Sunshine Live Benefit Concert
Volume #29: Sunshine Live, Community for Healing Benefit Concert
8/27/2022
The Odeon 1295 Old River Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113
A few weeks ago I was received a call from my friend Brian at Level Up Cleveland asking for my help. He explained to me that there was a event coming up and he thought an article from me would be helpful to the cause. That event was Sunshine Live and the cause is the ongoing fight against cancer. There are few of us whose lives have not been touched by this scourge. My own family has had its fights with it in the past, so I was instantly empathetic. I was further motivated when I learned the recipient of this year’s donation was a member of our own Metal community: Stacy Hatrix, wife of local music legend Jeff Hatrix. By the end of the call with Brian, I had committed myself to donating my own efforts to the event.
On the day of, I arrived at the Odeon at about 2:45, for VIP entry set at 3pm. There I met Nancy Jones and Greg Turcovsky co-founders of the event. I offered Nancy my hand in introduction but was instead met with a big hug. She greeted me like an old friend and thanked me for all I was doing, frankly, before I had done a damn thing. Aside from some social media posts, my contributions to the event would mostly come after the fact. None the less, she was appreciative of me being there. I immediately got the sense that this was a very warm, caring and dedicated woman. We chatted for a bit and she filled me in on how things had progressed so far. Long story short, things were going well… not great, but OK.
Some factors had emerged that were working against the event. First, COVID hit our team at Level Up Cleveland, knocking them out of commission and costing us much needed internet coverage. Second there was a competing event going on that Nancy feared would take away from our draw. And thirdly, the Browns were playing a home game, which always makes coming downtown problematic. Despite this Nancy was still cautiously optimistic about their financial goals, though I couldn’t help but notice some concern in her eyes.
Worry or not, it wasn’t going to slow down Nancy or her team. While the boss lady went to track down my fancy all access pass, I observed the club. All around me were people bustling about at top speed. There was the normal club stuff: Bartenders setting up, bands loading in and stage crew testing equipment. Running parallel to this was Nancy’s team: sorting through guest lists and wristbands, organizing the raffles and merch, and setting up the meet and greet. It was impressive seeing all the moving pieces behind the scenes. It was also touching to know that all those people were volunteers. Much like the venue; the sound, the performers, the raffle items, and the time of all these people was donated. There was a real and tangible sense of community present in the room. I was blown away by all the folks rushing to do their part to help a friend in need. I walked into the Odeon already believing this was a worthy cause, but I was about to learn exactly how worthy it really was through the eyes of the loyal volunteers.
This began for me around 3:30 when Nancy first took me into the VIP area to meet the Hatrix family. It was a brief exchange. While I have been a Mushroomhead fan since the 90’s I resisted the urge to fan boy out. I kept it to a brief acknowledgment, something to the effect of, “your music meant a lot to me when I was a teenager,” and that “I am here to try to give back”. The event wasn’t about me meeting a Rock Star; it was about helping Stacy and I wanted to respect that. We spoke briefly, but before I left Stacy did convey to me “I’m really excited for this day and I can’t thank everyone enough.”
Around this time the VIP Meet and Greet began. Here I got to hang around with some Hatrix super fans as they hobnobbed with Jeff and Stacy, received autographs and had a photo session. During this time Jeff debuted a brand new unreleased track, as a thank you to the fanatics who gave a little more to the cause. (It was pretty dope!) Despite all the exciting things happening and the new song to sweeten the pot, the fans did seem reserved. I believe they too felt the gravity of the situation and didn’t quite feel appropriate flipping out like it was your average run of the mill concert.
I excused myself and slipped out into the main club again where I caught up with Nancy and picked her brain for a moment. She was happily told me that as of that time the “Friends of Stacy” had already raised over 6,000 dollars before the show had even begun. I gathered however that they would need to get to at least 10,000 to really have a meaningful impact on Stacy’s immediate financial needs. With only 150 presale tickets moved, attendance was becoming a topic of discussion. Nancy’s concern was that the show was running on what most would consider short notice. From the first conception of the event, to the day of the show, Nancy and her team only had about two and half months to organize the entire shebang. That’s not a lot of time for any concert, let alone a full blown benefit. Seeing her work thus far, and speaking to her I could tell she’d put her whole heart and soul into the production and was terrified that it would come up short. She told me “coming into this it has been full force, one hundred percent; I give everything that I have to it.”
