[Jim Price]

WEEK/WEEKEND RECAP 8/25/03

JETHRO TULL @ COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER, WILLIAMSPORT 8/19/03

Ever since my teen years long ago and far away, I’ve wanted to see Jethro Tull in concert. But as Tull’s album output and touring schedule slowed through the 80’s and 90’s, there weren’t quite as many opportunities to see Tull live in this region; and my schedule just never cooperated when Tull would visit the region. That is, until this year. I had been eyeing this concert at Williamsport’s Community Arts Center ever since it was first announced back in May.

As it turned out, this night worked out great for me. I was able to escape the workplace early enough this night to arrive at the venue in time for the concert’s scheduled 7:30 PM start. From Altoona, the Williamsport Community Arts Center – in close proximity to Route 220 – was almost a perfect two-hour drive. And unlike Pittsburgh’s Chevrolet Amphitheater at Station Square, where Tull would perform the following night, this two-hour drive had no road construction, and only a scant few traffic lights along the way.

This was my first time taking in a concert at Williamsport’s Community Arts Center. This is a very nice-looking, theater-like facility complete with balcony, which reminded me a lot of Altoona’s Mishler Theatre or Philipsburg’s Rowland Theatre. And the thought crossed my mind throughout the course of this night – if Williamsport, with a population smaller than Altoona’s, can bring names like Jethro Tull, Peter Frampton and George Thorogood into their theater facility to perform in concert – what would it take, or whose arms do we in the Altoona area need to twist or break, to get big name legendary rock acts like these to perform in the Mishler? Or the Jaffa Mosque? Or Blair County Ballpark? Or…ANYWHERE!?

Promptly at 7:30 PM, the concert began, as Jethro Tull took the stage, and gradually built their way into the opening song, “Living In The Past.” Quickly the group established that this night wouldn’t be any ordinary journey, as they took the song through a number of side journeys en route to its resolution. The group then performed an early track, “Nothing Is Easy,” from the “Stand Up” album. Then, group ringleader Ian Anderson set his trademark flute aside and broke out a harmonica, and proceeded to lead Tull on a blues song, “Someday the Sun Won’t Shine.” Another shift in musical direction then took place, with Jethro Tull previewing their forthcoming new “Christmas Album” with a jazz-styled instrumental treatment of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” Ian Anderson then donned a bouzouki (a type of mandolin), and led Tull on “Beside Myself” from their “Roots and Branches” album. At this point the spotlight turned to Ian Anderson’s new solo endeavor, as he introduced “A Week of Moments” from his new solo album, “Rupi’s Dance.” Ian peppered the breaks between songs with friendly, lighthearted banter; with guitarist Martin Barre playing the flute, Ian introduced “Fat Man” as “I Don’t Want To Be A Clinically Obese Person.” From their “Songs from the Wood” album, Jethro Tull then performed “Hunting Girl.” It was then guitarist Martin Barre’s turn in the spotlight, as he and Tull performed “Counting Chickens,” the lead-off track from his new solo album, “Stage Left.” The group then dug into their recent past for “Dot Com” off their 1999 album (and website address) “J-Tull Dot Com.” Ian Anderson then introduced another song from his new “Rupi’s Dance” solo album, a European folk-styled number called “Eurology,” which featured Ian and keyboard man Andrew Giddings dueling on flute and accordion respectively. Jethro Tull then performed a medley of title songs from three of their mid-70’s albums, “Songs from the Wood,” “Too Old to Rock’n’Roll: Too Young To Die!,” and “Heavy Horses.” The group then did a song I hoped they would perform, “My God” from the “Aqualung” album. After “Budapest,” the group did a “Mayhem Jig” into the set finale, “Aqualung,” which became an audience clap-along by midsong. After the Williamsport audience loudly indicated that they wanted more, Jethro Tull returned to the stage and encored, first with a short version of “Wind Up,” and proceeded into “Locomotive Breath.” During this song, two huge balloons emerged onto the stage, each white with a black silhouette of Ian Anderson playing the flute embossed on each. The balloons were as big as Ian himself as he launched them into the audience (one of them eventually popped towards encore’s end, making a loud bang). Out of “Locomotive Breath,” Jethro Tull ended the night with “Protect and Survive” into “Cheerio.”

