Jim Price
Moderator
Joined: 07 Dec 2002
Posts: 4817
Location: Altoona, PA
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 Posted: Monday Jan 10, 2005 |
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WEEKEND RECAP 10/25/04
FELIX & THE HURRICANES @ PETER C’S, ALTOONA 10/21/04
Another Thursday night, another late night for yours truly in the workplace, and…another Hurricanes Thursday at Peter C’s.
I arrived to find the basic, stripped-down Hurricanes trio playing to a basic, stripped-down Peter C’s audience of regulars and Hurricaniacs. Drummer Bob was celebrating a birthday, and the Hurricanes were celebrating with their steady blend of classics and original tunes. The ‘Canes fired off tunes from the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Howlin’ Wolf, Dire Straits, Iron Butterfly, the Allman Brothers and more; honoring an audience member’s request for “a lullaby” by playing Jimi Hendrix’s “The Wind Cries Mary,” and mixing in the original tune “Keep On Rockin.’”
The Hurricanes kicked off their final set with Los Lonely Boys’ “Heaven,” and fired off the new original songs “Cut That Line” and “Such A Fool,” plus the bluesy original favorite “Free” and a version of the Doors’ “Love Me Two Times.” A guest then helped finish out the night, as former Stones tribute band Jumpin’ Jack Flash frontman Skip Stone fronted the Hurricanes on a version of the Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash.”
In a nutshell…Basic, stripped-down Hurricanes; basic, stripped-down Peter C’s crowd; and ultimately, basic, stripped-down good time!
It’s one of those Britz! Skip Stone with Jeff Clapper of the Hurricanes.
Mick Jagger’s evil twin, Skip Stone.
Once again, Skip and the Hurricanes, getting some ya-ya’s out.
FINAL NOTICE @ CITY LIMITS, ALTOONA 10/22/04
Time for me to explore the unknown again, and I headed to City Limits this night to check out the first Altoona visit of Cumberland, Maryland rockers Final Notice.
Not surprisingly, City Limits was nearly empty as I arrived, with only a handful of folks in attendance to see what Final Notice had to offer. I procured a brew and a seat near stagefront to see what this band was about.
Just under way with their first set, Final Notice – guitarist Shawn Diehl, bassist Eric Houdersheldt and drummer Donny Carmen – were feeling out the venue and sparse crowd with a selection of mostly classic rock favorites, with a few select newer numbers and curios mixed in. Final Notice played upbeat numbers from the Ramones, Collective Soul, George Thorogood, Black Sabbath, Fountains Of Wayne, ZZ Top, Drivin’N’Cryin,’ The Cult, White Stripes and more. The group also mixed in versions of the “Scooby Doo” theme and the Bangles’ “Walk Like An Egyptian.”
Several things stood out to me about Final Notice in the early going. First, the group was solid on their instruments; and good on the voices, with all three band members swapping lead vocal duties. Second, they established a head of steam and momentum; once they got going, the action was nonstop. Third, Final Notice was good at mixing things up; you didn’t know what surprise tune the group might pull out next. Fourth, the group’s presentation was cordial and personable, as the group had fun onstage and kept things upbeat with friendly banter and antics.
Shawn and Eric swapped their instruments, and drummer Donny sang lead on Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” to open the second set. The group then changed up into Violent Femmes’ “Blister In The Sun” and then veered into the “Fraggle Rock” cartoon theme as Shawn and Eric swapped back to their original instruments. The trio proceeded with favorites from AC/DC, Joan Jett, Poison, Wild Cherry, Kenny Loggins, Beatles, J. Geils Band, CCR, Tommy James, Guns’n’Roses, Jet and more. Again the group kept it upbeat, lighthearted and fun; and played for keeps even though the audience was small. The payoff for Final Notice was soon apparent; while there were only eleven people in the City Limits audience (besides me, soundman Zilly, Claudio and the staff), all eleven were on the dance floor and getting crazy!
The group’s only major gaffe of the evening – at least for me – kicked off the third set, when they did “Behind Blue Eyes,” and drummer Donny credited the song to Limp Bizkit – NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Sacrilege! Limp Bizkit’s desecration of “Behind Blue Eyes” was a bad enough crime against humanity as is, don’t give them credit for the song over The Who! After my veins receded back into my scalp, I watched as Final Notice continued the party with tunes from Bryan Adams, Godsmack, Collective Soul, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and more. The band members again swapped instruments during Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69;” and an audience member named Valerie tried her hand singing lead on the Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.” The trio kept the adrenaline level high through AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” and Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll,” a current song (one of those ones I’ve heard covered 50 times by other bands, but don’t yet know the title or group) and Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” to end the night.