I drifted around the club for a while, chatting with people and just watching Queen Bee Nancy deploy her many worker bees in all directions. I made the most of this time talking to some of the musicians and getting their feelings on the event. I asked them all how and why they got involved in Sunshine Live. Counting Gravestones were recruited by Nancy, after they impressed her with a live set. They signed on immediately saying “we thought it would be a great cause and we were just happy to be able to do it.” Twisted Asylum told me they had opened for Mushroomheadin the past. So when asked to play a show for Stacy, they answered, “Oh yeah. We love her and Jeff.” Vocalist Specs elaborated, saying “Everything I wanted to do singing wise, comes from growing up listening to Hatrix sing.” Bessemer Saints were happy to donate their time. Drummer Terry Johnson gave me a look at their motivation saying, “So many times we’re jamming for ourselves, we’re jamming for our folks who like the music, but for today especially, we get to jam for the greater good.” The intensely charismatic frontman of Voices of the Damned J.C.B. had this to say: “We wake up every fucking morning and then there are other people fucking struggling and going through whatever, like the Hatrix family with cancer…for us just being asked to do it, it truly humbles what we do as musicians.”
As 5:00 approached, at which point doors would open, Nancy called a meeting for everyone involved. Here she gave a heartfelt thank you to all of us and earned herself an appreciative round of applause. Once the powwow adjourned I slipped back into the VIP area where I met up with Jeff’s daughter Mea and her husband Alex. The two of them were serving as videographers documenting the event. Part of this was capturing testimonials from Stacy’s loved ones. I was fortunate enough to sit in on these and watch as Alex asked each person to talk about what Stacy has meant to them personally and how she has touched their lives.
One by one they filed in and nervously took their spot on the stool. I got to play the fly on the wall as these people poured out their hearts, spilled their tears and shared hilarious anecdotes of their lives with Stacy. Now I have to tell you, I do not know Stacy Hatrix personally and prior to last night, I had never met her. That being said, during the time that I sat in on these interviews, I feel like I got to know her a little bit. Through the words of those who love her the most, I found out, well, Stacy is a blast. Truly a free spirit, she seems unencumbered by the opinions of others. She is kind and bubbly, and full of light. She brings happiness with her wherever she goes and from what I personally saw, she seems to dance as she walks and perpetually has a smile on her face. From what I gather she really is the embodiment of sunshine. I asked long time friend of the Hatrix Family, Don Foose,why my readers should donate and he explained “These are good people who need help.” and “When people we love need help we need to step up and put our money where our mouth is and put our hearts where [they’re] meant to be.” This sentiment and many others than Don shared really resonated with me. He and Jeff go way back, and Don really made me see the joy that Stacy brought into Jeff’s world when she became a part of it.
Jeff and Sandy
I sat in on the interviews until around 5:45 when Jeff Hatrix took the stage and performed a series of duets with vocalist Sandy Payne Miller. It was an unexpected and emotional opening to the show and one that was sorely missed by those who arrived late. When this ended DJ Ron Singleton fired up the music and the party officially started. Sometime after 6pm the first performer took the stage, a solo female act known as Kukee Carnage.
Kukee Carnage
Kukee Carnage
She performed her personal blend of Hip-Hop and R and B, and warmed up the crowd, providing a party atmosphere early. As a Heavy Metal aficionado, I do not believe I am qualified to review Miss Carnage, but like all the performers I give her respect for working towards this great goal.
Sandy Payne Miller
Following her was Sandy Payne Miller, returning to the stage. She performed a few more emotionally charged Christian songs which fully displayed the phenomenal strength of her voice. In case you haven’t guessed, this is not a type of music that I typically partake in. That being said, Sandy’s vocals were so absolutely amazing and I was left in awe. If I’m being honest, you put a couple distorted guitars behind this lady, and she could give Bruce Dickenson or Rob Halford a run for their money.
Sandy Payne Miller
Her set included an emotional tribute to Jeff and Stacy, where she sang a favorite of theirs. The crowd stood in respectful silence, really drawing in the beauty of the moment. For what was largely a rock show, I have to say the Christian vocalist had one of the most impactful performances.
Bessemer Saints
Next up was a band I have been itching to see for some months now, Bessemer Saints. This four piece Hard Rock outfit came to the stage and immediately threw the show into high gear. My first notation describes them as a very tight, very solid Rock band. I also was impressed by how good they sounded; matching their recording quality, while exceeding it in intensity.
Bessemer Saints
Bessemer Saints
They went on to kick out some serious jams from their album “This is BS,” as well as two new songs entitled “Fire Tested” and “Another Night with Whiskey.” The Saints made the most of their 45 minutes leaving all in attendance cheering and this author thoroughly impressed. If you love classic rock as much as I do, then I gotta tell you, check out the Bessemer Saints. They will be performing with Thunder Mother on September 2ndat the Beachland Tavern.
Counting Gravestones
8 o’clock rolled around and the next act was about to hit the stage: “Counting Gravestones.” New to the scene, they are a Deathcore band formed during COVID, with only about 6 months of live experience under their belts. Right from the get-go, they grabbed me by how heavy they are.
Counting Gravestones
Secondly I was knocked out by their stage presence: Particularly that of their frontman and bass player. Both wore face paint and jumped around the stage like mad men. I don’t know that I have ever seen a bassist with more energy; leaping and spinning in a frenzy, he moved like a frantic, possessed marionette while never missing a note.
