Former Great White Frontman Plans Memorial Concert
Great White's ever-shifting lineup is too complicated for all but the most ardent fans of the band -- which now includes two separate touring incarnations and the ever-present threat of a lawsuit. But no matter who's in the group, one thing remains the same: The shadow cast by the fire that claimed the lives of 100 people at a Great White show on Feb. 20, 2003.
Former frontman Jack Russell, who's currently on the road with a group he's calling Great White featuring Jack Russell (not to be confused with Great White, which consists of the group's "classic" lineup plus singer Terry Ilous), certainly hasn't forgotten the tragedy. As Classic Rock Magazine reports, Russell is planning to mark the 10th anniversary of the show by playing an acoustic benefit show on Feb. 7.
Russell explained his reasons for planning the benefit, which is set to take place at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach, Calif., in a statement that reads, "I too lost many friends that night -- but I can’t begin to equate that to the loss of a family member. For what it’s worth, you have been in my prayers and always will be." All proceeds are earmarked for the Station Fire Memorial Foundation.
The non-Russell Great White, meanwhile, is set to celebrate a different sort of anniversary -- they're marking the band's 30th birthday this year with a new live album and a series of dates with an assortment of fellow AOR vets such as Slaughter, Quiet Riot, and Skid Row.