Jim Price
Moderator
Joined: 07 Dec 2002
Posts: 4817
Location: Altoona, PA
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 Posted: Thursday Jul 10, 2008 |
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4TH OF JULY WEEK/WEEKEND RECAP 7/7/08
BIG JIM & BAD DAZE ROB @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 6/30/08
Wings, live music and a hungry Professor and his Wing-Eating Think Tank converged upon Pellegrine’s again this Monday night. Things could get ugly…
I arrived shortly into Big Jim & Bad Daze Rob’s first set. Only a few folks were present early on; but that would change as the night progressed. Jim on guitar and Rob on voice did songs from James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett, Journey, Neil Young, Dobie Gray, John Mellencamp, John Lennon and more; and welcomed an audience member, Dave, to sing along with his request for Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City.”
As Jim and Rob played through their first and into their second set, more people began arriving, including Joe “fbooth” George, the person responsible for introducing me to my first Pellegrine’s buffalo wing back in 1991, an incident that has led me down the abyss to a long-running wing addiction that requires me to get my fix every Monday night! Other audience members in the house included one guy who remembered my old classic rock show on WFBG, the “Classic Rock Time Tunnel” – Hell, I even forgot about that show!
Jim and Rob’s second set included numbers from Queen, Five Man Electrical Band, Poison, Van Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Counting Crows, 3 Doors Down, the Beatles, Steve Miller Band and more. One woman in an obvious dancing mood was grabbing just about every guy in the house (except those of us whose hands were covered in buffalo wing sauce) and dragging him to dance in front of the two musicians.
And then the drummers arrived. Hurricanes drum man Bob “Hurricane” Watters and Rob’s Bad Daze part-time bandmate Eric Wertz had both arrived in the house. After Rob and Jim threw a curve by reversing roles (Jim singing, Rob playing guitar) on Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” to open their third set, the pair beckoned the two drummers to do their thing on the Surfaris’ “Wipe Out,” with both drummers tapping out the beats on the bar countertop. After Jim and Rob did the Kinks’ “Lola,” they broke into Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” during which the “press corps” table area (featuring yours truly, Kate from the Altoona Mirror, WRTA newsman Chris Forshey, radio guys Sparky and Rocky, and former broadcaster Jerry Gamber standing nearby) crooned backing vocals to the detriment of the performance. Jim and Rob tried to bring dignity back to the performance with tunes from Bon Jovi, Nickelback, Fuel, Rick Springfield, Willie Nelson, the Eagles, Dr. Hook, the Beatles and more, but the press corps again sounded off with backing vocals on Elvis’ “Suspicious Minds.”
It was ugly at times, but it was fun. Big Jim and Bad Daze Rob kept it jovial and fun throughout the course of the evening, catering to the audience and letting them be a part of the show. Once again, good wings and a good time!
The roles are reversed for Big Jim and Bad Daze Rob, as Jim does the singing and Rob plays the guitar!
HELLO, VIXEN @ 4D’S LOUNGE, ALTOONA 7/3/08
After logging a late evening in the workplace to get stuff done before the three-day holiday weekend, I headed to the 4D’s Lounge to check in with Hello, Vixen.
As expected, a good-sized crowd was already in the house as I arrived during the first intermission of the night. Soon, the Hello, Vixen contingent returned to the stage to commence their second set. As expected, frontman Mark Simanski, lead guitarist Bill Maguire, rhythm guitarist Brian Simanski, bassist Justin Brown and drummer Steve Holtz delivered a fast-paced set of current favorites; including numbers from Harvey Danger, Weezer, Eve 6, Foo Fighters, Blur and more. This set saw some guest appearances, as the 7th Gear contingent of Brendon Burns and Randy Servello sang and played drums respectively on Sublime’s “Santeria,” and Jill Simanski later sang lead on Hello’ Vixen’s version of Nena’s “99 Redballoons.”
