FORGOTTEN DOOR Performs at 2013 Forever Home Family Picnic Today

Fresh off their successful 14-week residency at the Wolf Theater inside the Clarion Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas-based rockers Forgotten Door (www.officialforgottendoor.com) are celebrating their first ever Hollywood Music in Media Award (HMMA) nomination.

The popular indie "New Classic Rock" band is up for "Best Song" in the Adult Contemporary/AAA category for "Masquerade," the infectious lead track from their critically-acclaimed debut album Unlocked.

The HMMAs honor music from visual mediums, individuals who create and produce it, and both mainstream and independent musicians from around the globe. The award show is set for Thursday, November 21, 2013 at The Fonda Theater in Hollywood at 7 p.m.

Today, November 3, Forgotten Door is performing for a cause near to their hearts at the Forever Home Family Picnic & 4K 9 Run at Sunset Park, in support of The Animal Foundation, Nevada's largest open admission animal shelter (Lied Animal Shelter) and pet adoption center and the Outside Las Vegas Foundation. Their 45-minute set begins at 1 p.m.

Billed as Las Vegas' one of a kind dog friendly event and 4k run, the event begins with the 4K-9 run at 9 a.m. Participants can walk, run, stroll or meander the 4k (2.5 mile) course with their canine running partners while enjoying Sunset Park's newly renovated trail system. Registrants receive a commemorative T-shirt and finisher medal, K-9 bandana and finisher dog tag (for one four-legged companion) chip timing, race bib, picnic admission and more with their $44 entry fee. Runners can register an additional four-legged running pal for just $5. Interested runners can register in advance at http://www.animalfoundation.com/event/race/ or in person at 8 a.m. the morning of the event,

This is followed by a family picnic, which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This part of the event includes fun activities for "dogs and their humans," a one mile dog-friendly walk (beginning at 11 a.m.), contests for canines judged by Holly Madison, live entertainment and raffle prizes, food trucks and a pet-friendly vendor fair. Entry to the picnic is $10 per person included with Run registration.

Founded in 1978 as a small, low-cost spay and neuter clinic, the Animal Foundation-a non-profit, 501(c) organization-quickly picked up speed and, soon after opening its doors, began offering adoption services.

Expanding its scope over the past 35 years, The Animal Foundation currently operates and manages an 8-acre Las Vegas campus that houses a multitude of services and provides a refuge for more than 45,000 lost, unwanted, neglected and abandoned animals every year. To eliminate the tragedy of pet overpopulation, The Animal Foundation believes community is essential, education is empowerment and action is everything. Our mission is to inspire, educate and empower people to join the fight against pet overpopulation. For more information, please visit www.animalfoundation.com.

"Forgotten Door's" contribution to this amazing event, is perhaps summed up in the words of one of the bands co-founders and leaders, Johndale Stanley. He comments, "We as a band are all caring and protective pet owners, and we are very aware that animals are profoundly loving and faithful. We have talked as a band about how there is such a lesson in observing their actions toward us, that we humans need to emulate, like what we say and how it is conveyed to others. We find it interesting that animals seem to be a gift for humans to enjoy. So it's our job to protect and take care of them. We are proud of the Animal Foundation's efforts to be the voice of these helpless animals and to help them live better lives."

Stanley, co-founder, keyboardist and one of the lead vocalists of the six-piece Forgotten Door, explains the origins of their unique name: "We want to communicate that there is still good music out there that has heart and soul like the great pop/rock we grew up with. The meaning of our name, "Forgotten Door," is that our band is a passage back, or a doorway back, so to speak, to the things people loved about music, and got excited about. Our fans tell us they love songs like 'Hotel California,' 'Long Train Runnin' and 'Rhiannon,' but they've heard them a million times. They want new music created in that vein, but sonically different enough that they can feel a renewed sense of excitement, and passion about. They're emotionally thirsty to hear something fresh."

Unlike most groups that long to tour the U.S. and world, Forgotten Door is excited about staying in town, performing for residents, tourists, conventioneers, etc. Celebrating the upcoming release of their highly-anticipated, appropriately titled debut album Unlocked, the eclectic band's lineup includes co-founder, vocalist and guitarist Lonnie Danley, lead vocalist Melody Ritz, lead and slide guitarist, and vocalist Michael Seal, bassist Karl Gottmann and drummer Kevin Brennan.

To post a comment, you must register and login.