It claimed 100 lives and left some 230 other people injured. Lou Diamond embraces his girlfriend Lisa Sherman as she becomes emotional during the dedication ceremony for the memorial park at the site of the Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, May 21, 2017. In less than 90 seconds, most of those who hadn't already made their escape would be . Not a guilty apology, but because I just, "I mean, I feel horrible that it happened," he continued. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The entire event was a perfect storm of bad planning. It lets you know how beautiful music is and how music can heal everything, no matter what people think. And they've gotta understand, when all this went down, my legal team, they said, 'You cannot ever say you're sorry, because it implies guilt.' The Associated Press contributed to this report. Try plastic surgery for autographs, Fan brings Olympian Mary Lou Retton to tears, RISPCA has nearly 30 guinea pigs up for adoption, February vacation events around Southern New England, How you can help those affected by Station fire, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Photo: Getty Images. Thats when we started a charitable foundation in honor of Jimmy.". along the way, we meet other survivors and victims' families who have memorialized their loss through pursuits ranging from an exhibit of commemorative body art to re-immersion in the rock culture that initially brought them and their loved ones to the station nightclub. The guy [making it] He's done Disney movies. The fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick began in an overcrowded club when pyrotechnics from Russell's GREAT WHITE ignited illegal soundproofing foam lining the club's walls. He died. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. The Story of the Great White Concert Fire Tragedy. A busboy, Walter Bailey, stopped the show to make an announcement about the fire. It was equipped with one fire extinguisher for the entire building and inspection papers were forged to keep the club operating. Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia, MD. Pour en savoir plus sur notre utilisation de vos informations, veuillez consulter notre Politique relative la vie prive et notre Politique en matire de cookies. In a sign of the pain and acrimony that still remained, however, the Station Fire Memorial Foundation refused to accept any money from Russell: "We feel the upset caused by his involvement would outweigh the amount of funds received.". 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. disaster non-fiction. Not for sale or trade. "America's Deadliest Concert: The Guest List" includes interviews with Russell, Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER),Don Dokken (DOKKEN),Lita Ford and Michael Sweet (STRYPER). He will continue to require surgeries for the rest of his life. "Because we've never used it before. And he met his wife in the fire and they had a beautiful son. The Great White Nightclub Fire Explained. Russell exited GREAT WHITE in December 2011 after he was unable to tour with the group due a series of injuries, including a perforated bowel and a shattered pelvis. Americas Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List is partially based on the book, Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, Americas Deadliest Rock Concert, written by John Barylick. October 7, 2022. Jack Russell, lead singer of the band Great White, speaks to reporters after a deadly fire at The Station nightclub Feb. 21, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. The Beverly Hills Supper Club was a sprawling maze of a club in Kentucky, located just across the bridge from Cincinnati, Ohio. But when they opened the doors This whole place was lined with this black foam stuff, and come to find out later of course I didn't know it then but the fire marshal said it was equal to 13 gallons of gasoline on the wall or something. Its central characters struggle to cope in the aftermath of tragedy some gracefully, and some less so. 2 likes. Nobody knew where Jimmy was. It remains Americas deadliest rock concert. And his comment was, 'If this wouldn't have happened, I wouldn't have met the love of my life.'". PAUL STANLEY Blasts MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE After She Complains Of Harassment, DAVE LOMBARDO To Tour U.K. With 'Progressive Grindcore' Band EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, MIKKEY DEE Is Open To Playing With KING DIAMOND Again: 'That'd Be Great Fun For Me'. According to the BBC, the band was told to stop playing, and once aware of the problem they asked fans to back away, but it was too late. The guy filming was doing so for a piece on nightclub safety if you can even believe the irony of that . The set was to begin at 8 PM, but the doors were still closed at 7:45 when an anxious crowd, hearing The Whos warmup and mistaking it for the opening number, surged toward the doors. First responders share their experiences of battling the blaze, treating victims and managing the chaos as it unfolded. And, just when it couldn't get worse, they played Rhode Island. It is an object lesson in the tragic potential of poor decisions. They even got the chance to interview several major figures from the 70s and 80s. We're constantly in contact on Facebook. When the fire reached the room, the crowd panicked and people were trampled as they tried to escape. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of all cookies. The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick in 2003 was the fourth-worst such fire in the nation's history. The crowd rushed to the front of the stage, with people squeezing together so tightly that many couldnt breathe. apparently he was there from a local news station filming a piece on nightclub safety hazards. On February 20th, 2003, the city of West Warwick, Rhode Island was shaken by tragedy when a fire broke out at the Station nightclub. More than 200 others were injured. Great White Concert History. The sparks unexpectedly ignited the foam used for soundproofing the ceiling of the club. View of the front door and parking lot. M3 Rock Festival 2-Day Pass. 0:38. Just moments after 11:00 p.m., Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Croman was a rock club in Barrio Once in Buenos Aires. Great White dropped a bombshell on us Monday . 