February 2011 News

by Ray Shasho

Thousands of fans watched an explosive performance by "The Queen of Rock and Roll" JOAN JETT, and her band the BLACKHEARTS, on Sunday evening in Busch Gardens. The concert was part of the Bands, Brew & BBQ- entertainment showcase at the Park.

The weather was impeccable, the sound system was perfect, the food was delicious, the crowd ecstatic, and the band was triumphant. It was a flawless late Afternoon/Evening at Busch Gardens.

The ageless Jett looked and sounded as she did in her heyday. It was a fantastic performance that will certainly embed a lasting impression on the exhilarated crowd.

Jett and the BLACKHEARTS smoked the crowd immediately with her 1980 - punker "Bad Reputation," (A song she said was dedicated to the Baltimore Orioles and their 1979 season) and RUNAWAYS hit "Cherry Bomb."

The 52 year old Jett sang "Light of Day," a song written especially for her by Bruce Springsteen. The song was also the title for a movie that starred Michael J. Fox and JOAN JETT.

It seemed like everyone inside the park was attending the concert. Many of the JOAN JETT-faithful came dressed like her and ready to rock-out!

Jett and the BLACKHEARTS played "Androgynous" a Replacements- cover tune and "Change the World," a song Jett explained to the crowd was, "A song about stability and moving forward in a gentler way." Both tunes were from the band's 2006-release "SINNER."

by Ray Marcham

Pier 91 will be shaking on Saturday night as the Hope Heart Institute holds its biggest fundraiser of the year, the "On the Wings of Hope" benefit.

The event will start at 6 p.m. in the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, located at 2001 W. Garfield Street. It's a rock & roll theme, with JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS headlining the event and the dress code changed to "Rock & Roll chic". An auction at the event features items such as a suite for 16 people at Eric Clapton concert at KeyArena, tickets to Fashion Week in New York City, front section tickets to next year's American Music Awards, six electric guitars embellished by artists as part of the ART of Rock & Roll project and glasswork by Dale Chihuly.

The money raised helps Bellevue-based Hope Heart Institute as they help fund heart disease research and prevention programs around the Pacific Northwest.

It's going to be loud and it's going to be fun.

For the first guest programmer of 2011 rage has rock royalty, JOAN JETT from JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS on the couch (and her friends- a python, a couple lizards & a 'special' platypus).

Tune in for some amazing stories from her days with the RUNAWAYS and her crazy life on tour. Get ready to rock out with Joan as she has plays a diverse night of music with a few surprise picks, with hard beat-driven rock like Green Day and the Sex Pistols mixed in with some Bow Wow Wow, Billy Idol and more!

Then make sure you stay awake after Joan's programming as rage has raided the vaults and will be playing a whole lot of JOAN JETT followed by a ÔLadies Of Rock' special! It will be all killer tracks by all epic lady legends of all eras including Suzi Quatro, Patti Smith, Blondie, Pat Benatar, Hole, The Donnas, Garbage, Howling Bells, Concrete Blonde, Kim Carnes and many more!

JOAN JETT is on rage from 10:00am Saturday morning on ABC1 then catch the full show from 11:55pm on Saturday night.

Friday night 11th January- rage plays hits and new releases from 1125.