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DJ hoping to unite fans of classic rock
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
John P. McAndrew got the idea for his new Classic Rock Social Club when he went to a Glass Harp concert at Powers Auditorium.
The show was a fundraiser for the Youngstown Symphony, which prompted the question: Why are they using a classic- rock band to raise money for symphonic music, and not for classic rock?
“It was because there is a Youngstown Symphony Society, but not a Classic Rock Society,” said McAndrew.
So the 1972 Fitch High graduate started one.
His Classic Rock Social Club has been holding sway for the past month or so at different area bars.
There are no dues or fees. Just a love of classic-rock music — Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and the like.
So far, about 50 people have signed up.
McAndrew will bring Classic Rock Social Club to the Clark Bar on Mahoning Avenue on the West Side on Saturday night. After that, he’ll be at the Brickhouse on Midlothian Boulevard on Sept. 13.
The evenings are unstructured — just McAndrew playing classic-rock music and taking requests for like-minded people.
“They get to talking and sharing stories,” said McAndrew, who has been DJing in the area for 20 years.
He said the Mahoning Valley has a lot of classic-rock fans, but many might be looking for a place that caters to the music.
“A lot of these fans are getting older and might want a different atmosphere than a bar,” he said, noting that many DJs don’t even have classic rock in their repertoire.
“If you request some Led Zeppelin, they won’t even have it,” he said.
Eventually, McAndrew would like to see the club get to the point where it has classic-rock nights with a buffet dinner, fundraisers, attends rock concerts as a group, and maybe even puts on a night of tribute bands at a local venue.
To learn more, go to crsclub.com.