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MEMORIAL DAY WEEK/WEEKEND RECAP 5/31/10
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Jim Price
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Joined: 07 Dec 2002
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 Post Posted: Tuesday Jun 15, 2010 
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MEMORIAL DAY WEEK/WEEKEND RECAP 5/31/10

THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 5/24/10

More wings, music and good times abounded at Pellegrine’s this Monday night, with the musical merriment provided by That’s What She Said.

A good-sized crowd was in the house this night, including a number of ladies. One apparent reason for this femme attendance was to celebrate the birthday of Jess P’s adopted roadie, Earl. As I entered the premises, Jess was singing her weekly ode to Earl, the Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye to Earl,” with the audience cheering along. (In a sobering twist of irony, a real-life goodbye to Earl almost happened here just days later; more on this during the recap of Silver Sunday’s Memorial Day eve show.)

In their normal fashion, Jess and Adam D alternated singing duties on their usual wide range of song favorites. Gamber Gone Wild did double duty this week, doing his renditions of both Looking Glass’ “Brandy” and Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” Musically, there weren’t any new revelations from the catalogs of either Adam or Jess, but the two did do a nice duet rendition of Rod Stewart’s “The First Cut Is the Deepest” before all was said and done.

Bottom line, good crowd, good wings, and fun times and music made it another fun Monday wing night at Pelly’s.

Jess P. of That’s What She Said.

Gamber Gone Wild with Jess P. once again.

Gamber and Jess…the new Captain & Tennille?

Pelly’s main man Harry Jr. and Jess P.

Pellegrine’s resident canine vacuum cleaner, Samson.

Once again, Samson, challenging any Oreck vacuum cleaner to do such an effective job cleaning up popcorn crumbs!

JAM NIGHT @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 5/26/10

This week’s installment of Pellegrine’s Wednesday Jam Night provided more exciting musical highlights in front of a large audience, including at least one Altoona governing dignitary.

Due to broadcast employer duties, I arrived a little later than usual this night, but got there in time to catch the last couple of songs of Jam Night newcomers Chuck Knepper and Patty Helbig. I got to hear Patty demonstrate her excellent voice on Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” before Chuck crooned on Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin.’”

Jam Night frequent flyer Eric D then took the stage and did renditions of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” and The Devil Makes Three’s “Old Number Seven.” Eric was then joined by young Morrison’s Cove-based bluegrass/Americana ensemble The Up Downs, who backed him on a variety of tunes. Chuck Knepper even joined in on a few numbers, including “Wagon Wheel.”

It was during this part of the evening that I noticed an Altoona V.I.P. in the house; Mayor William Schirf, who was meeting and dining with a large group of folks in the rear room by the entrance. Maybe we could coax the Mayor to issue a proclamation designating all Wednesdays official Jam Nights within the boundaries of the City of Altoona. I can see it now…Heritage Plaza becomes one huge public jam session each week!

I digress…Eventually, Eric and The Up Downs relinquished the stage and the jam session portion of the night fully kicked in. Participants included many of the ‘usual suspects,’ such as Adam D, Big Jim, Eric, Rich Dash, Don Osborn, Steve Brulia on drums, Jamie Shumac on drums and vocals, guest singer Kira Burley, and yours truly doing hand percussion and kazoo duties.

It was another fun time listening to and helping make music at Pellegrine’s. This night again reaffirmed why Wednesday’s are becoming one of the highlights to my week!

Making their Pellegrine’s Jam Night debut, The Up Downs.

With Chuck Knepper (far right) sitting in, The Up Downs.

The Up Downs back up Eric D.

BATTLE OF THE ACOUSTICS (FINALS) @ CITY HOTEL, NORTHERN CAMBRIA 5/27/10

It had built up to this, the finale…Eight acoustic performers and acts punched their tickets during the previous four preliminary round installments of City Hotel’s inaugural “Battle Of The Acoustics” contest, to represent at the finals this night. Someone would come away with $600 cash and first place; the runner up would score $100, and third place would win a $50 City Hotel gift certificate. The drama would unfold, leading to the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

Excitement was in the air as I arrived to a packed house. Anticipation was on the faces of the contestants, as they devised their set lists and considered their strategies for coaxing audience votes. This event has kept building steam and popularity through the course of the four preliminary rounds, and was culminating in a huge crowd this night to see how the final “Battle of the Acoustics” would play out.

The rules for this final battle were changed slightly from the preliminary rounds. First, no ballots would be handed out to late arrivals after the first contestant started performing, and any ballots submitted before the final contestant’s performance would not be counted. Also, audience members could only vote for one contestant this time, instead of picking two favorites on the ballots as they did during the preliminary rounds. Each contestant would play a 30-minute set, and the performing order was randomly determined.

