The springtime spirit of renewal and goodwill was present in full force at Harper’s Bar and Grill in Northridge on Saturday, April 7th, when GreenStock Productions presented an evening of live local music on behalf of the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital. Admission for the event, which also included raffles and giveaways, was either a ten-dollar donation or one new plush bunny, with the resulting bounty scheduled to be distributed to boys and girls at the hospital on Easter Sunday morning. The many charitable patrons who gathered for this “Bunny Hop” benefit were treated to rousing sets from The Joe Walla band, Lights Out - LA’s original tribute to UFO, Rue, and The Cauze. Heading this grand performance were members of ThundHerStruck - The Ultimate All-girl tribute to AC/DC band and Heaven and Earth.
Festivities commenced with a car show in Harper’s parking lot in the afternoon, when proud owners displayed their classic cars and custom rides.
The Joe Walla band got the musical ball rolling at 8 p.m., as the three-man band hopped right into a fistful of favorites, also delivering a welcome wallop from some strong new tunes. The boys began with bubbly frat-rock standard “Woolly Bully,” following aptly with “Are You Ready to Get Down?” Singer-guitarist Joe then debuted a fresh song, “Lost Soul,” starting with a slow-picking intro, building to a hard climax in unison with bassist Ricco Calande and drummer George Nowicki. “City of Angels” possessed a “surf’s-up” vibe, followed by a wilder ride with “The Outlaw,” and then another new piece, the power-poppish “One More Reason.” The band’s instrumental “Opus” was highlighted by fluttering bass-work and majestic melodic progressions, after which Joe Walla concluded, in full-circle fashion, with “Get Down to Business.”
Next up was LIGHTS OUT – LA’s original UFO tribute band, warmly introduced by Denise Ames, who spoke of how she had been privileged to see the original UFO back in 1978. Singer Rob Stanard was spot-on from the git-go, ably 
emulating the powerful intonations of UFO’s front-man Phil Mogg throughout a set that began with “Natural Thing” and ended with “Shoot Shoot.” Backed by bassist Ernie Manrique, drummer Thomas LeBlanc, and guitarists Steve Thornton and Mark Muniz (with Mark doubling on keys), Rob rocked the house with the band’s signature song – “Lights Out,” of course! – and a solid stack of others, including “Doctor Doctor,”“Let It Roll,” and “Rock Bottom,” which was marked by an excellent extended jam. In an after-set chat, Rob gave props to the many other tribute bands around L.A. these days, especially mentioning Bonfire, the AC/DC-honoring outfit that has also graced the stage at Harper’s.
Crowd energy was high for Santa Clarita-based Rue, who had what seemed like their own personal cheering squad right up front by the stage: a bevy of bright-eyed young ladies who followed lissome lead singer Jenna’s every move, swaying and singing along from the moment she opened fiercely with “Another Sad Love Song.” Jenna strode and stretched on wicked spike heels, her lithe legs wrapped in oh-so-low jeans stitched with leather-flame panels, topped by a sheer black-leather halter. Black-clad bassist Pedestrian was literally hopping, happily, through much of the set, getting good air with high leaps in his big, buckled boots. Goateed guitarist Echo swapped steady smiles with drummer Rick McKay, through a set that included “My All,” “The Attraction,” and “In the Dark.” Jenna’s pure voice took on a bluesy edge like that of the late Janis Joplin during the intro to “Save Me,” and ranged widely and powerfully during an intense rendition of “Eternally Yours.” Rue hit home again with “I’d Die For You,” and closed strongly with “Touch,” after thanking Harper’s and everyone present.
Local comers The Cauze came next, and although they’ve gained recognition as a melodic band, the quartet delivered a satisfyingly crunchy set that showcased the strong musicianship of all four members, complementing the expert songwriting skills of left-handed guitarist-singer Jeff Ellis. Joined by rhythm guitarist Joel Ellis, bassist Kevin Crider, and drummer Bobby Richards, Jeff belted out a boatload of strong songs, starting with “Now or Never,” during which he demonstrated a high-note capacity akin to that possessed by Rob Halford of Judas Priest. Yes, The Cauze’s music is melodic, but the band certainly brings a high-energy emphasis to their live performance, as evidenced by the hard-edged rendition of “Last Call” 
and the full-bodied power-ballad “Change.” An arresting visual impact was made when Jeff and Joel would perform twin leads, since the two guitars would face in opposite directions, in a big “vee” shape, while the pickers paired up their solos fret by fret. Good fun was had during the band’s tight cover of “Shapes of Things,” great harmonies were heard in “Hearts on Fire,” and then Jeff dedicated the final song, “Die Young” the sound track to the famous movie ‘ROCKSTAR’, to Debra Stocker.
After The Cauze came a pause - a very pertinent pause indeed, as it was time for a righteous raffle of several great prizes, with proceeds slated for the kids at Children’s Hospital. A lovely Vineyard acoustic guitar was among the several fine prizes, which also included an ocean cruise, and drum cases from Stephanie of female AC/DC tribute band ThundHerStruck.
The rocking then continued when three members of ThundHerStruck - Stephanie Leigh on drums, Dyna Shirasaki on lead vocals, Andrea Zermeno on bass - were assisted by Stuart Smith from Heaven and Earth on lead guitar, for a short set of AC/DC favorites, including “Highway to Hell,” “Back In Black,” and “You Shook Me All Night Long.” Stephanie’s percussive power was remarkable as always, and Dyna wooed and wowed the crowd with her salty vocals, while Stuart demonstrated his talent by retaining the flavor of Angus Young’s leads while adding his own distinctive flair.
The evening culminated with Stuart Smith being joined by Keith St. John and two of his Heaven and Earth bandmates, Joe Petro-bass and Richie Onori-drums, whereupon they kicked vigorously into “Screaming for Redemption,” and then rolled through a set that included a smoking version of Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker,” plus a couple more Heaven and Earth songs, before closing with Deep Purple’s timeless “Smoke On the Water.” In closing, a rock-and-roll drummer named Kurt was invited onstage to say a few final heartfelt words in support of the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital benefit efforts, and as a man with direct personal knowledge and experience of particular health issues and the need for help for young people in difficult medical
situations, Kurt’s words hit home with the crowd. And then it was time for everyone to return to their own respective residences, with the sincere desire that somehow this springtime Bunny Hop could help enhance the happiness of deserving children. It was a worthy evening, leaving folks hopped up on heartwarming hope. Charity rocks!
GreenStock Productions and All Access magazine would like to thank “EVERYONE” who sponsored and helped make the 1st Annual “Bunny Hop” a charity event for the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital a huge success! J.J Garcia multi-talented artist and business consultant for AAM, I can’t thank you enough for your assistance! Our host Rob and Christy Harper and their wonderful staff, your hospitality and support mean more than words can say. The Cauze for all your wonderful donations, not to mention your performance a BIG thanks to all of you! The Joe Walla band, thank you, thank you, thank YOU very much! Denise Ames, you’re the best! Doug Deutsch for spreading the word, RUE and LIGHTS OUT always a pleasure.. Stuart Smith, I’d be lost without you!! And all of YOU, because without you and your generosity, this charity event and others wouldn’t be possible!!
