October 2007
THE PROFESSOR SPEAKS
By Jim Price
Another outdoor season draws to a close, and live music begins to head back indoors for the cold weather season. But as is always the case in this part of the world, a multitude of outdoor activities are slamming the lid on the 2007 outdoor season. Welcome to the monthly diary of a local music-aholic…
One of the first of those events was the 17th annual End Of Summer Jam, which happened at the Cresson Sportsmen’s Club in late August, with proceeds going to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. This year’s event saw strong performances throughout from Spirit Lost, The Red Arrow, The Verge, The Tony Mollick Project, Felix & the Hurricanes, Half Tempted, Nitekast and Tie Down. After Spirit Lost awakened the mountains with their brand of multi-textured, dynamic modern rock, The Red Arrow fired things up with their fun mixture of classic rock and roll. My favorite highlight of their set was a feisty rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Say You Love Me,” with guitarist Dick Kos, bassist Big Jim Ricotta and drummer Mike Crocetti picking up the song where singer Deb Bush left off, and elevating it to a heated finish. Next was my first look at The Verge. Singer/guitarist Jeff Renner, singer/bassist Matt Burns and drummer Steve Brulia played a sharp-sounding set of classic and modern rock from Robin Trower, Red Hot Chili Peppers, AC/DC, U2, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith and more. Pittsburgh area rockers The Tony Mollick Project then delivered their blend of blues-rocking favorites and original songs; including rowdy and powerful renditions of The Stray Cats’ “Rumble In Brighton,” “The Peter Gunn Theme” and AC/DC’s “Beating Around the Bush.” The one band that has been a part of every End Of Summer Jam thus far, Felix & the Hurricanes, kept the streak alive with their blazing set of blues rock and original songs; one of their highlights was an interesting medley featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Ballad of Curtis Loew” and their soulful original song “Walking a Straight Line,” bridged by their lively new instrumental “Wild Turkey.” With their regularly-scheduled rhythm section unavailable due to work and medical issues, Half Tempted continued with a different roster this day; singer/guitarist Ron Dalansky, former bassist Jim Ricotta handling bottom end and Josh Imler behind the drum kit. This edition of Half Tempted worked quite well, rocking with favorites from Kiss, AC/DC, Free, Poison, Black Sabbath and more. Northern Cambria power trio Nitekast carried the show into the evening with their uptempo mixture of 80’s, 90’s and current rock favorites and originals; including a playful new original, “Poker in the Rear.” Tie Down slammed the lid on the day with hard-nosed rock’n’roll from the 70’s to present; highlights included a cameo appearance from Beyond Reason bassist Jamie Smith on several songs, plus the group’s unveiling of an old Sweet classic, “Little Willy.” Graced by beautiful late summer weather, End Of Summer Jam saw a respectable turnout, and a good amount of money raised for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Next to Millennium Music Conference weekend in February, Labor Day weekend is my busiest weekend of the year for live music action; when the Johnstown area heats up with four different festival events. I spent time at three of them (the fourth, the Log House Arts Festival in Westmont, is more arts and crafts geared). For most of the weekend, I ventured between Johnstown Folkfest and the Cambria City Ethnic Festival. Folkfest again provided a continuous slate of excellent performers on four different stages. One of my favorites this year was Bill Kirchen and the Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods. The former guitarist of Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen, Bill and his band played a robust mixture of roots rock, country and honky-tonk. A big highlight was their performance of Commander Cody’s early 70’s hit “Hot Rod Lincoln,” during which Bill and band launched through a rapid fire succession of riffs from a multitude of legendary rock, blues and country stars, before finishing out the song; simply amazing! Also great was Washington state’s Too Slim & the Taildraggers, doing scorching blues/country rock; Chicago’s The Tossers with their rowdy brand of punk-driven Celtic and folk sounds; North Carolina’s Tres Chicas with their bright country vocal harmonies; Pittsburgh’s Jimmy Adler, demonstrating incredible guitar work and a hearty vocal growl on his mixture of traditional blues; A.J. Croce (son of early 70’s hitmaker Jim Croce), showing his wide versatility on a variety of styles spanning pop to jazz to blues, boogie and more; and of course, the annual Folkfest zydeco party, hosted by Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers. I also enjoyed performances from The McKay Brothers, Bill Deasy, Gigi Dover & the Big Love, Draha Truva, The Eric Lindell Band, Scott Miller & the Commonwealth, and Jenny Drummey & the Small Band.