Jethro Tull live was everything I expected; a wide-ranging cavalcade of musical styles anchored in rock, executed by a group of musicians with flare and imagination. Ian Anderson was the premiere showman; delivering ample doses of voice and flute, and constantly moving about on the stage and taking his performance out to the front of the audience. His voice was a little undermixed in the early going, but was stronger and more understandable as the set progressed. But he lived up to the minstrel-like image I always envisioned, and he maintained a friendly rapport with the audience with frequent banter between portions of the concert. Ian’s longtime sideman, Martin Barre, was also a prominent part of the show, demonstrating skill and clarity on his guitar throughout the show. Barre isn’t a flashy solo player, he is strong and gifted as a support player who shapes the songs with his fluid guitarwork and texture. And on his lone flute display, he demonstrated another skill not many people know him for. Keyboard player/accordionist Andrew Giddings also had his moments in the spotlight, fleshing out the Tull sound with just the right keyboard touch, and his occasional accordion providing effective counterpoint to Ian’s flute. The remaining cast; bassist Jonathan Noyce and drummer Doane Perry; provided colorful, tight and concise rhythms; especially impressive given the wide range of styles they performed within the course of the show.

My first experience seeing Jethro Tull live in concert was a good one. The venue was appropriate given the stylistic diversity of the show, and the Ian Anderson and band gave a powerful, enthusiastic performance. And with Williamsport’s Community Arts Center located in close proximity to that town’s premiere live music venue, the Cell Block, my night was not over yet…

THE BENDERZ (unplugged) @ THE CELL BLOCK, WILLIAMSPORT 8/19/03

I had actually planned out this Tuesday evening in Williamsport, and as I researched where the Community Arts Center was located, I also looked up the Cell Block and discovered it was only a short distance away. As I arrived in Williamsport and parked my car, I discovered that the parking garage was right next door to the Cell Block! Knowing there would be acoustic entertainment there this night, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and get my first look at this venue after the Jethro Tull concert.

For those not familiar, The Cell Block is located in the former Lycoming County Prison – thus the ‘Cell Block’ name. As I entered the venue, I noticed the front portion of the complex had a food counter where ‘Death Row Pizza’ was sold. Since it was already past 10 PM, I didn’t know if the kitchen was still open at this point, so I decided to bypass the pizza for this night (although I hear it is quite good, perhaps next time I’m there I’ll sample a slice). The bar itself is situated in the central part of the complex, with pool rooms and additional seating located in the passageways to the left and right of the central area. You can look up at the balcony area, where there is additional seating, and grated prison cells lining either side. The main band room, “The Gallows” – formerly the prison courtyard – is in the rear of the facility and was closed this night. But thanks to singer Joe Bachman of The Benderz, I got to take a glimpse inside the main band room, which I understand becomes a packed and wild place on weekend band nights. Someday I’ll have to plan a Williamsport weekend road trip and check this place out on a Saturday night!

For this evening, the entertainment was in the main bar room, and it was acoustic, featuring half of Philadelphia area-based rock band The Benderz. Guitarist Alex Paynter and singer Joe Bachman performed a mix of current and classic rock favorites, touching on artists like Dobie Gray, Dave Matthews, Steve Miller, Sublime, Elton John, Pearl Jam, Peter Gabriel, Social Distortion and more. Joe demonstrated a very good vocal range, and the duo played it all relaxed and upbeat. Along the way, the pair continuously solicited requests from the Cell Block audience, which was good-sized for a Tuesday night.

The Benderz themselves formed five months ago, with the goal of becoming a touring national party band. They regularly play weekend shows at The Cell Block, and are currently amassing a fan base throughout eastern PA and New Jersey. The group has performed at Crowbar in State College already, and is hopeful of doing more shows in this neck of the woods soon.

Since I still had a two-hour roadtrip back to the ‘Toona this night, I exited the Cell Block after The Benderz’ first set. But I liked what I saw of The Cell Block, and hope to make another trip to this venue sometime soon, and I’ll keep an eye open for The Benderz, in case they get into our region someday. After the Jethro Tull concert, The Benderz and The Cell Block provided a good nightcap.

