Great Wide Open – Tom Petty Birthday Party

Join us for a night celebrating the legendary Tom Petty!

Highlights include:

• A photo booth
• A temporary tattoo station with Tom Petty-themed designs
• Drink specials
• “Dress Like Petty” costume contest (details coming soon!)

The Great Wide Open

MIKE SCHILL

• Bass and backing vocals
• Current bands: Breakaway, Schill Solak Slimko
• Previous bands: Mirror Mirror, Silent Scream, Sky High, AKA, the Hostages, Twilight, Option 4 , The Boneshakers, Incognito, Cinema
• Gear preferences: MusicMan, Fender, Darkglass, Markbass
• Influences: Pino Palladino, Robert Sinclair Wilson, John Entwhistle

JEFF KOCHER: lead guitar backing vocals…….Jeff’s love for music began at the age of seven. After three years of organ lessons, he transitioned into playing the guitar. His hard rock guitar playing is inspired by many greats like Randy Rhoads, George Lynch and Paul Gilbert. He hit the Buffalo music scene at age 18, playing with bands like Masquerade and Buffalo music award winners, White Lies.

He played in several bands over the next two decades. Finally in 2010, he joined his most tenured band, Breakaway, with whom he gigged with for the next 12 year

MARK SLIMKO (Tom Petty)……Lead Vocalist, Second Lead guitarist, began playing guitar at 8 and hasn’t stopped since. Influenced by his older brothers’ LPs of Beatles, Ventures, Cream, Hendrix and other bands from the era, he began formal lessons. At 17, Mark was in a band that recorded a song for the Buffalo WPHD homegrown album. The Hostages played throughout WNY in the early ’80s. A stint in a popular band EKG followed. Recently he has been playing lead guitar with Only Humen, South City, Schill-Solak-Slimko trio, and solo and acoustic duo gigs. He has also performed with the Heavenly Chillbillies at the annual National Wingfest event and supported various charity events like Buffalo Blues for Vets and Rock Autism. A huge Tom Petty fan, Mark performed at the Tom Petty tribute at the Tralf and has attended numerous Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers concerts since 1981.                         

BRUCE DECKER…… Hammond organ, piano, synthesizers, backing vocals.

Born and raised in Syracuse, New York, Bruce attended the state University of New York at Buffalo and obtained his nursing degree in 1979. He has been playing with local bands and musicians in the Buffalo area for almost 50 years. He currently plays in the band Breakaway, and performs with MOB (Musicians of Buffalo) at their annual Christmas show. Bruce has won the Nightlife Buffalo Music Awards Top Keyboardist award for multiple years. He resides in Hamburg NY with his wife Pamela and their two dogs Anya (mini dachshund) and River (golden retriever). When not gigging or rehearsing Bruce can usually be found “messing about in boats”, typically with several grandchildren in tow.

BILL SOLAK…..DRUMS/BACKING VOCALS ……began playing drums at age 8. He has performed on stage and in the recording studio with several groups and musicians and is known for his straight ahead and solid in the pocket playing style. He has or is performing with Five To One, South City, Witness, Zamar, Adams Apple, The Billy Bob Trio and Schill Solak Slimko. Two of the songs that Bill has written are included on the Five to One Album, “Now