July 2007
THE PROFESSOR SPEAKS
By Jim Price
This is the time of the year when things get crazy, with so much to see and do both outdoors and in! And while there are many outdoor activities taking place during this summer season, don’t forget or neglect the indoor live music happenings as well.
Among the outdoor shows I witnessed this past month were two national acts in concert. The Gin Blossoms performed at Altoona’s Blair County Ballpark on June 10. This was a fun-filled evening, kicking off with two local acts on the Toyota Party Deck stage. Rock & Rye, Greg “Rock” Burley and Ryan “Rye” Clark, opened with their ‘acoustic intoxication’ mix of favorites, including Greg’s convincing Johnny Cash growl on “Folsom Prison Blues” and “I Walk the Line,” and the pair’s intense acoustic treatments of the Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” Making one of their occasional phoenix-like appearances, the U.S. Sound Theatre followed with an exciting set of brassy classic rocking sounds from Chicago, Average White Band, Huey Lewis & the News, Edgar Winter Group, Tower Of Power and more. Their performance was uplifting, especially the horn section, and nicely set the stage for the rest of the show to follow. Attention then shifted to the main stage, where the St. Louis-based band One Lone Car performed a short set of melody-geared modern pop/rock. The Gin Blossoms; these days featuring singer Robin Wilson, guitarists Jesse Valenzuela and Scotty Johnson, bassist Bill Leen and touring drummer Scott Kusmirek; then performed a set that blended their best-known hits with songs from their latest album, Major Lodge Victory. The Gin Blossoms did the expected favorites such as “Alison Road,” “Found Out About You,” “Hey Jealousy” and “Til I Hear It From You;” and showed that they still have the knack for crafting catchy ear-candy melodies with songs from the new album such as “Super Girl,” “Heart-Shaped Locket” and “Long Time Gone.” The Gin Blossoms’ performance was tasteful and smooth; their overall musicianship was tight and polished, and Robin showed a clear and rangeful voice as he grabbed audience members’ cell phones and sang directly into them (a sign of the modern age). This was a very fun evening; hats off to In2It Marketing for bringing national caliber shows to the Altoona area; it’s long overdue!
The Kentucky Headhunters also visited our area, performing last month at Delgrosso’s Amusement Park in Tipton. Now comprised of singers/rhythm guitarists Doug Phelps and Richard Young, drummer Fred Young, lead guitarist Greg Martin and bassist Anthony Kenney; The Kentucky Headhunters performed their hearty blend of country, rock and blues. During the first of two shows they performed this day, the group did their best-known hits such as “Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine,” “Oh Lonesome Me,” the set-closing “Dumas Walker” and for the encore, “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.” Highlights also included a rock solid rendition of Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit In The Sky,” and Fred’s fiery drum solo. The Kentucky Headhunters displayed ample versatility, smoothly shifting between gentle country and harder Southern-flavored rock and blues. Their presentation was warm and cordial; you could tell this band’s genuine appreciation of their fans both on and off the stage. (Thanks to Dick from The Red Arrow for getting me backstage to meet the band!) If you missed them this day, don’t despair; The Kentucky Headhunters return to perform at Altoona’s Jaffa Shrine Sept. 22 during the 2nd annual Roar In The Mountains motorcycle rally.
The Tony Mollick Project provided the music during Q94’s 10th annual Harley-Davidson Giveaway last month at Burgi’s Back Nine. The group was to perform at last year’s giveaway, but was forced to cancel when namesake Tony Mollick was seriously injured in a motorcycle-car accident. Now fully recovered and sporting the band’s new T-shirt with tire marks and the words “Run Down…Still Rockin’” on the back; Tony, along with bassist Fuzz McGirk and drummer David Blake, warmed up the crowd for the giveaway with smoking blues-rock originals, and favorites from Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gov’t Mule, the Allman Brothers and more. The last name left in the barrel was Mike Friedenberger of Altoona, who won the Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle.
