Jimmy Gahan was a celebrated athlete before he became actively involved with music, his other passion. Seen through the human lens of victims, survivors and their families, the fire and milestones of healing physical and emotional scars all come into focus in this poignant television event, shares Steve Cheskin, SVP of Programming at REELZ. In 2015, Ricardi wrote a book about his friendship with Gahan titled "Just a Thought Away." Kendall later said he was asked to join Russell and his solo band on the tour to help boost attendance. Legal Statement. According to reports, Michael was released after earning time off for good behavior. Market data provided by Factset. A memorial park now occupies the space on Cowesett Avenue where the club once stood, a place where friends and families of the victims, along with survivors, go to remember those lost. Great White- "Face the Day (Blues Mix)". "It was just an awful experience," Mark said. Kinan was severely burned in the Station nightclub fire. [My son] is just a thought away.". Dec. 2, 2016 Oakland, CaliforniaConcert deaths: 36. That's pretty much the end of GREAT WHITE. During a recent appearance on the New Orleans radio station Bayou 95.7, Twisted Sister's Dee Snider reflected on the Great White concert fire tragedy and said that the band's frontman, Jack Russell, is utterly devastated and sorry for what happened.. As you might know, the Great White concert fire happened on February 20, 2003, just seconds after Great White took the stage to perform. The morning after the fire, the lead singer of Great White, Jack Russell, claimed the . The Station nightclub owners Michael (center) and Jeffrey Derderian (right) listen to victim impact statements with attorney Richard Egbert Sept. 29, 2006, during their sentencing trial at the Kent County Courthouse in Warwick, Rhode Island. In the afternoon before the concert, Bellino said, Russell met many Great White fans in the West Warwick area and added their names to the guest list for the show that night. But it was [Jack's] solo thing. Some suffered cardiac arrest. Like. Just seconds after 80s sensation Great White took the stage, pyrotechnics ignited a fire that raced up the walls and across the ceiling of the packed venue. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Weeks after the fire, a charred handwritten notebook page was recovered from the club's ashes that contained rows of names and above them were the words 'Guest List.' At an underground electronic music party in Oakland, a fire broke out that trapped and killed 36 people. So [the movie] gave me the opportunity to talk about how I felt and for me to apologize. The resulting conflagration killed 100 persons and grievously injured many others. 2022. Its unclear what started the fire in Santika Nightclub while hundreds rang in the new year and the band Burn played. Gahans father, James Gahan, also spoke out for the special. The band's tour manager set off some pyrotechnics that set insulation ablaze, and it took a while for the audience to understand that the flames weren't part of the show. Pyrotechnics caused a fire, which resulted in 100 deaths and many injuries, America's deadliest rock concert to date. The band claimed it had permission for the pyrotechnics, but club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian denied the claim. Russell sued his onetime bandmates in 2012 over their continued use of the GREAT WHITE name after Jack had taken a leave of absence from the band for medical reasons. (Bob Breidenbach-Pool/Getty Images). I mean, it's like a plane crash it takes all these little things to fall in line for that one big thing to happen. WARWICK, R.I. Sunday marks the 19th anniversary of the Station Nightclub fire in Warwick, Rhode Island. Forty-one isnt just a reminder of Nick, its to let people be reminded that their loved ones, whatever has happened to them, however they passed, are still with us, Kane said. "I talked to my pastor. Musicians United to Benefit the Victims of the Station Nightclub Fire Feb. 25, 2008, in Providence, R.I. (Marc Andrew Deley/WireImage), "We will never know how many lives will be saved by this law," the Falmouth Fire and Rescue Department announced in a statement. "America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List" premiers Feb 20th on @ReelzChannelhttps://t.co/uQPOE13agm, Dee Snider (@deesnider) February 5, 2022. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. On Feb. 20, 2003, the rock band Great White was playing in the . I go, 'Whatever. People that I didn't even know were even there. This was a tragedy of a magnitude not seen before in Rhode Island. So, right before he left, I cooked his favorite dinner," said James. It was a Thursday, and 80s band Great White was set to be playing to a packed crowd. More than 460 fans had crowded into the wooden, single-story, 4,480 -square-foot nightclub known as The Station in West Warwick, R.I., to enjoy a Thursday night show on Feb. 20, 2003. When something like this happens, you always wonder if you told the people around us if you loved them enough. Partially in return for this openness and admission of responsibility, many of those same families publicly supported his early parole, which was granted about halfway through his sentence. We don't go blow stuff up and whatnot. "America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List" airs Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. on Reelz. Right as the show started around 11 p.m., the band set off some pyrotechnics that lit the overhead sound foam . "He was the worst, most badly burned of all the people. Join our newsletter for exclusive features, tips, giveaways! In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1 million to survivors and families of the victims of the fire. They would be burned alive, identified days later only by dental records or tattoos. Musicians United to Benefit the Victims of the Station Nightclub Fire Feb. 25, 2008, in Providence, R.I. Joe Kinan was discharged from Massachusetts General Hospital after receiving a hand transplant. He and his pal, Michael Ricardi, were the hosts of "Jim and Mikeys Power Hour" on the college radio station WNRC. The outlet noted the brothers pleaded no contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2006. '", The singer said that the documentary, which he hopes will help bring him some closure, is "really well done. Jeffrey was spared jail time and sentenced to community service and probation. