We head back to Matt Cullen's awesome celebrity weekend for his childrens foundation Cully's Kids in Fargo, ND
Matt Cullen (Carolina Hurricanes) and his wife Bridget run a wonderful organization called Cully's Kids. We are so honoured that they have asked us back to rock the event. The main goal of Cully's Kids is to increase awareness of children's healthcare issues, focusing on cancer. They are lovely people and it is a beautiful weekend. For more info please checkout Cully's Kids.

Fargo/Cully's Kids Post-Gig Report: 2006
Well, 15 years and this gig is right up there with the best of them. We're not saying the all-hockey wedding or playing at the 2002 NHL All-Star Game were not incredible, but this was ridiculously incredible.

Where do we begin? We arrive at the Hartford airport at 7 a.m. only to learn our United flight to Chicago is cancelled. Okay, but the show is that night--and half way across the country. Thanks to a heroic effort by US Airways (well-earned plug) and no thanks to United, we re-routed flights on the lovely Northwest Airlines and also on the VERY lovely US Airways. As a matter of fact, The Zambonis highly recommend that the NHL or any team hires US Airways employee Michael G, who literally took control of our situation in a calm, cool, collected manner we haven't seen since Cam Ward in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The band was playing a benefit for a great cause and Michael was getting us to Fargo no matter what it took.

Okay, we arrive in Fargo 13 hours later. Our boy T-Bone picks us up and shoots us over to the club. We arrive at 8 p.m., five hours later than expected. The gig was scheduled to start at 8, so we set up in no time, spend a few minutes greeting our host and hostess (Matt and Bridget Cullen) and many of their friends and family whom we met when we played the event last year. Celebrity guests, family, friends and fans--everyone we meet is first-class all the way.

As we all head back to the stage, we see it, in all its glory, sitting on a table in the center of the room: The Stanley Cup. We sit in awe for a bit then we asked if the cup could perhaps make its way to the stage for a song or two. Before we hit the stage, Matt Cullen makes a nice speech with the Cup on the stage, he then raises it above his head for the cameras. He puts down the sneaky heavy Cup and introduces The Zambonis. We hit the stage. Five Zambonis and on this night, the newest member of the band, The Stanley Cup!

At some point we expected the Cup to head back to the center of the room. Well, that never happened. A WHOLE GIG WITH THE CUP! Dave grabbed the Cup for a few songs and raised it over his head while singing. At one point, Carolina Hurricane Mike Commodore was posing with the Cup at the edge of the stage while we were trying to concentrate on playing our hockey rock. It was a surreal, wonderful show. It should end there but it didn't.

We all pack up after an amazing event and head over to our hotel for a post-gig party/gathering. A few hockey players, a few close friends of Matt and Bridget, one fine actor (Eric Stolhanske aka Rabbit from "Super Troopers") and a few family members and The Zambonis. Our drummer Mat O. had never touched a drop of alcohol in his life. NOT A DROP! He was persuaded (enabled?) by Matt Cullen, his friend Joel (whom incidentally took his first sip of alcohol the night before from the Cup) and Dave Zamboni that there is no better way to take your first sip than from The Stanley Cup. Mat took a knee and drank about 4 ounces of the oh-so-strong Michelob Ultra Light--poured by Cully.

So, we can cross this off our to-do list: play a whole gig with the Stanley Cup on stage and then go to to a hotel party and have a few beers out of the Cup poured by a Stanley Cup Champion. As hockey fans, 'Canes fans and human beings, this was a dreamy night.

Here is a nice piece on the event on NHL.COM (we get a nice mention) and also check out more great pics from the event here....

August - CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) posts a cute little interview with the Zambonis
Click here to check it out!

Our friend/mascot the Hockey Monkey now has his own myspace page.
He just put it up recently so please visit him and be his friend. The page will be updated with fun info and also will give you some background into the world of the official HOCKEY MONKEY.

August 12 - Live in Bridgeport, CT. FREE !!!!
Ted Leo!
The Zambonis!
FREE!!!!
5 other bands!
Don't be afraid of our Bridgeport, EMBRACE IT! The event is called Bridgeport Over Ground. Click on this myspace page for all the details. The event starts at 3pm. Zambonis are on at 6pm sharp. Other great bands on the gig are The Alternate Routes, Titles, J Dimenna, The Mountain Movers, Planeside checkout the great poster for the gig!