One of the local entries I saw at this year’s Folkfest, I also caught Jenny Drummey & the Small Band at Harrigan’s Lounge in downtown Johnstown during Folkfest weekend. The two shows showed different sides of this group’s musical personality. The Harrigan’s show, featuring Jenny on vocals and acoustic guitar, Dean Shumaker on guitar, dobro and mandolin and Chris Klym on drums, took on a softer folk and jazz flavor. The Folkfest performance featured the full band, including bassist Brad Rhea and Ernie Pollack on pedal steel, and expanded into Americana and folk rock sounds. During both shows, Jenny and her bandmates showcased songs from their new self-titled 6-song EP, including “No Man’s Land,” “Forever,” “Someday,” and a remake of Joan Armatrading’s “Opportunity.” I was impressed with Jenny’s detailed melodies, and the wide-ranging textures and arrangements she and her band used to present the song material.
The Cambria City Ethnic Festival featured a wide variety of local and regional performers on various church and venue stages spread out throughout Johnstown’s Cambria City neighborhood. On the Holy Cross Lutheran Church stage, I caught performances from Johnstown’s Midnight Graffiti, doing classic rock favorites; and Pittsburgh’s John McDonald and the Mango Men, playing tropical and island party tunes. At St. Mary’s Church stage, I caught up with Johnstown party favorites Yum. Singer Dan Vavrek, guitarist/singer Darren Buchko, bassist Shawn Mock and drummer Brian Scalletta still deliver a fun musical party blending current and classic rock and pop favorites, spanning from Hinder to 80’s medleys to John Denver to the “Fat Albert” theme; Yum kept a large all-ages crowd happily dancing in the street. At St. Columba’s Church tent stage, I caught my first look at Johnstown’s Dead Irish Blues; guitarist/singer Greg Faiers, champion fiddler Marty Faiers, flute, whistle and bagpiper Ed Hritz and percussionist Wayne MacEwan played a unique blend of traditional Celtic, folk and blues, including their own original compositions. Also at St. Columba’s, I saw acoustic duo Denise Baldwin and Roy Milstead as they performed various classic rock and folk numbers; demonstrating nice vocal harmonies and a full-bodied acoustic sound with both 6- and 12-string guitars. At the Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center stage, I witnessed Walt Churchey’s acoustic performance, as he blended various folk, country and original songs. And inside Ace’s Lounge, I caught the reunion performance of popular Johnstown 80’s rockers Maiden America. Singer Brett Shaffer, guitarist Jim Fetcko, keyboardist Matt Bost, bassist Bill Fornwalt and drummer Jared Fetcko mixed 80’s favorites from Inxs, Loverboy, Modern English, The Cars and more.
And on Labor Day, I visited the annual Forest Hills Festival in St. Michael, taking in Hot Wax’s performance. Mike Zerbee on lead vocals and guitar, Pat Boland on drums and Larry on bass kept the large festival crowd entertained with a variety of rock, pop and country favorites from the 60’s to present. Hot Wax’s diverse range spans from Elvis Presley and the Rivieras to U2 and Sister Hazel, to Garth Brooks and Toby Keith and more. Hot Wax kept it all fun, welcoming some youngsters onstage to help sing along the way.
Marking the sixth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America last month, the Blair County Community Action Agency presented Patriot Day activities on Sept. 11, including the Patriot Day Concert that evening in downtown Altoona’s Heritage Plaza. The concert featured performances from Big Mac & the Fries, along with Angela Dodson, Megan Ritchey, Elaini Arthur; dance troupes Signs N’Motion and Rod & Friends, and more.