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends). "I've seen so many video tapes of pyro shooting off in that club with the foam bigger stuff than we had and it never happened," Jack told Psycho Babble TV." Questions about true responsibility for the tragedy would remain . New Starbucks line a curiosity, What time is it on moon? Great White Still Love Jack Russell, Says . Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. The fire was started by pyrotechnics going off on stage while the band Great White performed. Crowds were well past fire capacity the night of the Station Nightclub Fire, and 100 people died while watching the band Great White. The people intertwined with this event struggle to cope in the aftermath of disaster some gracefully, and some less so. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! And they've gotta understand, when all this went down, my legal team, they said, 'You cannot ever say you're sorry, because it implies guilt.' Gahan and Ricardi decided to stick around for the show. Kinan was severely burned in the Station nightclub fire. Jack largely blamed these injuries on his alcohol and painkiller addictions as well as the prednisone drug he was prescribed. Jazmine Sullivan, Lil Uzi Vert among 2023 Broccoli City headliners, Lil Nas X, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban among 2023 NCAA March Madness Music Festival performers, What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? documentary announced, Tim McGraw announces Standing Room Only, Dropkick Murphys announce Okemah Rising, Joe Bonamassa releases Known Unknowns live version. Great White dropped a bombshell on us Monday . "America's Deadliest Concert: The Guest List", a documentary about the infamous GREAT WHITE concert fire nearly two decades ago that killed a hundred people and injured hundreds more, will receive its premiere on Reelz on February 20. #woodstock99 #roskildefestival #livemusic #musicfestival #pearljam #metallica Great White Nightclub Fire, Pearl Jam 2000 Roskilde Festival, GNR concert, #axlrose". The Story of the Great White Concert Fire Tragedy. I just remember him smiling and then heading off while he floated on cloud nine. REELZ has announced the networks original documentary Americas Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List premieres Sunday, February 20th at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT presenting the deeply personal stories of lives forever altered by the tragic Station nightclub fire that left 100 people dead, more than 200 injured, and devastated the tight-knit community of West Warwick, Rhode Island. Local company Stanley Tree Service hung lights for 100 minutes to honor every person killed and injured. "Everyone would look at this differently if Jack Russell would stand up and say, Im sorry,'" Gina Russo, a concertgoer who was burned in the fire, explained to the Boston Globe. The Station nightclub owners Michael (center) and Jeffrey Derderian (right) listen to victim impact statements with attorney Richard Egbert Sept. 29, 2006, during their sentencing trial at the Kent County Courthouse in Warwick, Rhode Island. "It may not be the best thing in the world for me, but it's very cathartic," he said. Jack Russell, lead singer of the band Great White, speaks to reporters after a deadly fire at The Station nightclub Feb. 21, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Sat-Sun. Sparks from a pyrotechnic display caused soundproofing material around the stage to burst into flames minutes into the Great White concert. See Tickets. The fire started by pyrotechnics ignited during a Great White concert at the Station, a rock club in West Warwick, R.I., resulted in the deaths of 96 people and injuries to 200 more. According to ABC News, though, several hundred people in the Chinese city of Luoyang decided to cut loose on Christmas night 2000 by heading to a nightclub housed on the fourth floor of a multi-use industrial building.A fire broke out in the basement of the structure . Amid the chaos, Ricardi couldnt see his friend but was hoping that Gahan was right behind him. According to the outlet, the foundation raised more than $200,000 and worked closely with the community to set up lights for a Little League field. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. "America's Deadliest Concert: The Guest List", a documentary about the infamous GREAT WHITE concert fire nearly two decades ago that killed a hundred people and injured hundreds more, will receive . "He would always go to concerts, and thats how he met Mike Ricardi. (Courtesy of James Gahan), "I cant even begin to tell you how elated he was," James recalled to Fox News Digital about the 21-year-old. So [the movie] gave me the opportunity to talk about how I felt and for me to apologize. "He used to like my cooking. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. They bonded over music. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). I remember I sat in the dark just in total shock, just waiting for anything that I could get. apparently he was there from a local news station filming a piece on nightclub safety hazards. Informations sur votre appareil et sur votre connexion Internet, y compris votre adresseIP, Navigation et recherche lors de lutilisation des sites Web et applications Yahoo. They loved classic rock, and thats what they played every night. The pyrotechnics quickly became disastrous as materials caught on fire and the air became thick with toxic smoke. Feb 20, 2023. In 2008, members of Great White agreed to pay $1 million to survivors and victims relatives, Billboard reported. