Photo by Donna Mueller
If you like live music and classic rock – especially the Rolling Stones – you must check out an upcoming show of the band Crossfire Hurricane. This local group plays with a fiery passion (no pun intended) and really gets the audience going. Oh, and did I mention its drummer Marco Lamberti is only ten years old?
I recently had the chance to speak with Marco and his dad Mike about how the band came to be, musical influences and what the future holds for the band and this rock star-in-training.
Mike Lamberti had been playing keyboards in the band Whoz Ya Daddy for some time now and one day during the 2022 holidays, Whoz Ya Daddy’s lead vocalist Chuck St. Troy came to their house to jam with Marco, who had just received a Ludwig drum kit for Christmas. Chuck was so impressed with Marco’s skill, jamming to songs by the Beatles, Stones and The Who, that he suggested playing a gig.
With Mike on guitar, and adding Matt Rocchio on bass guitar and Rick Agosta on guitar, the band headed to an open mic night at Pete’s Saloon in Elmsford. The audience loved them, and Crossfire Hurricane was born as a Rolling Stones tribute act. The band describes itself as a “high energy performance tribute band”, performing the music of The Rolling Stones from the 60s to the current period.
Since then, the band, along with Marco’s talents, have really taken off. Crossfire Hurricane has played gigs all across Westchester and the surrounding area at venues including Pete’s Saloon, Carmine’s Deli (Elmsford) and Lucy’s (Pleasantville). Some of his favorite songs to perform live are Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Gimmie Shelter and asked who were his dream musicians to jam with, the answer is Pete Townshend, John Lennon or Keith Richards.
Father/Son Bond as Fellow Musicians
When asked what it was like being able to play with his young son, Mike replies,”Playing in a band with my son Marco has been a wonderful experience and I cherish every moment of it. As time goes by, I am truly amazed by his progress as a musician and his maturity for such a young person. All the band members look forward to playing with him and feel this project is something very special.”
As for working with his dad, Marco shared many of the same sentiments. “Performing with my dad is a lot of fun. He and I went to see the Rolling Stones when I was five years old which was an amazing experience. My dad has been a musician for many years and is always willing to help me.” It’s the mutual respect and shared passion of music that has become an amazing bonding experience for the father-son duo.
Marco has been interested in making music for a while now, despite his young age. “As far as I can remember – I loved drumming. I used to go to my dad’s gigs and watch his band perform. Every Christmas I would ask for a toy drum set which would be destroyed by the end of the year after hours of hitting it.”
When he was gifted his Ludwig kit in 2022, Marco’s playing became more serious and his talent could really be developed. It was at this time that he knew he wanted to perform just like his dad. “After complaining to my father that he gigged and I didn’t, Chuck came to our house one evening to jam. My dad played guitar, Chuck sang and played Sax and me, on drums. He was amazed how many classic rock songs I knew and could play on drums.” Both father and son share a love of classic rock, some of their musical influences being the Beatles, The Who, and of course the Rolling Stones.
Music is in Marco’s blood, as Mike has also been playing guitar and keyboards for many years. His own musical journey helped to solidify Marco’s as well. Mike says, “One evening I decided not to perform a gig on Long Island and headed down to the Thirsty Turtle in White Plains to hang out. There was a band on stage which announced their keyboard player was leaving.
A ‘Life-Altering Moment’
After the show, I approached the drummer (Mike DeBartolo) and asked if I could audition. I landed the spot as the keyboardist and spent many years with the band. It was one of the most life-altering decisions I ever made. I joined the band and met my wife Carla shortly afterwards, got married and had kids. Marco, and my daughters would attend the summer concerts and from a young age they loved hearing music. Marco, from day one, was mesmerized by Mike DeBartolo and in many ways contributed to his love of drumming.”
It’s a real treasure for father and son to perform together while helping to bring the joy of music to their audiences. As Marco says, “When the audience claps and gets excited about the music there is nothing better than that.” But as a current fifth grade student, there are other things that sometimes take precedent over performing. “My parents have stressed the importance of school and the shows are always scheduled on the weekend. I also enjoy playing soccer, baseball and hanging with my friends.”
As for the future of Crossfire Hurricane, it certainly seems like a bright one. The band has lots of gigs booked for Spring 2024 and beyond (more info can be found at crossfirehurricanestonestribute.com).
When asked where they see the band in years to come, the answer is simple, “Our goal is to be the number one Rolling Stones Tribute Band on the East Coast.”
December 7, Peekskill, NY– A large crowd of eager ladies and gentlemen gathered outside of The Paramount Theater in Peekskill, NY, patiently waiting to see a battle between tribute artists for two of the most renowned bands known to rock and roll. The heavyweight, 25-time Grammy Award winning band, The Beatles, took on the rebellious multi-million album selling band The Rolling Stones. It is safe to say both bands have their fair share of fans as they sold out nearly 1000 seats in Peekskill’s iconic musical theater venue this past weekend. From the dancing in the aisles an at your seat, it was a show that will not be forgotten anytime soon by so many attending.
The Rolling stones were portrayed by the cover band, Satisfaction. This internationally touring tribute band has performed over 3,500 times in the past 19 years. This band came off as surprisingly authentic. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are most certainly not two people who are easily impersonated. It was clear to me that this group did their homework and studied The Rolling Stones intensely. Not only did they perform the most memorable songs from The Rolling Stones but their costumes were also well thought out and almost identical to the wild fashion styles The Stones gave us at the height of their popularity. From the red scarf to the football pants, Chris LeGrand really had the moves like Jagger.