After the giveaway, I headed to the Shade Gap Picnic Grounds to join fellow writer/cohort Rachel Rocks and catch the remainder of the 4th annual Relay For Life Band Jam. I arrived in time to see The Lakota Band perform their set of classic rock and originals. This group has a new drummer since last year, with Randy McGowan joining guitarists/singers John Waltman and Jimmy Allen, and bassist/singer Marc Cournoyer. The Lakota Band was strong on renditions of tunes from Bad Company, Neil Young, Blackfoot, REO Speedwagon, Spirit and more; and they introduced some hard-rocking original songs towards set’s end, including “Stay Too Long,” “Turn Down the Lights,” “My Lady” and more. Next was Easy Money, a side project of Scream that featured all of Scream except for guitarist Skip Henry. Singer Jeff Hoover, guitarist/singer Ed Miller, bassist Robert Port and drummer Kevin Siegel stepped outside the 80’s metal parameters of Scream to perform 70’s and 80’s classic rock favorites from Van Halen, Billy Squier, Free, .38 Special, Foreigner, Loverboy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elton John and more. Then the full-strength Scream rocked the grounds with 80’s metal favorites from Ratt, AC/DC, Autograph, Kiss, Kix, Motley Crue, Def Leppard and more. Scream still delivers a wallop, and the guitar tandem of Ed and Skip again shined with their crisp solos and smooth harmony leads. Sound Of Silence then slammed the lid on the day with their set of classic and modern metal/rock sounds. Guitarists/singer Eric Scott and Jason Ramsey, bassist/singer Curt Nearhood and drummer Bob Fogelsonger dished out hard-hitting rock from Metallica, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, Godsmack, Linkin Park, Stain’d and more. Although the overall turnout was a little less than expected, the Relay For Life Band Jam was again a good time, and I’m looking forward to returning to this event again next year.
Ace’s Music Sales in Cresson staged their annual Customer Appreciation Day event last month; a day-long free concert that showcased a number of aspiring young bands. I missed the first band, Panic Mode (I promise I’ll catch a show soon, guys, hang in there!). The first band I saw was Martinsburg’s Our Broken Silence. Four members strong, Our Broken Silence performed a sound blending hard alternative and punk rock. Singer Mike Teeter blended an emotional, expressive style with range and dynamics to deliver an animated performance. Next was young Roaring Spring-based foursome Currently Debating, playing just their third show. Singer Alex Thomas, guitarist/singer Adam Ingram, bassist Philip Miller and drummer Philip Worthy played a loose brand of garage punk, featuring their own original tunes and a cover of Blink 182’s “Dammit.” Altoona-based fivesome Kamikaze Katfight, returning after a hiatus, then played a set of original alternative-flavored rock and funk. Portage-based singer, songwriter and guitarist George Bollman, Jr. then performed a blend of acoustic country and gospel original songs and standards. Acalasia was next, performing a set of their melody-geared, hard-driving original songs. They showcased all six songs from their just-completed debut CD, What Makes You a Maniac?, coming out later this summer. I was again impressed with the clear and rangeful voice of lead singer Krystal Shore on numbers such as “Contradictory” and “Based on True Stories.” After George Bollman Jr. and Ron Laney stepped back up and performed a few more songs, Spirit Lost closed out the day with their set of modern and progressive rock. They performed several of their original songs, which blended progressive arrangements with hard-edged modern rock dynamics; and also did select cover material from Live, Audioslave, Tool, Collective Soul, a hard-rocking spin on Garth Brooks’ “Thunder Rolls” and more.
Indoors, Pittsburgh legend Norman Nardini again brought his rock’n’soul, wit and savvy to Burgi’s Roundhouse last month. Flanked by his trusty rhythm section of bassist Harry Bottoms and drummer Whitey Cooper, Norman again extolled the virtues of “shaking the monkey loose” and opened “the church of rock’n’roll,” doing plentiful Norman favorites and rock, blues, soul and country classics. The highlights were frequent, as Norman shared his wisdom and wit in between dazzling musical displays. He deferred the spotlight to Whitey and Harry several times, with Whitey displaying his smooth falsetto on Otis Day & the Nights’ “Shama Lama Ding Dong,” and Harry showing his deep voice on “Pots’n’Pans” and Roger Miller’s “King of the Road.” Norman welcomed some guests as well, as Ryan “Rye” Clark (Rock & Rye) contributed guitar work on Big Joe Turner’s “Shake Rattle and Roll,” and Norman’s former bass player, Gerry Stanek, played bass and sang lead on several songs. Norman Nardini is a master showman and entertainer, and his show is always a blast! He returns Nov. 17 for Burgi’s next Blues Festival.
The area hardcore and metal scenes united to remember a fallen brother last month at Aldo’s. Michael Hicks, a devout supporter of the area hardcore scene, passed away suddenly on April 14. The Michael Hicks Benefit raised funds to help his surviving family with burial expenses, and featured performances from Vengence, Not Without Resistance, Suicide Switch, Chapter 5 and Choking Faith. This turned into a special night, as all five bands and their fans gave all onstage in remembrance of “Michael 2 Fists.” During Not Without Resistance’s set, the entire group went shirtless, and frontman Dave Steele told stories about Michael and how he got the “2 Fists” nickname. There were frequent salutes and toasts in Michael’s honor, and the spirit of solidarity intensified as the night progressed, with numerous musicians and fans joining Chapter 5 and Choking Faith onstage during their respective sets to sing along and raise fists skyward in memory of Michael. By night’s end, although I didn’t personally know him, I came away with a much better appreciation of Michael Hicks and the admiration that this area’s hardcore and metal scenes had for him.
