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WEEKEND RECAP 1/26/04
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Jim Price
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Joined: 07 Dec 2002
Posts: 4817
Location: Altoona, PA

 Post Posted: Saturday Feb 28, 2004 
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WEEKEND RECAP 1/26/04

INFUSED/FELIX & THE HURRICANES @ PETER C’S, ALTOONA 1/22/04

It had been a little while since I had done any Thursday Hurricaning at Peter C’s – actually, since before the holidays. With Infused added to the bill to open things, I decided to commence my weekend at Peter C’s this night.

Day job duties prevented me from arriving until midway through Infused’s set. The group was performing a set of all original music, including a number of songs from their forthcoming spring CD release. Singer/rhythm guitarist Shawn Huss, lead guitarist Rod Skelley, bassist Bill Fischer and drummer Ed Longo again offered their hybrid sound, rooted both in classic and modern rock styles. The group was performing “Into the Shadows” as I arrived; then proceeding with the slower and heavier “Who Stole the Sun.” Shawn introduced the uptempo “Beyond Cohesion,” and continued with “Nothing Is Important,” “Silence of the Rain,” “Defused,” and the blues-geared “Since You Let Me Down” to end the set.

From what I witnessed during this set, Infused is making steady progress in their development. This was the most confident I’ve seen this band so far; with Shawn taking time to address the crowd between songs, and the band as a whole looking less stiff and nervous onstage. Infused seemed more comfortable this night, and the tunes seemed to flow along smoother. The group’s musical direction continues to be marked by Shawn’s soaring vocals, Rod’s guitar textures, and the steady blues-infused rhythmic foundation executed by Ed and Bill. Infused’s songs met with approval from the good-sized Peter C’s audience – encouraging to see support for a band doing original music this night!

Not long after I arrived at Peter C’s, I was glad to have chosen this night to show up for another reason; as one of Latrobe’s finest players, TMP singer/guitarist Tony Mollick, was in the house. I knew that a Tony Mollick/Felix Kos guitar summit onstage was imminent! And although the advertised Rockpage Benefit Jam was still a week away from happening, you could have been excused from thinking it was this night, judging by the number of musicians present – including members of Hair Force One, Dafunkt, Banditos, Suicide Switch, Chapter 5, plus the two performing bands. Maybe we would see a preview of the Rockpage Jam unfold before this night was through.

After the changeover between bands, Felix & the Hurricanes took the stage, joined by Tony Mollick. It didn’t take long for the guitar fireworks to begin. Tony quickly picked up the groove on the ‘Canes’ original “Walking A Straight Line;” and the dual lead fireworks heated up in earnest on the Allman Brothers’ “Dreams.” Tony and Felix continued to exchange guitar leads on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “That Smell,” before downshifting into the Hurricanes’ down-and-out blues original, “On The Bottom Again.” With bassman Jeff Clapper singing lead, the Hurricanes performed Iron Butterfly’s “Innagaddadavida,” before Tony and Felix again exchanged guitar pleasantries on the Allman Brothers’ “Southbound” to end the set.

As good as this set was, it turned out just being the warm-up for the fireworks Peter C’s would witness during the Hurricanes’ nightcap set. The action resumed with the ‘Canes’ original songs “The Feeling” and “Keep On Rockin.’” The group then started into Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold,” during which Tony Mollick took center stage and scorched off incredibly hot leadwork on the frets. The group then shifted into country gear for John Michael Montgomery’s “Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident),” before Tony took over lead mic on Robin Trower’s “Too Rolling Stoned.” Tony, Felix and the Hurricanes continued with Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath” and Blackfoot’s “Train Train,” leading to the evening’s climax and crescendo…The Outlaws’ “Green Grass & High Tides.” With Felix singing lead and Tony and Jeff harmonizing on the chorus harmonies, the group built the song up to the homestretch gallop to the end, when Felix and Tony simply floored the house with a total guitar duel meltdown! Both players traded off leads, each challenging and pushing the other. The grins on both players’ faces widened as this guitar drag race intensified; and total nirvana had been reached by the time the song reached its finish line conclusion to end the night. Peter C’s erupted in loud applause in appreciation of these two guitar warriors and their night-ending fireworks; the crowd realizing that they had just seen a SHOW!

With Felix heading south to Jamaica for a much-deserved vacation, he, Tony and the Hurricanes slammed an exclamation point on the group’s final Peter C’s show before the break with this night’s heated clinic.

Infused, kicking off the night at Peter C’s.

Rod Skelley of Infused.

Shawn Huss of Infused.

Again, Shawn Huss of Infused.

Ed Longo of Infused.

Again, Rod Skelley of Infused.

Hurricane Felix, with his new toy.

Jeff Clapper of Felix & the Hurricanes.

Bob Watters of Felix & the Hurricanes.

Guest Tony Mollick, onstage with Hurricane Felix.

Again, Hurricane Bob.

Again, Hurricane Jeff.

Tony and Felix, blending for some guitar harmonies.

Tony looks on as Felix belts out the voice.

Once again, Hurricane Bob.

Tony Mollick, firing off a solo.

Once again, Tony Mollick.