After a 30-minute second intermission, Hello, Vixen rocked out the remainder of the night with more current favorites, starting off with the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes’ punked-up rendition of Peter Paul & Mary’s “Leavin’ on a Jet Place.” After Bush’s “Machinehead,” the group broke out one of their own tunes, “Grandpa’s Medicine,” and continued with tunes from Nirvana, Joan Jett, Rancid, The Offspring and more, eventually arriving at their popular finale rendition of Bouncing Souls” “Olé.”
It was a typically strong performance from Hello, Vixen, as the group kept the music and action frenzied and nonstop. Mark Simanski worked the stage nonstop, having fun with the fans and not giving anyone an excuse to want to sit down or leave. The dance floor remained busy through it all, and it was again an exhaustive good time.
Bring on the Fourth!
Mark Simanski of Hello, Vixen.
Brian Simanski and Justin Brown of Hello, Vixen.
Again, Mark Simanski of Hello, Vixen.
Hello, Vixen and a busy 4D’s dance floor.
Again, Hello, Vixen throws the party.
Bill Maguire of Hello, Vixen.
Once again, Hello, Vixen.
Steve Holtz of Hello, Vixen.
More fun with Hello, Vixen.
Yet more fun with Hello, Vixen and their fans.
With some ladies dancing on the stage, Hello, Vixen.
Again, Bill Maguire of Hello, Vixen.
JP & BIG JIM’S PITTSBURGH 4TH OF JULY ADVENTURE 7/4/08
Earlier in the week, my initial game plan on this 4th of July Friday was to spend much of the day attending the annual American Musicfest in Harrisburg to catch a few bands and performers I wanted to see, before returning to the ‘Toona in early evening to do the Delgrosso’s Park fireworks display and catch Green Eggs and Kitty Whip at Pellegrine’s.
But “Big Jim” Ricotta came up with another option. Several days earlier, Jim had won two tickets from a Clearfield County radio station to ride Fullington Bus Tours’ excursion to Pittsburgh to ride the Gateway Clipper 4th of July fireworks cruise. (By the way, Jim won the tickets from well-known Clearfield radio personality Bobby Day, the father of Green Eggs guitarist Matt Day!) The tickets included the bus ride to and from Pittsburgh and the ride on the boat, including buffet dinner, live music on the boat and a view from the Monongahela River of Pittsburgh’s fireworks display being sent up from Point State Park. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity!
Big Jim and I caught the bus in Indiana, and arrived at Pittsburgh’s Station Square over an hour before the scheduled Gateway Clipper cruise departure time of 7:30. So with a little time to burn, we decided to check out what was happening in the Station Square party zone. We soon heard live rock music booming from an outdoor stage, and naturally, we had to investigate.
The music was emanating from a stage in front of the Hard Rock Café, where the first Station Square Street Jam was under way. With outdoor vendors nearby selling food and beer, people were walking around and enjoying the festivities on Station Square, as the band Five Minute Love Affair was performing. From the Pittsburgh area, this group – featuring singer/guitarist Brian Diamond, guitarist/singer Jody Kevish, bassist/singer Jeff Kevish and drummer Dave Krestal – was rocking with some 70’s and 80’s numbers, doing versions of Aha’s “Take on Me,” Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” and The Cult’s “Love Removal Machine.” At this point, Brian and Jody introduced their original music band project, Liquafly, as they welcomed the group’s other two members, bassist Eric Hundenski and drummer Doug Schmitt, to the stage. Liquafly then introduced their brand of melody-geared modern hard rock on several original songs. The only song title I caught was “Your Eyes;” but Liquafly showed a knack for strong melodies and clear, tuneful vocals and harmonies. I enjoyed what I saw; hopefully I’ll have another opportunity to see this band in action down the road.
Five Minute Love Affair.
Again, Five Minute Love Affair.
Brian Diamond of Five Minute Love Affair/Liquafly.
A few folks dance during Five Minute Love Affair’s set.
With a different bassist and drummer, Five Minute Love Affair becomes Liquafly.
Again, Liquafly.
One more time, Liquafly.