Also at Aldo’s last month, Dubmissive and Silver Sunday teamed up for a double-bill. Silver Sunday opened the night with their blend of female-fronted rock, pop and alternative; doing tunes from Sublime, Til Tuesday, Toadies and more, as well as original songs and a new Buck Dickson-fronted fractured adaptation of Wham’s “Careless Whisper.” Johnstown’s Dubmissive then demonstrated their freewheeling fusion of rock, punk, funk, ska and reggae. Singer/guitarist Bobby Dub, bassist Joe Sell and drummer Steve Hanik never stayed in one place too long, with their songs offering a wide open mixture of styles; from harder-rocking numbers like “Desperation” and “Rebel Song” to the more solemn “Exodus,” to more reggae-driven songs like “I’m Waiting” to the variable-speed “Fire of Our Lives.” Dubmissive’s playful, enthusiastic stage presentation and musical unpredictability made for an exciting performance. Dubmissive is putting the finishing touches on their full-length debut CD, expected out later this summer.
Lehigh Valley rockers Spitshine have made their arrival on Altoona stages in recent months. During their show last month at the 4D’s Lounge, lead singer/guitarist Bryan Harmony, lead guitarist/singer Larry Werner, bassist/singer Shane Stoneback and new drummer Karras Johnson played a fiery mix of current and classic rocking favorites, including tunes from Green Day, Queen, U2, Jimmy Eats World, Van Halen, Buckcherry, Sugar Ray, Bon Jovi and more. Spitshine kept it exciting and fun; their crisp, hard-rocking backdrop providing the launching pad for Bryan’s charged and theatric vocal delivery. These guys weren’t afraid to mix it up with the audience, either, bringing wayward bachelorettes and dancers up to the stage to party down with the band. Spitshine has recently been collaborating on new song material with noted producer David Ivory (Silvertide, Halestorm, Molly Hatchet, Erykah Badu, Patti Labelle), and has hooked up with Media Five Entertainment to help expose their show and music to a wider fan base. Although the 4D’s wasn’t crowded this night, Spitshine won new Altoona area fans; become one of them when Spitshine returns to the 4D’s Aug. 24.
The Nightcrawlers are gearing up for the release of their new CD. I checked in with the group last month during one of their weekly Thursday performances at State College’s Phyrst. With guest Ted McCloskey contributing additional guitar and laptop slide this night, The Nightcrawlers entertained the busy Phyrst audience with their distinctive blend of flavorful original compositions and fiery classics. Highlights were plentiful, with constant instrumental fireworks courtesy of Noah Figlin’s smoking guitar leads and Aeb Byrne’s sparkling keyboard and flute work. The group introduced a number of their new original compositions this night, again blending elements of blues, jazz, rockabilly, reggae and more. Other highlights included a scorching rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “When the Levee Breaks,” Aeb’s feisty vocals on Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man,” and bassist Pete Jogo’s convincing Johnny Cash growl on “Ring of Fire.” The Nightcrawlers will celebrate their new CD at a special triple CD-release event with Ted McCloskey & the Hi Fi’s and The Rustlanders (also releasing new CD’s) at State College’s State Theatre Aug. 25.
If you’re a local history and/or railroad buff, you likely have heard of the Red Arrow, the Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train that derailed at Bennington Curve near Gallitzin on Feb. 18, 1947, killing 24 people. Based out of Cresson and Gallitzin, a band called The Red Arrow has been bringing their mix of classic rock, blues and country to area stages over the past few months. The Red Arrow features five seasoned area stage veterans; Deb Bush on lead vocals, Dick Kos and Don “Turk” Schnars on guitar and vocals, Larry Smelley on bass and Mike Crocetti on drums. On stage, this band is anything but a train wreck; during their Memorial Day weekend performance at the White Lady Tavern near Altoona, The Red Arrow did smoking classics from John Mellencamp, AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pat Benatar, ZZ Top, Fleetwood Mac, Journey and more. Deb demonstrated some range, grit and spunk on the vocal front, while Dick flashed some feisty and inspired guitar work along the way. Although attendance was light this night, The Red Arrow still succeeded in drawing a few people onto the dance floor. The Red Arrow maintains a busy schedule on Cambria and Blair County stages; they’re back at the White Lady Tavern Aug. 11.
