How does one celebrate 20 years of “rocking on the job?” Throw a massive party featuring rocker Todd Rundgren and the Clarks at the Woodlands Inn & Resort in Plains Twp on Aug. 8, 2000.
Rock 107 brought in the singer, songwriter and producer along with the Pittsburgh-based band for its annual Birthday Bash. Speaking with The Scranton Times that year, Clarks lead guitarist Rob James said the band looked forward to returning to the state’s Northeast corner for its second visit. Its first came a few years earlier when the band played at Tink’s Entertainment Complex, Scranton.
Also on the Birthday Bash bill that night were local bands Hoosier Daddy and Flaxy Morgan.
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- Pete Lieback, lead singer for the band Hoosier Daddy, passes his tambourine to Jennie Burakiewicz of Pittston so she could play along with the band Aug. 8, 2000, during Rock 107’s 20th anniversary Birthday Bash at the Woodlands Inn & Resort, Plains Twp. Times-Shamrock Archives
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- Sharon Dannunzio of Moosic displays a commemorative Rock 107 T-shirt during the radio station’s 20th birthday bash Aug. 8, 2000, at the Woodlands Inn & Resort, Plains Twp. Times-Shamrock Archives
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- Don Cannon, a guitarist with area band Hoosier Daddy, picks and grins Aug. 8, 2000, at Rock 107’s 20th annual Birthday Bash at the Woodlands Inn & Resort, Plains Twp. Times-Shamrock Archives
The tradition of celebrating the station’s birthday with a concert began in 1990 when Rock 107 turned 10. Rick Derringer, singer of “Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo,” headlined that first year, and since then, the bash has featured such acts as the Rembrandts, Blue Oyster Cult, Eddie Money, Quiet Riot, Lita Ford, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. This year, Warrant will rock the ballroom at the Woodlands along with Flaxy Morgan, Kartune and Three Imaginary Boys.
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- Joan Jett performing the 34th annual Rock 107 Birthday Bash at the Woodlands Inn and Resort, Thursday, April 17, 2014. Times-Tribune Archives
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- Lita Ford speaks to the audience as she plays in the ROCK 107 studio Thursday, March 28, 2013 prior to her performance at the birthday bash at the Woodlands. Times-Tribune Archives
The radio station debuted when WEJL started broadcasting in FM in December 1967, playing what The Scranton Times then described as “bright and toe-tapping music.” Later, the call letters changed from WEJL-FM to WEZX-FM. In 1974, the station changed to a rock music format.
The “home for classic rock” went on the air under the Rock 107 moniker, Feb. 20, 1980, with Rush’s “The Spirit of Radio.” For more information, visit rock107.com.
Past Rock 107 Birthday Bash performers
- Rick Derringer (1990)
- Tommy Conwell (1991)
- Kix (1992)
- The Rembrandt (1993)
- (Pink Floyd Tribute Band) (1994)
- Subdudes (1995)
- Peter Wolf (1996)
- Blue Oyster Cult (1997)
- Foghat (1998)
- Nazareth (1999)
- Todd Rundgren (2000)
- Blue Oyster Cult (2001)
- Southside Johnny (2002)
- Loverboy (2003)
- Smithereens (2004)
- Edgar Winter (2005)
- The Fixx (2006)
- Quiet Riot (2007)
- Eddie Money (2008)
- The Sweet (2009)
- The Romantics (2010)
- Mountain (2011)
- Great White (2012)
- Lita Ford (2013)
- Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (2014)
- Lou Gramm (2015)
- Eddie Money (2016)
- Foghat (2017)
- Warrant (2018)
- The Fabulous Thunderbirds
- ????
Related –
Rock 107 announces headliner for birthday bash
Time Warp – Alice Cooper a familiar face on NEPA stages
Rock 107 announces ‘Night with Alice Cooper’ radio show, 40th anniversary arena concert
Brian Fulton has been the librarian at The Times-Tribune for the past 15 years. On his blog, Historically Hip, he writes about the great concerts, plays/musicals and celebrity happenings that have taken place throughout NEPA. He is also the co-host of the local history podcast, Historically Hip. He competed and was crowned grand champion on an episode of NPR quiz show “Ask Me Another.” Contact: bfulton@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9140; or @TTPagesPast