100 clear lights for each person killed, 200 multi-colored lights for each . A fire enveloped netting near the ceiling and quickly spread. All rights reserved. They loved classic rock, and thats what they played every night. The foam used in the club's walls wasn't just remarkably flammable. the band playing at a Rhode Island nightclub where 100 people perished in a fire was NOT Great White. Many international stars played the event, including Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue, and Ennio Morricone. The flames spread quickly, engulfing the club, and claiming the lives of many of those trying to escape. Jazmine Sullivan, Lil Uzi Vert among 2023 Broccoli City headliners, Lil Nas X, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban among 2023 NCAA March Madness Music Festival performers, What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? documentary announced, Tim McGraw announces Standing Room Only, Dropkick Murphys announce Okemah Rising, Joe Bonamassa releases Known Unknowns live version. Todd King, a fire survivor who helped found the fund, said while some victims' relatives were upset with Great White's fundraising role, the band raised about $100,000 for the fund. We want him to know that we keep him as part of our family always, Kane said. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Just seconds after 80s sensation Great White took the stage, pyrotechnics ignited a fire that raced up the walls and across the ceiling of the packed venue. On the night of February 20, 2003, more than 400 music fans packed into the small Station nightclub. For many of those fans what appeared to be their lucky day turned out to be their last. Biechele pleaded guilty in 2006 to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter and was paroled after serving less than half of his four-year prison sentence. The band suddenly went from drawing 100 people to a local club to drawing thousands in L.A. concert halls such as Perkins Palace in Pasadena, . Why it happened that night Who knows? Weeks after the fire a charred handwritten notebook page was recovered from the Station nightclub ashes that contained rows of names and above them were the words Guest List., Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. Kendall, who founded the band with Russell in 1982, later said he was asked to join Russell and his solo band on the tour to help boost attendance. America's deadliest rock concert began in West Warwick, Rhode Island, when the band Great White ignited pyrotechnics inside a run-down roadhouse called the station. America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List: Directed by David S. Bellino. Combined with the panic of the crowd and the deadly poison in the air, it was practically a miracle that anyone got out at all. (Nicolaus Czarnecki/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines February 18, Ali Wong says she's 'best friends' with her ex-husband: 'It's an unconventional divorce', 'Champions' star Woody Harrelson: SNL monologue controversy caps storied personal journey, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry suffered Hollywood 'miscalculation' with explosive tell-alls: experts, Jussie Smollett files appeal argument in hate crime hoax conviction, Michael B. Jordan apologized to his mom before steamy Calvin Klein underwear ad was released, Kristin Cavallari jokes shes 'heartless' for breaking up with guys over text: 'I know thats horrible'. ", Jimmy Gahan died in The Station nightclub fire. At the time, roughly $175 million had been offered by dozens of defendants to settle lawsuits over the blaze. A loss of life on this scale, suffered so immediately, is hard to wrap your head around. Gahan and Ricardi spoke to Russell in the bands bus, which was parked in the nightclubs parking lot. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. "I look at it like this: if it makes it easier for them to grieve the loss of somebody close to them, then my shoulders are big enough," he explained. "Many victims of The Station fire had been seduced by the siren song of rock celebrity. [My son] is just a thought away.". Jack largely blamed these injuries on his alcohol and painkiller addictions as well as the prednisone drug he was prescribed. Great White- Back to the Rhythm. In 2010, it was hosted in Duisburg. "And I even called the manager, I go, 'You're calling it 'Jack Russell's GREAT WHITE'?' (David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). At an underground electronic music party in Oakland, a fire broke out that trapped and killed 36 people. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. It was the first procedure of its kind at the Massachusetts General Hospital Hand Transplantation Service. Those sparks then ignited cheap packaging foam that was used as soundproofing. One hundred people were killed and more than 200 injured from a crowd that attended the performance of the band Great White at the Station nightclub. Any unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable law. "He was totally into sports, but he always had this connection to music," James explained. Not for sale or trade. For many of those passionate fans, what appeared to be their very luckiest day turned out to be their last. Even after I was released, at the end of each day I felt as if I needed to go home to the hospital. I thought maybe they'd have a fire extinguisher. "I've seen so many video tapes of pyro shooting off in that club with the foam bigger stuff than we had and it never happened," Jack told Psycho Babble TV a few years ago." 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. As people drive by, they should be reminded to do the right thing and make sure the people that we hire, do the right thing.. So he had to be really unbiased, which he really was he just told it. Still, he said he understood why some believe he should be held accountable for what happened fifteen years ago. BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. That is what the other families are doing, we dont need a memorial to remember them, we have them in our hearts always.. Re: 20th anniversary of the Great White concert fire : 290: Andrew 02/21/2023 12:15PM Re: 20th anniversary of the Great White concert fire : 217: Troy 02/21/2023 12:28PM Re: 20th anniversary of the Great White concert fire : 167: Irwin m fletcher 02/21/2023 07:17PM Re: 20th anniversary of the Great White concert fire : 154: Peter M. Bietenholz . It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Several people made their way toward the exits hed pointed out while others didnt take the threat seriously. There from a local news Station filming a piece on nightclub safety.! Managing the chaos as it unfolded a loss of life on this scale, suffered so immediately, hard... Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images ) life on this scale, suffered so immediately, is hard to your... Foundation in honor of Jimmy. `` rest of his four-year prison sentence show to an... His life local news Station filming a piece on nightclub safety if you can believe. 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