Alex Paynter of The Benderz.

The Benderz unplugged at The Cell Block.

Joe Bachman of the Benderz.

LOOSE CHANGE @ THE HITCHING POST, ALTOONA 8/21/03

I kicked off this weekend by taking in a new name on area stages: Loose Change, playing at Altoona’s Hitching Post.

While the band name is new, the musicians comprising this power trio are not. Singer and guitarist Roger Sirko is a longtime veteran of Bedford and Blair County stages, who has rocked with The Catch, Power Play and more. Drummer/singer Tyke Dodson previously kicked out the beats for Rolling Stones tribute band Jumpin’ Jack Flash; and bassist Alan Walter makes his return to area stage action after some 30 years away. He was previously a member of early 70’s area bands Purple Haze and Eclipse.

Loose Change was in the midst of their second set of the night when I arrived. The group performed an interesting mix of classic rock, featuring solid playing and good vocals and vocal harmonies. Loose Change tapped a few classics I hadn’t heard performed in a while, including the Moody Blues’ “The Story In Your Eyes” and Alice Cooper’s “Be My Lover;” along with tunes from Golden Earring, Pink Floyd, U2 and a Tyke-fronted edition of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World.” The group’s final set of the evening included a few more pleasant surprises, including the group’s set-opening rendition of Aerosmith’s “No More No More.” The group then performed Grand Funk’s “Some Kind of Wonderful,” which segued directly into Uriah Heep’s “Stealin,’” The group proceeded with more classics from the Moody Blues, Eddie Cochran, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top and more.

I came away with a favorable opinion of Loose Change. Instrumentally they were solid players, never too flashy or frilly. Their vocals, while understated and perhaps a tad undermixed, were mostly on target. And I liked the song selection, as Loose Change offered up a few classic rock appetizers not available on most other bands’ menus. If you like well-played, basic meat-and-potatoes classic rock and roll, Loose Change is a new name to consider sampling.

Loose Change, wrapping up the night at the Hitching Post.

ELECTRIC BLUE @ ALDOS’ ALTOONA 8/22/03

After putting in an uncharacteristically late Friday night at the workplace, I headed to Aldo’s to see what was up with Tyrone trio Electric Blue.

Although I had wanted to see their set, I arrived too late to catch openers Vertigo’s set. To the members of Vertigo, I will catch up with you soon!

If you haven’t seen Electric Blue lately, this band has been progressing, and expanding their repertoire. Though strictly adhering to classic rock and blues when this teen trio first started out, Electric Blue have grasped a few more contemporary influences along the way and are branching their sound out. As their show unfolded this night, Electric Blue showed that while their sound is still ultimately anchored in the blues, it now takes in a wider scope of sounds.

Singer/bassist Sean “Seanson” Johnson, guitarist Jimmy Tangeman and drummer Jim Barry were into an Incubus song as I arrived. The group proceeded to mix a number of new original songs with select current rockers, and several blues-rooted classics through the course of the night. I didn’t catch titles on all the new originals, but was impressed with the modern funk/blues-rooted “No One Else,” the funky “Feline Queen” and “Billy.” The group also performed versions of Tool’s “Sober,” Rage’s “Killing In The Name,” and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” (during which Seanson’s mom got up and sang backing vocals). And the trio celebrated Jimi Hendrix with versions of “Redhouse” and “Voodoo Chile;” each showcasing fiery Jimmy Tangeman axe solo work.

All three players were dead on with everything they performed this night, and continue to evolve into a tighter unit every time I see them. Along the way, with their experimentation and embracing of more contemporary elements, Electric Blue is forging a unique style and sound of their own; taking their blues-rooted foundation and exploring new musical terrain with it. I will be very interested to see how this manifests itself in the group’s future recordings. Electric Blue demonstrated to me this night that they are indeed a work in progress. Watch out for them!

Jim Barry of Electric Blue.

Sean Johnson of Electric Blue.

Again, Jim Barry of Electric Blue.