Soon, the final showdown was ready to begin. Kicking off the event on the rear stage was a duo that punched their ticket during the final preliminary round the previous week, Cambria Heights High School representatives Alex Ramsdell and Nate Burkhart. Like they did the previous week, Alex and Nate did a selection of favorites, including numbers from Hootie & the Blowfish, Goo Goo Dolls, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, and others; and Alex again reprised his percussive guitar instrumental original from the week before. Again these two were in good form; their vocals were good, and their instrumental skills strong. The sound was a bit loud and distorted through much of their set, before adjustments could be made as the night progressed. But in all, Alex & Nate provided a good start to the evening.

Kicking off the “Battle of the Acoustics” finals, Nate Burkhart and Alex Ramsdell.

Alex Ramsdell, going percussive on his guitar.

This might not be a perfect analogy…But in the horse racing world, you typically don’t want your horse to start from the inside gate, because it can then get caught up against the rail when the other horses close in around it through the first turn. But some horse does have to start from the inside. Likewise, in musical battles such as this one, the opening slot is probably the least ideal spot to perform, because you’re at the mercy of initial technical bugs that might surface in the gear and sound system early on. But somebody always has to be first, and although Alex & Nate didn’t encounter any major bugs during their opening set on the rear stage, the same couldn’t be said for front stage openers Acoustic Stew, who were plagued with technical problems that first delayed the start of their set, and resurfaced a few times during their set as well. But Jaime Dubetsky and Tim Homerski made the best of it as they performed their eclectic set of classic rock, blues and folk. I liked their song selection, as they opened with “I Know You Rider,” and did selections not commonly done on local stages such as U2’s “Angel of Harlem” and America’s “Ventura Highway,” and an original song as well. The duo ended the set with their spin on Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath,” with Tim showing his chops on the flute; good stuff! Although the luck of the draw didn’t favor them, Acoustic Stew still drew appreciative applause from the audience, and probably won a few new fans this night.

Jaime Dubetsky and Tim Homerski; Acoustic Stew.

From another angle, Acoustic Stew.

Tim Homerski of Acoustic Stew pipes out some flute.

Next on the rear stage was the father-and-son tandem of Jerry and Jared Carnevali, performing as 2nd Street. These two were impressive, offering a nonstop, well-performed set of classics and favorites. Opening with Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” 2nd Street sounded sharp on such tunes as Elton John’s “Rocket Man,” Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69,” Everly Brothers’ “Wake Up Little Suzy,” Gin Blossoms’ “Hey Jealousy,” The Clarks’ “Shimmy Low” and more. Jerry and Jared were poised and confident, and quickly established a rapport with the audience. Their set flowed well, and their total execution and presentation appeared smooth and natural. 2nd Street clearly made a good case for themselves, and raised the bar for the acts to follow.

Presenting their case for victory, 2nd Street.

Following on the front stage was the Dubois entry into the finals, Six-String Redemption. Chris Hepfer and Steve Duffalo also were strong and confident on their presentation of acoustic rock and country favorites. These two were clearly in a Collective Soul mood this night, doing nice work on the hits “Shine,” “December” and “The World I Know.” They also did renditions of Zac Brown Band’s “Toes” and “Chicken Fried,” The Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes” and Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” Chris and Steve complemented each other well on their instruments and sounded sharp, and their vocal harmonies worked very well as well. Six-String Redemption also triggered the evening’s first dance action, and their set was well-received by the audience. They brought their ‘A’ game, and presented a strong argument toward capturing this competition as well.

Six-String Redemption represents in the “Battle of the Acoustics” finals.

On the rear stage, Rob Sottile and Scott Henry also struck up an immediate rapport with the City Hotel audience, as they performed their mix of favorites. They did an interesting set list as well, with versions of The Clarks’ “Mercury,” REO Speedwagon’s “Take It On the Run,” Blind Melon’s “No Rain,” Josh Thompson’s “Beer on the Table,” Sister Hazel’s “All for You,” and their clincher, the drink-friendly rendition of Social Distortion’s “Ball in Chain,” where drinks throughout the house were hoisted during each chorus. Rob and Scott were together and tight, and their vocal harmonies were working as well. These two maintained a friendly, homey connection with the City Hotel crowd, and their presentation was laid-back and comfortable. They also made a good argument for placing in the prize winnings at night’s end.

Rob Sottile and Scott Henry present their case in the “Battle of the Acoustics” finals.

A crowd’s-eye view of Rob & Scott.

