Must See Event: ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets’

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NYC metro area readers of Best Classic Bands are in for a treat on Saturday, October 3rd when our friend Dennis Elsas presents his live multimedia show “Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets” at RCC Cultural Arts Theater in Suffern, NY near Westchester and northern New Jersey.

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets” is a great evening of rock and radio memories featuring highlights from the history-making interviews Elsas did with John Lennon, Elton John, Jerry Garcia and other classic rock greats during his years on air at the legendary New York City album rock station WNEW-FM and continuing at WFUV. In the roughly two-hour event, the New York native traces the growth of freeform album radio as it and the music evolved in the late 1960s and into the 1970s and right up to today. (See the brief clip below.)

In an era well before social media was even contemplated, Elsas shares “you can’t make this stuff up” stories with his audience. In one such tale, he relates how Elton John visited his radio shift to share the news to NYC listeners that Lennon had surprised John’s Madison Square Garden audience the night before with a guest appearance. (In those pre-Internet days, it was too late for reviewers to file stories before their newspapers went to press the night before. Thus, news of the Lennon appearance had barely hit the media.) The historic visit continued for two hours – less than 24 hours after his concert performance.

John Lennon drops in to chat with Dennis at WNEW-FM in 1974

John Lennon joins Dennis at WNEW-FM in 1974

A few months earlier, Lennon himself joined Elsas in 1974 for a free-wheeling interview in which he chatted about city life and the weather, offered rare Beatles stories, played DJ and even read commercials.

Elsas joined New York City’s highly influential WNEW-FM in 1971, quickly rising to become the station’s music director and eventually hosting the key evening shift, where he became an integral part of the classic rock’n’roll experience for millions of listeners over the years to follow. By then he’d also shown his considerable chops as not simply an interviewer but gifted conversationalist who was able to elicit fascinating thoughts, observations and remembrances from rock music’s biggest stars. BCB is thrilled to have shared his interviews with Graham Nash and Robert Plant.

For well over a decade, Elsas has been afternoon drive host on New York’s WFUV/90.7 FM. He also shares his classic rock knowledge and memories with a worldwide audience every Saturday and Sunday on Sirius/XM’s Classic Vinyl channel.

Elsas presents “Rock ‘N’ Roll Never Forgets” three to four times a year throughout the New York region. Tickets to the October 3rd 8PM event are just $25 and can be purchased here. (Note: all previous presentations have sold-out.)