You never know where I may show up to catch a band. And occasionally, I’ve been known to pop into small town corner bars to catch bands in action. Camino Sky discovered this fact when I showed up for their Memorial Day weekend show at the Petersburg Tavern in Petersburg. The last time I saw this group, they were called Anything Jane; although the name has changed, the members remain the same, with Josh Miles on guitar and vocals, Joe Shriner on bass and vocals, and Dave Wessels on drums and vocals. Camino Sky mixed hard-rocking current and classic favorites; many done with their own unique style and slant. Some of their more interesting arrangements this night included their heavy-handed assault on Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” their hard funk take on Sublime’s “What I Got,” a modern rocking version of Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” and more. A big highlight was the group’s rendition of the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” where Josh unleashed an all-out guitar solo with behind-the-neck theatrics and billiard ball slide work, followed by Dave’s blistering drum solo that erupted into a full-band percussion display. Camino Sky plays it all-out and intense, determined to prove that three guys can rock as hard as four or five. Camino Sky returns to the Petersburg Tavern in September; watch for them on stages throughout the region.
Also during Memorial Day weekend, I caught up with the feverish onstage party that is Hello, Vixen at the White Lady Tavern. Lead singer Mark Simanski, guitarists Bill Maguire and Brian Simanski, bassist Justin Brown and drummer Steve Holtz kept the pace tight and the energy level high as they lit up the house with modern and 90’s rock favorites from Sponge, James, The Starting Line, Incubus, Sublime, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Blink 182, Rancid and more. The group also mixed in several original songs, including tunes from their new EP The Stroke of Midnight such as “My Speech” and “The Thrill of the Chase.” As is often the case, Hello, Vixen’s adrenaline-rush party culminated in the crowd shout-along rendition of Bouncing Souls’ “Olé.” Always an exhaustive, fun time; watch for Hello, Vixen throughout the region, and catch their return to the White Lady July 20.
Nitekast is continuing to win fans with their lively, hard-rocking show. During their June show at Davey’s in Hastings, singer/guitarist Brandon Scalese, bassist/singer Josh Oaks and drummer Josh Boring quickly had folks out on the dance floor with tunes from Collective Soul, Gin Blossoms, Green Day, Roxette, Flock Of Seagulls, Jimmy Eats World, Nirvana, Duran Duran and more. Nitekast has steadily evolved into a tight and confident unit that keeps the tunes coming and doesn’t give dance floor fans any reason to sit down. Brandon and bassist Josh could both carry a tune, and Brandon’s guitar work was clean and clear. The two-Josh rhythm section packed a lean, hard wallop to power it all. Nitekast took part in last month’s 1st annual Laurel Highlands Battle of the Bands at Ace’s Lounge in Johnstown. Catch this up-and-coming trio when they return to Davey’s July 28.
The last time I saw The Country Outlaws last winter, the group was just welcoming aboard its newest member at the time, singer Angela Dodson. When I witnessed the Outlaws at Memories Sports Bar in Huntingdon last month, Angela had fully settled in, and has added even more fireworks to this band’s arsenal! Angela, lead singer/guitarist Charlie Hilderbrand, lead guitarist Jason Fouse, new bassist Dan McCorkle and drummer Jim Mills continue to play rowdy, rebellious country and rockabilly. Charlie demonstrated his deep and commanding Johnny Cash growl on Man-In-Black classics like “Daddy Sang Bass,” “Ring Of Fire,” “I Walk the Line” and “Cry Cry Cry.” He and Angela teamed up for a stunning duet on Johnny and June’s “Jackson;” and Angela showed her stellar voice on renditions of Bonnie Tyler/Juice Newton’s “It’s a Heartache,” Miranda Lambert’s “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” Lynn Anderson’s “Stand By Your Man” and more. The group also did numbers from Buck Owens, Elvis, Joe Nichols, Georgia Satellites, Wayne Hancock, Hank, Hank Jr., Hank III and more. The Country Outlaws’ presentation ranged from go-for-broke to tear-in-your-beer, and they had much of the packed-house Memories crowd hooting, hollering and dancing through it all. The Country Outlaws provide a rabble-rousing good time; they return to Memories Aug. 24.
