Disco inferno at Rossi’s

“We had so many of our friends and family affected by cancer, we felt we had to do something,” said Oscar Mooneyhan.

And with that – with his wife Kat by his side – nine years ago the Bell Bottom Bash was born. Raised here in Sonoma, Mooneyhan had spent 30 years in Reno before making it back to “the island” and had produced a similar event in Reno called “The Shindig,” which boasted a ’60s theme. Originally envisioned as a benefit for the American Cancer Society and the Relay for Life, Mooneyhan has branched out over the years, and with close to $50,000 raised, the event has benefited such causes as the Rise of the Fallen, Wounded Warriors and, this year’s beneficiary, the American Diabetes Foundation.

Venue issues forced the cancellation of last year’s event, but when Rossi’s owner Max Young got wind of the bash, he offered up his venue in El Verano for the fundraiser, taking place this Saturday, May 2. The event has boasted various themes over the years: the Summer of Love, the ’70s, etc. This year the theme is disco, with Mooneyhan’s band BackTrax (full disclosure: I’m a member) stepping away from the classic rock set they typically play and laying down a long set of danceable disco songs from the ’70s and ’80s (learned just for this show).

DJ Saucy 1 will be spinning disco classics before and after the live show. There will be prizes for the best disco-themed costume, and a dance contest to be held during one of the live songs, with lessons given prior by professional dance instructor Diane Micheli. There will also be an appearance by Nathalie Tedrick and the Rouge Dance Company, and Popo the Clown will be in attendance doing face painting.

The evening kicks off at 5:30 p.m., with a buffet dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. DJ Saucy 1 gets the dance floor warmed up at 7:30 and the band takes the stage at 8:30 with Saucy 1 dancing all the way ’til midnight. There are two levels of tickets, one that includes the entire evening and one just for the dance portion of the night. Tickets and more info can be found at rossis1906.com and bellbottombash.com.