Big Jim and I didn’t catch Five Minute Love Affair’s name when we first arrived, and since we soon had to make our way back to the Gateway Clipper area to board the boat, I approached the sound board area to inquire about the band’s name. I asked the first person I ran into, who turned out to be a familiar face, former Velveeta bassist Steve Bentz, in attendance because his new band, My Hero Zero, was scheduled to take the stage next. What a small world!
We then headed to the Gateway Clipper area and boarded the boat, the “Empress.” We were seated at the dining table area on the first level of the boat (there were three decks). We ordered up drinks at the nearby bar and took in the sights around the room. A buffet serving area was being prepared, and behind it, a band was setting up to perform.
Shortly after 7:30, the cruise began, with the “Empress” and the rest of Gateway Clipper’s fleet heading up the Monongahela River and back over the course of the two-hour cruise. The boat’s captain announced that the boat would then stop in the area of the Fort Pitt Bridge, where we would then see Pittsburgh’s fireworks display. Big Jim and I headed outside briefly to take in the view along the river, as we passed under bridges and observed downtown Pittsburgh’s skyline.
Soon, dinner was served, and the buffet was good stuff! Baked chicken with mushroom gravy, stuffed shells, baked ham, parsley potatoes, cooked carrots, rolls, salad, and cake for dessert…good eats!
The band started performing as the boat left the dock. The group was SoulVillage, a popular Pittsburgh area variety band led by singer Ray Morrison. The group uses a number of different musicians given the setting; performing with Ray this day were Kevin McCarthy on guitar, Jack Mrozowski on drums, and special guest keyboard player Annie Friedland. Entertaining initially in the boat’s dinner setting, SoulVillage kept things mellow early on, doing light jazz and pop standards such as “Anchors Aweigh” (as the boat left dock), Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” George Benson’s “This Masquerade,” “Girl from Ipanema,” “Take the ‘A’ Train” and more. The group then took an intermission to themselves enjoy the meal, and returned to step up the post-dinner party. The latter set kicked off with the Marvin Gaye double-shot of “What’s Going On” and “Let’s Get It On,” showcasing Ray’s uplifting and soulful voice and presentation. The party continued to escalate with renditions of Prince’s “Kiss,” E.U.’s “Da Butt,” Motown standards such as The Temptations’ “Get Ready” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” Sam and Dave’s “Soul Man,” the Annie-sung rendition of “Mustang Sally,” and Bill Withers’ “Use Me.” SoulVillage seemed to pick up momentum as they went along, and were having fun with the cruising audience as the show went along.
As Bill Withers’ “Use Me” ended, the fireworks began. What a display! Pittsburgh definitely knows how to send up a fireworks display; this one was nonstop fireworks for a good 20-minute span, with the boat airing the accompanying patriotic musical soundtrack being broadcast on WDVE. As the air was humid this night, the smoke from the fireworks enveloped the nearby tall buildings in downtown Pittsburgh, making for an interesting sight.
After the fireworks ended, the boat returned to dock, and we returned to the bus for the return trip home. This Fullington bus had small video screens, and the bus’ escort/hostess, Karyn, started playing the Chevy Chase movie Las Vegas Vacation through the system; helping us bide the time during the long wait to exit the Station Square parking lot and the ride back to Indiana.
Again, I had a blast! Thanks again to Big Jim for providing me with this opportunity! And I recommend that if you have the chance, definitely do the Gateway Clipper 4th of July Fireworks Cruise, definitely an excellent way to enjoy the 4th fireworks!
A river’s eye view of downtown Pittsburgh.
As darkness arrives, the view from the river of other lit up Gateway Clipper riverboats and downtown Pittsburgh.
Again, the Monongahela River and downtown Pittsburgh.
The band aboard the “Empress,” SoulVillage.
And, of course…the fireworks!
AMERICAN MUSICFEST, HARRISBURG 7/5/08
Due to my change of plans on Friday, I moved my planned Harrisburg roadtrip back one day to Saturday, and headed eastward to the state’s capitol to partake in some of this year’s annual American Musicfest. This was actually the first half of a planned Harrisburg area live music doubleheader for me; the latter half of the doubleheader would be to see a performer I had originally planned to see at Musicfest on Friday.
