Well folks. Years ago before this place took over my life and left me with no time to do anything, I used to run an event called Ramone-a-thon. It combined two things I love. The Ramones, and raising money for charity.
Over the years it ran from 2000 to 2007 I raised over $10 000 for various charities including drug rehabilitation and refugees. It was an absolute hoot to organize, run and attend (and play) and very fulfilling as an event.
The first one was organized by Adam from Undead Apes and I and he didn't really see it as an annual thing. I thought it had potential to do good things so I basically took over by myself. I always had great support from Toshi from the AWESOME Melbourne via Japan band Mach Pelican. Over the years I had some big bands come and play and had LOTS of bands from all over the world ask to play. I was pretty proud of the whole thing in general.
Ramone-a-thon 2007.
The Spazzys (Melbourne)
Roshambo
Spod
The Fancy Boys
Black Level Embassy
Killer Birds
Nova Scotia
The Stabs
The 10-4's
Stolen Bikes Ride Faster
One shot Salute
Team Dickhead
Hits
The Rousells
The Ramonettes
Shooting at Unarmed Men
Turnpike
Texas Tea
Razorhurst
Death Rides a Horse
The Gels
Del Toro
The Boondal Boys
Little Lovers
The Dry Horors
Suzy loves Dick
The Sips
Ramone-a-thon 2006
Fri night
The Hard-Ons (Sydney)
Hytest
Stero City
Side effects
RAD
New Wave Hookers
Sat night
Guitar Wolf (Japan)
Spencer P Jones (Melbourne)
Mach Pelican (Melbourne)
Kamikaze Trio
Roshambo
The Fancy Boys
Vanlustbader
Seaplane
Violent Soho
The Colytons
Butcher Birds
Horror Tones
Little Lovers
Amphetish
3 Chord Disaster
Ramone-a-thon 2005.
The Queers (USA)
Mach Pelican (Melbourne)
The Self-Righteous Brothers (Sydney)
Roshambo
Ramonettes (Adelaide)
Sekiden
Death Rides a Horse
Yidcore (Melbourne)
Gazoonga Attack
Eat Laser Scumbag
Vegas Kings
The Dangermen
Sin City (Melbourne)
The Sips
Fat mans cleavage
Ramone-a-thon 2004. Dedicated to Johnny Ramone.
Mach Pelican (Melbourne)
The Spazzys (Melbourne)
The Ramonettes (Adelaide)
Roshambo
The Tremors
The Grates
The Marones (Newcastle)
The Fancy Boys (France)
Next stop rehab!
Mouthguard
Bad Day Down
Death rides a horse
Ramone-a-thon 2003.
Groovie Ghoulies (USA)
Mach Pelican (Melbourne)
Roshambo
Fancy Boys
the Remedials (Melbourne)
Sekiden
the Habits
Spazzys (Melbourne)
Marones (Newcastle)
The Seventeens
Draft Dodger
Vanlustbader
Caro And The Library Fines
The Slippery Roger MIDI Craptacular
1981
Ramone-a-thon 2002. Dedicated to Dee Dee Ramone.
Supersnazz (Japan)
Mach Pelican (Melbourne)
Roshambo
The Fightin' Amish
The Remedials (Melbourne)
The Priks
Jacknife
Casio and the T bird
The Dangermen
The Throttle Zombies
Cody Lamo
Drug dealing transvestites
Feelin' Lucky
Ramone-a-thon 2001. Dedicated to Joey Ramone.
Mach Pelican (Melbourne)
Roshambo
Wiseacre
Screamfeeder
The Fightin' Amish
The Blood Idols
Dick Nasty
The B-sides
The Hymies
Dollar bar
Brentyn Rollason & his lusty lovers of lounge
Ramone-a-thon 2000.
Annalise (UK)
Abdoujaparov (UK)
Standing 8-Counts
Roshambo
Dick Nasty
Scrumfeeder
Psychotic Lemmings
Community Cervix
Sekiden
Turnpike
Nice Wig Ted
The "deal" was you had to play "some" Ramones songs. Some bands played a couple, some played full sets. My band Roshambo ALWAYS played a full set. In fact one year, we played It's Alive in it's entirety. It nearly killed me.
Maybe it's time for something like this to happen again ?