One More Sunday Night

Last year, some of the biggest Cleveland bands from the late '70s and early '80s reunited to benefit drummer Tommy Amato, a Cleveland native who has played with Kiss and Savoy Brown, and who was being treated for lymphatic cancer. The show raised nearly $20,000, and a year later, Amato's health has improved. On Sunday, October 2, he'll join Beau Coup, Souvenir, and other friends onstage at the Agora Theatre (5000 Euclid Avenue) for a flashback to an era that was one of Cleveland rock's high-water marks.

"Sunday nights, the Agora was the place to go," recalls Julie Matthews, who is producing the show and sings with Souvenir and Beau Coup. "It didn't look like a rock club. Every week, it looked like a concert, with people standing all the way up to the stage."

Proceeds will go to the Tommy Amato Cancer Fund, which aids rock musicians stricken with the illness. A portion will be given to the family of Randy Castillo, a friend of Amato's who drummed for Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford, and who passed away from cancer.

In addition to Beau Coup and Souvenir, the bill boasts Lovers Lane, Andy Gerome, and Starfleet. The night will feature an auction, and Amato will briefly play with all the bands. At the end of the show, members from all the groups will perform classic rock covers as Tommy Amato's All-Star Drummers.

"This is our life," says Beau Coup's Debbie Lewin, who currently sings for top-drawing Pink Floyd tribute band Wish You Were Here and has a résumé that includes a stint in Las Vegas with Wayne Newton. "This is where we all come from. It's a great feeling to get everyone on stage together and to remember that time. And the music is still good."

· The Whiskey Daredevils, voted Best New Band at Scene's Cleveland Music Awards this year, will issue a three-song, seven-inch picture disc in Germany through Chainsaw Boogie Records. The single will feature the foot-stomper "Ida Jane," from the band's debut, as well as two new songs.

· Through the end of the year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will offer half-price admission to residents of Cuyahoga County. A photo ID with an address is necessary for the discount.

· Hammer Damage, the second-wave Akron new-wave band featuring members of the Rubber City Rebels, is planning to release its June reunion shows as a live CD and possible DVD. It's now being edited, and a release date has yet to be announced. " Cleveland guitar ace Neil Zaza is wrapping production on Rewind, a collection of his work from 1992 to 2004, including demos, outtakes, and live tracks. The retrospective is set for release at a Saturday, October 29, show at Akron's Tangier Cabaret (532 West Market Street). Zaza's annual holiday show, One Silent Night, is scheduled for Saturday, September 17, at Playhouse Square's Allen Theatre (1407 Euclid Avenue).

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