As a result of the attacks of September 11, American troops are now serving duty in two volatile parts of the world, Iraq and Afghanistan. An initiative started by local musicians last winter, Rock For The Troops has been an ongoing effort to videotape and collect footage of area bands and fans expressing love, support and appreciation for local troops putting themselves in harm’s way in Iraq and Afghanistan. The first phase of the Rock For The Troops effort culminated in a day-long concert event early last month at Altoona’s Heritage Plaza. The day featured inspired, heartfelt performances from the Rock Brothers, Spirit Lost, Friends Of Mine, Dustin Burley, Generation Gap, Silver Sunday, Keith Little, The Red Letter Band, Homer’s Army, Kitty Whip, The Tony Mollick Project, Lies Inc., Slacker Theory and Felix & the Hurricanes. The musical highlights were numerous throughout the day, including cameo guest appearances by John Stevens on harmonica and Jimmy Smith on guitar. In addition, young Tabitha Piper read a touching poem by her grandmother, Patty Summers, called “Across the World”. The energy level and emotions rode at a positive high all day; even late day rains couldn’t dampen the spirits of the musicians and audience. The second phase of Rock For The Troops is now under way, as the collected footage from the past several months is now being compiled and edited for DVD’s and picture CD’s to be produced and sent to local troops; the goal is to have them ready to send by the upcoming Christmas holiday season.
Altoona’s Railroaders Memorial Museum capped the inaugural season of their Alive @ Five Summer Concert Series with another hot Pittsburgh double-bill, featuring Bill Deasy and The Clarks. After seeing Bill’s solo acoustic performance days earlier at Johnstown Folkfest, I witnessed Bill with his full band this night, which included Rob James of The Clarks on guitar. The former frontman for national recording act The Gathering Field, Bill and his band performed selections from his latest solo album, “The Miles”, demonstrating a full-bodied, heartland folk/rock sound. Bill also broke out two Gathering Field favorites, “Lost in America” and “I’d Believe in God for You.” The Clarks capped the evening with an upbeat, feelgood set featuring their best-known songs. Their set rode at a continuous high, with the large crowd often singing along the words to various Clarks favorites such as “Cigarette,” “Mercury,” “Born Too Late,” “Better Off Without You;” and during the encore, the ‘western Pennsylvania folk classic’ “Penny on the Floor,” “Shimmy Low” and “On Saturday.” Another highlight was singer Scott Blasey doing “Church of the Open Highway,” a song from his new solo album, “Travelin’ On”. This was a happy, rollicking Clarks party, with beach balls bouncing and Steeler chants erupting among the crowd throughout. The first season of the Alive @ Five Concert Series was a very successful one; the Railroaders Memorial Museum is expected to announce the Series’ 2008 slate later this month.
I took in part of the second annual Indiana Blues Festival, which took place along N. 7th Street in downtown Indiana last month. I arrived during the performance of western PA’s Blu Razor, who performed a mix of blues, classic rock and soul. Singer/lead guitarist Zach Tyler, singer/bassist Barry Rowe, rhythm guitarist/singer Emil Herby and drummer Scott Griedel did tasteful and often dazzling work on numbers from Memphis Slim, B.B. King, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye and more. Closing the day was Indiana’s own Four Day Crawl. This band spans two generations of musicians, with Jimmy Roach on lead vocals, guitar and harmonica, and his son, Joe Roach, on guitar and vocals; and Mike Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and his son, Matt Miller, on bass and vocals. Justin Seger plays drums. Four Day Crawl played a powerful set of electric blues, including numbers from Buddy Guy, Jimmy Rogers, Luther Dixon, Freddie King, Tom Larsen, Cream and more. All five of these guys can play, and their instrumental fireworks were incredible, with all three guitarists frequently sharing and swapping the spotlight to unleash passionate solos. Earlier in the day, the Indiana Blues Festival featured performances from Hiram & Robin, the Fatback Blues Band and Jeff Kelley.
