RICHIE RAMONE AND MICKEY LEIGH IN BRAZIL IN JUNE, 2010.

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Copyright 2010 -> : Helio Volpato and Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone. Photos by Danilo de Carvalho, Bruno Oliveira and Regiscollector.

Great Brazilian fan Helio Volpato wrote review of Richie Ramone's and Mickey Leigh's shows in Brazil in June, 2010.
Here I first write background information of this trip to Brazil in June, 2010. After it you will find Helio Volpato's text. Thanks again Helio.




Background information:
Richie Ramone was in Brazil in June 9-13, 2010, in connection with the Joey Ramone Place punk rock merchandise store. Richie and Joey Ramone's brother Mickey Leigh were playing in Sao Paolo, Brazil in June 11 and in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in June 12, 2010.
Richie Ramone was also guest DJ at Club Vegas, Sao Paulo on June 10, 2010. Richie and Mickey also had autograph session at the Joey Ramone Store in Rio De Janeiro in June 12, 2010.

Mickey Leigh opened a Joey Ramone Place punk rock merchandise store in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil in January, 2010. It is featuring mainly Joey Ramone, and punk related merchandise.
- In planning since July '08, it's finally open for business. Childhood friend Allen Brooks and family is running the operation. 20% of anything I make goes to charities for children in the favelas (slums). The soft opening was on January 30, 2010. This is really exciting and so amazing that even though he is not physically here, in Joey's name so much good can still be accomplished. What a Wonderful World!!, knows Mickey Leigh.
Address is: Joey Ramone Place, Rua Francisco Otaviano, 67/ Loja 46, Copacabana Rio De Janeiro RJ, 22080-040. Phone number: 25234604.
- The store is mostly Joey, and Ramones merchandise, shirts, dresses, stickers, pretty much the same items you see on the website store on Joeyramone.com. Hopefully there will be some new items that are more suited to Rio soon, like bikinis and things like that, wrote Mickey on April 5, 2010.




Text written by Helio Volpato:
Richie Ramone and Mickey Leigh in Sao Paulo, Brazil in June 11, 2010.


Photos:
1) Poster of the show in Sao Paulo.
2) Ramones fan Gota, Richie Ramone (2nd in left), Ramones fan Helio Volpato (and writer of this review/story) and Ramones fan Danilo de Carvalho in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
3) Photo taken by Bruno Oliveira of Mickey Leigh, Richie Ramone and two Brazilian musician playing live in Sao Paulo.


After a 8 hours bus trip, I arrived in Sao Paulo early in the morning and I went to meet with some internet friends that are Ramones fans too. They told me how the previous night (June 10) had been cool when Richie Ramone played a DJ set in Vegas Club in Sao Paulo.
I never had spent so much time with somebody talking about the Ramones. I, Otavio, Reginaldo and Fabio talked during all day about Ramones albums, record sessions and several histories that happened with each one in the Ramones shows. We all were amazed hearing Orlando's history about the 3 shows of Ramones that he attended in Brazil in 1987, he was the only guy I knew that would see Richie "again". After walking a lot and some subway trips we arrived at Clash Club, Sao Paulo, to meet Richie Ramone and Mickey Leigh.

Richie arrived at the place, greeted us and he entered to give an interview to Bruno Oliveira. Ten minutes later he came to talk with us and, very patiently, he signed our dozens of vinyls and told us something about his career. Richie invited us to attend the soundcheck and it was wonderful, a show only for us. Mickey didn't go to the soundcheck.
Before the show we were in a bar very close to the venue drinking some beers and waiting for all the other friends that we only knew from internet, we met a lot of new people there, the biggest fans and collectors of Brazil were there, to me it was something like the 1st Brazilian Ramones Convention.
I was in the Richie's guest list (thanks Gaston and Tiffany) and I met Mickey Leigh and Tiffany (Richie's fiance) in person in backstage. All of them were very kind and accessible. Tiffany also gave attention to the fans. My friend Artur Souza, who some of you already know his work, gave a Joey Ramone sculpture to Mickey that was very very happy.

