ROCK GODZ ROCKS VEGAS!

ROCK GODZ HALL OF FAME ROCKS VEGAS! It’s been awhile since I attended the Rock Godz Hall of Fame since I was inducted in 2014, but I am glad I went this year! Cindy(Landeen) Kleven did a phenomenal job putting together another great show with great people! This event featured/honored Todd Kerns, Jason Hook, Scott Snyder, Danny Seraphine, Burt Herrin, Ira Black and more! The show began with a pleasant surprise with a man dressed similar to Willie Wonka singing with a back-up band of skeletons with gleaming eyes! I wasn’t paying much attention at first because I was sitting next to Angelique Snyder (Scott’s wife) and talking to her until I saw all these funny images on the screen to go with his songs: “Whose Gonna Pay for that?” and “Angry Parents”. Then I noticed how amazingly creative this man was. Then he sang “Crystal Blue Persuasion” by Tommy James and the Shondells which is a song close to my heart. Sometime during his performance, he looked down at me in the front row and smiled. I later found out why but more on that a little later. His name was Buster Akrey. The performances were off the hook! Literally! Jason Hook performed “Panama”, Bruce Kulick lit up the stage performing with Todd Kerns and different formations of musicians performing together included Scott Snyder, Robert Hussey, Ira Black, Burt Herrinand Daniel Margosa and others. When Danny Seraphine (Chicago) got up on the drum set, it was clear a pro was on board! What amazing chops this man has! Chicago was lucky to have him with them for 18 years! Buster Akrey presented Danny with his award. Pro Photographer Don Adkins presented Ira Black with his award, Kevin Dugan (Dugie) was on board to accept the award for Michael “Chubby” Hubschmidt. Always great to see Dugie! Jason Hook had a great video shown with Alice Cooper talking about how when he first saw Jason perform and was blown away which led to Jason joining Alice Cooper’s band for two years before joining Five Finger Death Punch. Congratulations Scott Snyder (Great White) for your induction! Great job at hosting Izzy Presley! I think another reason I might have enjoyed this show so much was I was not under pressure as I am with my own Vegas Rocks! Magazine Music Awards. It is nerve racking let me tell you! So an awards show was very relaxing and enjoyable for a change! At the end of the night it was time for the group photo onstage of all the inductees for the night. Cindy then announced all the past inductees to come onstage as well: “Sally Steele get your butt up here!” To say I was caught off guard was an understatement. Earlier that day I was editing photos on my phone of the Las Vegas Guitar Trade Show that Gary England invited me to. It was hard to see in the lobby so I was leaning forward towards the light and I had to bend over so far I had to unbutton my jeans at the top. So when I was called onstage they kept telling me to hurry up and get onstage. I started to hurry backstage and try to find where to go and my pants were falling down, my belt popped off and I didn’t have any make-up on! LOL. Thank you for inviting me Cindy but please give me a little bit of notice next time! During the show I only had my cell phone on me to take photos as I soon found out I left my SD card for my main camera at home. So after the show where I planned to take a lot of photos, my cell phone was dead and I had a camera with no SD Card! LOL. Leave it to me to be totally unprepared! I met Danny Seraphine who was incredibly humble and sweet. Luckily David Plastik was on hand to snap a photo of me and Jason Hook but the one with Danny had his eyes closed. Take two next time David! LOL. After taking a photo for Scott Snyder with Danny I headed out on a mission to find Buster. Buster was surrounded by two people talking but of course that didn’t stop me in typical Sally Steele fashion to interrupt being impatient to talk to Buster. I told Buster: “I am your biggest fan! Who are you?!? I know everyone! Buster quickly told me: “Stay right here!” As he ran onstage and grabbed his favorite hat which was exactly like mine! He told me a quick version of his life which made my jaw hit the floor and I told him I really wanted to interview him. He wasn’t in town the next day but he promised an interview next time he comes to town. Don’t forget me Buster!