Sopro Photo Gallery

A Little Bit Of
History Of Sopro Music

The Early Days
Hit Counter

Bud Monaco
Sopro Music Promoter

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
‘Super Bowl Of Rock’
Southwest Stadium
Bridgeview, IL / 1979

Red Rose
Sopro Music Promoter

Johnny Schmeski (RIP)
& Jim Kouba
Sopro Music Stage Crew

Peter Butler
Sopro Music Stage Manager
& Bud Monaco

|
Tim One & Tim Two
Sopro Music Stage Crew

The Stage :Pre-Show Operations

Phil Moloitis
Sopro Music Photographer

Pre-Show Operations

Bud Monaco/Sopro Music Promoter
Pre-Show Operations
“What A Crowd ! 10,000 Strong !”

Sopro Music
Concert Security Crew
Back Row:
Butch M.; Big George; Fox; Al;
Toby Z.; Desi O.;
Front Row:
Bud M.; Red Rose; Cpt. Craig:

“Iron Butterfly”
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals

“Iron Butterfly”
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals
Jim Wimer-Drums

“Iron Butterfly”
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals

“Iron Butterfly”
Doug Engle-Keyboards
Jim Wimer-Drums
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals
Bobby Hasbrook-Guitar

“Iron Butterfly”
David Mayo-Bass

“Iron Butterfly”
Doug Engle-Keyboards
Jim Wimer-Drums
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals
David Mayo-Bass
Bobby Hasbrook-Guitar

“Iron Butterfly”
Bobby Hasbrook-Guitar
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals
David Mayo-Bass
Jim Wimer-Drums

“Iron Butterfly”
Doug Engle-Keyboards
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals
David Mayo-Bass

“Iron Butterfly”
Dennis Tieken-Drums

“What A Big Crowd”
‘Down In Front !’
(recognize anyone ?)

“Out In The Crowd”
“She Can Stay !”

“Backstage”
“She Can Stay Too !”

“Tommy James
& The Shondells”
(does anyone know this guitarist?)

“Tommy James & The Shondells”
Tommy James-Vocals

“Tommy James & The Shondells”
(does anyone know these two
guitarists & bass?)

‘F.M.’ Ready to Ride Steppenwolf
Vocalist Tommy Holland
Onto the Stage

Are You Ready To Rock?
Welcome To The Stage
“Steppenwolf”

“Steppenwolf”
Nick St. Nicholas-Bass
Steve Riley-Drums
Tommy Holland-Vocals
Ruben DeFuentes-Guitar

“Steppenwolf”
Nick St. Nicholas-Bass
***********************

“Steppenwolf”
Nick St. Nicholas-Bass
******************************

“Steppenwolf”
Nick St. Nicholas-Bass
**************************

“Joe Jackson”

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
The Southwest Music Festival II
“Joe Jackson”
“Missouri”
“The Jett Band”
“Head East”
Southwest Stadium
Bridgeview, IL / 1979

“Joe Jackson”

“The Jett Band”
Robin Banks-Bass
Gene Strentz-Guitar
Rich Hazdra-Vocals
Bud Monaco-Promoter
***************************

“Missouri”
Randall Platt-Keyboards
Ron West-Guitar/Vocals
Alan Cohen-Bass
Webb Waterman-Guitar
Dan Billings-Drums
(photo courtesy of Panama Records)
**************************

“Missouri”

“Missouri”
Ron West-Guitar/Vocals
(photo courtesy of Panama Records)
********************

“Slink Rand Group”
Slink Rand-Guitarist

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
The Southwest Music Festival I
“The St. Louis Sheiks”
“Slink Rand Group”
“The Boyzz”
“The Hounds”
“The Jett Band”
Southwest Stadium
Bridgeview, IL / 1978

“St. Louis Sheiks”
Michael O’Hara-Vocalist

“St. Louis Sheiks”
Rob Sanders-Drums
Michael O’Hara-Vocals
Nick Ferber-Bass

“St. Louis Sheiks”
Leslie Dunard-Guitar
Michael O’Hara-Vocals
Rob Sanders-Drums
Nick Ferber-Bass

“St. Louis Sheiks”
Leslie Dunard-Guitar
Michael O’Hara-Vocals
Nick Ferber-Bass

“Slink Rand Group”
Slink Rand-Guitar
************************

“Slink Rand Group”
Slink Rand-Guitar
-Drums
Michael Hussler-Vocals
Pete Bailey-Bass
******************************

“Slink Rand Group”
Slink Rand-Guitar
****************

“The Jett Band”
Gene Strentz-Guitar

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
“Alvin Lee & Ten Years After”
“Mike Pinera & Thee Image”
“The Jett Band”
RKO Orpheum Theater
South Bend, IN / 1980

“Thee Image”
Mike Pinera-Guitar/Vocals

“Ten Years After”
Tom Compton-Drums
***************************

“Ten Years After”
Alvin Lee-Guitar/Vocals
“He’d Love To Change The World”
******************************