As I reported last month, a nasty thunderstorm thwarted my quest to see the Victory In Heaven Band at the Schuylkill County Fair in late July. Determined, though, I gave it another try early last month, traveling to the annual York Fair to catch V.I.H. before they stepped aside at the end of the month. I was successful, although it took me a while to locate the tent where the group was performing in the large York Fairgrounds area. Arriving “right on time,” I bore witness as singer/steel guitarist Sterling Koch, keyboardist Larry Adam, bassist Kate Koch and drummer Larry Baudoin dazzled with their blend of upbeat funk and blues. Each song became a lively and inspired workout; highlights included their funky rendition of Willie Dixon’s “You Can’t Judge a Book By Its Cover” with its “Play That Funky Music” side-journey, their bluesy instrumental read of “Amazing Grace” with Sterling’s “Rocky Mountain Way” references, leading into the spirited set-ending rendition of Sam & Dave’s “Hold On,” ending in a purple haze of star-spangled glory! Hallelujah! From the aftermath of the Victory In Heaven Band, Sterling and Kate have formed the new blues band 61 South with drummer John Goba. Early plans call for a debut CD sometime in 2008.
Also at the York Fair, I caught the performance of local York rockers Paddywak. Singer Dutch Lynes, guitarist Scott Hearn, bassist Bill Kahler and drummer Chris Rosier entertained passers-by with a mix of modern rock favorites and original songs, including a number of tunes from their new CD. Paddywak rocked hard on numbers from Creed, 3 Doors Down, Puddle Of Mudd, Seether Hinder, Buckcherry and more; with Dutch frequently stepping out into the crowd to keep them involved in the show.
After departing the York Fair, I headed to The Glad Crab in Dallastown (south of York) to catch a look at Piece Of Me. Featuring singer Bill Stevens (quite possibly one of the most tattooed frontmen in the state), guitarist Kevin Beichner, bassist Mike Hocker and drummer Randy Gray; Piece Of Me played hard-hitting rock from the 70’s to present, spanning Nazareth’s “Hair of the Dog” to Temple Of The Dog’s “Hunger Strike” to Jet’s “Cold Hard Bitch.” This band was tight and powerful, with Bill’s voice displaying ample agitation, grit and range; and Kevin showing some impressive pyrotechnics on the fretboard. Piece Of Me’s hard-rocking mix triggered some dance floor action during the third set, and inspired the crowd to demand an encore at night’s end, which the band answered with a rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing.” Piece Of Me plays throughout east-central PA; they open for Scream at the Shade Mountain Inn in Middleburg Oct. 6.
A big indoor highlight in late August was the triple-play CD-release show at State College’s State Theatre, featuring The Nightcrawlers, Ted McCloskey & the Hi-Fi’s and The Rustlanders; all officially unveiling new CD’s. Entitled “Selling Out the Native Sons,” this show was great, as all three bands brought something extra to the stage to make it a memorable night. Celebrating the release of their first full-length CD, “Blue Silver”, The Nightcrawlers opened the evening by showcasing songs from the album, including new songs such as the title song, “Place in the Dark” and “The Grasslands;” as well as updated versions of “Black Hole” and their popular “African Echo.” Along the way, an ethnic-styled dancer performed alongside the group onstage to help paint their worldly-flavored music. Ted McCloskey & the Hi-Fi’s, joined by guest Molly Countermine on backing vocals, keys and percussion, then celebrated Ted’s new CD, “Technicolor Thieves” by performing selections from the album. A few songs were accompanied by videos projected behind the group; including “The Last Independent Record Store” (about the passage of the era of indy record stores in State College) and “Mermaid in a Bar.” Marking the release of their self-titled debut CD, The Rustlanders finished out the show with a set of their Americana-flavored sounds. The group did songs from the CD such as “Holdin’ Out,” “Blind Faith,” “Border Town” and “My Rock and Roll.” Along the way, The Rustlanders were joined by several guests, including musicians who helped out on the album, including John Rattie on organ, and Cory Neidig on banjo; also Kim Metzger on pedal steel, and two backing singers. This show was well-attended, and all three bands and their distinctive styles of original music were received well.
