media.

UFO Announces Final North American “Last Orders” Tour

UFO Announces Final North American “Last Orders” Tour first appeared on Game On Media.