For those not familiar with this event, American Musicfest is Harrisburg’s equivalent to events such as Johnstown Folkfest or the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Musicfest features four live music stages, plus food, craft and other vendors set up along the Susquehanna River near downtown Harrisburg.
I had hoped to arrive in time to see the performance of Harrisburg area southern rockers Smokin’ Gunnz, but I got too late a start leaving the ‘Toona, and missed their performance. But I did arrive in time to take in most of a battle of the bands event taking place at the Market Street Stage at Musicfest; 105.7 “The X’s” Capitol City Clash. After throwing my car into one of the downtown Harrisburg parking garages, I strolled over to the Musicfest area and quickly followed the sound of the live rock to the Market Street stage, where Delaware’s Stealing December was in the midst of their battle-opening set.
Featuring singer/guitarist Brandon Langer, guitarist Ryan Mullen, bassist Eight Ristano and drummer Michaelangelo Ristano; Stealing December’s sound could be described as contemporary, melodic, punk-infused modern rock. This group demonstrated ample excitement and tight execution on the last three songs I saw them do; “Story,” the slower “Flame” and the set finisher “Best Friends Forever.” Instrumentally they were on the mark, and their vocals were clear and strong. Although just three songs, Stealing December made a good first impression on me, and I liked what I heard.
The first band contestants in the Capitol City Clash, Stealing December.
Again, Stealing December.
With a seated audience looking on, Stealing December.
Brandon Langer of Stealing December.
A cheesehead, apparently celebrating the rumored reports that Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre was considering coming back out of retirement.
During the band changeover intermission, since I had not visited a restroom yet following my 2½-hour roadtrip, I saw a line of porta-johnnies at the Market Street intersection behind the stage, and proceeded there to take care of business. When I arrived, two folks were seated in front of the porta-johnnies, and one of them called out to me “Number Five,” pointing to an open porta-johnny. Yes, folks, this day I would experience for the first time ever – porta-johnny valets! I entered the john and did my thing, and exited to have one of the valets point out that I had two options for cleansing my hands afterward; the porta-sink with the foot-pumping water mechanism, or a bottle of liquid hand disinfectant. And between the two valets, of course, a tip jar. Both valets were polite and struck up conversation with me about Musicfest, so what the hell, I tipped them $2. The experience of discovering porta-johnny valets was worth a couple of bucks…Now I’ll wait to see when this new innovation makes its way to our locale.
I then returned to the stage to await the performance of the next band in the battle, York’s Codorus Cruise Line (The CCL for short). I had seen this band twice before, during the past two Millennium Music Conferences. The CCL had expanded to a quartet since I last saw them in February, though, as Justin “Wolfy” Wolfe takes over bass duties from Sean Diebert, who now plays second guitar. Brady Henry sings lead and plays guitar, and Jeremy Schlosser plays drums. The CCL demonstrated their brand of hard-edged, southern and blues-rooted modern rock over their five-song set. (All the bands in the battle were playing short, five- and six-song sets.) They opened and closed their set with two of the best songs from their full-length CD Down That Alley, opening with “Train Station” and ending with “Home for Hollywood.” In between, the group did three newer songs; the slower and blues-geared “Wayside,” the escalating rocker “Blue-Eyed Rambler” and “Looker.” I again liked what I heard from this group; as they delivered a fiery performance with confidence and passion. Brady looked perfectly at home in front of this crowd, addressing the audience and having fun entertaining them. He complemented his charismatic singing performance with some stinging guitarwork as well, communicating with the crowd through his instrument. In addition, I liked this band’s attitude towards the battle; Brady said early on that the group didn’t care if they won the battle, they were there to meet people, make friends and give away CD’s, as he pointed to a box of CD’s in front of the stage and invited the crowd to help themselves. My only disappointment was that this was a five-song set; I definitely wanted to hear more from these guys!
Kicking off their set, Codorus Cruise Line (The C.C.L).
Again, The C.C.L.
