Author: Chris R. Smyth

Interview: Vinny Appice (of Black Sabbath, Dio, and Last in Line)

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Vinny Appice (Photo courtesy John Lappen Enterprises)

Saturday, May 16, marked the 10th anniversary of the death of legendary singer Ronnie James Dio from cancer. Tributes poured out across the internet from his contemporaries like Rob Halford and artists he influenced such as Lzzy Hale and Scott Ian to his former bandmates in Black Sabbath.

Vinny Appice, the drummer for Ronnie James Dio in both Black Sabbath and Dio, along with his older brother Carmine, took their tribute a step further and released “Monsters & Heroes,” a tribute video honoring their departed band mate and friend.

Earlier this week, Vinny Appice spoke with Parklife DC’s Chris Smyth about why the brothers decided to make the tribute video and his memories of Dio.

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Stream Preview: PlayOn Fest, 4/24-4/26/20

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Gary Clark Jr. performs at The Anthem on March 20, 2019. (Photo by Christopher Smyth)

In the new era of at home performances and live streams with lower production, Warner Music Group has decided to go the opposite direction, with PlayOn Fest, a first-of-its-kind, virtual music festival, full of high-quality broadcasts of past performances from some of music’s biggest acts, including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Cardi B., Weezer, Flaming Lips, Andra Day, Janelle Monae, Bruno Mars, Lizzo, Gary Clark Jr., Brandi Carlile, Panic! at the Disco, Green Day, Slipknot, and many more.

Watch PlayOn Fest streamed on the Songkick YouTube channel for three days beginning at noon on Friday, April 24.

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Livestream Preview: David Ellefson’s Oh Say Can You Stream @ Facebook Live, 4/11/20

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Megadeth (Photo courtesy 5B Artist Management)

Many of hard rock and heavy metal’s top musicians are coming together online to do a little good on Saturday, April 11, via Facebook Live.

Headed up by Megadeth bassist, David Ellefson, the livestream event, titled “Oh Say Can You Stream,” is an online fundraiser to help raise money for Ellefson’s School’s Out initiative which provides online lessons, instruments, and gear to kids and aspiring musicians during quarantine, and other COVID-19 relief charities.

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Stream Preview: Knotfest Online @ Knotfest.com, 4/10/20

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Knotfest (Photo courtesy Cosa Nostra PR)

The heavy metal festival Knotfest has taken on many forms. Created by Slipknot in 2012, Knotfest originated as a destination festival taking place over the course of a few days. Later iterations of the festival took it to various countries around the world, and even teamed up with Ozzfest along the way.

With the entire globe in social isolation, Knotfest has gone online every Friday, including Friday, April 10, via Knotfest.com.

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My Favorite Albums: 2019 Records for the Lockdown by Chris

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Duff McKagan (second from left) and Shooter Jennings (center) with their band (Photo courtesy BWR)

It’s difficult being stuck inside, unable to interact with others face to face. We here at Parklife DC are feeling that along with everyone else. I am regularly looking at my calendar, trying to guess when I’ll be able to get back in a club or arena and do what I love, photograph concerts.

I certainly don’t have the answer to when we’ll all be back to our normal lives, but one thing that is helping me get through this time is listening to music. We are fortunate that so much great music is still being created. Even in these trying times, bands and artists are finding ways to entertain us with live streams and basic recordings from their homes.

But it can be difficult to keep track of who will be performing and when. And if you’re like me, you may just want to throw on an album and let it play. So I have put together a list of some of my favorite albums that came out in 2019.

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Interview: Marc Labelle of Dirty Honey

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Dirty Honey performs at MECU Pavilion on Sept. 22, 2019. (Photo by Chris Smyth)

Los Angeles-based rock and roll band Dirty Honey are beating the odds. As an unsigned band, Dirty Honey has overcome the obstacles that come with not having a major label in their corner, and the band saw their debut single, “When I’m Gone,” become a #1 US rock radio hit in late 2019.

Dirty Honey was supposed to be in Australia right now recording their new album, but the travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus have stuck the band in Los Angeles.

Lead singer Marc Labelle recently spoke with Parklife DC’s Chris Smyth about what it’s like to write and record in this time of coronavirus, the band’s relationship with Slash and Myles Kennedy, their upcoming European tour with Alter Bridge, and when we may see Dirty Honey make their first stop in Washington, DC.

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Livestream Preview: Metallica Mondays @ YouTube, 3/30/20

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Metallica (Photo by Herring & Herring)

With much of the world practicing social distancing and self quarantine, musicians are stepping up to help fill the time that many of us suddenly have on our hands. Some are jumping on Instagram or Facebook live and playing to their fans from the comfort of their living room. Others are diving into their archives and looking back on their past performances.

Thrash metal icons Metallica have joined in to help the cause with Metallica Mondays, the next edition of which appears on YouTube on Monday, March 30.

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