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. So it was kind of strange. The blaze began when the band . There's a certain thing in music that is very healing, and it's helped a lot of people through the aftermath of the fire.". With Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston. Most of the nearly 200 casualties were the result of inhaling smoke and toxic fumes rather than being crushed or burned. "There was a man named Joe; they call him 'The Lizard Man,'" Jack said. The Massachusetts native was a celebrated high school athlete when he turned to music as a disc jockey at Nichols College. The sum total of all settlements was slightly . A fire breaks out at a Great White concert in Rhode Island, killing 100 people, including the band's guitarist, Ty Longley. That was the last time I saw him. Gina Russo has no clear memory of how, with her hair on fire, she got out of the Station nightclub the night of Feb. 20, 2003. I mean, it was a long time. The fire -- triggered by . It wascompleted in May 2017and dedicated to those impacted by the fire. The venue is The Station Nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. Throughout the park, each of the fire's victims are honored by name, while tributes also thank the first responders for their life-saving efforts that night. Those sparks then ignited cheap packaging foam that was used as soundproofing. "He was totally into sports, but he always had this connection to music," James explained. "America's Deadliest Concert: The Guest List", a documentary about the GREAT WHITE concert fire, received its premiere this past February via Reelz. Surges of people can make events dangerous, as seen during the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2021. And his comment was, 'If this wouldn't have happened, I wouldn't have met the love of my life.'". Once they did, there was a mass exodus, but most tried to leave the way theyd entered. One hundred people were killed and more than 200 injured from a crowd that attended the performance of the band Great White at the Station nightclub. Great White is a hard rock band that formed in 1978 in Los Angeles, California, United States. the guest list is a strikingly visual film. Photo: Getty Images. That said, it's also the sort of thing that needs to be examined in the hope of preventing similar calamities in the future. For James, devastation didnt even begin to cover what the family felt. The ornate Cabaret room, where two comics were warming up an audience of at least a thousand people in a space meant for about 600, held the majority of the buildings occupants. At around five oclock, we then received a notice for family members to go to some hotel that was now a command center set up by the governor. along the way, we meet other survivors and victims' families who have memorialized their loss through pursuits ranging from an exhibit of commemorative body art to re-immersion in the rock culture that initially brought them and their loved ones to the station nightclub. "I lost a lot of friends that night a lot of friends. Audiences had been waiting for an outdoor performance by Sugarland when 70 mile-per-hour wind blew through the fairground and caused the stage to collapse. Source: The Patriot Ledger. 2 likes. In less than 90 seconds, most of those who hadn't already made their escape would be . Crowds were well past fire capacity the night of the Station Nightclub Fire, and 100 people died while watching the band Great White. The exact cause of the fire was never determined, but what is known is that the fire was well underway when it was discovered by two waitresses. "America's Deadliest Concert: The Guest List" includes interviews with Russell, Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER),Don Dokken (DOKKEN),Lita Ford and Michael Sweet (STRYPER). The band's guitarist Ty Longly was missing at the time. That is what the other families are doing, we dont need a memorial to remember them, we have them in our hearts always.. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister performs during Phoenix Rising! The Station Nightclub Fire, America . He spent less than three years behind bars. 2023. On the night of February 20, 2003, more than 400 music fans packed into the small Station nightclub. Then, it grew quieter and quieter. It also provided scholarships for students to attend Nichols, among other colleges. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. Representing the families of the deceased, lawyer John Barylick negotiated a $176 million civil settlement from, as he put it, "the persons and corporations responsible for the fire.". governor unveils proposed $55.5B state budget, Hunter who killed dogs thought they were coyotes, The War on Alzheimers: The Battle Continues, 2022 Rewind: Our favorite stories from last year, From Homeless to Hope: An Educators Journey, Parents threaten lawsuit to block closure of Prov. [And they told me], 'But you can't say it. I spent the next 50 weeks in the hospital. The set was to begin at 8 PM, but the doors were still closed at 7:45 when an anxious crowd, hearing The Whos warmup and mistaking it for the opening number, surged toward the doors. Dee Snider of Twisted Sister performs during Phoenix Rising! As for the foundation, James said its last fundraiser was about four years ago around the time that his wife became ill. Carol Gahan died in 2021. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The truth is ugly but should never be forgotten. The Great White Concert Fire: Deadliest Rock Concert In American History. In that conversation, they claimed that Great White's contract did not mention the use of pyrotechnics, that the fire marshal had not performed the venue's required tests and that the company who supplied the nightclub with what was supposed to be noise-cancelling foam, had accidentally sent them highly-flammable packing foam instead.While the accuracy of these claims was debated by other parties, there's no doubt a multitude of factors contributed to the tragedy. (David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). "And I even called the manager, I go, 'You're calling it 'Jack Russell's GREAT WHITE'?' "Because we've never used it before. James donated his sons CDs to WNRC. Russell's bandmate Ty Longley (guitar) was one of the people who perished in The Station blaze, which became the fourth deadliest fire in U.S. history. Jan. 1, 2009 Bangkok, ThailandConcert deaths: 100. "During the first few days, we were just in complete shock," he said. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. It was just an awful night. 0:00. 58 Likes, TikTok video from Porkchop Pete (@porkchop_pete): "Do You Remember These Rock Concert Disasters? The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. The outlet noted that the fire began when Great Whites tour manager, Daniel Biechele, shot off streams of pyrotechnics at the start of the concert. The flames spread quickly, engulfing the club, and claiming the lives of many of those trying to escape. 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