Light attendance notwithstanding, Final Notice’s first Altoona appearance was a good one. At least they satisfied the folks who did take the gamble of paying cover to see this unknown band. Final Notice’s presentation was loose, friendly and fun. The group was fairly solid on their instruments; a little haphazard at times, but on target much more often than not. I especially liked this band’s ability to ad-lib and improvise on the spot, and keep things from ever getting too predictable or routine. Here’s hoping Final Notice gets a few more cracks at earning a crowd in Toonaland; I could see these guys instigating a good and rowdy party if they get a decent crowd in front of them. A band to keep an eye out for…
Eric Houdersheldt of Final Notice.
Final Notice, cranking up the party at City Limits.
Shawn Diehl of Final Notice.
Donny Carmen of Final Notice.
Again, Shawn Diehl of Final Notice.
Again, Final Notice.
With special guest Valerie from the audience singing lead, Final Notice.
Again, Donny Carmen of Final Notice.
THE FLYING DOG HOUSE @ MAGOO’S, CRESSON 10/23/04
I had an unusual itinerary this particular Saturday night. I wanted to take in the midnight showing of Allegheny Highlands Regional Theatre’s production of The Rocky Horror Show at the Cresson Lake Playhouse. Since the midnight showing (when Rocky Horror traditionally takes place, the best time to see it) started logically at midnight, that meant I had some time before curtain time to take in a band, preferably somewhere close by. Enter Magoo’s in Cresson, who was featuring Johnstown power trio The Flying Doghouse this night. Meeting this group’s guitarist, David Kozak, recently at the Cambria City Ethnic Festival, whet my interest in checking the group out, so this was my opportunity, and I was there!
As it turned out, I was one of few who was there in the early going, as I arrived during the group’s first set. David, bassist/singer Rodger Dugan and drummer Jeff Billotte were entertaining a smallish audience with classics spanning the 60’s through early 90’s. As the group’s show unfolded, it quickly became noticeable that Rodger was having some voice problems. His voice was scratchy and getting scratchier, apparently brought on by the elements he was exposed to at his workplace earlier in the day. His range was quickly shot, and it was all he could do to make it through the first set. Still, the show must go on, and The Flying Doghouse made the best of the situation as they proceeded through Sam the Sham’s “Wooly Bully,” Cream’s “White Room,” Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” (with David contributing some harmonica), Neil Young’s “Hey Hey My My,” and a Creedence Clearwater Revival double-shot of “Born on the Bayou” and “Proud Mary” to close out the set.
Rodger tried to rest and restore his voice during the intermission, while he and David scrambled to compose a set list with some song material David could sing to ease the burden on Rodger’s voice. Also during the intermission, one of the Halloween-masked locals, Jamie, informed me that there was apparently some local Cresson resident throwing a big annual party at his home, and that a lot of Magoo’s crowd and Cresson townspeople were in attendance at that function, impacting the relatively low turnout at Magoo’s.
Soon, the second set started, and Rodger’s ailing vocal cords were immediately tested on the Allman Brothers’ “Whipping Post” (“Good lord, he sounds like he’s dy-ing!”); fortunately, David salvaged the song with some tasty, jazz-flavored lead guitar work. David then spotted Rodger’s voice a break by singing lead on a Grateful Dead number, which kicked off a medley. Rodger again assumed vocal duties on the Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time” and Them’s “Gloria,” but fared better on these tunes, which didn’t tax his voice range nearly as much. This medley turned into a pretty effective jam, with David flashing some tasty guitar solo work against Rodger’s and Jeff’s steady rhythms; and a few dancers took to the stagefront floor. The group continued in the Stones vein with “Let’s Spend the Night Together” and Tommy Tutone’s “867-5309/Jenny.” By this point, my watch indicated it was just past 11:30, and I had to beat a path to the Cresson Lake Playhouse to get a decent seat for Rocky Horror.
Unfortunately, I didn’t catch The Flying Doghouse on one of their better nights, as Rodger’s voice maladies diminished the group’s overall presentation and effectiveness. On the plus side, the group does appear to be instrumentally sound, and was able to get their groove on, especially during the second set. Hopefully Rodger’s affliction this night isn’t a common occurrence; I’ll have to make a point to try to catch this band on another night to see how they do at full strength.
Rodger Dugan of The Flying Doghouse.
The Flying Doghouse, rocking and rolling at Magoo’s.
David Kozak of The Flying Doghouse.
Jeff Billotte of The Flying Doghouse.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW @ CRESSON LAKE PLAYHOUSE, CRESSON 10/23/04
I proceeded to the Cresson Lake Playhouse, hopeful I could procure a decent seat to observe the Allegheny Highlands Regional Theatre’s production of The Rocky Horror Show. Fortunately, it wasn’t a packed house, and there was ample room for me to get a good seat. The Cresson Lake Playhouse is actually housed inside a mid-sized barn, and the seats are directly adjacent to both sides of the stage, making for an intimate viewing experience that put us right on top of the action.
