[Jim Price]

WEEK/WEEKEND RECAP STUFF 11/20/06

BROKEN PONY @ THE HITCHING POST, ALTOONA 11/15/06

Able to escape the workplace reasonably early on this Wednesday night, I headed to the Hitching Post to take in Broken Pony during the Post's Wednesday "Country Night."

I arrived to find a packed house, and was lucky to find one vacant stool on the doorway side of the main bar. But at least I had a vantage point, and ordered up some ribs and fries and kicked back to enjoy what Broken Pony was up to this night. Singer and bassist Pat McGinnis, electric guitarist Randy Rutherford, Kim Metzger on pedal steel guitar and Tim Yingling on drums were in the midst of playing a selection of classic country and country rock favorites. (Jason McIntyre, who had performed with Broken Pony the first time I had seen them a few months ago, still is a part-time member of the group, but is only available when his primary band, The Rustlanders, is not performing.) I heard the group do smooth renditions of "Wagon Wheels" and Roger Miller's "King of the Road," but suddenly had another patron - one of those "two-beer radio experts" - decide that this was the proper time and place to chew my ear and offer his beer-fed expertise on what music the radio station I work for should play. It was enough to distract me from writing down song titles, so I can't report the rest of what Broken Pony played during this set. GRRRRRR!!!!!

Fortunately, after the radio consultant wannabee said his piece, he moved on to bug some other folks, leaving me to enjoy my ribs and the final set of Broken Pony's performance. The group welcomed a special guest, local music legend and "godfather of Altoona rock'n'roll" Chuck Knepper, onstage to sing lead on Ben E. King's "Stand By Me." Chuck continued to sing on James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," and the group continued with Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" before doing a country number (I didn't recognize) to finish out the night.

Interruption notwithstanding, I enjoyed Broken Pony's show. These seasoned players made it sound smooth and effortless, whether playing flat-out country or countrified rock. And although their selection was all covers, these guys infused their own style and flair into the songs to make them their own. The packed house at the Hitching Post appreciated their efforts, and so did I. A good show.

With guest Chuck Knepper helping out on voice and guitar, Broken Pony.

Chuck Knepper.

Again, Broken Pony with Chuck Knepper.

"Take our picture!" Some happy Hitching Post patrons enjoying Broken Pony's show.

FUZZY BUNNY SLIPPERS @ 4D’S LOUNGE, ALTOONA 11/17/06

Some nights, I'm pulling my hair out because there are numerous bands and shows I want to see, but have to pick just one or two of them. Other nights, everybody playing in the vicinity is somebody I just recently saw and wrote about, and I have no real preference as to who I want to see. This was one of those latter nights. Having seen everybody in town this night recently, I decided to instead follow my mood, and go with the band best fitting to the mood I was in and what I felt like seeing. It was Friday night, and I felt like a party. So I headed to the 4D's Lounge to catch the return visit of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers. Although I had seen them fairly recently, during that previous night I only got to see their last set. This night I arrived before the first set, and got to see their entire three-set party.

The Dees was sparsely populated when I first arrived; that would steadily change as the night proceeded. Singer Marci Cressman, guitarists/singers Mark Ludwig and Nate Myotte, bassist Kurt Manderbach and drummer Mike Czimback opened the first set with the Green Day double-shot of "Minority" and "Holiday," with bassist Kurt singing lead. Strapping on an acoustic guitar, Marci then flexed her vocal cords on The Cranberries' "Zombie," before acknowledging a bachelorette party and 21st birthday party contingents that had made their way to the Dees' dance floor. The group then shifted gears and performed Alice In Chains' "No Excuses," with Mark and Kurt providing the convincing vocal harmony lead. It was then Nate's turn to croon lead on Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance," before Fuzzy Bunny Slippers embarked on a lengthy medley of favorites, including tunes from Madonna, Wild Cherry, Doobie Brothers, EMF, Blondie, Steve Miller Band, Bad Company, Fallout Boy and more. The group then performed Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" with Mark and Kurt again singing lead, the Marci-fronted rendition of Meredith Brooks' "Bitch," and Nate-sung versions of Sublime's "What I Got" and John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane" to finish the set.

Several things stood out for me after watching Fuzzy Bunny Slippers' first set. First, this band was versatile, and could convincingly cover a wide range of song material. Second, they were vocally strong, with all four of the singers able to carry tunes. Third, they were very well coordinated, smoothly shifting roles between songs and making it all sound smooth and seamless. And fourth, Marci's conditioning impressed me; especially during "Bitch," Marci was jumping up and down while she was singing, with her voice showing no flutters or flaws while she did so – talk about voice control!

