CJ Ramone was touring in South America with "Ramones producer" Daniel
Rey, and Brant Björk of Kyuss and Fu Manchu.
Fourth member in their group is Brian Costanza of CJ's main band Bad
Chopper. Of the some reason Brian Costanza couldn't travel for these
South American shows.CJ and Brian played first time together already in high school years. After South America they had shows in Europe, USA and Mexico.
See more details of the tour here.
This review is by Helio Volpato. Photos are by Raphael Anselmo.
People in photos are:
CJ Ramone and Brant Björk are playing at live.
CJ Ramone is with Helio Volpato's wife Lilian, and Helio is with Daniel Rey.
See more photos from this tour here taken by Marcus Padula.
CJ Ramone, Festival Rock, Araraquara Rock, Brazil, July 12, 2009.
Me and Lilian, my wife, went to Araraquara (511 kilometers from my city) to attend CJ Ramone show at VIII Araraquara Rock Festival. Araraquara Rock festival is realized by the Municipal City hall of Araraquara, Brazil. Very well organized with the total of 4 days of shows (09, 10, 11 and July 12, 2009) in Teatro de Arena "Prefeito Benedito de Oliveira" (ttp://www.araraquararock.com.br).
This time I had a room in the same hotel that the bands of the festival had. Thanks to Amanda Delphino from Casa da Cultura. When we arrived at the hotel there was an ambulance in front, my wife said "somebody already had overdose?!" and we laughed. When entering in the hotel I already saw CJ Ramone that was leaving, we just said "Hi!" quickly to each other. In the lobby I could see Brant Björk and other guy with masks, immediately I noticed what was happening, it was suspicious of swine flu (or H1N1 or Influenza A). CJ came in the ambulance and went to take some medicine or vaccine, I don't know for sure. I was concerned with the possibility of not having the concert.
We were out for some minutes and when we returned CJ was already at his room and nobody of the crew was seen until 8 PM, when I met Daniel Rey. Later, Raphael Anselmo arrived at the hotel, a friend of mine from internet, with his girlfriend and another girl, Daniel signed some CD's for him too.
Unhappily CJ only left the room to go to the place of the concert, then our encounter was very fast, we had time just for some pictures and autographs, he signed some albums, singles and my review published in Jari-Pekka's book Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives.
All of them were visibly tired after 5 days of shows and trips.
The venue is a outdoors place, with bleachers, big stage and with great illumination, you can attend the concert of any place without problems. When we arrived Raimundos were playing still (Raimundos recorded the live set with Marky Ramone that was thrown in 2000 and released in 2001 in the album were Eramos 4), I think we attended more than half of that show.
Finally the most expected show of the night! CJ Ramone, Daniel Rey and Brant Björk come to the stage and they already begin with Blitzkrieg Bop, following by Judy Is A Punk and Beat on The Brat. I couldn't resist and I went to kick some asses in the crowd. The boys still played Cretin Hop, I'm Against It, Endless Vacation, Sitting In My Room, Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, It's A Long Way Back To Germany, Swallow My Pride, Poison Heart (Daniel sang it), Do It To Me (Bad Chopper song), I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend, Strength To Endure, R.A.M.O.N.E.S., I Wanna Be Sedated and My Back Pages.
When they played Pinhead, a girl of the audience dressing a
Pinhead costume (the mask was perfect) tried to go to the stage but the
securities didn't allow, the boys of
Raimundos tried to help her, the audience booed the securities and when
CJ Ramone called her the audience was insane (approximately 2500
people). I was quite excited because the last time I saw Pinhead on
stage was 13 years ago (1996).In the encore they played Pet Sematary (Daniel sang again), Commando (CJ invited a girl for singing but she didn't knew the lyrics) and Teenage Lobotomy. Three songs that they played in the other shows didn't play in that were Wart Hog and the Bad Chopper songs Good Enough For Me, and Ain't no Criminal. All songs were played in the same speed that they were recorded in the albums.
Brian Costanza didn't come to Brazil that time and I couldn't ask why. I liked the show a lot, in spite of the vocals of CJ not to be excellent this time, probably for the fatigue of the shows, even so that compensated my acquired alimentary intoxication in the trip.
The following morning I thought that would see CJ Ramone and Daniel Rey in breakfast but they had left the hotel early but I met Canisso from Raimundos that was very nice and signed my CD Eramos Quatro, he was very happy when reading about Raimundos with Marky in the Jari-Pekka's book Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives.
(Thanks a lot again Helio Volpato, and Lilian, and of photos for Raphael Anselmo)
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