The musical flavor changed up with the next finalists to perform on the front stage, Johnstown husband-and-wife duo Matt and Jen Harnett from Tree. These two presented their forte, Celtic and Irish-flavored folk, done proudly and rowdily. Matt with his boisterous, rousing singing style and Jen’s precision violin work made a strong case for victory as well, as they did various Irish-leaning folk and favorites. I didn’t recognize too much on their set list this night, but Matt and Jen did open with the ever-popular “Drunken Sailor” song, and performed a pair of Flogging Molly numbers including “Drunken Lullaby,” as well as a Dropkick Murphys number, “Shipping Up to Boston.” Matt and Jen were confident and poised, and clearly had fun as they performed their selections. The crowd enjoyed their efforts as well, and once again, another act stepped up to the plate and made an impressive argument for winning this battle.

Jen and Matt Harnett of Tree get their Irish up in the “Battle of the Acoustics” finals.

Jen Harnett of Tree.

Altoona’s lone representative in the finals was next on the rear stage, the duo of Matt Wagner and Joe Scott (from the band Killer Boots). These two were amazing during their qualifying performance that got them here; could they equal or top it? Their answer was an emphatic ‘yes’ as they again dazzled with a strong, passionate and concise performance, featuring a variety of flavors. After opening with Sublime’s “Santeria,” Matt and Joe broke out O.A.R.’s “Hey Girl,” which they fused together with Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.” The pair then did nice work on Dave Matthews Band’s “What Would You Say,” before breaking out a version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Their set continued with versions of John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads” and Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive,” before they finished things off with two vintage hits, Dion’s “Runaround Sue” and the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody.” Matt’s voice was clear and passionate, and both he and Joe showed abundant precision and skill on their guitars. This duo also set the bar very high, and made another convincing argument for winning this thing when the dust settled.

Stating their case for victory in the finals, Matt Wagner and Joe Scott.

One lone contestant remained, the only solo performer to punch through to the finals – Ken Gray. The Ganister frontman let it all out, and stirred up the party with the crowd as he did a mixture of favorites and original songs. Ken opened with Pearl Jam’s “Black,” and followed with a version of Lady GaGa’s “Poker Face.” He got the crowd cheering with Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and Theory Of A Deadman’s “Hate My Life.” After a Kid Rock song and Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open,” Ken finished up with two original songs, “Breathe” and another whose title I didn’t catch. Ken made a good argument as well, singing with ample grit and emotion, and having fun with the audience and striking up a good connection with them. We would all soon find out if Ken’s performance was good enough to score gold, silver or bronze.

Wrapping up the “Battle of the Acoustics” finals, Ken Gray.

The ballots were all collected, and the votes carefully counted. After about 30 minutes, a representative from City Hotel’s staff brought the results out to yours truly, the battle emcee, to announce to the eagerly awaiting crowd. Rob & Scott won the $50 City Hotel gift certificate. Matt & Joe captured the $100 second prize. And winning $600 and being crowned the first champions of City Hotel’s inaugural “Battle of the Acoustics”…Northern Cambria hometown father-and-son duo 2nd Street!

Jared Carnevali, representing 2nd Street in victory.

Beyond the prize winnings, though, there were a lot more victories at the end of this five-week battle. Several contestants won bookings at the City Hotel through their participation in this event; if they are able to maintain a steady presence at this venue after those initial bookings, that in itself might be an even better prize for the long haul! A number of contestants achieved the opportunity to showcase their music and presentations in front of large and enthusiastic crowds. It’s very likely that most of these contestants broadened their fan base and visibility through this event, even if just minimally. One contestant, Johnstown’s Mike Vavrek, handed me his CD when he competed a few weeks back; he has since gotten a song played on the “Homegrown Rocker,” and has just been booked to appear as a guest on the program in September. (Other contestants, such as Joe (Konior) & Alicia (Hritzko), Big Soul and Jim Zemlock, have all received some song spins in recent weeks relating to their involvement in this event.) The City Hotel did brisk business during the five installments of this contest, and probably won some new patrons. And lots of people each night got exposed to a variety of acoustic performers, many whom they hadn’t seen before. If these folks were turned on to new artists and proceed to show up at those artists’ performances in the future, yet another victory! The live music experience was the overall big winner from this five-week contest, as musicians were able to present their music and musical worlds in front of new faces and crowds.