The show time.
The venue is big and it was almost full (capacity 1000 people). There is a high stage and we could see the show of any place. The boys of the support band begin playing Blitzkrieg Bop. Soon afterwards Richie came to the stage and he sang You're Gonna Kill That Girl and (You) Can't Say Anything Nice (everybody sang together). Next Richie invited Wivi, from the Ramones cover band Ramona!, to sing backvocals in Somebody Put Something In My Drink.
Next Richie went behind the drums and announced Mickey and he continuing set with songs:
Something To Believe In,
I Want You Around,
I Just Want To Have Something To Do,
Bonzo Goes To Bitburg,
Rock And Roll High School,
Rockaway Beach,
Life's A Gas,
Danny Says,
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker,
I Wanna Be Sedated
and What A Wonderful World that Mickey dedicated to Joey.

Richie played very well. He turns another person when he goes behind to drums. Mickey sang in his already known charismatic style. The show was very good musically but the audience was very stopped, amazed attending their idols to play. Later Richie gave autographs to the fans in the backstage's stairway.


Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in June 12, 2010.

Photos:
1) Richie Ramone singing in Sao Paulo. Photo taken by Regiscollector.
2) Richie Ramone playing in Rio De Janeiro. Photo taken by Danilo de Carvalho.
3) Richie Ramone and Mickey Leigh in Rio De Janeiro. Photo taken by Danilo de Carvalho.


My flight arrived to Rio de Janeiro in the lunchtime. I went to Joey Ramone Place Store and also met Allen Brooks Jr and his brother Patrick, both are very nice guys. Allen Brooks Sr is childhood friend of Joey Ramone and Mickey Leigh and he has lived in Brazil more than 30 years.
I could see some cool pics of family Brooks with Joey Ramone in Rio de Janeiro in 1996 (one picture that is in Joey's solo CD Don't Worry About Me was taken by them).
The store is small and there is only official clothes and accessories but doesn't have CDs. On that afternoon there was 40 minutes autograph session to make the store opening official. Unhappily Mickey hadn't brought any copies of his book I Slept With Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir to sell. But I got one copy from Allen Jr.

That time I didn't go to the soundcheck. Arriving at the venue I received my VIP Pass (thank you Allen) and when I entered at the place I remembered CBGB. Club in Rio De Janeiro was much smaller than in Sao Paulo, with small stage and very close to the audience (capacity 250 people).
Some friends that were in Sao Paulo were also in Rio De Janeiro. Also Danilo, my old friend who I hadn't t seen almost for ten years, was there too. Some photos in this review were taken by him. Different from Sao Paulo, the support band was a Ramones cover band called Commando. They played set only with Ramones songs including several songs from Halfway To Sanity album. Again after Blitzkrieg Bop Richie started to sing You're Gonna Kill That Girl, (You) Can't Say Anything Nice and Somebody Put Something In My Drink. The set ran as the previous night. Mickey Leigh invited Mayana Moura, a Brazilian actress, to sing a music with him but I don't remember exactly which song it was.

The show in Rio De Janeiro was much more vibrant, the people's energy was more intense, and Richie and Mickey were in high spirits too. In spite of problems with microphone and the guitars that not tuned, all of them were excited in the stage. Richie was possessed and Mickey was always smiling, it was great, perfect!
After the show we were in the backstage talking and drinking beer with them. I asked from Mickey about Joey's second album and he invited me to listen to the songs at the hotel in the next day. We were staying at the same hotel, but sadly I lost that chance because I needed to take the plane to home in the next morning.

Everything was very happy and unbelievable, I never thought someday I would meet Richie Ramone in person. Everything was wonderful!
Hey! Richie said that intends to begin to touring.

I wanna say thanks to: Richie, Mickey, Tiffany, Allen Brooks Jr, Gaston Sanchez, Danilo de Carvalho, Gota (for the beer), Otavio Tambosi, Regiscollector, Artur Souza (Ramones dolls), Orlando (for the ride) and Bruno Oliveira.

You can see Brazilian Ramones fans in photo in right.

Review/ story by Helio Volpato. Thanks again.


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