Although not crowded, more people continued to arrive at the Dees during the intermission, setting the stage for the party to escalate as Fuzzy Bunny Slippers resumed with their second set. Much of this set was done in medley form, with most of the songs blending and transitioning into one another along Kurt's and Mike's steady rhythmic backdrop. Fuzzy Bunny Slippers mixed together songs from Queen, Blackeyed Peas, Def Leppard, Blink 182, Sublime, Clash, Romantics, Madonna, James, Violent Femmes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 311, Journey and more. The group again smoothly shifted lead singing duties back and forth, and kept the set flowing and cohesive.

Fuzzy Bunny Slippers kept the party going in their third set, this time doing a song assortment from Tom Petty, Blur, Aerosmith, Joan Jett, White Stripes, U2, Proclaimers, Nena and Jimi Hendrix; eventually finishing out the night with Ozzy's "Crazy Train." The dance floor remained busy for the entire time. Although I've seen larger crowds at the 4D's, the crowd this night was good, and Fuzzy Bunny Slippers kept them in festive spirits for the duration.

Fuzzy Bunny Slippers again proved this night why they are one of the most popular party bands happening out of eastern PA. They demonstrated energy, versatility, tightness and smoothness; as well as the ability to competently perform a wide variety of material, and deliver it all with service and a smile. This night, they provided another top-notch good time!

Nate Myotte of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Nate Myotte and Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Bringing the party onstage at the Dees, Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Mike Czimback of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

The busy 4D's dance floor responds to Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Kurt Manderbach of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Kurt Manderbach of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers, having fun with some ladies.

Again, Nate Myotte of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Once again, Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Marci Cressman and Kurt Manderbach of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Marci Cressman of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Mark Ludwig and Kurt Manderbach of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Again, Marci Cressman of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Once again, Nate Myotte of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Again, Mike Czimback of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Mark Ludwig of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

Mark Ludwig and Nate Myotte of Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

One more time, Fuzzy Bunny Slippers.

DITCH DRIVEN/WHITE WITCH/SKINNY RINKUS @ LOG CABIN INN, MUNCY 11/18/06

A road trip was on my agenda this night. Last year, on Halloween weekend, I had travelled to the Log Cabin Inn in Muncy (near Williamsport), at the invitation of Williamsport hard rockers White Witch. White Witch extended the invitation to me to come see them at the Log Cabin Inn this night, and made it worth my while (offering to reimburse me for gas expenses if I showed up, very cool!). In addition, The Underground Television was showing up to film White Witch's performance for an upcoming episode, and there were also two other bands on the bill for me to discover, Ditch Driven and Skinny Rinkus. It sounded like a party, and a good excuse to get out of Dodge on a Saturday night.

I arrived in Muncy fairly early, with enough time to do dinner at the local Original Italian Pizza restaurant. I then headed to the Log Cabin Inn and staked out my initial vantage point in front of Kevin Gross' sound board. Although it was early, a good crowd was already starting to arrive early, in anticipation of a full Saturday night of kickbutt rock and roll.

Up first was Ditch Driven. With a large crowd already in the house, Ditch Driven opened the night with a powerful set blending new- and old-school metal originals and favorites. Formed last year, Ditch Driven features a powerful, rangeful and gritty singer named Gary, a lethal guitar tandem in lead guitarist Walt and rhythm guitarist Mike, a mean-sounding and malevolent-looking bassman in Nate, and a battering drum presence courtesy of Brett behind the kit. Together, they set the evening’s tone with forceful original songs like “Ashes to Ashes,” “This Time” and “The Final Hour;” plus select material from Godsmack, White Zombie, Metallica, Quiet Riot and more. Ditch Driven was full-throttle and in your face, unleashing their sound without regard for life or limb. Midway through their set, the group broke out an unexpected surprise with their rendition of a Twisted Sister deep cut, "Burn In Hell;" which even got my fist pumping in the air! The Log Cabin Inn crowd was definitely enjoying this band as well, as they demanded an encore, which Ditch Driven honored with a Slayer number.

Brett of Ditch Driven.

Belting throat, Gary of Ditch Driven.

Putting pedal to the metal, Ditch Driven.

Again, Ditch Driven.

Mike of Ditch Driven.

Once again, Ditch Driven.

Again, Mike of Ditch Driven.

One more time, Ditch Driven.

