PalmePalooza on Saturday: Aversion drummer Palmesano remembered in hometown of Hornell

Drummer Mick Palmesano always had big dreams and wasn’t afraid to chase them.

In the days since Palmesano’s death in March, a group of family and friends have taken steps to ensure the Hornell native’s legacy continues to impact residents of the Southern Tier and beyond.

Peggy Pollizi, Palmesano’s sister, has founded a charity in his memory. A group of Palmesano’s friends, hailing from his hometown to as far away as Sweden, will help kick off the effort by hosting “PalmePalooza” at RBI Sports Pub in Hornell on Saturday, April 23.

The musical tribute will bring together old bandmates dating back to Palmesano’s days as a student in Hornell, to his professional career as a drummer based in California and Boston. Palmesano played with several rock bands signed to major record labels in the 1990s and early 2000s. Friends and family could watch his career unfold on MTV music videos or catch a show as the bands toured North America.

The journey began in Hornell when Palmesano fell in love with playing the drums at the age of 4. He started his first band, Krimson Kastle, before junior high and played shows throughout the area. Palmesano moved across the country to Los Angeles and attended the Musicians Institute after graduating from Hornell in 1990.

“Mick was the kind of guy that all the guys at that age wanted to be,” recalled Al McManus, a childhood friend. “He played drums with his shirt off and would flip his hair around all the time. He rooted up after high school and just chased his dream. I think a lot of people really respected that and admired that about him, his commitment to the drums and love of music. Picking up and moving at 18 years old is a big step for anybody.”

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PalmePalooza will feature professional and amateur musicians alike playing some of Palmesano’s songs. His former bandmates and a friend from Sweden, drummer Lars Skold, are expected to fly in for the event. McManus, a past member of Krimson Kastle, has helped organize the event from Nashville, where he works in the music industry.

Palmesano traded his drumsticks for spreadsheets and shifted into an accounting career over the last two decades after living out his rock and roll dreams. He was also an accomplished tattoo artist.

“He was a really intense guy. Whatever he was in, he was doing it one thousand percent,” said McManus. “There was nothing he did halfway. It was complete devotion to that thing he’s doing. It was the same with his kids. He was a great dad and a great husband. He was just an interesting guy, one of those lights in the world where the world is a little less of a place with him gone.”

How new ‘Palmesano Strong’ charity will impact Southern Tier residents

Palmesano was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, in the fall of 2019. PalmePalooza and a new charity, Palmesano Strong, were born in the aftermath of his death March 6 at age 50.

Pollizi said she has “very big plans” for the charity. The non-profit will support ALS One, which is focused on finding a cure while also supporting those suffering from the disease. Pollizi envisions Palmesano Strong serving a similar role in the Southern Tier.

“Palmesano Strong will always donate to ALS One because of how amazing they are and what they did for my brother, but in the future I will be donating to families here in Western New York and the Southern Tier who are affected by ALS,” said Pollizi. “ALS is very expensive when it comes to care and everything. Some families go through terrible hardships.”

Palmesano Strong will support Southern Tier families having trouble making ends meet due to the disease, perhaps providing Christmas gifts that otherwise would not have been financially feasible. The charity will also provide grants to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, which treated Palmesano during frequent trips from his home in nearby Quincy, Mass.

PalmePalooza is the first big fundraiser for the charity. Doors at RBI open at 6 p.m. April 23 with the show from 7-9 p.m. A $20 donation includes food, beverages, a charity auction and raffles. The inaugural Palmesano Strong Golf Tournament will follow on June 11 at the Wildwood Country Club in Rush.

Pollizi is approaching the charity with the same focus that her brother dedicated to his many pursuits.

“I have very big dreams for what Palmesano Strong is going to become. I won’t stop until I make these things happen,” said Pollizi. “My brother and I were very close. We were the only two kids in the family, but standing at his calling hours for four hours, I heard so many stories and so many things about my brother that I didn’t know. I always knew his reach was far and wide, but I never knew how deep it was.”

Palmesano’s parents, Mike and Suzy, still reside in Hornell. He is also survived by his wife, Erin, and two children, Max and Adrian — both drummers.

Chris Potter can be reached at cpotter@gannett.com or on Twitter @ChrisPotter413. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell charity created in honor of Aversion drummer Mick Palmesano