Jim Peterik
Thanks to all the family, friends and fans who have been sending me well wishes!
At around 3pm on Sunday, the Ides of March took the stage to host the Cornerstones of Rock show at Ron Onesti’s Des Plaines Theatre. It was an amazing, packed house starting with the Ides singing the National Anthem gathered around an old-fashioned ribbon mic with an image of the late, great Dick Biondi on the back screen.
The Ides did our usual set opener — “People Get Ready” into “Aire Of a Good Feeling.” Then started the cavalcade of Cornerstones of Rock stars accompanied by vintage video clips as each act took the stage: the fantastic New Colony Six with Ronnie Rice, Ray Graffia and Bruce Mattey; Dan Buck’s tribute to the late, much-missed Jimy Sohns; our heroes The Cryan’ Shames with Tom Doody and Jim Pilster; and then capping off the first set it was our turn on center stage. Although we backed up all the bands mentioned, this was our time to shine.
We started with the rare gem “Roller Coaster” from 1966 and had the whole house rocking. Then our big hit from earlier that year, “You Wouldn’t Listen” complete with that corny choreography that we’ve done since the year it came out…
Next I got my acoustic guitar and we harmonized to a fan favorite – our 1971 smash “LA Goodbye” which spent five weeks at the top of the WLS Silver Dollar Survey.
Finally, it was time for our last song of the set — the one we always save for the end — “Vehicle.” For some reason, I started to feel a little dizzy and woozy, but I ignored it and soldiered on introducing the song as I always do. The last line I spoke haltingly — “So strap yourself in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride [pause] and this is the vehicle that got us here tonight!”
I counted it off, the brass blared, but as I started to sing the room started spinning and I started to lose consciousness until I blacked out and fell over right on stage. Next thing I saw as I started to come to was a group of people all around me taking my vitals, trying to get me talking, Ron Onesti trying his best to make me laugh.
It was all a blur as I got loaded into an ambulance and take over to the nearest hospital, Lutheran General, where I was pumped with fluids. They told me later that my blood sugar was only 47 when I came in! They did some more tests while Karen stayed with me, and hours later, when my vitals were more-or-less back to normal what a joy it was to see the smiling and relieved faces of the Ides — Larry, Bob, Mike and Scott along with Chris May who had pretty much orchestrated the rescue and made all the calls. And thank you to keyboardist Tommy Leerschen for medical support.
I plan to get back on track in the studio on Wednesday, cutting tracks for my next World Stage album and preparing for my CD release party with Toby Hitchcock on Thursday evening at Ron Onesti’s Rock & Ravioli room in St. Charles where we’ll play tracks and sing a couple of songs from “Dream Higher” and take questions.
P.S. Maybe I should have eaten more than a muffin and a banana before the show. Just sayin’. Lesson learned.
Jimbo
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