Also on the country side of the spectrum, I took in a couple of performances from Broken Pony in recent weeks during the Hitching Post’s Wednesday Country Night. Broken Pony continues to feature a seasoned cast of players; Pat McGinnis on lead vocals, acoustic guitar and bass pedal, Randy Rutherford on electric guitar and backing vocals, Kim Metzger on pedal steel, and Tim Yingling on drums. Altoona music scene pioneer Chuck Knepper filled in for Randy during the May 30 show, while Randy played on June 20. Both shows featured a distinctive and diverse quality blend of country, country-rock, Americana, folk and blues-geared sounds; including material from Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings, Neil Young, Poco, the Nighthawks, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, CCR, Tracy Chapman, Little Feat and more. The musicianship rode at a high level during both shows, as each musician used his talents to supplement the overall mood of each song; from Kim’s steady and skillful pedal steel presence to Tim’s textured and detailed brush strokes on the drums. And these guys make it look so easy! With Chuck in the line-up on May 30, the show had a more playful feel of musicians celebrating a special get-together; with Randy’s presence on June 20, the Hitching Post audience experienced Broken Pony’s full smoothness and versatility. Broken Pony always provides a quality, good-sounding show; they return to the Hitching Post July 18.
I also saw Pat McGinnis and Chuck Knepper in action during Pat’s acoustic performance at Al’s Tavern in Altoona last month. Chuck was one of several guests who played alongside Pat this night, along with The Rustlanders’ Jason McIntyre and Natalie Berenna (half of State College duo JR & Natalie). This assortment of musicians provided a nice range of sounds, from Pat and Chuck’s rendition of James Taylor’s “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” to Pat and Natalie’s performance of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide,” to Pat and Jason’s versions of Delbert McClinton’s “Two More Bottles of Wine,” The Band’s “The Weight” and Neil Young’s “Helpless” (with Jason blowing harp). It all sounded smooth, and the small Al’s Tavern audience, including visitors from Norway this night, enjoyed it. Pat & Jason perform on select Thursdays at Al’s Tavern.
Other bands and performers I witnessed recently included Rusty Gun Revival’s latest hootenanny at the Hitching Post, Felix & the Hurricanes at the Hitching Post, Bad Daze’s and Hi-Tyde’s latest parties at Pellegrine’s, and Dustin Burley at City Limits.
News and notes…The 41st annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts happens in State College July 11-15; performers this year include the Rustlanders, Scythian, The Ultra Kings, The Wiyos, Ricky Lee, The Nightcrawlers, Lemonsoul, Fooling April, The Earthtones and many more…Lakemont Park’s annual Wing-Off’s happen Thursdays from July 12 through Aug. 16, serving up chicken wings and live music…Likewise, the Tussey Mountain Wing Challenge fires up on Thursdays July 19 through Aug. 30 with maximum wings and live music…The Blair County Arts Foundation’s “Summer Sounds of Jazz” free concert series continues on select Fridays at downtown Altoona’s Curtin Plaza; the Randy Jackson Jazz Band plays July 13 and Aug. 3, and South Saturn Delta is there July 27…Altoona’s Railroaders Memorial Museum kicks off their Wednesday Downtown Altoona Alive @ Five Summer Concert Series July 11 with Slabtown and The PovertyNeck Hillbillies…JP Mills Entertainment and presents the All Star Rock Ball at The Saloon in State College July 3; featuring The Saloon All Stars, comprised of musicians who have played at The Saloon during its 30-year history…Saved from the wrecking ball, Johnstown’s Roxbury Bandshell presents free concerts on Sunday evenings through September…The 6th annual PA Singer Songwriter Festival takes place Aug. 18 at Brookpark Farm near Lewisburg…Singer J.D. Hicks has rejoined Lies, Inc.…Jackson Monsour has completed work on his new acoustic album, to be released in August…Bassist Ed McDonald is leaving Rusty Gun Revival in September, citing business and family reasons…Hi-Tyde is seeking a new drummer, as Michael Davis is relocating to Texas in the fall…Happy Birthdays to Steve McCulley (Half Tempted), Dick Kos (Red Arrow), Dennis Wood (Serious Jones), Tom Urbain (Beyond Reason), Jason Grodis (Tie Down), Jes Mattern (Second Offense), Justin Mack, Troy Earnest, Craig Fitzpatrick, Tammy (White Lady Tavern) and Rick Claar (Frontbros. Productions).
Please send correspondence and recordings to: Jim Price, 1104 S. Catherine St., Altoona, PA 16602. You can also e-mail me profjp@wbxq.com. For my weekly updates on area music scene happenings, check out JP’s Corner on the Rockpage forums area at www.rockpage.net, and my