OPENING FOR CHEAP TRICK: MICKEY LEIGH’S NEW YORKESTRA DEBUTS IN CONCERT

After a lengthy absence, MICKEY LEIGH presents his first original band full concert in 10 years featuring all his original material. The newly formed group will debut on Thursday, August 18^th as part of the 2011 Seaside Summer Concert Series in famous Coney Island, NY, opening for Cheap Trick.

Since 2001, LEIGH has been immersed in overseeing the estate of his late brother Joey Ramone; engaged in running Ramones Productions; writing and publishing his autobiographical book “I Slept With Joey Ramone; A Punk-Rock Family Memoir” and collaborating on its screenplay; completed a novel tentatively titled “Rockaway’s Hitch,” a fictionalized account of his days hitching rides with his friends to Rockaway Beach circa 1967, to be published next year; organizing and producing the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash; and overseeing the production and release of the first and forthcoming second posthumous Joey Ramone solo CDs. “I finally can get back to playing my own material and forming a new band,” said LEIGH. 

“Amongst my greatest musical influences are Jimi Hendrix and Spike Jones," says LEIGH. “My intention in forming this new band is to present a similarly diverse program of music ranging from the dramatic to the comedic.” Since it is comprised of a multi-ethnic line-up of musicians gathered from the five boroughs, he dubbed it his "New Yorkestra" This unlimited framework allows LEIGH not only to draw material from the vast catalogue of songs he's written throughout his career for prior bands: Birdland w/ L Bangs, The Rattlers, Crown The Good and STOP, but also, and to a larger extent, present previously unreleased and freshly written material.

The band consists of Mickey Leigh, lead guitar, lead vocals, songwriter; Dave Merrill (Rattlers), bass; Pat Carpenter (Stop), drums; Al Maddy (The Nightcaps, Ivan Julian), guitar; Alex Holyboy (from Forest Hills), keyboards; and Steve Brown (Rattlers), percussion. Included in the repertoire is “I Won’t Be Your Victim” recorded by the Rattlers on their 1986 album, “Rattled.” “The song has taken on new meaning in light of the current national anti-bullying programs,” LEIGH said. “I created a video on YouTube to take a strong stance against bullying of any kind.” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgNAyQ0DCec) 

LEIGH went on to explain, “What makes this project so interesting and entertaining is that all the colors of the spectrum will be present, making it so diverse. We'll do a song called ‘With Our Blood,’ which I wrote about the harsh realties of soldiers going off to war, regardless of which side they're on, and another called ‘Whatchu Think?!’ in which two lovers ponder whether they prefer each other's company to that of their therapists."   

Formed just two weeks ago, LEIGH plans to record with the New Yorkestra in the very near future. ” We’ll be incorporating a variety of styles ranging from punk, rock, jazz, folk even neo-gospel and melding it into something all our own. The only word I can think of to categorize it is ‘eclectic,’ unless I start making up my own terms like 'turnstyle,’ ‘urban mutant or ‘melding pot.’ We’re hoping to present a musical, theatrical show that, although edgy, will be fun for the whole family, including pets.”

MICKEY LEIGH’S NEW YORKESTRA will perform at 7:30 PM. The 2011 Seaside Summer Concert Series takes place at West 21^st Street and Surf Avenue in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY. Admission is free.