Connection Sports

For over 47 years the Skip Castro Band has been a musical component on the east coast, opening for famous blues artists, hitting the college towns, and keeping up the local sound that’s kept them going all these years.

They didn’t hit the big time like the Stones or Led Zeppelin, but that’s okay, their name is out there and the members love the rock band lifestyle, so the smiles are genuine. The audience doesn’t make a major ticket investment to have a good time either, so this semi-local party band stays on the schedule at Jammin’ Java in Vienna.

The colleges are a big part of their tour, dating back to when the drinking age was 18. “We hit them all,” said guitarist Bo Randall.

Boogie at Midnight is a big Skip Castro hit, with a music video featuring scenes that look like they’re from the 1950s Happy Days show with poodle skirts, polka dots and saddle shoes. It's their big party hit though and keyboard player Danny Beirne sings, dances and jams. It was fashioned into an MTV video in the early 1980s but stands the test of time on their song list.

The University of Virginia was the catalyst for Skip Castro starting with Charlie Pastorfield and Corky Schoonover who came up with the band idea while going to class at UVA. They each brought their own elements from the Virgin Islands and the Berklee School of Music, two influences that couldn’t be farther apart but the band’s name comes from a stage name that Schoonover used in the past and it seemed to stick. Other band members included Danny Beirne who also had Charlottesville in his blood, and guitarist Bo Randall.

They have an upcoming show at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, and then Skip Castro will be back in the area on July 29, at Burke Lake Park as part of the Springfield Nights concert series where they’ve played before. This concert series is part of Supervisor Pat Herrity's (R-Springfield) entertainment schedule, and since Herrity went to Virginia Tech and the band’s roots are UVA, it fuels a little light-hearted rivalry banter.

“The Skip Castro Band has a huge following of University of Virginia alumni and fans from their east coast tours that are now raising families here. The Free Concerts in the Park series I host at Burke Lake Park gives them the opportunity to share the music they grew up with, dance and to have some fun with family and friends,” Herrity said.

Keyboard player Danny Beirne, center, with Charlie Pastorfield and Bo Randall.