Last Friday Sammy Hagar was back with Bill Church and Denny Carmassi from the original Montrose to perform a tribute gig for the late Ronnie Montrose, who took his life on March 3.
Ronnie Montrose in 1974
In a recent statement Hagar announced, “One of my top priorities this year was a Montrose reunion. Ronnie and I planned to do it in Cabo in October. I am so sad it won’t happen, but on April 27th, Joe Satriani, Denny Carmassi, Bill Church and I are going to play the hell out of some Montrose!”
It happened last Friday at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco. Joe Satriani filmed in for Ronnie’s guitar parts.
‘A Concert for Ronnie Montrose – A Celebration of His Life In Music’ featured the band perform the landmark first Montrose album from start to finish.
Ronnie Montrose formed Montrose in 1973 after he left the Edgar Winter Group. It was Sammy Hagar’s first band. Their debut album ‘Montrose’ was produced by a young Ted Templeman who went on to produce the Van Halen albums.
Hagar had planned a Montrose reunion before Ronnie’s death. The band was going to reform in October at Hagar’s Cabo Wabo nightclub. Ronnie, who had been suffering from depression and over-consumption of alcohol, shot himself on March 3.
Watch footage from the show here:
