Gear Daddies return to roots

Baseball, music bring band home for Marcusen Park benefit

By Katie Johnson (Contact) | Austin Daily Herald

Published Friday, August 8, 2008

Hometown ties are hard to break, and a popular band founded in Austin has no intentions to sever them soon.

The Gear Daddies, who garnered fame in the late 1980s and early 90s, particularly with the hit song “Zamboni,” are returning to their roots with a benefit concert for Marcusen Park Saturday, Aug. 23.

Their last concert in Austin was in 1992 at the fairgrounds. About 7,000 people attended the event, later dubbed “Mud Fest” because of the downpour on fans at the concert.

“I was born and raised there,” bassist Nic Ciola said. “My mom is still there and my brother and his family.”

Now an Edina, Minn. resident, Ciola and his family have baseball in their blood; Ciola played for the Austin Greyhounds in the early 90s and again about a decade later, and his father played professional ball with several teams before coming to Austin to manage players. His brother, Joe, currently plays for the Greyhounds.

The other band members also have Austin connections — Martin Zellar splits time between a home in Mexico and another in Austin; Billy Dankert was born and raised in Austin; and Randy Braughten met his fellow band members while substitute teaching in the community.

Ciola said, for those reasons, Marcusen Park is a special place to him and his family.

“A few years back the City of Austin decided to stop funding the park because it got flooded, so a bunch of people formed the Marcusen Park (Baseball Association) just to keep Marcusen Park alive,” Ciola explained. “The big thing is that my dad also played baseball in the same park — he was brought to Austin to play.

“With all the history, I just wanted to do something to help the park,” he said. “I just had this idea to put on a benefit concert.”

The concert will become a reality Aug. 23, with other local bands LEEP 27, Summit Avenue, Amish Playboys and Plan B also in the lineup. Piggy Blues Bar-B-Que and Dominos will provide concessions, and two beer gardens will be on hand. Corporate sponsors will also receive VIP passes.

Ron Ripley, Marcusen Park Baseball Association president, said the he is projecting 2,500 to 5,000 could attend the event.

“They do have a good following around the area,” he said.

He estimated about 100 volunteers will help with the benefit, with all proceeds going toward preserving the ballpark, which opened in the late 1940s.

“(We are) funded basically through the sale of advertising of the outfield fencing and private donations,” Ripley said. “We could use the influx of money.”

The gates open at 2 p.m. and the music starts at 3 p.m. Tickets are $35 at the door or $29 in advance, and can be purchased at Hy-Vee in Austin or through Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.com, or call 252-1010 or 437-7625.

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