Gearing up for a smoking finale, Hurricane Felix and Tony Mollick.

Felix, Bob, Tony and Jeff.

Let the guitar duel begin…

The fretboards are heating up…

The excitement escalates…

Two wild axemen, pushing each other to the limit…

Two wild axemen, reaching critical mass…

Meltdown is achieved…

FAT VINNY & THE WISEGUYS @ THE BAR, ALTOONA 1/23/04

The forecast this Friday night was for snow, as one of those “Alberta Clippers” was to dump from 2 to 4 inches of white stuff on our locale. By the time I was ready to leave my workplace at around 10:30, an inch of snow was already on the roads, and a few plow and cinder trucks were in action. It didn’t appear to be a fast-falling or heavy snow, so I would not be thwarted from my quest for live blues this night. I skidded and fishtailed my way to The Bar to check in with Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys.

First, the venue is called THE BAR. It’s not a nickname, or ‘somebody’s’ bar – just THE BAR. It used to be The Little Beer Store in a previous incarnation, but now, it is simply called – THE BAR. Catchy in a generic sort of way, isn’t it? I wondered if they served generic beer…

Not surprising given the snow falling this night, the crowd inside The Bar was sparse as I arrived. But this meant I quickly had a front row table to see what Fat Vinny, bassist Randy Ketner and new man behind the kit Jeff Van Clief were up to. Randy was fronting the group on a version of the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.” Fat Vinny then strapped on an acoustic guitar to play Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads.” Then, back to the electric for George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone,” and a humorous moment…new drummer Jeff was apparently really getting his groove on during this tune, because he grooved himself into a near trance and the other two Wiseguys had to snap him out of it to finish the song! But as the Wiseguys continued to perform, it was increasingly obvious that Jeff looked and sounded comfortable behind the Wiseguys’ drum kit, and fit into his new band setting well. The trio dug a little deeper into their catalog for Delbert McClinton’s “Every Time I Roll the Dice;” before blazing through a version of ZZ Top’s “La Grange.” Fat Vinny and company then got lowdown, gritty and bluesy for “Jesse James,” accented by Fat Vinny’s skillful use of effects. This particular song felt so lowdown and bluesy, I was wishing I smoked! The tempo came back up for the group’s barrelhouse blues-rock treatment of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” followed by versions of “Freight Train” and ZZ Top’s “Tube Snake Boogie” to finish the set.

Although The Bar was relatively empty for much of this set, a number of patrons began arriving toward’s set’s end. It was heartening for both the band and me to see that at least some people weren’t letting the weather stop them this night. More folks arrived during the intermission, and Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys had a healthy small crowd to play to by the time their next set began.

A version of “Rock Me Baby” resumed the action and, after an audience member stepped up front and whispered a request to Fat Vinny, the group honored a request for some T-Bone Walker – obviously there were some real blues fans in the house! The group continued with Bruce Springsteen’s “Fire,” before performing their remake of Tom Waits’ “Jockey Full of Bourbon.” With a lady at the table next to mine calling out for some Stevie Ray Vaughan, Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys were happy to oblige, delivering a Stevie Ray triple-shot of “Texas Flood,” “Cold Shot,” and – when the same lady requested something to dance to – “Pride and Joy,” which triggered the first dance floor action of the night. The group then honored another blues request, performing “Sweet Home Chicago;” before a younger fan stepped up and asked for Jimi Hendrix’s “Redhouse,” which the group gladly obliged. Fat Vinny and company then fired off their uniquely bluesy take on AC/DC’s “The Jack,” which inspired some more stagefront dance action. This small blues party continued with Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally” and B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone,” before the group capped the show with their tongue-in-cheek double-entendre original, “Vet Bill Blues;” which triggered the night’s final dancefloor activity.

Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys were in good form this night. Again, new drummer Jeff fit in well behind the kit, keeping a steady beat with just enough flare, without overplaying his fills or getting too fancy. Fat Vinny’s presentation effectively varied from soulful croon to bold roadhouse growl given the setting; and his guitarwork was on the money, especially his hot slidework this night. Wearing his shades, bassman Randy came off as the cool cat this night, calmly holding the mix together with his smooth, unassuming bass lines.

What appeared to be a bleak night in the early going evolved into a lively blues celebration. It was interesting to observe how different styles of blues appealed to different people this night; with one fan wanting to hear T-Bone Walker, the ladies gravitating towards Stevie Ray Vaughan to dance to, and the younger fan’s request for Jimi Hendrix. Of course, it was all good; and refreshing to see that Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys’ brand of blues and blues-rock appears to be catching on more and more in their hometown area. And with new man Jeff behind the kit – at least going by this night – this band is poised to continue to spread the gospel of “the blues you can’t refuse” for a while to come.

Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys, bluesing it up at The Bar.

E. Vincent “Fat Vinny” Kelly of Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys.

Again, Fat Vinny of Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys.

Once again, Fat Vinny…

The new man behind the kit, “Dutch” Jeff Van Clief.

Randy Ketner of Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys.

Again, Jeff Van Clief of Fat Vinny & the Wiseguys.

