RK - 6-13-2006 at 09:55 AM
I am very pleased to announce that I will be participating in shows this week as a guest member of the SIN CITY ALL STARS - a Las Vegas-based
superband composed of veteran singers and musicians from various bands. I will be playing electric and acoustic guitars and singing some when we hit
the road this weekend for opening slots with Tesla and Eric Martin in Utah.
SIN CITY ALL STARS features drummer Les Warner from The Cult, former Joan Jett bassist Sean Koos, guitarist Ron Mancuso (Beggars & Thieves,
Motorbaby) & renowned session vocalist Louis Merlino, who has sung on hits by Alice Cooper & KISS. I am filling in for Faster Pussycat
guitarist Brent Muscat whose wife is expecting a baby any day now.
The band plays hits from their various projects and other killer covers from Motorhead, AC/DC, and others. I was glad to get the call, be in the right
place at the right time, and I'm looking forward to having a blast on these shows and rocking hard with these guys. We have a lot of common ground,
and there was an instant good vibe the first time we played together (I just got back from the first rehearsal)...I have a couple days to learn the
show, and of course I'll keep you posted with the usual Road Reports.
Friday June 16: Ogden, Utah - Ogden Amphitheater with Tesla & Eric Martin
353 25th St, Ogden, Utah, 84401 - (801) 629-8311
Saturday June 17: Salt Lake City, Utah - Club Vegas with Eric Martin
445 S 400 W, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84101 - (801) 364-8347
BadSeed - 6-13-2006 at 05:54 PM
Sweet !! Wish I could be there
RK - 6-15-2006 at 05:22 AM
ROAD REPORT - SIN CITY ALL STARS Wed. June 14
Rehearsals are over, and I think I've got this show down enough to do it justice...I am taking a fair share of the guitar solos, and while it's common
knowledge I'm no shredder I think I've got enough attitude in my limited chops to grind out the neccessary licks to pull this off. I've enjoyed
building new friendships with the guys in the band, they have treated me great. I'm really enjoying working with Louis, the vocalist - he's a damn
good singer and a cool dude. I am singing a lot of strong harmony vocals with him and we do a duet on AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie".
Today, I also got my 'costume'...the SIN CITY ALL STARS wear Vegas gangster-style suits on stage, so I got me a fine Italian pin-stripe with white
shirt and white tie, with the little hanky in the front pocket. Black & white cool shoes (no cowboy boots on this gig) & a gangster hat. We
gotta get some pictures of this gig.
If you'd have told me a week ago that I'd be in Utah this weekend wearing a pinstripe suit while playing the guitar solo on Motorhead's "Ace Of
Spades" I'd have called you crazy, but here we go...
7 AM departure tomorrow so I gotta go - I'll check in soon.
Metlqueen - 6-15-2006 at 10:15 AM
Yes, we need pictures of this!!
BadSeed - 6-15-2006 at 08:18 PM
shit, that sounds awesome!!!
Ace of spades? You gotta bring this through Denver man.
Pinktiger27 - 6-15-2006 at 08:21 PM
Cool, I want a picture of you in that . have fun and kick some ass wish I could be there to see that show.
RK - 6-16-2006 at 08:11 AM
Road Report - Ogden Utah, June 15
Road trip from Vegas to Ogden UT today. Everybody in the band gets along great and it's a blast. The promoter took us, Eric Martin & band, and
Tesla out to a big fancy Japanese dinner tonight, it was great catching up with the guys in Tesla who I haven't seen in many years. Lots of road
stories...and Eric Martin is a very cool guy, I enjoyed hanging with him (for those who might not know, Eric is perhaps best known for being the
singer in Mr. Big who had a huge hit "I'm The One Who Wants To Be With You").
I also went across the street to see the venue, a really nice outdoor amphitheater and the weather is supposed to be wonderful tomorrow, lots of
tickets sold in advance, and I'm expecting a good show all the way around. I'll keep you posted.
KEELAHOLIC71 - 6-18-2006 at 05:40 PM
Of course the weather is great there Ron. You left Vegas when it was 103!!! I hope you had a great time. Lookin forward to hearing the stories of how
you kicked some Utah Ass!!! C-ya!
RK - 6-19-2006 at 02:49 AM
Things got a little hectic out there on the road, as they tend to do, thus prohibiting me from posting sooner.
Friday's show in Ogden Utah was the bomb - a beautiful day in a packed outdoor amphitheater with some great bands and fans. It was of course my first
gig with the Sin City Allstars, but hopefully it didn't show...it felt like we'd been together a lot longer than four days, and judging from the
audience response it was working.
Of course in my 'costume', wearing a suit, hat, and sunglasses, and not having a whole lot of time to spread the word, I don't think many people knew
that I was 'Ron Keel' (remember, I am one of the guitarists, not the lead singer in this outfit) until Louie introduced me and then I got some cheers
and smiles...it was really fun to get into not only the music but the character. The show was shot by a pro photographer that I know, so I will be
getting a disc of pics from this gig and posting them asap.
Next up was Eric Martin, who is one hell of a singer and quite a character. He has an excellent band which I really enjoyed making friends with - his
killer guitarist Mark Holley was in a band that opened up for KEEL back in the day, and drummer GiGi Conoway (who spent many years in Mariah Carey's
band) was a monster, and bassist Mark Chole. Killer band, great songs, and Eric is simply a great vocalist/songwriter/entertainer, if this band comes
around I highly recommend you check it out. They called the Sin City Allstars on stage to sing the Humble Pie classic "30 Days In The Hole" to close
their show, very cool of EM.
I ran into a number of old friends backstage, including Great White guitarist Mark Kendall who I haven't seen in years, it was cool catching up with
him.
Tesla threw down hard, as good or better than ever - I've always loved their straightforward approach to rock n roll and they really tore it up. This
was the first gig for their new guitarist Dave Rude, a friend of our man Sheldon, and he fit in great and seemed right at home.
Of course there was a fair amount of partying afterward, and the usual pain getting up the next morning for our short drive to Salt Lake. Since this
was a club gig, I anticipated a late soundcheck and was looking forward to a 4 hour nap...until the promoter (Danny Marz - super guy) roped me into
going to do a radio interview. Want to thank all the crew from KBER 101, Utah's Rock Station, for all their support, it was great meeting everyone and
worth missing the nap for.
Last night's show, I thought, sounded great (loud as hell) and I was much more comfortable on my second gig with the guys. Once again we joined the
Eric Martin band onstage for "30 Days In The Hole", it was great to see Eric's lengthy headline set with music from Mr. Big and all of his other solo
albums and projects.
My Father's Day was spent on the road, as usual, and after a 7 hour drive I am now back in Vegas watching Game 5 of the NBA Finals and checking in
with my People. For all my brothers out there who are Dads, I hope you had a great Father's Day.
I really enjoyed my first run with the Sin City Allstars, thanks to everyone who welcomed me into the family and I hope we get to do it again soon. By
the way, the band has recorded a killer version of Judas Priest's "Turbo Lover" for an upcoming Judas Priest tribute album, you can hear it on their
myspace page:
http://myspace.com/sincityallstars
Pics from Utah
utcherry - 8-15-2006 at 10:55 AM
Here are some pics of Ron Keel when he performed with the Sin City All-Stars here in Ogden, and Salt Lake City, UT.
These are only a few of many pics that I do have.
I hope you enjoy!
skynyrdmh - 8-15-2006 at 04:53 PM
Hey RK, think you are set for this gig again with the new White Caddy!! What a match!! 