10/13/2026
WEREWOLVES OF WADSWORTH. LEGENDS OF CANTON.
BVD (Brooke Vitale Dixon)
Celestia Theater, Wadsworth, Ohio
Friday, October 2, 2026
I didn't actually see any werewolves in Wadsworth that night. Maybe they were lurking behind the Wadsworth Brewing Company, where I stopped for a pint of Wadstoberfest Amber L***r before the show. The Celestia Theater is a beautifully renovated 900 seat auditorium in the old Wadsworth Central School building, built in 1907, and it was here that I did see some legends of Canton.
Formed in 2013, BVD is a Canton supergroup fronted by vocalist/guitarist Eric Brooke, a 35 year veteran of the Northeast Ohio music scene since making the move from his native Wisconsin. Eric pulled double duty at this show, as he also fronted the headlining band on the bill, 3am, a tribute to Matchbox Twenty. In BVD, Eric is joined by drum legend Joe Vitale (Joe Walsh, Crosby Stills & Nash, The Eagles), a 1967 graduate of Lehman High School. On bass, renowned musician/vocalist/songwriter Don Dixon (producer for R.E.M., The Smithereens, Hootie & the Blowfish), a native of South Carolina and Canton resident since 1988.
BVD's self-produced 2013 cd, "Brooke Vitale Dixon," is their only release to this date. It was followed by two Canton area live performances, and that was it. While all three have remained active in music, the Celestia Theater gig marked only their third time on stage together. This reviewer is hoping the fourth time will be sooner rather than (thirteen years) later.
The band took the stage following an introduction by Brad Savage, program director of 91.3 The Summit in Akron. BVD had a second "V" in the lineup on this night (B2VD? Sounds like a Star Wars robot), as they were joined by Joe's son, multi-instrumentalist Joe Vitale Jr. (Ravenwood, Donnie Iris & the Cruisers) on guitar, Billy King (Mind Over Matter) on sax and "Dr. Paul" Kelner (The FM Project) on keyboards.
Eric stepped to the mic and announced, "This is the first song off our only album." With that, the band kicked into "Queen Of The Freaks," a hard rocker about a st****er who is definitely royalty - to the freaks in the strip club. How come I never hear this song at Gatsby's Pub? Not that I...well, um, nevermind. Next up was a cover of the Warren Zevon classic, "Werewolves Of London." Joe Jr. handled the lead vocal and snuck a "Werewolves of Wadsworth" into the chorus, perfect for the start of Halloween season. "This is our thirteen year reunion," Eric explained. "We're like that guy in 'Jeepers Creepers.' We only come back every thirteen years to feed!"
Dixon sang lead and wielded his signature black 1973 Fender Jazz bass on his own composition, "I'm Not Your Taxi," a highlight from the BVD cd but originally recorded by his band Arrogance for their 1980 Warner/Curb album, "Suddenly."
"We're gonna go back to the 1960s" is how Joe Sr. introduced the Kinks classic, "All Day And All Of The Night," his only lead vocal turn of the show. I don't remember the sixties personally (not because of drugs, hippies, because I was a toddler), but I'm guessing this song would have been in the set list of his teenage band, The Chylds. Eric took the lead vocal on "Fun In Funk," the closing track on the BVD cd and a good example of Eric's sense of humor. This song gives him a chance to scream an "f" word that's not THE "f" word, but almost. Someone must have slipped Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars a copy of the BVD track. "Uptown Funk" was released in November of 2014.
In recent years, Joe Jr. has been playing drums for Western PA legends Donnie Iris & the Cruisers. On this night, he sang lead and played guitar on "Love Is Like A Rock." It's hard to believe this song only made it to #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in 1981. Just a week after this show, Donnie Iris, a cancer survivor, announced his retirement from live performing. At age 83, no one can say he didn't give his all. He could scream like a power pop Rob Halford. Here's hoping Joe Jr. will keep "King Cool's" music alive.
Eric had a special announcement to set up "Praying Mantis," Dixon's scary girlfriend tune from the MTV era. "Don Dixon, he played in a band back in the day called Arrogance, out on the East Coast. They were pretty huge and they are getting inducted into the...what state hall of fame?" Dixon replied, "I think, I think it's the North Carolina Motor Speedway Hall of Fame." Funny, but he got the state right. On October 15th, Arrogance will be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. Certainly long overdue. They probably hold a grudge down south because he moved up here to Canton, Ohio.
In addition to BVD, 3am and solo gigs, Eric is a member of In The Heartland, the Michael Stanley tribute band featuring guitarist Danny Powers of MSB. For "Let's Get The Show On The Road," from Michael Stanley's 1973 "Friends & Legends" album, the band was joined on stage by George "Geo" Malatesta, a long time collaborator of Eric's who plays alongside him in 3am. Geo also plays guitar and sings in the Electric Light Orchestra tribute band Into The Blue. After the song, Eric asked the audience, "How many of you knew that Joe Vitale played the drum part on the original recording of 'Let's Get The Show On The Road' by Michael Stanley? That was Joe!" Joe Sr. responded, "A hundred years ago. Where's my soup?"
This particular pot of rock soup was brought to a rolling boil with the finale, "Rocky Mountain Way." Joe Sr. shares a writing credit and played drums on this classic from Joe Walsh's "The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get" album from 1973. Joe Jr. sang the lead vocal and handled the talk box during the guitar solo, with Eric providing the slide. Both did Joe Walsh proud. Joe Sr. provided the same power he brought over fifty years ago to this enduring staple of FM radio, arguably the most recognizable of his storied career.
In closing I'll share another amusing bit of between-song banter. Dixon brought up the topic of the Celestia Theater and its location in the old school building. "Did anybody go to middle school here?...Apparently our dressing rooms are where the pool used to be. Does that sound right? A pool in a middle school? I didn't have a pool in my middle school in South Carolina." Eric added, "I went to [school in] Janesville, Wisconsin, and my middle school - the boys swam naked. True story! I'm still working it out." Dixon responded, "Wow! Was this in Greece?"
There it is. Now we know why Eric relocated to Ohio all those years ago. Zander and Xavier, your dad was looking out for you. Long live BVD and continue to rock. -Super Potsie, host of Rock Stew on WNPA-LP FM, Neopa Community Radio in Canton, Ohio. Neopa.org. I saw a werewolf drinking a Wadstoberfest at Trader Vic's. His hair was perfect.
