Many is the venue that screens its acts before allowing them to grace the main stage. But a band taking to a stage to help procure a new screen for a venue is surely a first, as far as the Crawler can recall.

“Shelburne Falls Memorial Hall is quite a special place, and we are happy to give back to the community,” says Garrett Lechowski, guitarist for The Who tribute band Who Are You, who perform a benefit at said Memorial Hall Feb. 15 aimed at raising funds to purchase a “badly-needed” new screen for the main theater.

To up the audio ante for the post-Valentine’s Day show, Lechowski and company have decided to tackle The Who’s epic Tommy en toto, too—with a little help from a local friend.

“I was disappointed with the Broadway version of Tommy defining the story with an ending,” he explains. “We were fortunate enough to hook up with Berkshire artist/painter Dun Riddell who has created amazing, high-definition visuals that subtly clarify the story while leaving the audience the opportunity to formulate its own conclusions.”

Tix to see the Tommy-boys in action are $20 and available at Boswell’s Books, Mocha Maya’s in Shelburne Falls and the World Eye Bookshop in Greenfield. Doors open at 8 p.m.

 

In other news… scene stalwart Keith Hopkinson checked in to reveal that his Thirty Stones have been skipping into the studio whenever possible to finally record the follow-up to 2003’s critically acclaimed Canvas.

“It’s challenging with [guitarist] Andy Freeman also performing the Raiding The Rock Vault show in Vegas, but we’re getting it done,” he notes with a laugh. “But it’s been 10 years after our signed, then failed record deal, and we’re finally ready to move on with the ultimate plan of holding a CD release party here in Western Mass. by year’s end.”

For those keeping score at home, Thirty Stones’ Freeman has also shredded fretboards for George Lynch’s Lynch Mob and The Offspring during the Thirty Stones hiatus.

 

And speaking of nationally known rockers, the genre’s baddest of bad boys, Motley Crue, are certainly no strangers to the legal system.

In fact, after wearing their spiky outfits through customs, stuffing their luggage with porn and throwing a television set through a hotel window, the musicians are banned for life from the city of Edmonton.

But on Tuesday, Jan. 28 it was Crue founders Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars doling out the legal docs. At a press conference held in L.A., the band signed papers that could leave them open to damage suits should they hit the road any time after their upcoming 72-city farewell tour. In the weeks that followed, the band did clarify that the tombstone-laden media event was more to commemorate a “cessation of touring agreement” than a death sentence for the band.

“Motley’s not breaking up,” singer Vince Neil told Phoenix, Ariz.’s KDKB days later. “We’re still gonna be making music and selling merchandise, just not on the road.”

So would this ban even prevent the Crue from performing should they be inducted into rock and roll’s hallowed Hall of Fame?

“We’d probably play that,” Neil allowed. “But that would be it.”

In the meantime, the Motley Crue Final Tour is scheduled to stop at Mansfield’s Xfinity Center (livenation.com) Aug. 24 and Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun (mohegansun.com) Oct. 26. Shock rock godfather Alice Cooper opens both shows.

 

Last but not least, folk-rock icons Aztec Two-Step will utilize the occasion of their Feb. 15 Iron Horse engagement to send a sonic love note to two of their favorite performers. In addition to Two-Step staples, Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman say they will tackle selections from the Simon & Garfunkel songbook and pay to tribute to The Everly Brothers. Tix are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and available at iheg.com.•

 

Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.