The first time I ever saw Jim Bagrosky in action was back in the early 90’s, when I showed up at the Osceola Hotel in Osceola Mills to see the band he was playing drums for at the time, Nagging Obsession. Now, years later and after drumming stints in Blue Skye Mourning, Wrench, Stept On and Wake Up Screaming, Jim has stepped from behind the drum kit to play guitar and sing in his current project, My Turning Point. To see Jim’s newest endeavor for the first time, I returned to the Osceola Hotel to witness his current band line-up, playing their first show. Flanking Jim are lead guitarist Chris Bellocchio, bassist Todd Burns and drummer John Placer. My Turning Point mixed hard-hitting, dark-flavored original songs from their debut album, “Seclusion Serves Me Well”, with rocking favorites from the 90’s to present. Jim did a respectable job as frontman, displaying an expressive and intense vocal style on original songs such as “Stop,” “In Your Head,” “Broken Man” and “Found My Way;” and also on select numbers from Rage Against the Machine, Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In Chains, System Of a Down, Danzig and more. At one point, Jim reverted back to his former role, stepping back in behind the drum kit while Chris sang lead on Danzig’s “Mother.” It was a good start for this edition of My Turning Point, and the group is continuing to gear up for a busier schedule on Altoona and State College stages in the near future; they return to the Osceola Hotel Oct. 20.
After a nearly two-year hiatus from area stages, The Grimm returned with a vengeance last month, performing an all-ages comeback show at Altoona’s The Lost & Found (formerly The Lion’s Den), with FedUP and Lies Inc. opening. The original Grimm line-up; singer Bob Lee, guitarist Kirk Tonkin, bassist Kent Tonkin and drummer Ron Brode; fired on all cylinders as they re-introduced original compositions from before the break. Highlights were numerous, from a stormy rendition of The Grimm’s early instrumental “East of the Sun, West of the Moon,” to Bob inviting audience members to pluck prizes (mainly feminine hygiene products) from his “Big Bad Bag O’Stuff,” to the show-ending combination line-up of The Grimm and Lies Inc. together performing Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name.” New original songs are already in the works, and The Grimm plans to return to the recording studio shortly.
Til December played their final Altoona appearance last month at Pellegrine’s. After 7th Gear opened the evening, Til December celebrated with their Altoona fans one final time, mixing numerous original songs from throughout the group’s career with hard-edged favorites. The group honored audience requests for original song favorites such as “Party in the Parking Lot” and the night-closing rendition of “Seatbelt;” and did several newer originals as well. Singer Matt “Goody” Goodreau, guitarist Jeremy Edge, bassist Jamie Morral and drummer Tony Esposito convincingly slammed the lid on Til December/Backstreet Law’s successful run, which took the band across the country, and included stints on the Vans Warped Tour and a performance at the 2003 Rolling Rock Town Fair. Here’s wishing all four members the best luck in their future endeavors.
So many bands and shows, but only a limited amount of space…Other bands, artists and shows I saw recently included The Silencers, providing vintage rock’n’roll sounds at the final make-good Lakemont Park Wing-Off…Ace’s Music Sales’ Customer Appreciation Day concert in September (I finally got to see young Ebensburg rockers Panic Mode, but they announced their breakup the following week!)…The Run You Down Records showcase at City Limits featuring Roadkill, Hollow Bodies and Lay Waste…Former Hurricanes drummer/singer John McKnight’s reunion jam with his former band at City Limits…The roots-rock hootenanny with The Marauders and Cumberland’s Rob Wallace and the Mess…Agony Hill’s and Splink’s recent parties at Pellegrine’s…and recent shows by Broken Pony, Vent and Mama Corn, all at Altoona’s Hitching Post.
News and notes…Did you catch Halestorm’s appearance on national television last month? Halestorm appeared on the Sept. 5 edition of NBC’s The Tonight Show, as part of host Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” segment; poking fun at the MTV Video Awards…Dragon Fire is on the road this month and part of November, on tour with Mushroomhead...Johnstown’s Ribbon Grass recently introduced new drummer Dave Kalina and new guitarist Steve Toma, both former bandmates of Ribbon Grass keyboardist/singer Dave Single in The Boys...Drummer Randy Wilson has stepped away from Bad Daze to focus attention on his other band project, Way Down East; former Bad Daze drummer Harry Rainey is filling in behind the kit until a permanent replacement is found…After a 21-year career that included a national recording contract and a stint on the Vans Warped Tour, Reading’s Anthrophobia