BY PAM HARBAUGH • FLORIDA TODAY • May 15, 2009 Brassy's.
If you recognize that name, you'll probably want to know about the old Cocoa Beach nightclub's 30th reunion party running 2 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Hilton Cocoa Beach Oceanfront.
Lite Rock 99.3's Michael W. Lowe and former Rock 100 WDIZ radio host Mick Dolan will be the masters of ceremony.
"The club was such an institution," Lowe said of the nightspot that operated from 1979 to 1987. "People I mention it to say, 'Oh yeah, I remember Brassy's.' It was a wild place. You ask anybody who was here, they'll tell you that was the place. Brassy's was to nightclubs the way Ron Jon's is to surfing".
Some of the acts that came to Brassy's included Steppenwolf, Joe Cocker, Molly Hatchett, George Jones, Michael Bolton, Pat Metheny, Spyro Gyra, Joan Jett, Stevie Ray Vaughn, the Winter Brothers and Three-Dog Night.
"We were about a 1,000-seat nightclub," said former co-owner Lee Hemenway of Merritt Island. "But if it was a good band, people were up partying and dancing."
Saturday's reunion will feature music by Palm Coast band Caribbean Explosion and Silk & Steel, an Orlando cover band. There also will be a 50/50 raffle.
One of the highlights, though, should be the live auction of Brassy's memorabilia and other items donated by local businesses.
Some of the items to be auctioned off include brandy snifters with Brassy's first logo, Brassy's ashtrays, Brassy's matchbooks and some autographed band photos such as Hank Williams Jr., Leon Russell and more.
Alan Hemenway, who co-owned the bar with Gerry and Audrey Hemenway, said he was happy to get the items out of his attic and into the hands of others.
"I've had them for 30 years, so it's time for someone else to enjoy them," he said.
Money raised during the reunion will go to Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Florida Foundation. Guest speaker Dr. Scott Gold, neurologist with MIMA in Melbourne, will speak about multiple sclerosis.
Contact Harbaugh at 242-3717 or pharbaugh@floridatoday.com.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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2 comments:
I am sorry I didn't hear about this party until now (live in NY now). Brassy's was always my favorite place by far. A LOT of good times and memories there. I knew the Hemenway brothers quite well and also Mike Lowe who managed the place. A lot of big name bands not listed here which were there. Halloween's were fantastic at Brassy's. I had gone back to visit the area on business in the 90's and wanted to revisit Brassy's only to find it was no more, unfortunately. Hope the party was fantastic as I am sure it was.
Mike Lemons
I was a DJ there in the early 80s with "Ed the head" on the weekends. Was some good times.
Al Milliron
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