No musical “battle” is ever perfect, and as such, the organizers of “Battle of the Acoustics” will likely review and tweak a few things here and there to improve this event for the next time they do it (the unofficial word is that this might become an annual event). But having been involved in a number of “battle” type events over the years, I think this has been one of the better-organized and run battle events I have witnessed. Some folks will argue the merits of having judges decide the winners instead of audience votes, and vice-versa. There are pros and cons to both arguments; perhaps a combination of the two might be the best way to determine the winners. But I thought overall this was a fairly-run, honest contest, and I was glad to see that mostly all of the contestants took this in the proper perspective; in the end, while it would have been nice to win the top three prizes, it was more important to have the opportunity to perform music in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd and win fans. It was also more important to network with and meet new musicians, share perspectives, and see each other in action on stage. All-around, City Hotel’s “Battle of the Acoustics” was a winning situation for mostly everybody. Good job!

DAKOTA ROSE @ THE BUNKER INN, WINDBER 5/28/10

After pondering some out-of-town live music options, I decided to head south and westward to Windber’s Bunker Inn, to check in with another talented area axeslinger named Kos and his bandmates, Dakota Rose.

Marking their first anniversary as a band this night, Dakota Rose was nearly ready to start their second set as I arrived. Drummer Bob Gironda was sitting in with the group this night, on loan from Who’s Your Daddy. Bob, singer Laura Peach, guitarist/singer Dick Kos and bassist Phil Kolarczyk soon kicked off the set with Bad Company’s “Can’t Get Enough,” and several dancers immediately beat a path to the floor in front of the stage. Laura then cut loose on a Susan Tedeschi number, displaying an incredible voice! Phil then took his turn on vocals, grumbling out the intro and lead on ZZ Top’s “La Grange,” which morphed into Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” with Dick singing the lead. It was then back to Laura for her spin on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps (Sister),” followed by John Mellencamp’s “Authority Song.” Dick led the group on a spirited read of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” which again triggered dancing, before Laura belted out fiery voice on another Susan Tedeschi number, “Rock Me Right.” Dakota Rose then slowed it down so couples could do some grinding on Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight,” before firing things back up with Robert Palmer’s “Bad Case of Loving You,” Free’s “All Right Now,” Dwight Yoakum’s “Fast As You,” David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” and Led Zeppelin’s “Houses of the Holy” to close the set.

Dakota Rose was sounding strong. I was quite blown away by Laura’s voice and firepower; she has the range, power and grit, combined with enthusiasm and heart to take her song selections to the stratosphere! Dick Kos was demonstrating his superior guitar chops throughout the set, making his guitar sing and making it all look easy! Phil and Bob (who played together with Dick before in the ‘70s) held things together with tight and rumbling rhythms. Although the Bunker Inn wasn’t packed, the folks who were in attendance were enjoying every minute of it!

Dakota Rose’s nightcap set didn’t let up on the gas…Laura delivered her best Brian Johnson polecat howl on AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” to light the spark under the dance floor once again, before Dick presided over the group’s rendition of The Band’s “The Shape I’m In” and John Mellencamp’s “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” This stretched into a medley, veering into the Romantics’ “What I Like About You” and Tommy James’ “Mony Mony.” Laura then flexed her vocal cords and stylistic range on the next four songs, Joan Jett’s “I Hate Myself for Loving You,” Nazareth’s “Love Hurts,” Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” and Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69.” Dick then sent the night home in a blaze of glory with his incredible guitar solo display on “All Along the Watchtower.”

I thoroughly liked what I heard! Dakota Rose played fiery, bluesy rock’n’roll and did it well; and made it well worth the roadtrip over the hill to Windber to enjoy!

Dakota Rose rocks the Bunker Inn.

Laura Peach of Dakota Rose.

Dick Kos of Dakota Rose.

Laura and Dick of Dakota Rose.

Again, Laura and Dick.

Again, Laura Peach.

Again, Dakota Rose.

Again, Dick Kos.

Phil Kolarczyk of Dakota Rose.

Once again, Laura and Dick of Dakota Rose.

On loan from Who’s Your Daddy this night, Bob Gironda.

Yet again, Laura and Dick of Dakota Rose.
More Laura and Dick.

Once again, Dakota Rose.

One more time, Dakota Rose.

ROCKY 104.9 “RIDE YOUR ROCKS OFF” GIVEAWAY @ APPLE HARLEY-DAVIDSON, DUNCANSVILLE 5/29/10

My first order of business this day was to help my broadcast employer, Rocky 104.9, give away a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the culmination of the annual “Ride Your Rocks Off” contest. Over the course of the past month and a half, some 104 qualifiers punched their tickets to have a shot at winning the 2009 Harley. The day began with qualifiers arriving and registering for the giveaway, and a nice food spread of kolbassi, sauerkraut, baked beans, pulled pork sandwiches, macaroni salad and more was served up.