Although White Witch had set up this show and did all the legwork to promote it, they chose to go second on the bill rather than the traditional clean-up headliner last on the bill. There was a little anxiety in White Witch camp leading up to the start of their set, because The Underground TV contingent hadn't entered the house yet. Mere moments before the set's start, though, Chris and the gang arrived, explaining that they got lost trying to find the venue (not a surprise). Their television taping concerns resolved, White Witch commenced their onslaught, performing their set of classic-geared metal. Opening with their title song "White Witch," the group performed original numbers from their recent CD The Power such as the title track, "Marrianne," the extended epic "The Crutch" and "25 Hours to Live;" also a few songs from their earlier 80's stint such as "Slaughter In Salem" and "Streetcorner Madness;" and one new song, "Game That I Play." The group also included a few select hard-hitting covers, doing renditions of Alice Cooper's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (also from The Power CD), Black Sabbath's "Paranoid," Judas Priest's "Diamonds and Rust," and for their encore, another Priest number, "Breakin' the Law.". Singer Jeff Pittinger confidently sang and worked the stage, telling anecdotes and stories as he went along. Guitarist Doug Lehman again impressed with his beefy riffs and sharp solo work; while bassist Jack Death and drummer Carl Berry anchored the sound with forceful and driving rhythms. You could tell these guys were happy to be back onstage and rocking a crowd. White Witch only performs live shows sparingly these days, but evidenced by this night and their performance, they go all out when they do perform!

Here is some rough video footage from White Witch’s performance, shot from right in front of the stage:

http://www.rockpage.net/users/jprice/video/MOV09168.MPG


Doug Lehman of White Witch.

Jack Death of White Witch.

Doug Lehman and Jeff Pittinger of White Witch.

Again, Jeff Pittinger of White Witch.

Carl Berry of White Witch.

Once again, White Witch's feisty frontman, Jeff Pittinger.

White Witch, bringing the thunder to the Log Cabin Inn.

Doug Lehman and Jack Death of White Witch.

Again, Doug Lehman and Jack Death of White Witch.

Jeff of White Witch rewards one of the group's most loyal fans with a framed picture.

Once again, Doug Lehman of White Witch.

One more time, White Witch, casting a heavy-rocking spell on the Log Cabin Inn.

Obviously much of the crowd was there for White Witch, as the mass of humanity began to thin out after the conclusion of their set. But there was still a healthy contingent of fans in the room for the final band of the night, Williamsport's Skinny Rinkus. Having never seen these guys before, I stuck around to see what they had to offer.

Skinny Rinkus - lead singer/guitarist Ed Gansel, guitarist Gary Snyder, bassist Michael J. Swartz and drummer Mike Miller - demonstrated a more wide-ranging set of sounds, spanning modern-flavored original numbers to favorites. Their cover selection was interesting and unpredictable, as they broke out renditions of Rush's "Tom Sawyer," Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be," Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch,", Hinder's "Lips of an Angel," Elton John's "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting," and even an Emily’s Toybox number, “Back Of The Bus!” Skinny Rinkus managed to successfully tie it all together into a cohesive and entertaining presentation, with Ed often going atop a chair to address the audience from above. The audience mostly stuck around and showed their appreciation for Skinny Rinkus' efforts. My first impression of these guys was good; they delivered a solid, enthusiastic effort.

The night thus concluded, I was soon back on the road for the two-hour roadtrip back to the 'Toona. Fortunately, there were several strategically-placed Sheetz stores on the path home, so several coffee stops ensured my safe arrival back home.

Thanks again to Jeff and the White Witch gang for inviting me up to partake. It was a fun night of hard-hitting rock from start to finish, with all three bands delivering the goods, and an enthusiastic crowd to cheer them on.


Ed Gansel of Skinny Rinkus.

Skinny Rinkus keeps the party going at the Log Cabin Inn.

Again, Ed Gansel of Skinny Rinkus.

Once again, Skinny Rinkus.

Gary Snyder of Skinny Rinkus.

One more time, Skinny Rinkus.

AGONY HILL @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 11/19/06

After a late night doing "Backyard Rocker" duty at the radiator station, I arrived at Pellegrine's after midnight to cap my weekend with New York party rockers Agony Hill.

Perhaps people were saving their drinking dollars for Thanksgiving Eve in a few days, or perhaps it was only two weeks removed from this band's last Pelly's visit; but attendance was on the low side this night, and not much crowd for Agony Hill to attempt to fire up. But there were at least some folks there, including some musicians; former In guitarist Matt Day, and a few members from Sinner's Plea.

Picking up action in the third set, Agony Hill played a mix of punk-infused current favorites, 80's rock and more. They did numbers from Good Charlotte, Clash, a Green Day medley, House Of Pain, Linkin Park and Drowning Pool. Also included was an 80's metal segment with tunes from Motley Crue, Twisted Sister and Poison; and the guys from Sinner's Plea jumped on stage to help sing a song as well.

Although a slow night crowd-wise, Agony Hill still made it a party, and the folks in attendance seemed to have a good time.

Eric Bleiler of Agony Hill.

Eric Bleiler of Agony Hill with some Pelly's stagefront fans.

Again, Agony Hill and some fans.

Dickie of Agony Hill.

Once again, Eric Bleiler of Agony Hill.

Spam of Agony Hill.

JP’s HAIKU

Road trip to Muncy
Ditch Driven, Skinny Rinkus
White Witch rocked rafters
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http://pamusician.net

[Jim Price]

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http://pamusician.net