This Labor Day weekend, the 11th annual Blues, Views, & BBQ Festival returns to Westport's Levitt Pavilion. Bob LeRose ("Bobby Q" himself!) stops by First Thing Fairfield County to chat with Allan about how the annual event got started and what to expect this year!
It was a career still on the rise, and a life cut way too short on this date, August 27, 1990, when Stevie Ray Vaughan was killed in a helicopter accident. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
They would spend as much time recording one song as most bands spend recording entire albums, but it would all be worth it for Queen when "Bohemian Rhapsody" was finished. The entered the studio to begin work on this date, August 24, 1975. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Landmark / PR Photos
The beginning of the '80s found Aerosmith without any hits...and without their guitarists. But newfound sobriety would help set the stage for their first stadium and arena tour in over five years, a tour that began on this date, August 23, 1985. By the end of the decade they'd have their biggest successes ever. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
Eric Clapton was tired of the egos that came from being in a band. He just wanted to make good music, and on this date, August 22, 1970, Derek and the Dominos, went into the studio to begin recording "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs." Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar… Image: PR Photos
He wasn't a musician, instead he was an engineer and inventor, but he would develop the synthesizer and change music forever. Robert Moog passed away on this date, August 21, 2005. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar… Image: iStock / Getty Images Plus / i3D_VR
When it came to commercial and critical success, the Rolling Stones could basically do no wrong in the '70s. But they took a big risk when they released the single "Angie" on this date, August 20, 1973. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Daniel Locke / PR Photos
Behind schedule and covered in mud, the Woodstock Festival reached legendary status on its third day, August 17, 1969…even though the second day hadn't yet come to an end! Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar… Image: Getty Images / iStock / Getty Images Plus / captblack76
They were already successful as a trio, but when they became a foursome on this date, August 16, 1969, Neil Young made Crosby, Stills & Nash an even bigger success. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
Someone had to play a stadium first. And like so many other things with rock music, it would be the Beatles. The Fab Four took the stage for the legendary performance at Shea Stadium in New York City on this date, August 15, 1965. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Landmark / PR Photos
Pete Townshend wanted to follow up "Tommy" with another rock opera. When "Lifehouse" didn't work out, it turned into a more straightforward rock record - and widely considered their best - "Who's Next," released on this date, August 14, 1971. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Daniel Locke / PR Photos
They didn't invent Southern Rock, but they perfected it right from the beginning, when we all learned how to properly say Lynyrd Skynyrd on this date, August 13, 1973, when they released their debut "(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)." Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
He seemed to come out of nowhere in the United States, even though he had been successful in Canada for years. However, he would become a superstar around the world on this date, August 10, 1985, when Bryan Adams fourth studio album "Reckless" hit #1. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Insidefoto / PR Photos
No one knew where he went, so it was a total surprise to not just the fans, but also to the remaining members of the Grateful Dead, when Jerry Garcia passed away at a rehab center just a week after his 53rd birthday on this date, August 9, 1995. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
This weekend, comedian Bill Bellamy is coming to Vinnie Brand's Stress Factory in Bridgeport. He stopped by First Thing Fairfield County to chat with Allan about his experience filming "Any Given Sunday," being the newest member of the Academy, and, of course, the 25th anniversary of his creating the term "booty call." Image: Jenny Bullock / PRPhotos.com
It was recorded on the cheap in just one take, but it became one of the most important, and controversial, songs of all time. A saga that began on this date, August 8, 1963, when the Kingsmen released "Louie Louie." Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar… Image: iStock / Getty Images Plus / LFO62
After the experimental "Tusk," it was time for Fleetwood Mac to return to the formula that made "Rumours" such a success. That album became "Mirage," which hit #1 for the first of five straight weeks on this date, August 7, 1982. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Steve Solis / PRPhotos.com
After touring non-stop for nearly 22 years and still failing to reach the level of success they so desired, the Ramones would end their career with one final performance on this date, August 6, 1996. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
They were huge in Australia. They hit it big in Europe. But conquering the United States was awaiting AC/DC when they released "Highway to Hell" on this date, August 3, 1979. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Andrew Wilson / PR Photos
He wasn't always Bob Dylan. Not officially, anyway. Until he legally changed his name on this date, August 2, 1962, he was Robert Zimmerman. Although there's lots of theories, no one really knows why he changed it to Dylan. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
He's a professor at Johns Hopkins, played at Live Aid, created one of the most iconic music videos of all time, and he helped create ringtones! Thomas Dolby chats with First Thing Fairfield County's Allan Lamberti ahead of his show at New Haven's State House on Sunday night where he'll take apart his songs, tell the stories behind them, and reassemble them. Image: Daniel Locke / PR Photos
It was the beginning of a revolution - an entire TV channel devoted to nothing but music videos, 24/7. It was a phenomenon right from the start, even though most people couldn't watch it at first when MTV debuted on August 1, 1981. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Paul Froggatt / PR Photos
No one had ever done it before - release a single longer than 7 minutes - but that was only because the Beatles hadn't done it yet! They went into the studio on this date to record "Hey Jude," and it would become their biggest hit - literally! Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Joseph Roberts / PR Photos
The end of the '70s belonged to Fleetwood Mac, but the tensions in the band forced a break to work on solo projects. Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham were first, but Steve Nicks did it best with "Bella Donna," released on this date, July 27, 1981. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Daniel Locke / PRPhotos.com
This Saturday it's the Dance-a-Thon to benefit Wigs and Wishes at Norwalk's Wall Street Theater. Allan chats with Billy Blanks Jr. and James Maslow about how this all came about.
They were simply three bluesmen from Texas, but 45 years ago on this date, July 26, 1973, they became "Tres Hombres" - and ZZ Top's unique sound - and humor - broke through to the mainstream. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar… Image: PR Photos
While they were successful with their first album, by the time Chicago released their self-titled follow-up, they would be on their way to becoming one of the biggest bands of the '70s. That was solidified on this date, July 25, 1970, when they released "25 or 6 to 4." Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Daniel Locke / PR Photos
The Bee Gees and Peter Frampton were some of the biggest stars in the world. So they could only go down - and they did spectacularly when they starred in the film version of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," the infamous flop released 40 years ago today on July 24, 1978. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
When they took the stage in Chicago on this date, July 23, 1983, the Police had just learned that their fifth LP "Synchronicity" hit #1 - and it would remain on top for the next seventeen weeks! However, the band was on the verge of breaking up. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: PR Photos
Overnight, Bob Dylan went from folk hero to rock star, all due to one song that his record label thought was too long. But it didn't matter to audiences because "Like a Rolling Stone" would change music forever when it was released on this date, July 20, 1965. Allan looks back in today's Classic Rock Calendar... Image: Landmark / PR Photos