At 1 PM, the giveaway festivities took place. Each qualifier who showed up was given an envelope with a key. One of the keys opened a box containing the keys to the Harley. It didn’t take long to get the winner, as early on, Seth Smith of Altoona opened the box with his key and won the Harley!

Winner Seth Smith and his lady sit aboard his new ride.

BIKER BILLY BASH 5, ALTOONA 5/29/10

After helping my broadcast employer give away the Harley, it was time to party…And on Memorial Day weekend, that meant the unofficial “Beginning of Summer Jam,” Biker Billy Fest, taking place in the rural backyard of musician and motorcycle enthusiast “Biker Billy” Fischer just off Route 36 in the northwestern outskirts of Altoona.

Biker Billy Bash has evolved into one of early summer’s best parties; featuring bands, food and drink. Hundreds of folks attend each year, and with nice weather again gracing the event, this year was no exception!

I arrived too late to see the first band, Mysterytrain, getting there only in time to catch the last verse of their closer “Aries.” But Mysterytrain seemed to nicely set the tone, providing happy jams as arriving revelers picked their spots in the yard and got settled in.

After party host Biker Billy and I-Enemy bassman Jim Stephanic demonstrated their tree-trimming talents onstage to remove a few interfering branches, Nitekast made their Biker Billy Fest debut. This would also be the group’s official lift-off with new drummer Mark Panek. Mark contributed his busy and commanding beats to the Nitekast song formula, yielding impressive results in this maiden voyage. Singer Lily Taylor was again in good form, demonstrating her stellar voice on a variety of numbers, spanning Cranberries’ “Zombie” to Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet” to the rocked-up version of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” to her growling vocal display on AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds” and “Highway to Hell.” Lily, Mark, guitarist/singer Brandon Scalese and bassist Bobby Boring also did some of their own tunes, including the title track to their Cold Fusion disc. Nitekast picked up more cheers as their set progressed, and clearly won some new fans from their Biker Billy Fest experience; providing at least some reward for the sunburn Lily incurred onstage.

Party host Biker Billy and Jim Stephanic demonstrate their tree-trimming skills before Nitekast’s performance.

Once again, tree-trimmers at work.

Lily Taylor of Nitekast.

Brandon Scalese and Lily Taylor of Nitekast.

Nitekast, entertaining at Biker Billy Fest.

Again, Nitekast.

Again, Lily Taylor of Nitekast.

Brandon Scalese of Nitekast.

Once again, Lily Taylor.

Again, Brandon and Lily.

The new guy, Mark Panek of Nitekast.

Again, Brandon Scalese.

Again, Mark Panek.

Yet again, Lily Taylor.

One more time, Lily Taylor of Nitekast.

While Lily gets sunburn, this canine observer enjoys an ice cube treat.

Rich Johnson, running sound.

The food spread made its appearance during Nitekast’s set, and again Biker Billy and his associates delivered the goods! Hamburgers/cheeseburgers, hot dogs, pasta, chips, pretzels, baked beans, pasta salads, pizza and brownies all made appearances during the course of the event. Good eats!

I-Enemy soon was set up and ready to rock. Since I last saw them, guitarist Jody Earnest has rejoined the fold after a brief hiatus. He, guitarist Rich Johnson, singer Ryan Dibert, bassist Jim Stephanic and drummer Dave Russell let loose with powerful, hard-hitting modern rock and metal favorites; including numbers from Tool, P.O.D., Soundgarden, Hed(pe), Foo Fighters, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Deftones, Chevelle and more. I-Enemy fired at a brisk pace and kept the music on edge the entire set. Ryan looked and sounded his most confident yet; and the rest of the group sounded tight and forceful around him. I-Enemy successfully elevated the energy level of the party, and was rewarded with unanimous cheers from the crowd of revelers.

The crowd continues to arrive and settle into place during Biker Billy Bash.

Rich Johnson and Ryan Dibert of I-Enemy.

I-Enemy rocks Biker Billy Bash.

Again, I-Enemy.

More of I-Enemy.

Jody Earnest of I-Enemy.

Jim Stephanic of I-Enemy.

Rich Johnson of I-Enemy.

Ryan Dibert of I-Enemy.

Dave Russell of I-Enemy.

A stage-side view of I-Enemy.

Again, Dave Russell.

Again, Ryan Dibert.

Again, Rich Johnson.

One of the motorcycles that arrived at this year’s Biker Billy Fest.

Another sharp-looking bike!