“Ten Years After”
Mick Hawksworth-Bass
***********************

“The Ramones”
Johnny Ramone-Guitar

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
“The Ramones”
(First Ever Chicago Performance)
“Tony Wilson & Teaser”
“Holy Smoke”
Countryside Civic Center
Countryside, IL / 1977

“The Ramones”
Dee Dee Ramone-Bass

“The Ramones”
Johnny Ramone-Guitar

“The Ramones”
Joey Ramone-Vocalist

“Teaser”
Milt Anderson-Keyboards

“Teaser”
Tony Wilson-Guitar
Danny Kwillen-Bass

“Teaser”
Danny Kwillen-Bass

“Teaser”
Tony Wilson-Guitar

“Teaser”
Tony Wilson-Guitar
Jimmy LaMantia-Guitar/Vocals

“Holy Smoke”
Chuck Miller-Guitar
from Detroit City

“Holy Smoke”
John Harrida-Bass/Vocals
from Detroit City
*********************

“Holy Smoke”
Steve Starks-Drummer/Vocals
from Detroit City
***********************

“Holy Smoke”
John Fonti-Guitar
from Detroit City
****************

“Grand Funk Railroad”
Mark Farner-Guitar/Vocals
“I’m Your Captain”

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
“Mark Farner
& Grand Funk Railroad”
“Tommy Biondo Band”
“Tony Wilson
& The Wilson Ticket Band”
Burbank, IL / 1981

“Grand Funk Railroad”
Mark Farner-Guitar/Vocals
“Time Machine”
(photo courtesy of
Circus Magazine)

“Grand Funk Railroad”
Mark Farner-Guitar/Vocals
“Inside Looking Out”

“The Wilson Ticket Band”
Tony Wilson-Guitar
Danny Parker-Drums
***************************

“Tommy Biondo Band”
Tommy Biondo-Bass/Vocals
Chuck Schwartz-Drums
*************************

“Tommy Biondo Band”
Tommy Biondo-Bass
Chuck Schwartz-Drums
*************************

“Mountain”
Leslie West-Guitar/Vocals

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
“Leslie West & Mountain”
“The Jett Band”
Illinois College Auditorium
Jacksonville, IL / 1985

“Mountain”
Leslie West-Guitar/Vocals
(photo courtesy of
Robert Altman)

“The Jett Band”
Gene Strentz-Guitar
Karl Cira-Guitar
Robin Banks-Bass
**************************

****************************

“The Jett Band”
Gene Strentz-Guitar
******************

The Stage

“Jimmy Kane”
Stage Manager
Stage Crew Chief

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
“James Brown”
‘The Godfather Of Soul’
“Vivid”
Hammond Civic Center
Hammond, IN / 1999

“James Brown”

“Vivid”
Nick Sikich-Guitar
Heather Peters-Vocalist

“James Brown”
& “The James Brown Revue”

“Vivid”
Nick Sikich-Guitar
Heather Peters-Vocalist

“Vivid”
Heather Peters-Vocalist
**************************

“Vivid”
John Horvath-Drums
**************************

“Vivid”
Heather Peters-Vocalist
**********************

Sopro Music Presents
“In Concert”
“Heartsfield”
“The Flying Burrito Brothers”
RKO Orpheum Theater
Davenport, Iowa / 1977
(Bummer: no photos available)

***********************************************************************************
During these Sopro Music Concert Events, Photographers were not always available,
and Sopro Music Promoter Bud Monaco had not yet started up his SoproFoto shop.
So, there are many live performance photos that were not taken during the shows as
Bud was busy running the shows. If anyone has any photos from these shows, please
contact us at SoproMusic.com and send them along to us. We will list full photo
credits for your photography.

Special Thanks To:
Steve ‘Stinger’ Goodey-Sopro Music Webmaster & Website Developer
Boris Boden/Graffix By Boris-Sopro Music Graffix Artist
John Boeane-Southwest Stadium Manager
George Shaff, Sr.-Southwest Stadium Owner
Ted Bulthaup III-Stagecoach Productions
Studio Instrument Rentals-Stage Gear & Lighting
Continental Sound Reinforcement-Sound System & Monitors
Iowa Concert Stage Company-Stage Construction
Jordan Macarus-Southwest Stadium/Sopro Music Ground Crew
Emil Sileo(rip)-Sopro Music/Southwest Stadium Concessions
Sopro Music Stage Crew & Roadies
Phil Moloitis-Photography
Kris Quandee-Photography
SoproFoto-Photography
Bridgeview, Hickory Hills, Palos Hills-Police & Fire Departments
BFFB-Sopro Music Security
Fairfield High Monsters-Sopro Music Security
Front Row Records Productions/Craig Kimpel/Producer-Jacksonville, IL
Tom Lounges-The Beat Magazine & Beat Productions
Diversified Management Agency/ ‘DMA’ / Nick Caris-Detroit Booking Agent
DK Booking Agency / Dan Kavanaugh-Chicago Booking Agent