Silverwing's Halloween Party at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, NV

Silverwing rocks the Red Dog

This Saturday, October 26th, Mel Warstler, Mary Warstler, Sean Rold, and Frank Lescher, otherwise known as Silverwing, will be playing a gig at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada.

Virginia City, a small historic town south of Reno, is the site of the Comstock Lode where during the 1800's millions of dollars of silver was mined.  The silver millionaires from Virginia City basically built San Francisco and VC silver financed the Union during the Civil War, hence our state motto "Battle Born."  The Red Dog Saloon is a great venue with an awesome stage and sound system plus great food, but the Red Dog is not just another bar.  The Red Dog Saloon is significant due to its place in rock and roll history.

The "Red Dog Experience"

I'm sure the building is from the 1800's somewhere, but in 1965 the Red Dog Saloon played a roll in the emerging psychedelic rock scene and the beginnings of the hippie movement.  During that year a group of musicians came together and experienced total musical and artistic freedom with some psychedelic additives, if you get my drift.  Bands like Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Wildflower and The Amazing Charlatans played at the Red Dog creating the psychedelic music, hippie clothing styles and psychedelic artwork known as the "Red Dog Experience." 

These musicians and their style had a direct influence on the hippie movement which erupted during the Summer of Love in 1967 at Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco which led to major changes in social values throughout the US.  The members of The Amazing Charlatans were interviewed about the experiences in the 1996 documentary file, The Life and Times of the Red Dog Saloon. 

So when we take the stage at the Red Dog it is appropriate to have some reverence for the venue and the incredible experience of playing in the same location as Janis Joplin and walking the same floors as the first hippies at the birthplace of psychedelic rock and roll.

References:  Wikipedia and the Red Dog website http://www.reddogvc.com/history.php

About the Author:  Mary Warstler is the rhythm guitar player, back-up singer and co-songwriter for Silverwing, a rockin' country band from Northern Nevada.  Our CD "Moonshine" is available at CD Baby, Amazon and our website www.silverwingband.com  For more music news from Mary check out www.guitarchics.com  If you need content for your website, articles for your blog or extra posts on FB or Twitter contact Mary at maryband_girl@yahoo.com

Mel Warstler the newest DJ at KHWG 750AM, Fallon, NV

The Wild West Show on KHWG

Mel Warstler is the newest DJ at KHWG and if you have heard his show you already know he loves his job, if you can call that a JOB!  Lucky dog, playing music all day long and getting paid. Wow!

Not just a DJ, but a great musician as well

Mel grew up in rural Oregon on a million acre ranch where his father was the irrigation foreman. He was taught to play the guitar by his father and brother Jack. He started his first band at 14 years old, which played at school events. At 16 he was asked to join a band of semi-retired professional musicians as lead guitar player. They taught him a style of country picking which he still uses today.

Regardless of what “job” Mel held from ranch hand to cabinetmaker to stucco contractor, his life has always revolved around playing music. From playing for a few miners at the International Bar in Austin NV, which his brother Jack owned years ago to playing at the Nevada State Fair, Mel has always prided himself on learning his guitar parts note for note. When you hear him play you will not be disappointed.

Mel's in demand as a lead guitar player, but starts his own band Silverwing

While playing all over Northern Nevada and Oregon he has been the lead guitar player and singer in many bands such as Brandywine, Off the Wall, Stillwater Express, Taylor Made, Clear Blue 22 and American Steel. But his greatest accomplishment is his own band Silverwing consisting of Mel on lead guitar and vocals, his wife Mary on rhythm guitar and vocals, Sean Rold on bass and vocals and Frank Lescher on drums.

Silverwing performs in front of thousands

You may have heard Mel play somewhere and not even known it, since Silverwing has played at the Eureka Country Fair, Armed Forces Day, Night in the Country, Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Festival plus numerous farmer's markets, street fairs, bars and parties. But the real highlight for Silverwing was playing for thousands of people at the Pony Express Pavilion and the Reno Livestock Event Center for Sarah Palin in 2008 during both of her campaign stops in Northern Nevada.

 

Buy the Silverwing CD "Moonshine"

You can hear Silverwing's new CD “Moonshine” on KHWG or you can visit the website at www.silverwingband.com to find their schedule. Mel also hosts Karaoke and has DJ'd a few weddings.

Working at KHWG is a dream job for Mel Warstler

Mel would like to thank Ronzo, Latigo, Rebecca and Alex for training him at KHWG. And he would like to thank his listeners for calling in requests and for all the compliments he has received at his new “job.”  You can hear Mel's Wild West Show Tuesday thru Friday from noon to 5pm, streaming live on your computer at http://khwgradio.com/fx/audiostream/player.php

For more info on Mel and the band visit www.silverwingband.com