Chowing down on some axe strings, Jimmy Tangeman of Electric Blue.

Like son, like mom…Seanson’s mom chimes in during Red Hot Chilis’ “Under the Bridge.”

13TH “END OF SUMMER JAM:” DAY ONE @ CRESSON SPORTSMEN’S CLUB, CRESSON 8/23/03

Alas, another bittersweet occasion…the annual End of Summer Jam benefit at the Cresson Sportsmen’s Club. It’s one of my favorite events every summer; yet, like the final Lakemont Park Wing-Off the week before, it signifies that the warm weather season is starting to come to another end.

This year’s was the 13th annual End of Summer Jam, again put together by Mickey Luckenbaugh to raise money for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. For the second year in a row, this would be a two-day event. After the event had seen declining attendance over the past few years, this year’s End of Summer Jam was more heavily promoted on radio, by newspaper and posters, to attract more people.

Although I wanted to arrive early on Saturday to catch most of the first-day lineup of bands, both my day job and magazine duties conspired to prevent me from getting there until after 7 PM. Thus I missed performances from Acid Reflux, PnEumatic, Beyond Reason and Never Enough. Flord was in the final minutes of setting up their gear as I arrived. While the Cresson Sportsmen’s Club wasn’t crowded by any means, there were definitely more people present this year than during the Saturday half of last year’s event – due in big part to better weather this year (no danger of lightning-broiled Banditos this year).

Flord began their set as the sun began setting on Cresson, kicking off with their version of Diamond Head/Metallica’s “Am I Evil,” followed by “For Whom The Bell Tolls.” After slamming out Godsmack’s “Bad Religion,” Flord showcased more of their original songs, including several from their debut CD and newer songs such as “Why You Hate Me.” Other highlights of Flord’s set included the group’s thunderous take on the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun.” Flord again sounded solid this day, with guitarist Phil Keith, bassist Tom Yannitelli and drummer Rick Fisher generating a rigid, pounding wall of metallic sound. Singer Butch Woodward groaned and snarled his angry lyrics with ample malevolent demeanor. Butch was again using processing on his voice this day, which actually seemed to muddy his presentation; his vocals didn’t sound clear overall. Still, Flord received good response from the audience overall, and vocal effects notwithstanding, this was a strong set.

Butch Woodward of Flord.

Tom Yannitelli of Flord.

Phil Keith of Flord.

Once again, Butch Woodward of Flord.

One more band was left to perform this day, Half Tempted. As the trio commenced their set of classic rock favorites, fans either congregated their way toward the front of the stage to cheer the group, or huddled near the traditional End of Summer Jam bonfire to keep warm in the chilly mountain air. Singer/guitarist Ron Dalansky, bassist Joe George and drummer Steve McCulley quickly built a head of steam as they fired through songs by AC/DC, KISS, Aerosmith, Black Sabbath and much more. Half Tempted executed like a well-oiled machine, performing with tightness and feverish enthusiasm as they quickly gearshifted from song to song. Half Tempted didn’t just play rock’n’roll this night; they celebrated it. Every song was played with fire and passion, as all three musicians turned it up a notch and fed off the energy of the crowd. This band was taking the ideal rock’n’roll party scenario this night – the combination of cool mountain air, festive fans, free-flowing beer and straight-up-the-gut, high-energy live rock’n’roll – and running to town with it. Non-musical highlight of the set was Ron demonstrating the proper one-handed technique of opening and consuming a can of Budweiser (and it had nothing to do with pulling the tab on top of the can). Bottom line: Life was good in Cresson this Saturday night…rock, beer, friends, mountain air, and – for several folks – overnight camping afterward. Half Tempted was the perfect band to bring this fun weekend fest to halftime.

Without camping gear and no desire to sleep overnight in my own car, I opted to head back down the mountain to the ‘Toona at this point, and get a preview of one of the bands that would play End of Summer Jam the following day…

Brandishing his big double-neck bass, Joe George of Half Tempted.

Ron Dalansky of Half Tempted.

Steve McCulley of Half Tempted.

Joe George and Ron Dalansky of Half Tempted.

