Keepin’ D Funky at The Amsterdam: an outpouring of love… and more
You’ve seen the movies, so you know the routine. You’ve got to kiss the ring of the Godfather. You don’t want we should should muss you up, right?
This Saturday, there is no ring to kiss, but there is a man to hug. The Godfather of the jam scene in the Tampa Bay area, Darryl Quesenberry, a.k.a. Animal, a.k.a. the Rev. Funky D, is the honoree of a fabulous benefit thrown all day and night at The Amsterdam in St. Petersburg (doors open at noon, music from 1:30 pm to 2:00 am, at 1049 Central Avenue).
Funky D’s recent medical difficulties have been costly, and all this came right when he was putting the finishing touches of his Gulfport recording studio. He was very recently diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. You can read more about the details of his story at his GoFundMe account.
Over the past few months, there have been several successful benefits, but this one is an over-the-top tribute to a man every musician and concert-goer in the area loves like a brother. Or, godfather.
Robyn Alleman and the wonderful folks at The ‘Dam have put together an amazing party with superb music, great food, deluxe beer and wine, and auction and raffle items you simply cannot believe. This is what a community joining together looks like.
Let’s start with the music. The lineup includes CopE (retro), Holey Miss Moley, Ajeva, Bath Salt Zombies Band, Row Jomah, Endless Flow, Harum Scarum, Justino & The Difference, NoNeed, Broke Mr. Jones, and Savannah Hilton /Sean Hartley. Russ Bowers, who is usually working his backside off, gets to enjoy being Artist-at-Large, and there is no way an event like this is going off without the mellifluous tones of your MC PK!
The list of items for auction and raffle is beyond belief, and I’m not sure Janice Lautner, Christy Joy and Robyn and the crew have any idea how much stuff there is. But consider these few (and there are hundreds of items to bid on or by raffle tickets for): a lifetime pass to the Orange Blossom Jamboree (thank you, Bowers & Bowers), two tickets to Hulaween (thanks to Paul Levine), two dulcimers, the original Bean Spence painting for CopE’s album See (donated by Dennis Stadelman and CopE), a Dean banjo (courtesy of Jack Ray of the Ramblegrass family), a cigar box guitar and amplifier (donated by Rod Koch).
Also available for auction or raffle will be passes to Earthdance, Mind, Body & Soul, Hometeam New Year’s Rally, the Great Outdoors Jam 2016, Lil’ Econ Fest 2016, and Moongoddess Entertainment LLC tickets for the remainder of 2015 (including a big show that hasn’t been announced yet). And there is a lot more! Hit that ATM!
Creative Loafing did an interview with Funky D last Saturday. Tuesday night, there was an excellent interview on In the Groove (WMNF 88.5) with Wayne Tagle, followed by Thor Bendicksen interviewing The Bath Salt Zombies in the studio, featuring a dozen brilliant live tunes. You can go to www.wmf.org and listen to the archived show until next Tuesday; it is amazing. And kudos to the BSZ boys for driving over from Daytona to make this happen. St. Petersburg has welcomed them to their home-away-from-home. Thursday morning, John Cullen and Zoie Torres (proprietors of The Amsterdam) are joining Leilani Polk from Creative Loafing on Studio 10 Live on Channel 10 (9 am) to discuss the fundraiser.
And the list of donors and benefactors to thank is huge!
* Westshore Pizza for setting up a pizza tent and donating 100% of pizza sales to Funky D
* The Bath Salt Zombies and Rod Koch for providing sound
* The Elephant Project and Randy Day for lighting (via the BSZ) and Tom Feckner for indoor lighting
* Jimmy Rector of jimmyrector.us for artistic design
* Rod Koch, Joe Roma, Graham Woodard and Sean Hartley for sound engineering
* Phunky Photos for the use of their photo booth
* Janice Lautner and her crew and all of the generous individuals who have donated items for the raffle!
* The Amsterdam, John Cullen and Zoie Torres for making this happen!
* Creative Loafing and WMNF for media support
Kat Lynes for her role as Stage Manager
The Ringside Cafe, Displace and Moongoddess Entertainment LLC for their donation from Sunday’s UM afterparty
Come early, stay late, stay all day, eat, drink, be merry, and, above all, shower your love on the godfather, the Rev. Funky D. No matter what we do, we can never repay him for all he has done for our community.