Post Gig Report: Ted Leo has joined our club of nice, non-pretentious, smart and sport loving (World Cup Soccer) rockers.
It was a great show. Some 9 year old kid walked up to Dave before the show and said "I know the words to all of your songs", Dave asked him his name and he said "Matthew Trueblood." With a name like that, how could the band not ask him to come up and do a guest vocal. Song #3 was "Drop That Puck", Dave invites Matthew to the stage, the kid knew all the words to that song and then stayed on for Hockey Monkey. Dave asked him if he wanted to go off the stage, Matthew said "nah" so, he stayed on stage for the whole set. Singing in what some would call "potential pitch". The kid was cute as a button and we were glad to have him. Check out the pic below ....

August 10 2006 - Zambonis get a nice mention in a wonderful book with a wonderful title.
A guy sent us an email saying he wrote a book that we not only may like but, had a bit written about our band. We were intrigued. Then he told us the title... "How Hockey Saved the World: (and defeated George W. Bush, but not necessarily in that order)" We were very intrigued. Here is what is written about The Zambonis on page 126...

"The Zambonis is the name of a rock band whom are not famous for their not hit single and not hit video Hockey Monkey which I Commend for its raw hockeyesque power chords and impressive monkeyrrific animation. My kids, my wife and I think the Zambonis rock! We cherish them and the ice they rock on. All we can say is, we're not worthy." The author is named Alex Charns and we tip our helmet to him and his family. Below is the link to his book again titled "How Hockey Saved the World*: (*and defeated George W. Bush, but not necessarily in that order"

June 24 - BROOKLYN!!!
Freddy's in Brooklyn, HERE WE COME!! Plain and simple, WE LOVE FREDDY’S!!! No matter how big or small your band is, you have to make room for Freddy's. This is our night so we booked the bands. Come early we're not sure who's going first, second or third ... The nite will feature America's Sweethearts. Three chicks that rock from NYC. Also playing, our favorite band from CT ..The Danglers. Trust us. They will rock your world. FYI: The Village Voice called it, "The Best Brooklyn Bar." Freddy's Bar & Backroom is located at: 485 Dean Street, Brooklyn. (718) 622-7035.

Siriusly, this is awesome! WE'RE #1!!!
New...The Zambonis Quik Quiz
Name the world's only band that writes songs about hockey and reached #1 on Sirius Radio's AltNation (Channel 21). Nope, it's not Dave Schultz. IT'S THE ZAMBONIS!
"Hockey Monkey" (co-written with James Kochalka Superstar) was #1 for the week ending May 21. It briefly slipped to #2, but, like a truly athletic/competitive hockey monkey, fought its way back to #1 this week (slaying Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and AFI among others who have things like recording contracts, booking agents, managers, lawyers, fancy publicists and riders requesting imported bottled water and vegan sandwiches). We said it before and we will again....YAHOO SIRIUS!!!!
Feel free to request Hockey Monkey!!! Call the Sirius Hotline at 877-33-SIRIUS

Brand New Record from The Zambonis & Harry & The Potters!
We have done many cool things over the years but this is definitely on the top of the list. The Zambonis are putting out a split 7 inch vinyl record with our friends and fellow concept band Harry & The Potters. Both bands agreed to combine hockey and Harry, pucks and Potter, Whalers and wizardry, ok, you get the point. Zambonis wrote the best song the 1967 line up of Pink Floyd never wrote called "Harry Potter & His Magic Hockey Stick". Track two for us is called "Conceptual Music". The Potters come in with "Hogwartz Tonsil Hockey Team" & "The Forbidden Forest Hockey League". The cherry on top of this whole project is our favorite artist/friend and co writer of Hockey Monkey James Kochalka did all the artwork for the record. It is cute and amazing. We didn't make many of these so when they go on sale, be sure to get one with the quickness. We should have them by July 15th. Below is the front cover of the record..........

July 7 - The Zambonis Mayor's Cup, Plattsburgh, NY 7—8pm FREE!
Rumor has it there's a large monster in Lake Champlain called "Champy." Maybe a little hockey rock can provoke an appearance? Nothing screams hockey band like a sailing event in steamy July. Take a trip to scenic upstate NY and see us don our rare Boston Whalers jerseys. For more info go to The Mayor's Cup.