Ron Dalansky teaching survival skills: how to open and consume a can of Bud one-handed…

HAIR FORCE ONE @ PETER C’S, ALTOONA 8/23/03

At the invitation of several of the Q94 Calendar Girls, I decided to take in the latter part of Hair Force One’s show at Peter C’s.

Upon arrival, I was dismayed to find that Peter C’s was sparsely populated this night; only a handful of regulars and fans was present to take in Hair Force One’s party. With no other apparent crowd magnet bands in town this night, I was wondering where the crowd was.

Although themselves perplexed over the lack of crowd, Hair Force One nonetheless attacked their final set of the night with determination, wrenching every ounce of decadence out of 80’s hair-metal favorites from Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Great White, Twisted Sister, AC/DC and more. Highlights included singer Victor Synn’s voice reaching the heavens on Tesla’s “Love Will Find a Way,” Skid Row’s “I Remember You” and the Whitesnake double-shot of “Still of the Night” and “Slide It In.” The group interrupted the 80’s decadence only once, for a version of Gary Glitter’s “Rock & Roll Part 2,” during which Victor introduced the other band members.

While the crowd was sparse, the Q94 Calendar Girl contingent – still festive from their evening of celebrating at End of Summer Jam – provided some dance floor action for Hair Force One. It wasn’t a hall of fame night for these practitioners of ‘The Decade of Decadence’ at Peter C’s, but this would serve as a suitable tune-up for their End of Summer Jam debut hours later…

Hugh G. Rection of Hair Force One.

Victor Synn of Hair Force One.

Iva Biggin of Hair Force One.

Hair Force One, rocking four walls at Peter C’s.

Michael J. Cox of Hair Force One.

13TH “END OF SUMMER JAM:” DAY TWO @ CRESSON SPORTSMEN’S CLUB, CRESSON 8/23/03

As I arrived back at the Cresson Sportsmen’s Club for the second day of End of Summer Jam, the weather couldn’t have been more letter-perfect…Crystal clear blue skies, bright sunshine, and temperatures in the low 70’s with no wind made for the pristine setting for another day of outdoor rock’n’roll, friends and fun for a good cause.

As the laid-back type of event that End of Summer Jam is from year to year, there was no sense of urgency to start music back up right at the stroke of noon. Only a few overnight campers and earlybirds were on the show grounds at this point; so as noon passed, last-minute adjustments and setting-up were completed, and the day’s first performer, Todd Hinkle, eventually took the stage.

In his own laid-back and lighthearted style, Todd strummed his guitar and sang a selection of tunes spanning classic, current rock and country. Todd greeted arriving and awakening music fans with renditions of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer,” Phish’s “Wading in the Velvet Sea,” Willie Nelson’s “Good Hearted Woman” and more. Todd appeared relaxed and comfortable as he played his song selection and quipped with onlookers.

Todd Hinkle resumes the music at the 13th End of Summer Jam.

Eventually, Todd invited a few more musicians onstage to get an impromptu jam session going. Show organizer Mickey Luckenbaugh and Half Tempted bassman Joe George were game, and took up positions; Mickey behind the drum kit, and Joe strapping his on his trademark double-neck bass. The trio of musicians started out with a funky jam, before cranking out a version of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” another song and Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” It was a loose and friendly jam that gave soundman Harlan Cox a chance to work out any last-minute bugs, and also further warmed up arriving music fans for the first official band of the day, Outta Control.

Todd Hinkle, Mickey Luckenbaugh and Joe George kick out the jam at End of Summer Jam.

This was my first time seeing Outta Control. This new collaboration features two former members of Goin’ For Broke, singer/guitarist Mike Burda and bassist Sam Podrasky; and two former members of Penetrator, guitarist/singer “Big Jim” Ricotta and drummer (and End Of Summer Jam organizer) Mickey Luckenbaugh. This collaboration had only begun playing out together recently, and had a handful of nightspot gigs under their belts prior to this day. Outta Control opened strong with Meatpuppets’ “Backwater,” and proceeded to mix current and classic rock favorites. Mike handled the lion’s share of lead vocals, and did a decent job on tunes from 3 Doors Down, CCR, ZZ Top, Van Morrison and more. Big Jim sang lead on the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” and surprisingly handled the high-end vocal lead on Weezer’s “Hashpipe.” Overall, Outta Control gave a sturdy performance, given their relatively short time together. Instrumentally the group was on target for the most part, with no glaring miscues that I could detect. Some songs worked better than others; but at this stage of Outta Control’s development, this was a satisfactory set, and this group’s show should improve with continued time together onstage.

