Sounds
and
Spirits
March 2023
Barrel proof stories straight from the
source.
The Metal Hall of Fame 6th Annual Gala
On January 26th, 2023, the 6th Annual Metal Hall of Fame Gala took place at the Canyon in Agoura Hills, CA. The Metal Hall of Fame is the premier organization dedicated to preserving the legacy and history of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock. It is led by musicians who are fans and they dedicate their time and energy to provide an exciting platform for fans to admire and appreciate the incredibly talented people who continue to carry the torch of hard rock and metal.
On this evening of celebration, Twisted Sister, Doug Aldrich, Lou Gramm, Chris Impellitteri, and Raven were being honored as inductees. Those on hand to help applaud them were a list of super stars from the world of heavy metal. Rounding out the evening was a sold-out crowd of metal fanatics. To top things off, well known personalities Eddie Trunk and Cathy Rankin hosted the evening. The star power was in full force for the evening.
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Kicking of the inductions, Chris Impellitteri delivered a humble acceptance speech that gave way to a crushing 3 song set featuring Giles Lavery on vocals. There is no doubt that Chris is one of the most talented individuals to ever pick up a guitar. His talent and ability on full display, he set the crowd off with his performance. They blazed through “Balls to the Wall”, Stand in Line”, and “You Shook Me All Night Long” and the crowd went completely wild.
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Next, Raven took the stage and blew the crowd back with a high energy set. The Gallagher brothers are a force to be reckoned with and they are a powerhouse of heavy metal energy. Since 1983 they have been celebrated as a well-known and influential act in the metal world. Their performance culminated with the grand finale of Mark using his Metal Hall of Fame statue in his set closing solo. Legendary!
The most touching point of the evening came as Lou Gramm stepped on the stage to a full standing ovation. Without a doubt, he has been a dominant influence on many people in the hard rock and metal world. Unfortunately, he did not perform but that did not take away from the gravity of the moment. His speech was heartfelt and well received. The crowd showered him with applause and admiration.
Twisted Sister was the most anticipated act of the evening. With Steve Vai and Mike Portnoy inducting them, the crowd exploded into a frenzy as they came together to accept their award and play for the adoring crowd. At the event, Dee Snider, Mark “The Animal” Mendoza, Jay Jay French were there to accept the award. Eddie Ojeda was unable to be there due to illness. Finally, there was an emotional statement from AJ Pero’s daughter. On stage, Mike Portnoy channeled his spirit for the performance. They ripped through “You Can’t Stop Rock and Roll”, “Under the Blade”, and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” … and the crowd was on their feet for the entire time. Every was cheering and singing along. The honor is well earned for this influential band.
Finally, Doug Aldrich addressed the packed house. As he grabbed his instrument, the crowd had no idea what was about to hit them. With Keith St. John, Rudy Sarzo, and Joe Travers, he led them through “I Don’t Know” (Ozzy Osbourne), “Still of the Night” (Whitesnake), and “Holy Diver” (Dio). Aldrich played with force and skill; it was a sight to behold. Even better, he then proceeded to deliver an encore performance with Sean McNabb and Rick Stier. They played a Montrose jam and then “Immigrant Song” (Led Zeppelin). It brought the house down.
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Leading up to the event, Whiskey Network was able to speak to Pat Gesualdo (CEO of the Metal Hall of Fame) about the institution and the event. When asked about the origins of the event, Pat reflected on how it came together, “It came to me at 1am in the morning when I had just returned from a gig. I was watching a re-run of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; it was the year Deep Purple was inducted. I was shocked to see the crowd was completely uninterested. It frustrated and motivated me to do something about it. My idea was to come up with an awards show for hard rock and heavy metal where fans and insiders could come together and celebrate the genre.”
As a journeyman in the music industry, Pat had the contacts to connect with his vision. He moved quickly to get things done, “That was in April, and in January of the following year we held our first gala.” Just like that, the Metal Hall of Fame was born into the world with a scream and a guitar solo. From his home base in New Jersey, he was able to coordinate the first event to coincide with music events on the West Coast in January. The first inductees included the legendary Ronnie James Dio and Quiet Riot. Now, with their sixth event completed, the list of people they have honored includes legends of the industry.
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There is a long history of music and whiskey going together very well. Pat is aware of this, and after a bit of convincing he was willing to share a story. While the subject of the story will remain anonymous, it falls in line with what is often heard about the effort to meet artist demands and the legend that then emerges from it. He tells the story of what happened with a smile on his face, “There was a major artist who demanded an entire metal tub filled with whiskey bottles. They were adamant that it was to include one specific brand. We sent our people scrambling the day of the event to make it happen, and we were able to facilitate the demand. Of course, that person indulged and ended up having a bit of a wardrobe malfunction just before they were to go on stage and be inducted. Someone had to immediately assist them to avoid a larger incident.”
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Pressed further, Pat reveals that the culprit was a well-known singer. He recalls more of the story, “Once we got this person ready to step on stage, they were going to be inducted and then it’s our tradition to have them perform for the crowd. Believe it or not, this person was able to pull off the performance without any issues. It just goes to show you how talented these people are. Without a doubt, one of the more interesting speeches and performances that we’ve had.” We all must agree that whiskey stories are the best stories. There are countless other stories in his memory, but Pat is holding much of it close to vest. Perhaps in his own memoirs, he’ll share!
It is also of note that the Canyon in Agoura Hills, CA is a club that has Three Chord Bourbon available. It is alleged that the Whiskey Network may have been responsible for a bottle of Strange Collaboration getting finished off! Allegedly. As trusted partners of the Whiskey Network, we take this opportunity to recognize our friends at Three Chord Bourbon for their amazing whiskey. Also, hat’s off to the Canyon for pouring such excellent whiskey for the crowd.
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It was a memorable evening for everyone involved. We would like to thank the Pat Gesualdo and everyone at the Metal Hall of Fame for their generosity and partnership. The Whiskey Network and the Metal Hall of Fame will continue to partner together for future events and coverage for our readers. Stay tuned!
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If you’d like to learn more about the Metal Hall of Fame, please click here. The Metal Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that is a part of the non-profit D.A.D. (Drums and Disabilities), which helps children and adults fight disabilities on a global basis. It was launched in New York City schools in 2004 with the assistance of Mayor Bloomberg. Pat Gesualdo used his experience as a child facing his own disabilities to pioneer a method to help develop a program to utilize the healing art of drum therapy. The program is now used in 15 countries and is celebrated by psychologists, neuroscientists, special needs therapists, drummers, and teachers. To learn more about Drums and Disabilities, please click here.