Celtic FC Foundation
Following a virtual event in October 2020, Celtic FC Foundation hosted its third in-person New York Gala Dinner in Manhattan on Thursday 24th March and it was the most successful US event to date, raising a staggering net total of over $450K.
The event featured three āHonoureesā ā Sir Kenny Dalglish (Sporting), Sir Rod Stewart (Arts) and Kevin Curley (Business), who is President of Curley Financial Group, LLC.
The venue was a private membersā club in the city and the event was attended by a capacity crowd of around 290 guests, including businesses, individuals and representatives from local Celtic Supportersā Clubs in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Dallas. The Gala was sponsored by Avolon and Curley Financial Group.
One of the prizes in the live auction was a VIP Sir Rod Stewart package for four, including concert tickets and meet and greet that raised a phenomenal $80K!
To read the full story go to https://www.celticfc.com/news/2022/march/25/magnificent-sum-of-over–450k-raised-at-foundation-s-new-york-gala-dinner/?fbclid=IwAR1JfS2sZfjrghFogPRKneL-urVWPDIf5AnFQygX6cSxcVxtrrLCZrzYnq8
Photos including our main photo used with kind permission from Lewis Kempā
Multimedia Executive, Celtic FC Foundation.
First Crush is The Deepest
Beth McReynolds who works on Fifth Avenue NYC had a great story to tell us this week…
“So Iām walking home tonight and I see a couple walking toward me. Itās a tiny older man with poofy hair and a giant blonde woman. As they get closer I realize itās none other than my first true love Rod Stewart! I said āHey Rodā and he responded āHeeeeeeyyyyaaaarrrrheeeee!ā How to put this delicately, š© FACED!! 40 years ago I would have followed him like a creeper fan girl. But today, I was hungry and wanted to get home. Sorry Rod, my priorities have changed. But you will always be my first true love babeā¤ļø.”
Rod [nearly] in Australia
Rod might not have got to Australia yet but he has finally made an exhibition of murals of music and movie legends in New South Wales.
Speaking to SMILER this week Kim Roache told the story..
“The painting is by an artist Stuart Sale, Heās originally from London and has a studio in my suburb of Marrickville, NSW Australia. Stuart creates murals and stencil art. He has illustrated the laneway of his studio and features famous faces from the world of music and movies. The laneway is an ongoing project. We had talked about including Rod in the famous faces for sometime and today Stuart held his laneway art show and there was Rod!”
To see the other music and movie legends in the art show go to https://www.instagram.com/stuartsale/?hl=en
Kim also told us why Rod’s timely inclusion was extra special to her “I was so disappointed when Rodās Australian tour was cancelled. Stuartās art brightened my day as I should have been at Rodās concerts this weekend”.
The Roundhouse Fundraising Gala
Ronnie Wood performed The Faces ‘Ooh La La’, The Corrs ‘Breathless’ and Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B. Good’ with Andrea Corr at The Roundhouse Fundraising Gala in London on Wednesday evening to raise vital funds for the venue’s charitable work for young creatives..
Ronnie is also among artists to have painted works for a charity art sale with a difference, While he has contributed a piece to a large collection of 3,200 artworks, buyers will not be told which one is his.
Ronnie contributed to Incognito 2022 ā a sale that only discloses the identity of the artists once it closes, Irelandās biggest online art sale is raising money for the Jack and Jill Childrenās Foundation, a charity that is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
Between now and the sale day, would-be buyers are encouraged to go online, browse the collection and pick their favourite pieces on a wish list. Those lists are then entered into a lottery system on the day of the sale ā April 21 ā with lucky buyers informed of their success, Pieces left unsold after the initial lottery will then be available for purchase online, Only once the collection has sold out ill the identity of the artists be revealed.
The Jack and Jill foundation provides specialist home nursing care, respite support and end-of-life care for more than 400 children with highly complex medical and life-limiting conditions in communities across Ireland.
For more information go to www.incognito.ie
Beck Dates
Rod’s old gaffer Jeff Beck announced extra dates to his tour this week..