Brady Henry of The C.C.L.
Again, Brady Henry of The C.C.L.
Once again, The C.C.L.
Sean Diebert of The C.C.L.
Once more, Brady Henry of The C.C.L.
New bassist Justin Wolfe of The C.C.L.
More of The C.C.L.
With the next break in the action between bands, I took the opportunity to head up Front Street in search of foodstuffs. My Pennsylvania Musician cohort RachelRocks, helping out with the distribution of voting slips during the battle, told me there was some good and reasonably-priced food up the street, so I went to investigate for myself. As I procured a barbecue turkey sandwich from one vendor, I heard acoustic music a short distance away, and followed it to the Coca Cola Community Stage, where the duo of Jonathan Frazier and Kevin Neidig were performing. I had seen Kevin previously in his acoustic group Voxology; he played guitar and sang, while Jonathan played banjo. Their sound was folksy, Americana-styled music. I stuck around to witness three songs while eating my sandwich; “Take Your Medicine,” a banjo-geared instrumental tune, and their spin on a traditional number, “House Carpenter.” These two clearly knew their way around their instruments, showing clean and vibrant execution while making it all look relaxed and at ease.
Kevin Neidig and Jonathan Frazier.
Again, Neidig and Frazier.
I then procured an order of fries from another vendor, and headed back to see the next band in the battle, York’s Torn From Red. I had met these guys during the Millennium Music Conference back in February, but this was my first opportunity to see them live. Lead singer/guitarist Mike Landis, bassist/singer Nate Jones, guitarist/singer Matt Diehl and drummer Brett Shoffner played an agitated brand of melodic, punk-infused modern rock. Their presentation was tense and anxious, as they performed original songs such as “Heartbeat,” “This Love” and a new song, “It’s Not Over.” Torn From Red provided constant action as they briskly fired through their five-song set. And though their style slanted towards angsty, their vocals and harmonies were solid and dead on. Overall, they gave a strong display.
York’s Torn From Red.
Again, Torn From Red.
Mike Landis of Torn From Red.
Nate Jones of Torn From Red.
Again, Mike Landis of Torn From Red.
Matt Diehl of Torn From Red.
Brett Shoffner and Nate Jones of Torn From Red.
Again, Matt Diehl of Torn From Red.
Next was Evelyn’s Ashes, who were recent guests on Q94’s “Backyard Rocker.” Singer Wes Myers, guitarists Chris Cutshall and Dale Lytle, bassist Scott Salisbury and drummer Ted Hile started off their set with the leadoff tune from their Far Away CD, “The Innocent.” Wes then pulled a clever coup in the battle; taking a box of 30 Far Away CD’s over to the table where the voting boxes for each band were located, and offering free CD’s to the first 30 audience members dropping their voting slips in the Evelyn’s Ashes box. The tactic worked, as a number of folks converged on the table to cast their votes and get their free CD’s. Meanwhile, Wes introduced a new original song, “Unwilling,” before the group did the acoustic-geared title song from Far Away. The group did another newer song, “Walk Away,” before finishing the set with two more from the CD, “Rewind” and “Backdown,” a song they dedicated to America’s armed forces. Evelyn’s Ashes sounded sharp, combining powerful hard modern rock rhythms with sturdy, catchy melodies; which Wes delivered with a clear voice and intensity. The group even attracted some dancers in front of the stage along the way. This was a strong performance as well; as battles of the bands go, I was glad I wasn’t a judge in this one, as every band represented well thus far! (And it was being decided by audience votes anyway.)
Evelyn’s Ashes kicks off their set at the Capitol City Clash.
Again, Evelyn’s Ashes.
Chris Cutshall of Evelyn’s Ashes.
Wes Myers of Evelyn’s Ashes.
Again, Chris Cutshall of Evelyn’s Ashes.
Once again, Evelyn’s Ashes.
Evelyn’s Ashes and the seated lawnfront crowd at American Musicfest.
Dale Lytle of Evelyn’s Ashes.
Once again, Chris Cutshall of Evelyn’s Ashes.