Sept 17 - Burlington, Vermont youth hockey fundraiser Burlington, VT
The best club around...... Higher Ground (our second home)

May 19 - THE ZAMBONIS play Bridgeport, CT
Its an all ages show at the very cool Nest in our hometown of Bridgeport, CT. 8:30 PM
The Nest - 32 Hancock St., Bridgeport
$5 cover - Featuring...
An Epic at Best - Athens, GA
The Zambonis - Your hometown hunks
and the awesome J DiMenna - Brooklyn, NY

April 28 - The Zambonis back in Burlington, VT!!!
Ahhh, finally. We will be playing an ALL AGES early show at our fave club The HIgher Ground in Burlington, VT. We our also very psyched to be playing the show with our fave friends and fellow concept band Harry and The Potters. Bring the whole youth hockey league, bring your friends who like hockey or wizards, its gonna be a great show!! For more info, checkout the Higher Ground

April 19 - The Zambonis perform live on Canadian TV!
The CBC has invited The Zambonis to perform "Hockey Monkey" live in the studio on a series called "Hockeyville." We will be taping the show in Kingston, Ontario (the supposed birthplace of hockey). Quite fitting. We are soooo excited to play for the CBC/Canada, we are bringing our friend and co-writer of the song James Kochalka. It looks like an earlier episode of "Hockeyville" will feature a duo performing another song of ours, "We Write The Songs That Make The Whole Rink Sing."

March 23 - The Zambonis Win Blender Magazine's BEST SONG EVER (about Monkeys)!
Long money was on "Hockey Monkey," a short song from a lil' band named the Zambonis, known primarily as "the world's best-loved and ONLY all-hockey rock band." In a show of grit, determination and street teaming that would bring a tear to Rocky's eye, the Zambonis mustered a resounding defeat.....read more here

February 23 - Hennessy Hernandez Benefit!!!
We raised $7000 at our Hennessy Hernandez Benefit!!! The Zambonis had a chance to do a little something for a little someone. On Feb 23rd, we did. Our benefit concert for a lovely little girl named Hennessy Hernandez--who has complete paralysis below her rib cage--was a great success. The show featured The Zambonis, our friends Harry and The Potters (all songs about Harry Potter!), and an auction of some very cool stuff from both the hockey and music worlds.

Before we thank everybody, we are very proud to announce we raised $7000 for Hennessy and her family. Thank you to all who donated, came to the show, and helped us pull it all off. Thank you to our sponsors: Jimmys Hip-Hop Shop and Lesser & Lieberthal. Thank you to all who donated great items for the auction: Guster (Brian & Dalton), Toronto Maple Leafs & Mike Myers (Bob from Triage), Bruce Springsteen (Monty), NY Islanders (Chris Campoli & Tim Beach), Barenaked Ladies, The Zamboni Company (Paula, Richard Zamboni), Moby (Lee Milazzo), L.A Kings, Smuckers Champions On Ice (Monty, David Pelletier, Jamie Sale), Weight Watchers, The NHL, Executive Promotions, Kid Galaxy, USAopoly and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Howard & Jody Robinson).

Special thanks to Bob "Dad" Schneider, Melissa Bisagni and her sis Naomi and kids, Ann Katis, Keith from The Saucers for his sound advice, Brita and all at The Fairfield County Weekly, Val and the kids from Jonathan Law High School, Dee for the cakes, Ricky for the helium balloons, Jim and Regina Butler, Keith Schneider, all the bidders for the auction and Jimmy and The Battlecats for the idea of having a benefit. If we forgot you, please forgive us, everybody ROCKED for this event...Thanks for all the hard work!

Peter Katis of The Zambonis is up for a PLUG award!!
Please vote for him as Record Producer of the Year!!!

Greatest Hits Record coming soon in Canada!!!
The Zambonis have signed a record deal with Nettwerk Records in Canada!!! We will be releasing a greatest hits CD in Septemeber 2006. The CD will have about 16 tracks. As a bonus,it will also include 3 or 4 new tracks.

Greatest GOAL of the Year!!!
Forget Ovechkin... Forget Malik... Check out Robert Nilsson of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers with the most unbelievable goal in a long time.

InsideHockey.com has 5 Questions for the Zambonis!
Why is INSIDEHOCKEY.COM our favorite website? Simple, a bunch of us Zambonis (Dave, Matt, Tarquin, Peter) have been answering questions about hockey and music for a column appropiately titled...5 questions with The Zambonis...check it out!!