You may see a bigger smile on Pete Dio’s face lately since he is now able to give his leg a rest after the announcement that his Old & Dirty band has added a drummer to the mix. 

Dio, who normally plays the kick drum while singing and strumming the six-stringer, will now put his leg to ease and make way for newly added drummer Rick Kinney of Moser Woods. 

“Tons of energy!” Dio said when asked what Kinney brings to the table. “Mainly, he’s giving the songs more personality and much more depth to the live material than what we’ve had in the past with me just keeping time on the kick drum. It’s like upgrading from grandma’s grocery-getter to a sleek n’ sexy ’67 GTO.” 

Pete Dio and The Old & Dirty unveiled the new lineup a few days ago at O’Sullivans when they shared the stage with Detroit’s The My Ways. Folks are still raving about how polished the band sounded that evening. 

Their next show is on Thursday, June 15, at the famous Reggie’s in Chicago. 

Check out new Mic Strong album

Roller Dome North, The Landing, and Mercado are some of the local landmarks that can be seen on Mic Strong’s video for “All on You.” 

This well-done piece features a guest spot by Sir Porter and can be viewed on YouTube. At last check, it had almost 40,000 views. 

Even more exciting, the hip-hopper is set to release a new album titled Outta Here that features eight new numbers for your listening pleasure. An album release party will take place on Friday, June 23, from 9-11 p.m. at Elijah’s Restaurant and Bakery, 301 W. Jefferson Blvd. The release will be available on all streaming platforms, no physical copies. 

In addition, Mic Strong will perform at Ripple: A Middle Waves Hype Event at Parkview Field on Saturday, June 24, and at the Fort Wayne Music Festival at Headwaters Park on July 28, opening for heavyweights Ludacris and Chingy. 

Chris Hambrick prepping EP

Chris Hambrick is finishing up an EP he hopes to have in your hands here soon. 

Hambrick covers all instrument duties on the new effort with friend Adam Baker lending a few licks in addition to mixing and producing. 

Hambrick will debut the new material at the downtown library during Rock the Plaza on Saturday, July 1, with an all-star band he put together called The Electric Bowtie. 

“It’s a band name I’ve had in my head for a couple decades, so I’m using for the RTP show and we’ll see where it goes from there,” he said. 

Performing the gig will be Timothy Becker on guitar, Baker on guitar, Jimi Marks on bass, and Joe Flores on drums. Together, they will debut the new EP’s sound and give you a look on what Hambrick has been working on the last year. 

Stay tuned to Whatzup for the EP release info and be sure to check out the RTP performance. Of course, you can also catch Hambrick doing solo gigs and drumming for the 906 Band since he is one busy dude. 

New smooth rock band hits scene

MG5 is a new group hitting the scene that performs the smooth rock hits of the ’70s and ’80s. Pretty much all your yacht rock favorites. 

The band is comprised of Mitch Gallagher on guitar/lead vocals, Dan Friend on keyboards/vocals, Daniel Johnson on bass/vocals, Dave Hazen on sax/percussion/guitar, and Andrew Glasmacher on drums. 

The band debuted at the Roanoke First Friday Street Fair this month. As of press time, they have no other local dates booked. 

Filth & Majesty throwing Rail party

Rockers Filth & Majesty will be throwing an album release shindig for Eviction Party on Saturday, July 15, at The Brass Rail. 

The new album was recorded at Chipped Tooth Audio with Dan Kinnaley, and the band are currently mastering it and getting everything squared away art-wise. The initial release will be in digital format with CDs and hopefully vinyl coming shortly after. 

Joining the release party will be The Snarks, Covert Flops out of Indianapolis, and Lackluster, making this a party you won’t want to miss. There’s a $7 cover at the door. 

The Illegals opening for Nita Strauss

The Illegals are beyond stoked to have found themselves as one of the opening acts for guitar whiz Nita Strauss on Friday, June 23, at The Eclectic Room in Angola. 

This is an all-ages show with a start time of 7:30 p.m., so make sure to plan accordingly and get up close, raise the devil horns, and cheer on the locals. 

The Nita Strauss Summer Storm tour also includes special guests Lions at the Gate. 

Tickets are available via ticketweb.com. 

Benefit show set at Latch String

A fundraising benefit for guitarist Craig Stephan will take place Sunday, June 25, from 3-8 p.m. at The Latch String. 

Many of you know Stephan from his time in Sum Morz and other bands over the years. 

Stephan has been battling cancer for a couple years and recently received word that it is now fourth stage/advanced. With that, he is unable to work enough to stay afloat, so proceeds from the fundraiser will be a huge help. 

The event will include games, raffles, auction, food, and live music by Crystal C Note Clouse, Maurice Turner, Dave Pagan, Justin Bailey, and more.