Mike Burda of Outta Control.

Outta Control resumes the rock at End of Summer Jam.

Mickey Luckenbaugh of Outta Control.

”Big Jim” Ricotta of Outta Control.

From another angle, Outta Control.

Outta Control then cleared the stage and made way for the Austin Nichols Band. The focal point of this Pittsburgh power trio remains former Cresson resident “Big” Bobby Lee (not to be confused with Grimm frontman “Big Bad” Bob Lee), whose soulful growl and hot guitarwork shined for the entire set. Opening with Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” the Austin Nichols Band delivered a gritty set of classic and southern rock, blues and even a touch of country. I enjoyed how Bobby Lee, bassist Mark Popovich (ex-Groove Junkies) and drummer Lucky Rocha applied their own stylings to songs like Wet Willie’s “Keep On Smilin,’” B.B. King’s “Let The Good Times Roll,” Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me” and more. Towards set’s end, Bobby dedicated Blackfoot’s “Highway Song” in memory of Don Ruzzi (a musician closely associated with End of Summer Jam during its early years, who influenced and taught a number of musicians taking the stage this weekend). Austin Nichols’ set was soulful and spirited, with Bobby’s feisty growl and tasty guitarwork grabbing much of the Cresson audience and not letting go. Very good set; I only wish these guys visited our neck of the woods more often!

”Big” Bobby Lee of the Austin Nichols Band.

Mark Popovich of the Austin Nichols Band.

The Austin Nichols Band, dishing out spicy sounds at “End of Summer Jam.

Again, “Big” Bobby Lee of the Austin Nichols Band.

Lucky Rocha of the Austin Nichols Band.

While again not a huge crowd, the audience that had accumulated on this crisp, sunny afternoon was obviously an improvement over last year’s Sunday attendance. And the folks were festive as Felix & the Hurricanes geared up to perform. Together in some form or another as long as the event itself has been around, Felix Kos and his Hurricanes have been a part of End of Summer Jam every year since its inception; and their set traditionally is a regular highlight of the event. This year was no exception. The ‘Canes kicked off with a string of tunes from their two CD’s, including the bluesy “Free” and “On The Bottom Again;” plus “Grow,” “Little Ears” and “Issues” from their soon-to-be-released new album, “Travelers Not Forgotten.” By the time they hit Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “T for Texas,” several fans were dancing on the stagefront woodchips and lawn area. The Hurricanes gathered strength and momentum as they progressed, leading to more highlights along the way. The trio went into a fast-firing bluegrass break with “Rocky Top” and “Dueling Banjos,” leading Felix to quip, “And you thought we just SMOKED bluegrass!” After a hot version of Charlie Daniels’ “In America,” Felix dedicated the Allman Brothers’ “Blue Skys” in memory of Don Ruzzi. The group then welcomed a guest onstage to take over lead mic, Trace Baker of the newly-formed Trace Moran Band. Trace unleashed her powerful voice on Hurricanes renditions of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” and Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee.” The Hurricanes again gearshifted into country mode with John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident),” before the group completed their set with the Allman Bros./Molly Hatchet’s “Dreams I’ll Never See” and Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ with Disaster,” during which Felix’s former Edge of Sundown bandmate, Paul Parrish, jumped onstage to help sing lead. After Paul and the Hurricanes smoked these two southern rock classics, Felix and Paul loudly butted heads in front of the lead microphone…OUCH!

Jeff Clapper of the Hurricanes.

Special guest Trace Baker belts out the voice on Led Zep’s “Rock and Roll.

Veterans of every End of Summer Jam thus far, Felix & the Hurricanes.

Felix Kos and special guest Paul Parrish yuk it up onstage…

Paul Parrish and the Hurricanes, rocking out on Molly Hatchet.

