(Cleveland) - On Saturday April 7, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will kick-off Rock Week with Celebration Day Powered by PNC, a community event with free admission.
American rock icon, founding member of Bon Jovi, and 2018 Inductee Richie Sambora will be on hand, along with Australian guitar virtuoso Orianthi, for a not-to-be-missed headlining RSO performance on the PNC Rock Hall Live Main Stage.
Over the course of his 30-year career, Sambora has been lauded for his indelible songwriting, powerful vocals and world-class guitar playing.
He has sold over 130 million albums worldwide and has co-written over 20 Top 40 hits and 11 Top 10 hits, including “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “You Give Love A Bad Name” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
Sambora has created some of the most instantly recognizable guitar sounds and penned many of the greatest rock anthems in a generation. He recently joined forces with Orianthi (who has shared stages with the likes of Michael Jackson, Santana, Prince, and Alice Cooper) for their new, genre-spanning musical duo project RSO, encompassing elements of rock, blues, pop, R&B, and country and putting a fresh spin on male-female duets.
"It’s going to be a big week at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” says Sambora. “I am honored to be kicking it all off with the wonderful people of Cleveland at Celebration Day."
Celebration Day Powered by PNC will be filled with live music, family activities, educational programs, a Bon Jovi album listening session, film screenings, and food from Michael Symon’s B-Spot.
Fans will be the first to see the all new Hall of Fame and get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to become an Inductee, sit front row for 33 years of Induction performances in the Power of Rock Experience and hear stories about this year’s class in the 2018 Inductee exhibit with an entire floor dedicated to Inductees.
The updates are a part of a multi-year, multimillion dollar transformation of the visitor experience at the Museum.
The 9pm fireworks show can be viewed from the Rock Hall plaza and various locations around town. A live audio simulcast of the fireworks show can be heard on 106.5 The Lake. Celebration Day Powered by PNC is sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Downtown Cleveland Alliance and Medical Mutual.
LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE:
On the Klipsch Audio Main Stage
12 pm – 6 pm
fusion.
Maddie Finn
The Backbeats
Diana Chittester
Nina Simone tribute/Mariama Whyte
On the Outdoor PNC Rock Hall Live Main Stage
12pm – 9pm
fusion.
Thor Platter
Samfox
School of Rock: Inductee Tribute
Montage (Tri-C High School Rock Off Winner)
Wesley Bright and the Honeytones
RSO (Richie Sambora & Orianthi)
9:30 pm – 11 pm: Dance Party hosted by DJ Red-I
PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE Foster Theater:
10 am - 7 pm
10:15am - Film: Godmother of Rock and Roll A documentary film by Mick Csáky about the life, music and influence of the African-American gospel singer and guitar virtuoso Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
11:30am - Album Spotlight –Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet (1986) Join Rock Hall staff as you listen to this classic Bon Jovi album played in its entirety, learn about its history, and share your memories.
12:45pm - Cleveland is the City Explore the history of soul and rhythm and blues music in Cleveland, one of the cities that gave birth to rock and roll music.
2:00pm - Inductee Spotlight Dig into the history and hits of the 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees!
3:30pm – Film: What Happened Miss Simone? 2015 documentary using never-before-heard recordings, rare archival footage and her best-known songs, this is the story of legendary singer and activist Nina Simone. Film courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.
5:30pm - Film: The Moody Blues: Live at the Isle of Wight, 1970 Concert film featuring footage from The Moody Blues when they played the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Film courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.
OTHER ONSITE ACTIVITIES
- Stories of Rock - Stop by a Stories of Rock presentation held by our Rock Hall experts. Learn about your favorite sounds and artists in our exhibits, or even compete to win a prize during one of our pop up game shows.
- Family Zone with Upcycle Parts Shop craft, design your own album cover and Meet the Instruments.
- Musical Instrument Drive – Bring your gently used musical instruments and donate to the Hungry for Music organization that refurbishes and delivers instruments to children in music programs across the country
- Splice Cream truck audio recordings – Record your favorite music memories
- Children's face painting and Dr. Awesome Bubble show, 4pm-7pm
- Parade the Circle Puppets
Richie Sambora and Orianthi have both written chart-busting singles, toured the globe extensively, collaborated with superstar artists, and released three solo albums each (Sambora: 1991’s Stranger in This Town, 1998’s Undiscovered Soul, and 2012’s Aftermath of the Lowdown. Orianthi: 2007’s Violet Journey, 2009’s Believe, and 2013’s Heaven In This Hell). Their new, genre-spanning collaboration, RSO, introduced in 2017 with the Rise and Making History EPs, sees these two platinum-selling singer-songwriters and world-class guitarists coming together as a versatile duo, delivering top-notch musicianship, stadium-ready melodies, and uplifting lyrics that are meant to bring people together and make them feel good.
The harmonious blend of Sambora and Orianthi’s voices and guitars are front and center and the undeniable chemistry that they have both onstage and off is on display.
They self-describe their journey as both a real-life couple and creative partners as “a true Bonnie and Clyde rock and roll kind of story.”
Most recently, RSO released dual tracks – a rendition of Sonny & Cher’s classic love song “I Got You Babe” and a brand new RSO original “Forever All The Way.” A full length RSO album is slated for release this Spring. For more on RSO, visit www.RSOOfficial.com.
(Photos by Ken Robinson/WTAM & Getty Images)
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