SCREAM @ CITY LIMITS, ALTOONA 1/24/04

Not confident enough about the weather forecast or road conditions to chance doing an out-of-town roadtrip this night, I instead played it safe and stuck in town, catching Scream’s latest visit to City Limits.

As Scream had been seeing growing attendance at their Altoona shows, I was hoping to see a good crowd this night. But the group hadn’t been at City Limits in several months, and it was the dead of winter. And upon arriving at City Limits, I soon discovered that there were more fans from Scream’s native Mount Union home base in the house than there were Altoona area fans. The prospects for a big crowd this night were not looking good…

But Scream made the most of it, and was already well underway with the task of rocking the bodies that did show up. In the early stages of their first set, singer Jeff Hoover led Scream on a version of Autograph’s “Turn Up The Radio.” The group proceeded with Jetboy’s “Feel the Shake” and AC/DC’s “Shoot to Thrill,” followed by Golden Earring/White Lion’s “Radar Love.” Then, the only 90’s moment of the night, as Scream fired off Buckcherry’s “Lit Up.” AC/DC’s “If You Want Blood, You Got It,” Nazareth’s “Hair of the Dog” and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” brought the first set to an uptempo close.

Although a few more people arrived during the intermission, including the Right Honorable Guv’nor Jesse, the house was still relatively empty; prompting the band members to scratch their heads about what they had to do to get a good crowd in this town. They also had received word that their next scheduled appearance at City Limits had been pulled in favor of a band that drew larger attendance; alas, the ups and downs of the live music business.

After the brief intermission, Scream returned to action with a powerful rendition of Dio’s “The Last In Line;” with Jeff Hoover capably executing the Ronnie Dio howl and guitarist Ed Miller firing off a particularly hot lead solo. The group then stepped up the party tempo with Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re An American Band” and Kix’s “Cold Blood;” the latter showcased tasty harmony guitar leads from Ed and Skip Henry. Scream continued with Rhino Bucket’s “One Night Stand” and Slade/Quiet Riot’s “Cum On Feel the Noize;” followed by the Def Leppard double-shot of “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Love Bites,” the latter setting the stage for some rarely-seen slow-dancing on City Limits’ dance floor. The 70’s/80’s fest continued with Slaughter’s “Up All Night,” AC/DC’s “Live Wire,” Motley Crue’s “Wild Side,” Bon Jovi’s “In and Out of Love,” Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again,” AC/DC’s “Touch Too Much;” and Aerosmith’s “Dream On” to cap the set.

Scream’s performance was strong thus far. Although City Limits’ in-house sound system didn’t render quite the same thunder as Scream’s own system, drummer Mike Dooley’s beats still rendered respectable thunder this night, which could be felt better in closer proximity to the stage. Robert Port’s bass sounded clear and distinct as he underscored the guitar fireworks of Ed and Skip. Jeff Hoover’s voice was in respectable form thus far; it would be interesting to see how well it held up during the nightcap set, after he had battled the flu onstage during the group’s recent New Year’s Eve show at Mount Union’s County Line Inn.

Action resumed in the third set, kicking off with Krokus’ “Longstick Goes Boom.” Scream kept the metal party uptempo with The Cult’s “Wild Fire Woman,” Poison’s “Nothing But A Good Time” and Judas Priest’s “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin;’” which all succeeded in bringing at least a few revelers onto City Limits’ dance floor. Jeff then preceded Accept’s “Balls to the Wall” with a short rant expressing his anger with anti-Americanism. The group returned to the AC/DC catalog for “Have A Drink On Me,” before slowing it down again for Ozzy Osbourne’s “Goodbye to Romance,” as Jeff strode out onto the dance floor and mingled with some slow-dancing couples. Scream then cranked it up for the homestretch; finishing the third set with Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and Bulletboys’ “Smooth Up In Ya.” Jeff’s voice was holding up respectably well at this point, and he was hitting the high notes more often than not. The City Limits dance floor revelers called for an encore, and Scream quickly responded with Ratt’s “Round and Round” to finish the night, highlighted by more crisp midsong guitar harmonies by Ed and Skip.

While not a memorable night in terms of attendance, Scream still delivered the goods and put on an entertaining show. Their musicianship was strong, steady and on target; Jeff’s voice held up well, and the group’s enthusiasm for this vein of 70’s/80’s hard rock was obvious throughout the night. Although never crowded, most of those who were in attendance at City Limits appreciated the group’s efforts, and left the venue content that they had been soundly rocked.

Scream celebrates rock of the 70’s and 80’s at City Limits.

Ed Miller and Jeff Hoover of Scream.

Jeff Hoover of Scream.

Ed Miller of Scream.

Skip Henry of Scream.

Again, Skip Henry of Scream.

Jeff Hoover of Scream, with the Right Honorable Guv’nor Jesse.

Rocking dozens from atop the speaker bins, Jeff Hoover of Scream.

Again, Jeff Hoover of Scream.

Robert Port of Scream.

Mike Dooley of Scream.

In the latter stages of the evening, Scream continues to rock City Limits.

Proud to be an American, Jeff Hoover of Scream.

Once again, Ed Miller of Scream.
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