Tour Dates:
May 27, 2022 – Cardiff St. David’s Hall
May 29, 2022 – Sheffield City Hall
May 30, 2022 – London Royal Albert Hall
May 31, 2022 – London Royal Albert Hall
June 2, 2022 – Gateshead Sage
June 3, 2022 – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
June 4, 2022 – Manchester O2 Apollo
June 6, 2022 – Birmingham Symphony Hall
June 7, 2022 – York Barbican
June 24, 2022 – Oslo Sentrum Scene
June 25, 2022 – SkjƦrva, Kristiansund N
June 27, 2022 – Stockholm Annexet
June 28, 2022 – Copenhagen Amager Bio
June 29, 2022 – Randers VƦrket
July 17, 2022 – Perugia Arena Santa Giuliana
July 18, 2022 – Gardone Riviera Il Vittoriale Degli Italiani
July 20, 2022 – Pordenone Parco San Valentino
July 23, 2022 – Vitrolles Salle du Radassier Maison de MaĆ®tre Domaine de Fontblanche
July 24, 2022 – Marciac Chapiteau Jim Marciac
July 25, 2022 – Paris L’Olympi
ROCK FOR UKRAINE
See Jim Cregan and Kenney Jones at Rock For Ukraine on 27th April.
A one-off concert to raise funds for Ukrainian refugee charities.
Itās a way for us all to do a little bit to help, but also a chance to see some fantastic rock musicians up close and personal in Esher near the London-Surrey Border .
Performing live will be Cregan & Co, featuring long term Rod Stewart collaborator Jim Cregan on vocals & guitar, Ben Mills on vocals & guitar, Harry James on drums, Pat Davey on bass and Sam Tanner and Josh Phillips (Procol Harum) on keyboards.
Plus John Lodge of the Moody Blues and a special guest guest appearance by Kenney Jones (Small Faces, Faces & The Who).
It promises to be an exciting and unique occasion.
To buy tickets go to
This Weeks Rod Art
This week we bring you an outstanding colourful mosaic made by talented mosaic Artist Martine Baxter from Pacifica, California who told SMILER “The mosaic is all glass except for the background and thatās paint and thin set”.
Talking about the inspiration for the artwork Martine added “Iāve always loved Rod Stewart and I like doing mosaics so I thought Iād give him a shot found this picture, and gave it a shot“.
To see more fantastic work by Martine go to https://www.instagram.com/martines_mosaics/?hl=en
Listen Closely with Jon & Chris
This weeks edition of the great podcast Listen Closely with Jon & Chris is all about Rod’s 1988 classic album ‘Out Of Order’ it is a fantastic podcast and you can listen exclusively on @spotify .
Describing this weeks edition Jon & Chris wrote ‘The great Rod Stewart was a regular fixture on the charts in 1988 and 1989 thanks to his incredibly successful album, Out of Order. By teaming up with Andy Taylor and the late, Bernard Edwards, Rod revived his career and won over a new legion of fans’.
And speaking to SMILER this week about the podcast Jon told us
“Our podcast is a lot about nostalgia, and Out of Order is the Rod that we grew up with, the Rod that was big when we were kids, But we also chose the album because of its significance in the trajectory of Rod’s career, It gave him the boost here in the US that he needed at the time and returned him to the top of the charts. The Andy Taylor production is significantly important here. And Out of Order paved the way for Rod to have an incredible five-year run here in the US”.
Go to https://open.spotify.com/episode/58HDdpE7pu3tLNFOERcrvD it is well worth a listen.
Ronald Frederick “Ronnie” “Plonk” Lane
This Friday on his birthday, we remember Ronnie Lane the much loved mod, rock ‘n’ roll and blues folk roots singer, songwriter, bassist and guitar player, Well known for his membership in the prominent English rock bands Small Faces (1965-69), Faces (1970-73) and Slim Chance (1973-1976), works with Pete Townshend and Eric Clapton, āhis body of solo works āand multiple collaborations with other āworld-class artists and musicians.
Ronnie Lane born April 1, 1946
And finally …
After last weeks post about the ‘Seven Miles Out’ Jeff Beck Group poster a few members asked if it was possible to buy a copy from anywhere, well the good news is you can from this week, they are on sale at Ā£15 each from https://sevenmilesoutrecords.co.uk/merch/
The poster is a limited edition commemorative poster of Stockportās legendary Tabernacle Club highlighting some of the great bands that played there during 1967 including The Jeff Beck Group with Rod on vocals, Riot Squad with David Bowie on vocals and Band of Joy with Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin on vocals. It is printed on high quality 250gsm gloss laminate paper.