I had experienced Rocky Horror once before, seeing the movie with a group of my college frat brothers during my Penn State days. One of the downtown theaters in State College used to show the Rocky Horror movie every Friday night during the early 80’s, a run that lasted several years. I remembered parts of the plot, including songs like the “Time Warp,” “Damn It Janet” and “Floorshow;” and I knew there was a transvestite and cross-dressing involved. I had forgotten most of the callbacks from back then, but this production had actors mixed in the crowd to take care of calling and shouting back responses to the actors on stage. The Cresson Lake production also had a house band, as two-thirds of progressive rock trio Wine Of Nails – guitarist John Charney and drummer Dominic Peruso – would be playing the Rocky Horror score while housed in a cage adjacent to the stage. John was playing some spacey guitar passages as a prelude to the main event as I procured my vantage point.
Former Frayed frontman Dave Moses’ better half, Marina – decked out as one of the ‘Transylvanians” – sold me a one-dollar bag of props to be used during the performance; including confetti for two weddings, a playing card, a paper cylinder that would be used as a symbolic hot dog, and a newspaper. Audience participation and feedback were encouraged; this was already starting to feel like a party!
Soon the house lights dimmed, and the story began. Brad Majors (Robert Decker) and Janet Weiss (Molly Riva) are two kids soon to be married, on the road one stormy night to visit former tutor Dr. Everett Scott. Their car breaks down, and they go knocking on the door of a mansion, to be greeted by Riff Raff (Wes Layton), who invites them inside from the storm. Eventually they are greeted by the mansion’s master, Dr. Frank’n’Furter (Bret Sarlouis), a transvestite alien. The couple are whisked away on a bizarre adventure of transsexual experiments gone awry (i.e. “Eddie,” portrayed by Dave Moses), gender-bending, bizarre sexual encounters and more. Along the way; the songs, audience call-backs to the stage (responses and other abuse), an abused narrator (Bruce Standley), lazer gun assaults and more. At the end of the show, the cast and musicians present an encore performance of “The Time Warp,” with the various characters pulling audience members down the stage to dance along. (My feet were warped this night, and I never could quite get the choreography of the “Time Warp” right; oh well, it was still fun.)
It was a wild, bizarre good time. I actually enjoyed this live theatrical production of Rocky Horror better than the movie version; because the audience could interact with the performers via the applause and call-backs, and each could respond and feed off the other. The caged live band provided a unique edge to the production. Hats off to the cast and director/choreographer Lori Howsare for successfully making it work; I understand that Rocky Horror may return for a second run next Halloween season.
BACKSTREET LAW @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 10/24/04
“Backyard Rocker” duties this night resulted in a late arrival at Pellegrine’s for my weekend finale. I arrived well after midnight, as Backstreet Law was finishing off their second set with Drowning Pool’s “Bodies.”
As expected, a large crowd was on hand to take in Backstreet Law’s performance; this band has evolved into the steadiest crowd magnet in Pellegrine’s current band rotation.
Smile Empty Soul’s “Bottom of a Bottle” triggered the group’s final set of the night, as singer Goody, bassist Jamie Morral, guitarist Jeremy Edge and drummer Choke fired through a heavy-handed set of modern and classic hard rock and metal. The group proceeded through Motley Crue’s “Girls Girls Girls” and Rage’s “Killing In the Name;” before Goody dedicated a Switchfoot number to our troops overseas. Jamie then snarled out the Phil Anselmo bark during Pantera’s “Walk,” before the group entered into their popular risqué original, “Seatbelt.” Backstreet Law then wrapped up the set with a Metallica medley, providing an exclamation point stinger with their improvised micro-song Stormtroopers Of Death-styled closer, “Psycho Bitch.”
It was a typically strong Backstreet Law performance, with the group firing on all cylinders, and the band and the rowdy stagefront crowd feeding off each other to escalate the third set into a hard-rocking frenzy. From what I got to witness of it, a good show.
While visiting the men’s room en route towards the door at night’s end, I witnessed what has to be one of the fastest speed pukes on record. While taking care of my own business at one of the urinals, I heard another guy enter the room behind me, uttering “I gotta hurl” as he proceeded to the toilet stall. The stall door slams…”BLEC-C-C-CHHH!” Flush. Dude emerges from the stall as another guy enters the room, and said “That felt good.” The other guy responds, “You betcha!” Whole sequence of events took ten seconds! The puker must have been a seasoned party animal, he was efficient!
All in the course of another rowdy Sunday night at Pellegrine’s…
Jeremy Edge of Backstreet Law.
Jamie Morral of Backstreet Law.
Jeremy Edge and Jamie Morral of Backstreet Law.
Jeremy Edge and Goody of Backstreet Law.
Choke of Backstreet Law.
With a legion of rowdy Pellegrine’s fans cheering him on, Jamie Morral of Backstreet Law.
Grinding out the bottom end, Jamie Morral of Backstreet Law.
Once again, Choke of Backstreet Law.
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