Wheels of Fire performs at the Alabama Tail Gate Party prior to BCS Championship Game

Alabama meets Texas for the 2010 BCS National Championship on Jan. 7 in the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Like any huge event, there is much more to this day than just the game. There's the pre-game tailgate party.

Our good friends Hector Gonzalez owner of Rampart Records and Robert “Bobcat” Cook have put together an all star group of musician named the group Wheels of Fire and will be performing at the official Alabama Tail Gate Event being held at the Brookside Golf Club today.

This is a huge event and Wheels of Fire will be performing for over 1,250 people. This event is so big the University of Alabama Marching Band with Cheerleaders will perform during Wheels of Fire’s intermission. Now that is enormous.

Rehearsals here at Hothouse Studios have been going great and the guys are going to show the people from Alabama how California Rocks n Rolls.

This is an all-star super group with some of the finest musicians and some of our oldest and dearest friends.

Wheels of Fire band members are:

Hector A. Gonzalez – Musical Contractor and band leader – Fender Baritone Guitar.
Robert “Bobcat” Cook – Asst. band leader – Rhythm Guitar and Vocals
Luis “Chia” Lizarraga – Background Vocals and Hand Percussion
Phil Salvail – Bass Guitar and Lead Vocals
Tim Sullivan – Lead Guitar and Vocals
Rick Downings – Synthesizer Guitar and Vocals
Johnny (V) Villa – Drums
Ricky Rodriquez – Congas
Jim “The Hawk” Hamilton – Equipment Manager (Motor Home Driver)
Selim Osorio – Band Roadie


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SambaLa Samba School
Part of 2010 Jack-in-the-Box Rose Parade Float


I always get this accomplished feeling when I see the acts that rehearse at Hothouse Studios do well for themselves.

For a big example of this and I mean big one, our good friend David de Hilster president of the SambaLa Samba School, a 15-year-old non-profit organization based in Long Beach California, dedicated to creating a community for those who enjoy the Brazilian culture, has been rehearsing 65 participates to parade on and around the 2010 Jack-in-the-Box float for the 121st edition of the Rose Parade on January 1, 2010 in Pasadena California here at Hothouse Studios.

This year's theme for the Jack-in-the-Box float is "Carnival" featuring performers from SambaLa Samba School representing the best of the Brazilian culture to over 40 million TV viewers around the world.

SambaLa Samba School provides samba dance and drum classes, performs at professional shows, and produces the annual Long Beach, California Brazilian Street Carnival and hosting their rehearsals was fabulous. 45 dancers and 20 drummers, you get the picture, now you know why I said big. Near the end of the rehearsal process the whole act got together and ran through a few marching performances out in our parking lot. That was very cool.

One time David said to me "It's a great honor and a huge responsibility to put so much of the Brazilian culture in the most famous parade in the United States, the work involved is at times overwhelming and compares to the work needed to put on a carnival parade in Brazil with the making of new costumes, arranging of the drum corp.’s music, and coming up with choreographies for the parade”.

David would add “But we have a very experienced team and although we will be exhausted come the day after the parade, it will be worth it to show the best Brazil has to offer to millions around the world - it's an once-in-a-lifetime experience".

SambaLa Samba School was chosen specifically for their ability to bring together so many people with so many samba costumes in a short amount of time. The talent director for the Jack-in-the-Box float researched many groups, eventually choosing SambaLa for the job.

The parade will feature new samba costumes by Long Beach designer, Doris de Hilster, choreography by RioBela production's Valeria Ruggieri, and music arrangement by SambaLa Music director David de Hilster. Doris, David, and Valeria make up the directorate of SambaLa Samba School.

Click here for more information about the SambaLa Samba School.

Thank You David and all the dancers and drummers for letting Hothouse Studios be a small part of this is awesome accomplishment of yours.

For an First Rate
Audio Video Rehearsal Experience
Go to Hothouse Studios
"Where Music Grows"

Hothouse Rehearsal Studios, 11823 Slauson Ave., Unit 41, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, USA