Canadian Rockers Rally in Support of Guitar Wizard
Friday, November 26, 2010 | By Anonymous
A plethora of Canada’s best rock and blues musicians are banding together in a benefit concert for well-loved, Canadian Guitar Hero, Frank Soda. Vancouver’s Soda, who is in Toronto for cancer surgery was a staple of the bar scene in the 1970’s as the front man for his band The Imps.
The diminutive guitarist was an early exponent of rock theatre, often performing with an exploding television set on his head. But it was Soda’s guitar work that made him a legendary performer on the Toronto bar circuit, including the Piccadilly Tube, where The Imps recorded their album, Live in the Tube. Influenced by the likes of Clapton, Beck, Page, and Hendrix, Soda’s skills with an electric guitar were out of all proportion to his short stature. Soda’s remarkable energy and charisma, fuelled his incendiary rock and blues solos, guaranteeing The Imps sold our houses, night after night. The Carpet Frogs’ front man, Nick Sinopoli, comments:
“Frank is a great musician and a helluva nice guy. He’s influenced so many guitarists and gave me my start. It’s only right that we do what we can to help him.”
The benefit concert will take place at the Rockpile on Sunday November 28th. Doors open at 6PM and the bands hit the stage at 7PM. Admission is $10.00 with all proceeds going to a fund to offset Frank Soda’s medical expenses.
Partial list of performers:
CONEY HATCH
WILD "T"
SCARPELLI
THE ANTLERS W/MIKE TILKA & TERRY WATKINSON
ROCKIZOID W/DENNIS DEMARCHI
RUSSELL "DWARF" GRAHAM
MICHAEL WHITE
THE HINGES
The EMCEE WILL BE MIKE MANDEL
The Rockpile is at 5555 Dundas Street West phone (416) 504-6699