Again, Dale Lytle of Evelyn’s Ashes.
Once again, Wes Myers of Evelyn’s Ashes.
With some dancers in front of the stage, Evelyn’s Ashes.
Once again, Dale Lytle of Evelyn’s Ashes.
One more time, Wes Myers of Evelyn’s Ashes.
One more band remained in the battle, Harrisburg’s Friction Broadcast; who, like Evelyn’s Ashes before them, I had also seen once before at February’s Millennium Music Conference. As they demonstrated during their Millennium showcase performance, singer Anthony Lovari, guitarist Rick Johns (ex-Amy K Band), bassist Fran Johns and drummer Casey Kraynak showed a knack for crafting busy and engaging, yet catchy, melodies, and delivering them with a powerful modern rocking wallop. Progression effectively met melody on such numbers as “Falling,” “Mystery,” “Running in Circles” and more; and the group’s execution was strong and powerful. Once again, I liked what I heard from Friction Broadcast; I hope to hear some of their recorded tunes sometime soon.
Closing the Capitol City Clash, Harrisburg’s Friction Broadcast.
Anthony Lovari of Friction Broadcast.
Rick Johns of Friction Broadcast.
Again, Anthony Lovari of Friction Broadcast.
Anthony Lovari and Rick Johns of Friction Broadcast.
The battle participants had spoken, and the vote boxes were taken away to be counted. The results of the battle wouldn’t be announced until later in the evening, and I had another show to get to, so I soon departed American Musicfest. (I later learned that Evelyn’s Ashes’ CD giveaway tactic worked and worked well; they not only won the battle, but did so by a landslide.) I thought all five bands represented well, and battle notwithstanding, this was a good opportunity for all five groups to get seen and possibly win some new fans. I also enjoyed touching base with several musical friends in the Harrisburg part of the world, including Programmaddicts mastermind Jamison, Julian Fist bassist Troy Lehman, Crazy John from OSHRadio, and RachelRocks.
TORI SPARKS @ SCOTT’S OLD TOWNE GRILLE, NEW CUMBERLAND 7/5/08
I first met Nashville singer/songwriter Tori Sparks back in February during the Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg, but was unable to catch her showcase performance during the conference. I had been in touch with her via email and Myspace since, and when she posted that she was doing a week of shows in Pennsylvania, I decided this would be my opportunity to catch her live performance. Tori started the week with a gig in Pittsburgh, and then was playing out the rest of the week with shows around the Harrisburg area, including American Musicfest on Friday, and this night, at Scott’s Old Towne Grille in nearby New Cumberland.
I arrived at Scott’s towards the end of Tori’s first set, in time to hear her song “Merry Go Round.” Scott’s was lightly populated at this point, with more people enjoying the outdoor lounge area than the indoor setting with live music. But more folks would arrive during the course of the evening…and one of the next through the door was somebody I knew, Shots McGee frontman/guitarist Rhyne McCormick, who was as surprised to see me at this venue (located a mile away from his digs in the Harrisburg area) as I was surprised to see him walk in. Rhyne told me he had met Tori a few nights earlier at one of her other Harrisburg area gigs, and returned this night to catch more of her show.
After spending the intermission meeting and chatting with audience members, Tori soon returned to the stage to begin her second set. Tori sang a selection of original songs with a few select remakes thrown in. Her style is rooted in traditional classic folk, Americana, rock and blues. Initially, Tori’s singing presentation suggested the upbeat and bubbly persona of Joni Mitchell; but as her set progressed, more aspects of her musical personality unfolded, from tender to sultry to bluesy. Among the songs in this set were the title track from her latest album, Under This Yellow Sun, along with several other original tunes whose titles I missed; and her interpretations of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin,’” Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” and Chris Isaac’s “Wicked Game.” Tori mixed her vocal and guitar talents with a friendly, conversational mood and sense of humor that made the audience feel at home.