Next was a pick-up band, conveniently dubbed the “Biker Billy Band.” With Banditos again on the back-burner, this group featured Banditos bassist Bill Nusom and drummer Dave Russell, along with Rich Johnson and Denny Yon on guitars, and longtime area music fan “Kiwi” making his debut on lead vocals. This pick-up line-up did a good job on a selection of mostly modern rock favorites, including tunes from Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Three Doors Down, Velvet Revolver, Helmet, Godsmack, Alice In Chains and more. “Kiwi” did a very good job in his first tour of duty on lead mic, displaying a good voice and increasing confidence as the set progressed. Several guests joined the group onstage later in the set, including party host Biker Billy, who strapped on the bass during the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues.”

Business continues to pick up, with more revelers arriving at Biker Billy Bash.

The “Biker Billy Band” kicks off their performance.

“Kiwi” of the Biker Billy Band.

Denny Yon of the Biker Billy Band.

Bill Nusom of the Biker Billy Band.

Rich Johnson of the Biker Billy Band.

Again, the Biker Billy Band.

Again, “Kiwi” of the Biker Billy Band. After all these years of seeing this guy checking out bands, I learned this day that he can sing!

Again, Bill Nusom.

The Biker Billy Band triggers some dancing on the lawn.

“Take our picture!” Okay!

Biker Billy (center) straps on the bass.

Bill Nusom and Biker Billy.

It’s his bash…“Biker Billy” Fischer.

Jay Brown joins in on bass with the Biker Billy Band.

Jay Brown and Denny Yon.

The last band of this year’s Biker Billy Fest was Silver Sunday. This group brought the party, firing things up with their brand of female-fronted rock, pop and alternative. Singer Ashley Bee was on her game this night, her voice was excellent! She, guitarist Buck Dickson, bassist London Joe and drummer Todd Harshbarger kept the mood continuously upbeat, and triggered dancing on the stage front lawn with tunes from Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Katrina & the Waves, Blondie, Pink, Buggles, Journey, and more. The group strung several songs together into medleys along the way and kept the music continuous.

Silver Sunday bring their party to Biker Billy Fest.

Buck Dickson of Silver Sunday.

London Joe of Silver Sunday.

Ashley Bee of Silver Sunday.

Again, Ashley Bee.

Again, Silver Sunday.

Todd Harshbarger of Silver Sunday.

Again, Buck of Silver Sunday.

Once again, Silver Sunday.

Buck and Ashley of Silver Sunday.

Once again, Ashley of Silver Sunday.

More Silver Sunday.

One more time before the cops arrived, Buck and Ashley of Silver Sunday.

According to Todd, Silver Sunday was told that they could play until the police showed up to shut things down. True to that word, Altoona’s finest showed up at 10:45 PM to pull the plug on the music. According to Biker Billy, the officer was cordial and complimented him on what looked like a fun party; however, residents from as far away as the Prospect Pool area (halfway across town, for those not familiar with Altoona) reported hearing the music. Since the music was to end by 11 PM anyway, this didn’t impact the party to any major degree. The music ended, and the remaining revelers mostly retreated around the bonfire area, with a number of folks camping out for the night. The party would quietly continue on.

The only bad part of this year’s Biker Billy Fest experience for me was a foot problem I had this weekend. I first noted a little soreness in my left foot during the aforementioned Rocky Harley giveaway; it steadily got worse through the course of the day. This was most of the reason why I didn’t do much emceeing during this year’s Biker Billy Fest; I didn’t want to aggravate my sore foot any further. I didn’t recall doing anything to injure it, it was a sore nerve or joint or something in my upper ankle. But by the time Silver Sunday was performing, it was all I could do to hobble around on it. (I almost went to the Altoona Hospital’s emergency room Sunday morning to have it looked at, but by Sunday night the pain receded, and whatever it was resolved itself…Must be one of those things associated with getting older.) Sad

Otherwise, I had a great time at Biker Billy Fest. The music was good, the people were fun, the food was satisfying, and the hospitality and setting were again fine. And Biker Billy’s berry wine was spectacular…

SLACKER THEORY/THIS CALLING @ 30 SOMETHING, ALTOONA 5/29/10

After departing Biker Billy Bash, sore foot and all, I made my way to 30 Something to cap the night with the music and shenanigans of Slacker Theory. I was still hobbling around and enduring some pain, but it did not hinder my enjoyment of the Slacker crew, their music and antics.

Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned Biker Billy Bash, I missed openers This Calling. I intend to catch up to this crew sometime soon, though, as I want to hear the new tunes they’re brewing up.

30 Something was packed as I arrived late in the second set. Among the populace this night was what appeared to be a wedding party in the house, adding to the festivities.

Randy Wilson was sitting behind the kit for Slacker Theory this night, replacing Rob Bonsell, who has taken a break from the group. Randy, singer/guitarist Steve Danfelt, guitarist Dalton McDonald and bassist Ryan George were doing a rocked-up version of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” before finishing out the set with Fuel’s “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” and a Three Days Grace song.

