JOYCE RUDOLPH
Captain Cardiac and the Coronaries will be rocking and rolling
with music from the good old '50s and '60s Sunday at the Starlight
Bowl.
Their repertoire stretches from Graceland to Surf City, with
classics such as "Wipe Out," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Respect," to name
just a few. But this year, the group's got a few surprise songs
they've been practicing, like the famous Monkees' song "I'm a
Believer." The song's popularity was renewed after an updated version
was featured in the animated film "Shrek."
Band member Tommy Sillen of Glendale said it's great because when
they perform the song, children and adults sing along.
"We do about 50 performances a year," he said, adding that the
group's second annual appearance at Chase Palm Park in Santa Barbara
drew about 4,000 people.
But the Starlight Bowl is the highlight of their year, Sillen
said.
"This is our ninth year at the Starlight Bowl," he said. "It's one
of the most fun jobs we have and really look forward to all year. The
setting is perfect and the people, Gail Stewart and the parks and
recreation department, are great to work with. And, the fans are top
notch."
Something else has been added to this year's show, he said. The
all-girl, a cappella group, Grace, will perform with the band and get
a solo spot of their own.
Members of Captain Cardiac include Sillen on drums and vocals,
Steve "Captain" Ogg as lead vocalist, Ralph "Woody" Riganti on guitar
and vocals, Joe "Lumpy" DeWitt on bass guitar and vocals, Pat
"Squally'' Losurdo on keyboard and vocals and Scotty "Boom Boom"
Mitchell on saxophone and vocals.
Ogg started the band in 1972 at Monroe High School in the Valley.
Sillen first saw the band perform back in 1975, when he was a
student at Hoover High School.
"While watching them, I thought I would love to be in that band,
it just looked like so much fun," he said.
Two years later he got the call that they needed a drummer.
"Woody had heard me play before and asked me to join the group,"
Sillen said. "And it's still a lot of fun, and it's been 25 years for
me."
All the musicians in the group have kept their day jobs. Sillen
owns Break Thru Glass in Glendale, a supplier of glass for the
entertainment industry. Sometimes, the band has three gigs tagged
onto its regular work week. But performing is so much fun, it's not a
chore.
"We're going to do it as long as it continues to be fun," Sillen
said. "We don't see any end in sight."
In honor of the 10th anniversary of the reopening of the Starlight
