Home    Shows     Bios     Photos     Songs     Media     Contact     Facebook     Guestbook     Booking

Jessica Dickens - Lead Vocals
jessica@rockbackstage.com.

 There are only two words to describe Jessica, tiny and LOUD. Coming in at just under five feet, she has the chops to compete with those twice her size. After some not-so-subtle wooing by KW in the form of cookies and a shiny new bike, she finally gave in and joined BSP. Known for her bright red hair and extremely dry sarcasm, Jess honed her skills listening to divas such as Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston (shut it Joe) and then studied opera for over 5 years.

After a brief stint pursuing musical theater, she discovered the awesomeness that is Pat Benatar and her style was changed forever. Having shifted her focus to rock, Jess was in several start-up projects, one that fate would have it led her to meet Richie and former BSP bassist Andy Bunk, before landing in BSP.

Constantly picked on for her inability to sing harmonies, Jess has already decided that if this whole music thing doesn�t pan out, she can always become a crazy cat lady. She�s already off to a great start with three.

Kevin Barry -Guitar
 Having played professionally for over 20 years, Kevin is well-versed in many styles. Playing in various metal bands in the 80�s, he decided to mellow things out a little in the 90�s and formed a Jazz/Blues band. Kevin then went in a completely opposite direction and formed a Blues/Jazz band. Then he realized his heart lay in good ol' fashion Metal/Rock 'n' Roll. "In the 80�s, I used to rock 'n' roll all nite and party every day. Then after the 90�s and marriage, it was every other day. Now I�m lucky to find time twice a week with which to get FUNKY." For a day job, Kevin got his career start at McDonald's, cutting the ridges into the pickle chips. After obtaining his MBA (Masters in Buns Administration), he has since been promoted to putting the sesame seeds on the Big Mac buns. �Life's not about money - you have to enjoy your job.�

Kevin's guitar influences include but are not limited to: Van Halen, SRV, Lynch, Ywingie, Nigel Tuffnel, and Blind Mellon Chitlin.

Kevin Wendling - Guitar / Vocals
kevinw@rockbackstage.com

 Kevin's musical career is a classic result of "Monkey see, monkey do." After hearing his older brother Mike sing and play guitar, and seeing his bands, Kevin wanted to do the same. His first paying performances were in high school, playing for local "mixers" -some of the very songs he plays with BSP today! Then, he teamed up with Andy Bunk(former BSP Bassist), playing Metallica, Metallica, Metallica, with a little Megadeth, Anthrax, etc., mixed in, to local audiences in the drummer's basement and alley.

After various incarnations of the garage bands, he teamed up with Andy again in the original Progressive Rock project, PROFILE, which got the chance to open for KANSAS. "Kansas.....Kansas.....I said Kansas..." ( inside joke! ) After that, Kevin joined the 80's rock band DAWN PATROL, to keep playing regularly. That is how he met former BSP drummer Len Deptula, former BSP bassist Ronnie Rivera, and former BSP guitarist Adam Schoenwald.

After a few years of "retirement", Kevin got a call from another Dawn Patrol alum, John Gomolka, to see if he could fill in for John's country band, STRAIT SOUTHERN. "What....me? Don't you know anyone else?" After playing the summer of 2003 with Strait Southern, Kevin got the performing "fever" again, and as fate would have it, BSP was soon to be in need of a new guitarist.

His Favorite guitarists: John Petrucci, Chris DeGarmo, Vai, Satch, Schon, EVH, Nuno, and Eric Johnson

Biggest Influences: Dream Theater, Metallica (up to the black album), Iron Maiden, Queensryche, and Cartoon Network

Biggest Wankers: Mik Mars, CC DeVille, Yngwie

Joe Bruenning - Bass
joeb@rockbackstage.com

 What can we say about Joe... Probably, the less, the better! He's a rare breed of animal - bass player. We don't ask him too many questions, you know, plausible denial. We can say for certain, he's quite the bass player. We can also say never feed him a spicy chicken sandwich!

Joe's musical influences are: Peter Tork, Johnny Holmes, the Banana Splits, and Moby.

Marty Lombardo - Keyboards / Vocals
marty@rockbackstage.com

 Marty is a very versatile Piano/Keyboard player, who plays all styles, especially Metal. (OK, he really doesn't do Metal, but we want to see if he pays any attention to this site...) You may have seen him in the last 10 years playing in some of Chicagoland's hottest cover bands, like Hi Infidelity, Sixteen Candles, and IPop.

Marty's influences are The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Bill Evans, Chopin and Yo Gabba (OK, threw that last one in to see if he notices...)

Richie Balsano - Drums / Vocals
richieb@rockbackstage.com

 Richie B began playing music as a bored and driftless youth in the suburbs of Atlanta. Growing up and watching MTV staples like The Rock Line and Headbangers Ball made him appreciate the Rock and/or Roll, and he would later naturally fall into the more alternative trappings of teenage life in the 90�s. While starting out on the guitar, Richie would later move on to the drums, as result of simple supply and demand principles (there were never enough drummers around).

After learning to play drums on a JCPenney toddler drum kit, Richie played in an acoustic act in high school, and a few other basement jam / small project bands throughout college. He then moved to Chicago in the mid-2000�s and joined an original Chicago-based alternative-funk outfit by the name of Eleven Dollar Life, playing a number of clubs around the City of Chicago for several years. Richie took a break from music pending the birth of his first child, but the desire to play the tunes he loves proved all too alluring, so he joined up with BackStage Pass in 2010.

By and large a pocket style player, Richie takes a lot of inspiration from drummers like Tommy Lee and Dave Grohl. His musical tastes are well represented by the BackStage Pass set list, and enjoys other bands such as The Cult and the Black Crowes as well. Richie is also fairly geeky, and likes, in no particular order, Star Trek, Little Caesars Pizza, CSPAN, and cowbells.