Slacker Theory’s nightcap set could have been named the “tease” set, as the group kept teasing the beginnings of the songs only to veer off and do something else. A tease for Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” veered into “Sad But True”…A tease for Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” suddenly lept into Three Days Grace’s “Break”…And the group ‘faked it’ on Big & Rich’s “Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy,” instead plowing into Seether’s “Fake It.” The group also did Guns N’Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” amid of sea of birthday shots on stage, and the group finished the night with their popular original tune “Shake.”

Slacker Theory generally sounded in good form, and the packed house was clearly enjoying it. I had a good time, in spite of my gimp foot.

Why drummers shouldn’t be allowed to take pictures, Part 1…Steve Danfelt of Slacker Theory, as photographed by Rob Bonsell.

Slacker Steve Danfelt and substitute drummer Randy Wilson of Slacker Theory; again photographed by Rob Bonsell.

It’s Ganister Theory on stage at 30 Something, as Dan Lukens joins Ganister bandmate Randy Wilson, Slacker Steve and Dalton McDonald.

Ryan George of Slacker Theory.

Dalton McDonald of Slacker Theory.

BLUES JAM @ 30 SOMETHING, ALTOONA 5/30/10

My itinerary for Memorial Day Sunday was fairly simple…Wake up, watch the annual running of the Indianapolis 500, and then head to 30 Something to check out the holiday weekend blues jam hosted by The Hawks.

The Indy 500 was exciting, if accident-marred. In the past several years, the general trend has been for some sort of spectacular crash to happen within the last 15 laps of the race; this year, it happened on the final lap. The race ended under the yellow caution flag, with Dario Franchitti of Scotland holding off England’s Dan Wheldon before the yellow flag came out.

The race over, I headed to 30 Something for some blues. As I procured a seat in the back of the room and ordered up a “Hillbilly Philly” steak sandwich from 30 Something’s Ray’s BBQ menu, The Hawks and some guests were in the midst of some feisty jams. Guests early on included Chuck Mason and Kayla on guitars, joining singer Brian Elliott, guitarist Colton Fouse, bassist Jim “Big Jimi Cee” Colyer and drummer Bill “Hawk” Hocherl. These musicians set the tone with blues-toned numbers such as Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl,” Freddie King’s “Have You Ever Loved a Woman,” B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone” and more.

At this point, one of the anticipated highlights of the evening was about to take place. Three months ago, at another Hawks blues jam at 30 Something, Randy Ketner and Jeff Van Clief – the Wiseguys – accepted an invitation to join Brian Cupples onstage to jam on a few songs. Randy and Jeff had stepped away from live performing last year following the passing of their band ringleader and friend, Eric Vincent “Fat Vinny” Kelly, and they weren’t certain if they would ever return to live performing. But this impromptu jam with Brian Cupples clicked, and the three musicians received a great response from both the audience and fellow musicians. After some consideration and soul-searching, and after receiving the blessing of “Fat Vinny’s” parents, Randy and Jeff decided to reconvene The Wiseguys with Brian as their new frontman. Brian adopted an alias for this new venture, “Slim Bizzy.”

Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys publicly announced the new band project, and performed several songs, opening with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Couldn’t Stand the Weather.” The group mixed traditional blues with some country blues, before welcoming two young guests to the stage, Chelsea and Stevie Moses of local youth rockers E.V.K., the band named after Eric Vincent Kelly. Chelsea played a second drum kit alongside Jeff, and Stevie and Brian played guitars. We were witnessing not just Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys, but Slim Bizzy, the Wiseguys and the Little Guys!

Making their official debut, Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys.

Randy Ketner of Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys.

Again, Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys.

Chelsea and Stevie Moses of E.V.K. join Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys onstage.

Slim Bizzy, the Wiseguys and the Little Guys.

Slim Bizzy and Randy Ketner.

After Slim Bizzy, the Wiseguys and the Little Guys finished, more blues jamming ensued, as the combination of Chuck Mason, Kayla, Brian Elliott, Big Jim on bass, Hawk on drums and a newcomer named Jim from Punxsutawney platooned on and off the stage to do versions of “Hoochie Koochie Man,” “Stormy Monday” and Jimmy Thackery’s “Cool Guitars.” Chuck, Colton, Slim Bizzy, Ed Murvine, Chelsea, Stevie and Jimi Cee continued jamming on “I’m Tore Down,” Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy,” “Tin Pan Alley,” “Sweet Home Chicago” and Brownsville Station’s “Smokin’ In the Boys Room.” It was cool seeing young Stevie mixing up chops with Chuck, Colton and Slim; and refreshing to see the youngsters embracing the blues.