Tori’s third set again featured a mixture of original and cover material, and some highlights along the way. From her new CD, Tori performed “Peace of Soul,” and later in the set, another original song title I caught was “Rubbernecking.” She also did a few more remakes, offering her own unique slants to Bob Marley’s “I Can See Clearly Now” and Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” to end the show. Along the way, she welcomed Rhyne McCormick up to the stage to do two songs; Rhyne performed Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” and his own original “How Long.” Again, Tori kept the mood friendly and cordial, offering insight and humorous wit along the way regarding her music and life in general.
Afterward, Tori again greeted audience members, and graciously autographed CD’s and other merchandise for the new fans she made this night.
The nearly five-month wait to finally witness Tori Sparks in action was worth it. I enjoyed her spirited, confident performance and her friendly and engaging stage personality; it was easy to see why Tori has received the positive acclaim that she has. According to Tori, she hopes to return to Pennsylvania again in early fall, as well as possibly return to next year’s Millennium Music Conference.
Tori Sparks, entertaining at Scott’s Old Towne Grille.
Again, Tori Sparks.
Once again, Tori Sparks.
FELIX & THE HURRICANES @ SHAW’S BAR, JUNIATA 7/6/08
It had been a little while since I had done any Hurricaning in the Juniata part of town, so I headed to Shaw’s Bar this night to see what the ‘Canes were up to.
This would also be my first opportunity to see the Hurricanes’ Sunday roster. Bassist Jeff Clapper has stepped away from performing with the group on Sunday nights due to an early Monday commitment; so the group’s bass duties have been handled in recent weeks by Pat McGinnis, and when Pat isn’t available, “Big Jim” Ricotta.
A good-sized crowd was in place as I arrived late during the Hurricanes’ first set. Pat was providing the bottom end this night as well as some vocals, and he sang lead on “Louise” as I arrived. Lead Hurricane Felix Kos then sang lead on the set-ending rendition of “Stormy Monday.”
During the break, I chatted with former ‘Canes bassist Bill Nusom, who updated me on his latest band project, Hempfield High. Bill would be an active part of the music a little later on. There was also a musical birthday in the house, as Colton Fouse was celebrating his birthday this night. He, too, would grace the Shaw’s stage later.
Felix, Pat and drummer Bob Watters soon returned to resume the tunes, kicking off their next set with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Tightrope.” After a version of Dr. Hook’s “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” the Hurricanes returned to the Stevie Ray catalog for an extended jamming version of “Rude Mood.” This was followed by Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man,” and Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See” to cap the set.
More folks continued to arrive during the course of the evening, making for a good crowd in place for the Hurricanes’ rowdy third set. The group kicked off this chapter with Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl,” and followed with John Mellencamp’s “Authority Song,” highlighted by Pat wailing some harmonica and Felix hamming it up on the dance floor alongside a dancing couple. The following version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile” saw birthday guy Colton take over guitar duties, while Bill Nusom stepped in to take over on bass. Bill then helped sing lead with Felix on ZZ Top’s “Beer Drinkers and Hellraisers,” which meandered into the Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rider.” The night then ended with another guest, as former Back Street Boyz (the local late 80’s rock band, not the boy band of the same name) drummer Denny Gibson took over behind the drum kit for Georgia Satellites’ “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.”
Good times abounded this night, as the Hurricanes and their guests tore it up on stage and had a good time. The approval from the audience was unanimous, with the cheers growing as the musical fireworks progressed. And with several musicians in the audience, it was cool to note the seasoned players watching the Hurricanes with respect and admiration, while the younger players were inspired by what they were seeing. It provided a fun close to the 4th of July holiday weekend.
For his birthday, Colton Fouse gets “turkemcized” by Hurricane Felix.
Colton jams with the Hurricanes.
Colton Fouse and Bill Nusom (far right) sit in with Felix and Bob of the Hurricanes.
Felix and Colton.
Hurricane Bob and guest Bill Nusom.
Felix with guest drummer Denny Gibson.
Felix jams alongside Denny.
Guest Denny Gibson and Pat McGinnis.
JP’s HAIKU
Gateway fireworks cruise
River ride, food, band, fireworks
One excellent Fourth!
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