Only a brief intermission separated the Hurricanes from the afternoon’s next performer, Jeff Renner – a.k.a. Lone Wolf. Donning a Flying V guitar and backed by a computer-generated rhythm section, Lone Wolf sang and played guitar, performing songs from Pink Floyd, ZZ Top, Robin Trower, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and more. Shortly into his set, Lone Wolf’s digital ‘band’ quit on him, and he was forced to go to a backup digital arrangement to accompany him. Ahhh, modern technology! Designed primarily for smaller bar venue situations, Lone Wolf’s presentation sounded most impressive when he and his digital arsenal tackled more complex material, such as Pink Floyd’s “Time.” As the set progressed and the novelty aspect of Lone Wolf’s set began to wear off, it became apparent that his unique presentation wasn’t really suited for the large outdoor stage scenario here at End of Summer Jam. While Lone Wolf drew polite applause, his set didn’t hold the attention of the crowd like the full bands before him – or after him – did. Still, Jeff himself showed ample talent on the tunes he performed, and reportedly he is considering assembling a full band; so Lone Wolf could in time become a full band entity.

Jeff Renner…aka “Lone Wolf.”

Next was one of the bands I most eagerly anticipated seeing at this year’s End Of Summer Jam, T.M.P. The latest band project of former One Night Stand/Groove Junkies/Rhythm Kings frontman/guitarist Tony Mollick, the Tony Mollick Project (T.M.P. for short) would showcase a number of Tony’s original songs, plus a few select covers along the way. T.M.P. kicked the proverbial ass and took names from the get-go, opening with a smoking rendition of Ian Moore’s “Muddy Jesus,” led by Tony’s soulful, sassy voice. Tony, bassist Fuzzy McGirk and drummer (and Tony’s former One Night Stand bandmate) Joe Sisti continued with an interesting array of classics, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Cry for the Bad Man,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well,” and the Joe-sung version of KISS’ “Hard Luck Woman.” The group then broke out several original songs; “That’s Alright,” “Forget About You” and “Night Rider,” before closing the set in the same kickass style that they opened it, with a fiery rendition of the Four Horsemen’s “Rockin’ Is Ma’ Business.” T.M.P. was impressive, playing their muscular brand of classic-geared rock with ample gusto and swagger. As expected, Tony Mollick was fiery on both voice and guitar, taking charge from the first note and never letting up. He and his band sounded tight and confident, and provided an excellent set to carry End Of Summer Jam into the evening homestretch run.

T.M.P. rocks Cresson into the night.

Tony Mollick of T.M.P.

Joe Sisti of T.M.P.

Tony Mollick and Fuzzy McGirk of T.M.P.

Fuzzy McGirk of T.M.P.

Night had arrived at the Cresson Sportsmen’s Club, and a slight chill was in the air as Bad Daze took the stage. I had just seen this band for the first time the weekend before at City Limits and was soundly floored by their high-energy show. This set would conclusively show me whether Bad Daze was for real or just had a very good night the weekend before. As guitarist Kenny Murdick, bassist Dave Bambino and drummer Harry Rainey commenced the opening notes to Poison’s “Nothin’ But A Good Time,” singer Rob Carolus immediately took up position on the wooden stagefront railing to command his Cresson minion to get off their butts, step forward and party. Rob and Bad Daze then gave the crowd ample reason to do so, as they blazed through a crisp and powerful set of mostly current, 80’s and 90’s rock. After songs from Bush, Eve 6 and Puddle of Mudd, the group performed the Bon Jovi double-shot of “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Wanted Dead or Alive,” and Dave fronted the group on Alice In Chains’ “Man in the Box.” After Ozzy’s “Crazy Train,” Kenny took the spotlight, cranking out his own blistering solo take on Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption,” before he and the rest of the group emptied their clips full-tilt on Van Halen’s “Panama.” Bad Daze continued with tunes from Megadeth, Puddle of Mudd, Disturbed, Linkin Park and Drowning Pool, before shifting into heavy rap mode for Eminem’s “Opportunity.” Following a version of Godsmack’s “Keep Away,” Bad Daze reached the explosive finale of their set, an eight-song Motley Crue medley.

