Sammy Hagar and the Circle will take the stage for the first time since the pandemic shut down the concert industry as the headliner of Rockin’ Fore the Kids at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on September 18th. All funds raised will benefit the cancer-fighting efforts of Akron’s Children’s Hospital, MusiCares and local food banks. According to a press release, the event will “be produced according to all COVID-19 guidelines.”
The show will also feature the Ohio Weather Band, country music duo Brother Trouble and Ira Dean along with sports figures Jim McMahon, Bret Saberhagen, Larry Johnson and Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini.
LOPen Charity Events and the Mawaka Foundation are organizing the event, which will also include a celebrity golf tournament and silent auction. “The LOPen event is the perfect example of a caring community and a group of individuals who have organized an event that now spans 18 years and benefits hospitalized children being treated for cancer,” Bill Considine, CEO Emeritus of Akron Children’s Hospital, said in a statement. “I’ve witnessed first-hand the positive impact the LOPen event has had on our oncology programs and most importantly the children we are privileged to serve.”
Sammy Hagar and the Circle — which also features former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson — last played on February 7th at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. They were supposed to tour this summer with Night Ranger and Whitesnake, but the pandemic forced them to cancel those plans.
In early May, Hagar told Rolling Stone that he was anxious to return to the road. “I’m not going to go around spreading the disease,” he said. “But there may be a time where we have to sacrifice. I mean, how many people die on the Earth every day? I have no idea. I’m sorry to say it, but we all gotta die, man.
”The comments generated a fair bit of controversy in June, causing Hagar to post a Facebook message putting them in the proper context. “Big picture, it’s about getting back to work in a safe and responsible way and getting this economy rolling again,” he said. “I will do my part. I stand by that. I employ 200 people directly and when we tour even more. Like everything today, it’s a watch and see over the next few months but we remain cautiously optimistic that with the right improvements and safety measures in place, we might be able to play shows this year.”
From Rolling Stone US
