Columnist Spencer Patterson: Russell, Great White take to road for fire victims

Spencer Patterson

Friday, March 12, 2004 | 8:21 a.m.

Jack Russell says that if it weren't for the Station Family Fund, Great White wouldn't be a touring band anymore.

"It's the only reason we went on the road. I couldn't have done it for myself," Russell said in a phone interview from his Palm Desert, Calif., home. "It was a hard horse to get back on, but we're doing something more altruistic by touring. Without that boost I don't think we would have done it."

On Feb. 20, 2003, Russell's band was onstage at the West Warrick, R.I., nightclub the Station when a fire, sparked in the early seconds of the concert by the band's pyrotechnics, killed 100 people and injured approximately 200 others.

Since then, Great White has raised more than $70,000 for the Station Family Fund, which benefits families of victims and survivors.

"These are people, friends who've supported us for 20 years and enabled us to make a living making music, so we want to do what we can to help their families out," the 43-year-old vocalist said.

On Monday Great White stops at the Palms' Lounge for an 8 p.m. show, part of the hotel's weekly "Rock the Lounge" series. Tickets to the 21-and-over event are $25.

The concert will be the band's first acoustic performance since a 1990 appearance on MTV's "Unplugged" series. Russell says the show will include several songs rarely performed over the years.

"It's really different playing acoustic," Russell said. "We're looking forward to stripping it down, playing some stuff we don't normally play and telling a few amusing anecdotes."

Little in Russell's life has been amusing during the past 13 months. The singer lost several close friends in the fire, including Great White guitarist Ty Longley.

"Obviously, I wouldn't wish the experience on my worst enemy," Russell said.

"To me, the (one-year) anniversary was very poignant. When that day came around I looked back at my life over the last year, all the trials and tribulations, and tried to put things in perspective, like what can I get out of this experience besides a huge hole in my heart."

Russell said he attended church on Feb. 20 for the first time in 20 years.

"It's really changed my life a lot as far as my perspective on things," Russell said. "Things that were important to me a year ago aren't so important anymore. What's really important to me right now is family and friends. Material things don't really mean (expletive) to me anymore.

"You realize everything can be taken away from you in a heartbeat. So I'm just trying to be the best person I can possibly be, and enhance my own life and the lives of the people around me."

Russell said he appreciates the many letters and e-mails of support the band has received from fans, including some of the fire's survivors. He also said he understands why others remain angry with the band.

"There will always be people that blame the band no matter what, and I understand that," Russell said. "I don't get mad at them or try to change their minds. They're going to grieve their own way; whatever helps them heal is what they need to do."

But Russell questioned why some critics would try to force the band off the road when he believes Great White can continue contributing to the Family Fund.

"There are a couple of families trying to stop the tour, and I thought, 'Wait a minute, just because you don't want out help or don't need it, don't stop somebody else that needs it or wants it from getting it,' " Russell said.

Several civil lawsuits from the fire remain unresolved, as do criminal indictments against Great White tour manager Dan Biechele and Station owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

Not surprisingly, Russell said that primary responsibility for the incident rests with the club and with those who failed to enforce fire codes, not the band.

"You can blame it on whatever you want, and I think human beings have a tendency to do that," Russell said. "But if you look back before the first spark, there were problems.

"It's not our job to walk into a place and ascertain whether it's up to code or not. If I'm a chef and I get hired by a restaurant to cook, I'm not going to walk in and check the gas lines and make sure they're hooked up correctly. I think we need to start making some more stringent fire codes and make sure they're enforced."

As for whether Great White would be remembered more for such popular hits as "Rock Me" and "Once Bitten Twice Shy" or for their role in the Rhode Island tragedy, Russell admitted it would probably be the latter.

"You always want to go down in history, but not for something like this, and that's hard to deal with," Russell said. "The name Great White will always be associated with that, but what are you going to do? That's a curveball life threw me, and I'm going to have to get up, dust myself off and keep swinging."

Music notes

Who's your daddy? Nine months after standing up local fans at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, indie rockers Grandaddy made good on their promise to play Las Vegas with a show at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay last Sunday.

The Modesto, Calif., outfit was scheduled to open Pete Yorn's June 2003 concert but did not show up, angering supporters who showed up specifically to see them.

Sunday night Grandaddy righted that wrong with a solid set, capping off a four-band bill that also included Dios, the Fire Theft and Saves the Day.

Vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jason Lytle chatted with the crowd about the group's experiences at a local skateboard park, and the band played several hilariously lo-fi home videos on the venue's TV screens.

The quintet mostly played material from its latest album, last year's "Sumday," but added a few old favorites, including indie anthem "A.M. 180."

Save the date: A few updates to Southern Nevada's upcoming concert calendar: Christina Aguilera with Chingy at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts on May 21, the "Honda Civic Tour" featuring Dashboard Confessional and Thrice at Orleans Arena on June 5 and Sting with Annie Lennox at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sept. 24.

On sale

The Eagles play the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 22. Tickets are $75, $175, $250 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the MGM Grand box office, at TicketMaster outlets, by phone at 474-4000 and at www.ticketmaster.com.

Tickets are on sale now for this year's "VH1 Divas Las Vegas" concert, scheduled for April 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Scheduled to appear thus far: Patti LaBelle and Jessica Simpson. Tickets are $75 and $150 and are available through the MGM Grand box office and through TicketMaster.

Al Green stops at the House of Blues on July 24. Tickets are $52, $62 and $72 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the House of Blues box office and through TicketMaster.

Ozomatli performs at the House of Blues on April 14. Tickets are $20 and were to go on sale at 10 a.m. today through the House of Blues box office and TicketMaster.com