As they did the weekend before at City Limits, Bad Daze again made a loud and powerful statement, announcing their arrival on the area music scene with a loud, proud, confident set. The instrumental ‘core’ of this band was tight and on the money, and frontman Rob confidently worked the entire stagefront area, high-fiving fans, kissing babies and pressing Bad Daze’s campaign for area party band supremacy with the zeal of a politician on the eve before election day. After sunset had brought the Cresson party animal contingent forward, Bad Daze was the right band at the right time, escalating the excitement and festive mood of End of Summer Jam as the event entered its homestretch.

Dave Bambino of Bad Daze.

Harry Rainey of Bad Daze.

With young guest in hand, Rob Carolus of Bad Daze.

Need a light? Rob Carolus of Bad Daze.

Bad Daze lights up the nighttime stage at End of Summer Jam

Kenny Murdick of Bad Daze.

One reason I always look forward to End of Summer Jam is because I often run into friends and acquaintances I haven’t seen in a while. But I never expected the type of reunion I experienced after Bad Daze’s set this night. After Bad Daze finished, I retreated to the treehouse area where my camcorder was set up, and started rewinding the tape to position it to record Hair Force One’s set. It was dark, and although I had a keychain flashlight to illuminate my camcorder, I couldn’t see faces very well. A couple approached the treehouse, and I heard a male voice call up to me, inquiring about why I was videotaping the bands. As I answered him, I heard a female voice exclaim, “It’s HIM!” The female voice belonged to my cousin from Erie, Ruby, who I hadn’t seen in several years! An alumnus of nearby Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Ruby and her friend from Missouri, Alan, were in the area visiting their old Cresson and Mount stomping grounds for the first time in twenty years. They by chance learned of a “biker party” happening at the Cresson Sportsmen’s Club when they stopped by Magoo’s in Cresson for a beer, and came over to see what was happening; with no idea that I was there! We hooted and hollered, swapped stories and got updated on each others’ lives as Hair Force One set up and took the stage. This was easily the non-musical highlight of my End of Summer Jam experience this year, a surprise reunion I would never had expected in this setting! Very cool!

The unexpected reunion: Yours truly with long-lost cousin Ruby…

After the shock of this sudden reunion abated, I returned to the stagefront to catch Hair Force One’s set. The group picked up where Bad Daze left off, opening with the Guns’N’Roses double-shot of “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child of Mine.” Singer Victor Synn’s voice was in good form as he easily achieved the Axl Rose high range vox, and guitarist Jimi Hatt executed his solos with tight precision. The group proceeded to celebrate the ‘decade of decadence’ with ample 80’s rock from Quiet Riot, Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Ugly Kid Joe (okay, they’re early 90’s, but 80’s in spirit), AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Twisted Sister and more. The group kept the Cresson crowd happy and crazy with their unique blend of 80’s hair-band campiness and hard-hitting legitimate musical chops; executed with energy, tightness and enthusiasm. Hair Force One kept the action onstage nonstop and fun, and when the end of their set arrived, the audience demanded not one, but two encores. The band happily accommodated the audience with encore renditions of Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” and AC/DC’s Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)” respectively; thus slamming the lid on another End of Summer Jam.

Victor Synn of Hair Force One.

Hugh G. Rection of Hair Force One.

Michael J. Cox of Hair Force One.

Iva Biggin of Hair Force One.

Hair Force One slams the lid on the 13th End of Summer Jam.

Jimi Hatt of Hair Force One.

Two off-duty Q94 Calendar Girls having fun at End of Summer Jam.

Again, Jimi Hatt of Hair Force One.

When all was said and done, this was a good weekend. Over $3,200 was raised for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Mostly all of the bands and performers – at least the ones I saw – brought their ‘A’ game and represented well with exciting, fun performances. The weather was great on both days. The attendance, while short of the monster-sized crowds this event used to draw in the mid-90’s, was at least a substantial improvement over last year; offering encouraging incentive to promote this show even harder and more widely next year. And my unexpected reunion towards weekend’s end was icing on the cake. As End of Summer Jam’s go, this one ranks as one of the most memorable.