Counting Gravestones
The singer’s vocal style switched between growls and cleans, and I was impressed by his range. He went from demonic snarls to emotive notes in the flick of a switch. I also thought they had some good lead guitar work and I picked up lyrical themes with some very sinister overtones, which I always enjoy. In general I have to say I really dug this young band, and I think they may be the best Deathcore act I’ve encountered in the Cleveland Underground.
Twysted Asylum
9pm brought Twysted Asylum to the stage, a 5 piece Death Metal band. They came out wearing customized matching work shirts, embroidered with their stage names.
Twysted Asylum
Vocalists Psycho and Specs wore Halloween masks. They explained to me prior to the set, that they had been in a dispute with a former member and had to change their lyrics accordingly. As a result of this, Psycho had to read his lyrics from a cheat sheet kept on the side of the stage. Their sound was heavy, fast and devoid of melody or much feeling beyond pure rage.
Twysted Asylum
During the course of the set they divulged that the band actually featured a father and his two sons. They dedicated their song “BSA” to a lost loved one in what was an emotional display for the men. I also noted that they have a song which is a spinoff of the book, “The Giving Tree,” which they poetically entitled “The Raping Tree.” As a fan of the film “The Evil Dead,” I got a chuckle out of this.
Voices of the Damned
After Twysted Asylum finished up they drew the winners for the raffle before Voices of the Damned closed out the night. When I talked to them they described their sound as “Death Metal with a groove and layers” and said “if you want just good, all American, fucking metal check us out.” I found that explanation intriguing, and so my interest was piqued when they finally took the stage.
Voices of the Damned
They brought their own smoke machine, to add a bit of ambiance to the room and broke into their first song with unparalleled ferocity. They blew me away with their energy immediately, especially that of their frontman. I was drawn in by their style and began to understand the description they gave. It was Death Metal, but not quite. The groove element they mentioned was very apparent as they moved through their set with both vigor and authority.
Voices of the Damned
Their guitarists both played axes with too many damned strings, and they moved around too much for me to count. (They each had 7 at least at times. Most impressive.) Their songs carried some serious themes such as battling human trafficking while also delivering more classic Death Metal subjects such as serial murder. Despite the dark and heavy tone of the music the band entertained the crowd with humorous banter and seemed to be having a really good time on stage.
Voices of the Damned
I awarded them severe bonus point for their lights out cover of Lamb of God’s“Walk with me in Hell,” ( One of my all time favorites). They closed with a song called “Rising Again,” which personally left me itching for more. I have to tell you, I really enjoyed Voices of the Damned. I found them to have a unique style which is rare in a genre which is often derivative and mired in mediocrity. In fact I liked them enough that I made it a point to pick up their “Awakening the Beast” 4 song demo on my way out. (It’s good. You should buy it.)
Before I left, I had to check in with Nancy one more time, and I am happy to report that as of her most recent count they have raised greater than 10,000 dollars to aid in Stacy’s treatment costs. Nancy told me this with tears of joy in her eyes. I could see the relief wash over her as she came to grips with the fact that her event had been a success. All the hard work, all the long hours and all the hands lent to a common goal had paid off. It was really a beautiful moment. Deciding I had all I needed I said my goodbyes and headed out. Popping in my new Voices of the Damned CD, I reflected on the long day I had just had. Having spent about 10 hours at the Odeon, I was exhausted. Honestly though, I didn’t do a whole lot: I talked to people, took some notes, and snapped a few pictures. I watched everyone busting there asses and I felt a bit in the way. I knew the whole time that my time to help wasn’t at the show, it’s now. My contribution to the cause is this review, and in it this message: You also need to donate to Sunshine Live. Yes, the concert did very well, but that being said this is just the first battle. The Hatrix family has a long war ahead of them and they need the ammunition to keep fighting. We can give them that ammo. Every dollar you send this way is another bullet in Stacy and Jeff’s arsenal. It’s another bill that gets paid, another treatment option that becomes available, and another unforeseen expense that doesn’t slow them down. Fighting a monster like cancer takes unimaginable strength. If we can help lift some of the burden, if we can shoulder the load for just a while, if we all do our part it could help Stacy find the strength to win. The Hatrix family is in the fight of their lives. They need our support. So let’s do this Rustbelt. Let’s come together like we know we can and show the Hatrix family that we do more than talk the talk. Now we walk the walk as well. Every dollar counts. No matter how small the amount you can afford to give, please do so. If every one of my readers throws 5 or 10 bucks at this fund, we can blow it through the roof. Let’s do this! Let’s make a difference today. Thank you for your time, your generosity and your compassion.
Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt!
-Z.M. Delgado
Rustbelt Rock Review
Zackolantern.com
8/28-8/29 2022
To donate to Sunshine Live please follow this link, or search Go Fund Me for Stacy Hatrix.
