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

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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.

The holy trinity of guitar gods – George Lynch, Nuno Bettencourt, Reb Beach. The greatest voices in rock – Miljenko Matijevic, Gary Cherone, Kip Winger, CJ Snare, Jeff Keith. Legendary drummers – James Kottak, Brian Tichy, Rick Allen. Guitar clinics, comedy shows, artist Q&A’s, late night karaoke with rock stars. What has all of this and more?

The 10th annual Monsters Of Rock Cruise (AKA MORC X) set sail from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on February 8, 2020. The Royal Caribbean ship Independence of the Seas was the home to 50 rock and roll bands, and thousands of their fans, over 5 nights at sea. The cruise stopped in Belize and Cozumel, Mexico when it was not rocking through the high seas. There were a variety of stages to host the nonstop concerts, including the large 2 level theater, a smaller theater with a large standing area surrounded by tiered seats, a club lounge, and a special pool deck stage rapidly constructed for the event which allowed fans to watch shows from the pool, hot tubs, lounge chairs, pool bar or upper level deck.

The cruise was headlined by Tesla, Krokus, Extreme and Winger, which is enough to make for a great concert right there, but that is never enough for a Monsters Of Rock Cruise. Take a deep breath, because there were 49 bands announced and one special surprise sailaway band that was only revealed when they took the stage as the ship left port. The insane lineup included Atomic Punks, Autograph, Ben Woods, Black N’ Blue, British Lion, Burning Rain, Cold Sweat, D-A-D, Diemonds, Doro, Enuff Z’nuff, Faster Pussycat, Firehouse, H.E.A.T, Hardcore Superstar, Heavens Edge, Heavy Pettin’, Honeymoon Suite, Joel Hoekstra, Keel, Kingdom Come, Kings X, KIX, Lizzy Borden, Lynch Mob, Mac Sabbath, Paradise Kitty, Raven, Richie Kotzen, Ron Keel, Russell Allen, Shiraz Lane, Simon Daniels, Slaughter, Steelheart, Stryper, The Quireboys, Thunder, Tokyo Motor Fist, Tyketto, Vixen, White Trash, Y&T, Jason Beiler, and Cold Gin.

As rock fans from around the globe boarded the ship, found their room, purchased their drink tickets, waited for their luggage and figured out the lay of the ship, the MORC Crew worked feverishly to turn one of the pools into a full sized stage, complete with lightshow and perfect sound. All of the hosts came out to welcome everyone aboard – Eddie Trunk, Nikki Blakk, Luc Carl, Don Jamieson, Jim Florentine and Metal DJ Will. Then the surprise sailaway band took the stage – BulletBoys – featuring their original lineup of Marq Torien, Lonnie Vencent, Mick Sweda and Jimmy D’Anda. From there it was an endless musical orgy of classic guitar metal, unique events, once in a lifetime selfies and shared community.

Every Monster had their own unique experience over the course of the week. On top of close to 100 concerts, MORC X offered photo opportunities with the artists, painting lessons, art exhibits from Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen and Tesla bassist Brian Wheat, dinner with bands, basketball games, surfing contests, costume contests, charity events and guitar raffles. Being a rock cruise, there were special music-themed beers available. Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon hosted a party in the promenade featuring his new Double IPA from Out of Bounds Brewing Company – Heavy Metal Hippie. Not to be outdone, Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris hosted a pub party featuring 2 brews – Trooper Premium British Beer and Sun And Steel Sake Lager.

Most bands played two 1 hour sets during the cruise, sometimes on different stages, sometimes with different setlists, sometimes with special guests. Tesla and Kix are among the greatest live rock and roll bands in history and they never disappoint. Tesla played 2 incredible theater sets, and about half of the songs differed each night. They also brought out Rick Allen, who played along with “Little Suzi” and “Signs” on a drumkit with custom MORC artwork. During the second show, Allen surprised Troy Lucketta during the set by appearing behind him and drumming along. Def Leppard helped introduce the world to Tesla, taking them along on the massive Hysteria In The Round tour in the 80’s, and has had them on numerous summer tours in recent years. It was really special to see the guys interacting and enjoying their time on stage together.

Kix is another cruise veteran who wanted to give their fans something special. Most of their set varied from show to show, with their theater show digging deep into the catalog, pulling out “Kix Are For Kids”, “The Kid”, “The Itch”, “Baby Time Bomb”, “Restless Blood”, and “Rock & Roll Overdose”. They went overboard next, bringing out the co-writer of “Bang Bang (Balls of Fire)” – none other than Kip Winger! What a treat for everyone involved. The joy that comes off the stage during a Kix show can be felt in the audience, and it gets radiated back onto the band and shows on their faces. There is no frontman more entertaining than Steve “Hey Fucker” Whiteman.

Many of the bands were celebrating the 30th anniversary of their best albums, which made for some special shows. 4 of the original members of Kingdom Come recently reunited, with Keith St. John providing vocals and a dynamic stage show. Lynch Mob was celebrating their debut album “Wicked Sensation” and vocalist Oni Logan rejoined George Lynch’s band to play the entire album front to back, with Brian Tichy on drums and Michael Devin on bass. This landmark album remains one of the best in the genre and it was so special to see it performed twice on this voyage. Extreme’s 2nd album “Pornograffitti”, another of the all time classics, also turns 30 this year and the boys from Boston pulled heavily from it. They remain an incredible live band, with perhaps the most raw talent of any band on the ship.

Really the only downside to the whole experience was #fomo – fear of missing out. I managed to photograph 30 of the 50 bands, and catch part of the sets of 5 others, leaving 15 bands missed completely. I heard great things about the peformances of Richie Kotzen, Lizzy Borden and Firehouse and would have loved to witness that. With so much going on, it would be nearly impossible to see every band, and it was important to find some time to eat a good meal once in a while and try to sleep a little bit.

Perhaps the best part of an event such as this is the combination of singing along with every word from one of your favorite bands (Winger, Steelheart), mixed with the experience of seeing a band you have loved for decades for the first time (Krokus, Kingdom Come), and the joy of discovering something new to you. The Monsters Of Rock Cruise introduces fans to newer bands, sometimes featuring familiar faces, sometimes something completely different. We came away from MORC X fascinated by The Quireboys (from London), Burning Rain (with Doug Aldrich and Keith St. John), British Lion (with Steve Harris) and H.E.A.T (from Sweden).

Next year’s celebration will star Alice Cooper. Get all the details on sale dates and lineup announcements at https://monstersofrockcruise.com/

Monsters Of Rock Cruise X 2020

70 photos

Monsters Of Rock Cruise X – 2020 first appeared on Game On Media.