Photo: Brian Kachejian 2021
Long Island’s famous Paramount Theater nestled in the village of Huntington, New York is set to reopen in August of 2021 with a fully booked schedule of legendary classic rock artists and more.The schedule combines a series of rebooked acts with newly booked shows. The great music venue has been closed since March of 2020 because of the Covid crisis. Many fans of the venue thought that they would never get the chance to attend another show again in fear that the theater might not make it through the coronavirus pandemic. However, it seems the theater is ready to go once again and presenting a full schedule of classic rock artists beginning in August of 2021.
The Paramount opens up its doors for the first time on August 21st presenting comedian Jim Breuer. The second show scheduled will be a Beatles tribute on August 25th. The fun really begins as The Beach Boys or a version of The Beach Boys arrive on August 26th. Imagine being able to see The Beach Boys in such a small theatrical setting. You know there has to be at least one original Beach Boys in the band. Up next is one of our favorite bands of all-time here at classicrockhistory.com. A group we seen many times in the 1970s especially on Long Island at the Commack Arena in the legendary Foghat. The band will play the Paramount Theater on September 11th. A few days later P.O.D will play on September 15th.
The Paramount Theater will celebrate its 10 year anniversary on September 28th with one of Long Island most celebrated rock and rollers with the legendary Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. We saw Joan Jett a couple years ago at Jones Beach opening for Boston so it’s going to be awesome to see her in such a small setting. Joan Jett will rock the roof off the house. On October 3rd Rufus Wainwright will appear. Clutch will perform there on October 7th. Arriving on October 9th is another one of Long Island’s most celebrated rock and roll artists of all-time named Pat Benatar. The great Long Island Rocker will play the Paramount Theater with her husband and musical partner Neil Giraldo. If the roof is still there from Joan Jett’s performance, Pat Benatar will surely knock it across New York Avenue.
Not even halfway through October and there’s still so many more shows to go. On October 19th the venue will feature the Indigo Girls. The great Little River Band arrives in town on October 21st. Everyone loved the Little River Band. After an appearance buy a couple of much loved local cover bands such as Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot and Jessie’s Girl, 1990’s rock sensations the Gin Blossoms roll into town in on November 18th. The Gin Blossoms will be followed by the great band The Psychedelic Furs on the next day.
Many of the shows on the schedule for 2022 have been rescheduled from 2021. Those shows would include George Thorogood on September 23rd.A show you just don’t want to miss that guy can play guitar.so move it on over. Justin Hayward from The Moody Blues on October 2nd. Just imagine hearing the voice of the legendary Moody Blues in such a small setting. One of our favorite Rock acts of all time in Meat Loaf appears on October 6th. If there’s one show that I’d want to go to the most it would be Meat Loaf. The legendary band Ministry on October 15th. And it may be hard to believe, but Melissa Etheridge will be appearing on November 3rd at the Paramount Theater. However the show that we got marked on our calendar and it’s a bit of a ways away is on April 29th when the Paramount Theater presents the legendary Robin Trower. A true Rock God Guitarist and former member of Procol Harum. But it’s the solo Robin Trower albums aht we really dig.
People may be wondering if the Paramount Theater will be booking at 100 percent capacity. So far from what we have heard is that they are aiming to do so. Hopefully, by August and into the Fall this this whole Covid mess will just be history. Seems to be getting much better right now as it is anyway.
The Paramount Theater Huntington stands as one of the greatest venues to see a live show. The Paramount Theater has a rich history. The theater first opened in 1927 built by A.H. Schwartz. For many years, it served as great local movie theater for Huntington residents and surrounding towns. I remember going to the theater in the late 70s when they had called it The Balcony Theater. For a while it was a movie theater which they showed rock and roll movies. I remember seeing The Ramones Rock n Roll High School there and winning tickets to see the Ramones in a raffle just before the movie began . This was back in 1979.
Eventually, the movie theater was turned into a concert venue called the Inter-Media Art Center or IMAC. The venue would host so many different musical artists throughout the 80s and into the 90s and 2000’s. There was a time when some of the great jazz legends played there are such as Mike Stern, the Yellow Jackets, The Rippingtons, Richard Elliot, Michelle Camelio, John Scofield so many more. To sit so close to those great artists was just an amazing experience. One of the greatest shows I ever saw there was a Derek Trucks Band in 2005. It was a sad day when they closed down the IMAC theater. It was such a joy to learn that a group of business partners were going to open up a New York City Style theater in the heart of Huntington, Long Island. It was almost hard to believe when we first heard the rumors. But they did it. For the past 10 years, Paramount Theater has put on so many incredible rock and roll shows and so much more. I brought the village of Huntington more alive than it ever was, and it was such a welcome addition for local businesses in town. It feels so good to have them back again.
![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