Blues jamming with (left to right) Chuck Mason, Colton Fouse, Chelsea and Stevie Moses, Brian Elliott, Bill Hocherl and Big Jim.

Chuck, Colton, Chelsea and Stevie.

Chuck, Colton and Stevie, exchanging licks.

The jams continue with Chuck, Chelsea, Colton, Stevie, Ed Murvine, Slim Bizzy and Big Jimi Cee.

Chelsea, Colton and Stevie.

Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys then returned to the stage to close out the session, with Chuck Mason sitting in, and Hawk joining on the second drum kit. They performed renditions of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads” with Chuck singing lead, followed by “I Wish You Could See Me Now” to end the jam.

A Hawk, Chuck Mason, Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys.

It was enjoyable dinner hour entertainment. The official debut of Slim Bizzy & the Wiseguys, and youth discovering and jamming the blues made this a memorable blues jam well worth checking out.

SILVER SUNDAY @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 5/30/10

In the past, Memorial Day eve at Pellegrine’s has meant huge, standing-room, sweaty crowds…I recall that the crowd crush was so bad one year that I likened it to the old Star Trek episode where the Enterprise crew beamed down to a horrifically overcrowded planet, and watched as people squirmed against each other outside the quarters where the planet’s leaders and Enterprise crew were.

Although Memorial Eve attendance has diminished from those old days of fire-code violation crowds, this night still brings one of Pelly’s largest crowds each year. I was anticipating good attendance and fun times with Silver Sunday, who I would witness for the second night in a row following their Biker Billy Fest performance the night before.

But as I arrived at Pellegrine’s, while the attendance was brisk, there was sadness in the air with the breaking news that Eugene Ciccarella, the 16-year-old son of longtime Pelly’s doorman Anthony “T’wan” Ciccarella, had drowned earlier this day at Lake Raystown. Collection jars were quickly set out to collect initial monies to help T’wan and his family with the sudden funeral expenses, and initial talks were already under way about staging a benefit show for the family in the near future.

After learning this somber news, I headed to the main band room to witness Silver Sunday fire up their musical party machine and lift spirits. Although I was asked to announce the news of Eugene’s drowning and the collection jars onstage a couple of times this night, Silver Sunday was still successfully able to bring some happiness to the room with their bright mixture of female-geared rock, alternative and pop favorites. Ashley, Buck, Joe and Todd again triggered dance floor action with their high-powered party rock from Pink, Pat Benatar, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, Katrina & the Waves, Cheap Trick, Gloria Gaynor, even a version of Evanesence’s “Wake Me When You’re Sober” to close their second set.

Along the way, I stepped away from the main band room to use the men’s room. I noted when I stepped into the facility that the room had been freshly mopped and scrubbed down. My initial assumption was that somebody probably imbibed too much and lost his most recent meal on the floor, resulting in a thorough clean-up. Soon after leaving the rest room, though, I was wishing that would have actually been the case. In a story that has since been reported by local news media, assailants beat up and seriously injured Pelly’s frequent flyer patron Earl Eshelman – the same Earl who celebrated his 59th birthday here six nights before – when Earl tried to intervene as the assailants were beating up somebody else in the men’s room. The clean rest room had just been mopped, scrubbed and cleansed…of that carnage. My sincerest get well wishes to Earl, and hopes for a speedy recovery…And my sincerest wishes of swift and maximum punishment to the perpetrators of this violent act, as well as their total and permanent banishment from any and all Altoona area nightspots. We don’t need “likes-to-fight-guy” riff raff polluting our nightspot scene.

Out in the main band room, Silver Sunday kept the party going to the end; their nightcap set kept things heated on the dance floor with tunes from Lit, The Outfield, Lady GaGa, Pink, Bon Jovi, Fall Out Boy, Joan Jett, 4 Non Blondes, Bon Jovi, a reprise edition of Katrina & the Waves’ “Walking on Sunshine” and more.

Silver Sunday’s performance and crowd response was strong enough that hopefully we’ll see more of this Sunday on Altoona’s Sunday night stage.

Ashley Bee and Buck Dickson of Silver Sunday.

Ashley, Buck and London Joe of Silver Sunday.

Ashley and Joe of Silver Sunday.

Silver Sunday, keeping Pelly’s dance floor busy.

Todd Harshbarger of Silver Sunday.

Belting out the voice, Ashley Bee.

Again, Buck Dickson of Silver Sunday.

Once again, Silver Sunday and the dance floor crowd.
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Jim Price
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 Post Posted: Thursday May 26, 2011 
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