[Jim Price]

WEEK/WEEKEND RECAP 1/15/07

OPEN MIC NIGHT @ THE BAR, ALTOONA 1/10/07

My Wednesday workplace duties ran me a little too late to check out The Hitching Post’s bluegrass jam. So I decided I would catch Open Mic Night at The Bar, after heading to Pellegrine’s for pizza.

Unfortunately, I got more than just pizza at Pellegrine’s. For the past couple of months, Pelly’s has hosted country karaoke on Wednesday nights. Although I often will try to get to Pelly’s late – after the karaoke has ended – I wasn’t so fortunate this night. This night simply reaffirmed that karaoke is evil, yes, but country karaoke is worse! To be fair, there were one or two singers that could legitimately carry a tune; but enduring the other vocal atrocities to get to them (and to wait for my pizza) was excruciating! If you felt the ground rumbling at around 11 PM this night, it was probably the dead members of the Ramones doing somersaults in their graves because some goober onstage at Pellegrine’s was absolutely massacring “I Wanna Be Sedated.” And I’ll never be able to listen to CCR’s “Fortunate Son” again without fighting back nausea, thanks to another voiceless drunk’s crucifixion of that classic. To karaoke proponents who might argue that at least these folks have the stones to get up and sing, I say that at least I know that I have no singing voice, and I have too much respect for the ears of my fellow human beings to expose them to my lack of singing voice. It was so bad this night, members of Pelly’s bar staff were even pleading, “JP, please make it stop!” Unfortunately, it wasn’t my call. But as my last bite of pizza was consumed, my escape from the torture was imminent.

I proceeded over to The Bar, where the sounds emanating from the stage were much more agreeable. This Open Mic Night again brought out a gathering of musicians, including several familiar faces. Joining hosts Tim Klock and Chuck Cox were Dwane Edmiston and Jeremy Nelson of Wood-n-Strings, Matt Harrison and Kathryn Bullington of Oak & Ivy, John Stevens, Brett Fanelli and others. A nice-sized audience was present in The Bar’s upper level to take in the proceedings.

Arriving late, I only got to take in the last hour, but some cool and interesting sounds could be heard, as the gathered musicians did some jam-geared takes on Pink Floyd classics, Ozzy’s “Crazy Train,” Men At Work’s “Down Under,” Toto’s “Africa,” bluegrass jams and more. The big surprise for me was seeing an area music fan I’ve known for nearly 20 years – Helen Wagner – step up and display a strong singing voice on 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up”…this was a revelation, I never knew Helen had that voice!

So after having my ears bludgeoned by bad karaoke singing at Pellegrine’s, The Bar’s Open Mic Night provided some much-appreciated relief. The jams were good, and the vibe was laid-back, cordial and fun. A good time.

Friendly jamming again abounded during The Bar’s Open Mic night.

Helen Wagner gets up and sings during Open Mic Night.

Again, Helen Wagner. I never knew she could belt on voice!

More festivities during Open Mic night.

GRADE E @ AL’S TAVERN, ALTOONA 1/11/07

After concluding my evening duties at the workplace, I proceeded to Al’s Tavern, where Grade E and good food converged for an uplifting end to the night.

Playing their first Thursday show at Al’s since before the holidays, singer/guitarist Chris Vipond, bassist Mike Stanley and drummer Todd Harshbarger had a respectable audience of friends and fans on hand to take in the music. Chris informed me that the legendary Randy “Jackson” Rutherford was in the house and digging the sounds earlier on. I procured my first Genny, and for my evening meal, ordered up an Al’s Hooter.

Al’s Hooter might be the best sandwich in Altoona, or at least the closest thing to those Primanti Brothers creations out Pittsburgh way. Roast beef, cheese, slaw, fries, tomato, fried egg if you want it, on regular or garlic bread (your choice)…A little sloppy to eat, but definitely easy on the taste buds (and I enhanced it with a little cayenne pepper sauce for a slight bite, even better!). Once again, thanks to Mike from Grade E for alerting me to this culinary treat!

As I enjoyed the Hooter, Grade E happily dished out the funky jam grooves, mixing original tunes with a selection of favorites and a few surprises along the way. Along with original jams like “Emmett,” “Lucy,” “End” and a few newer originals, Grade E applied their groove-laden approach to numbers by the Grateful Dead, Ben Harper, Phish, Jane’s Addiction, Johnny Cash and more. Grade E took some of these songs to interesting places; merging their funk-driven take on Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” into the bluegrass standard “Man Of Constant Sorrow,” tying together Phish and Jane’s Addiction into an intriguing medley and more. The crowd enjoyed it, and several audience members yelled out requests along the way.

Grade E’s spicy grooves and Al’s Tavern’s spicy Al’s Hooter sent the night home in a very agreeable way. I enjoyed…

Here is some video footage from Grade E’s performance:

http://www.rockpage.net/users/jprice/video/MOV09336.MPG


Grade E, getting their groove on at Al’s Tavern.

4 DAYS DIRTY/ENVY INSANE/LOVE.HATE.FEAR @ ALDO’S, ALTOONA 1/12/07

Aldo’s once again proved that is has become Altoona’s prime hotspot for live original music. This night’s bill featured local heavyweights 4 Days Dirty; and two bands from Fredericksburg, Virginia, Love.Hate.Fear and Envy Insane.

My primary interest was in seeing Love.Hate.Fear, as they were scheduled to be my in-studio guests on the following Sunday’s edition of Q94’s “Backyard Rocker.” They were under way as I arrived at Aldo’s. Love.Hate.Fear began the evening with a heavy-geared sound that blended elements of modern and classic rock. Singer/guitarist James Rex, lead guitarist Chris Freeman, bassist T.J. Winston and Carrolltown native T.J. Skirsky on drums played original numbers such as “Unclean,” “LHF,” “Drunkenlazy” and more, along with powerful renditions of Black Sabbath’s “Electric Funeral,” Tool’s “Sober” and Godsmack’s “Bad Religion.” Love.Hate.Fear’s execution was tight and powerful, topped by James’ subdued and moody vocal style. These guys built momentum as they proceeded along, and by set’s end, a good number of Aldo’s fans had been won over.

Fredericksburg, Virginia’s Love.Hate.Fear, making their Altoona debut at Aldo’s.

Again, Love.Hate.Fear.

James Rex of Love.Hate.Fear.

Again, James Rex of Love.Hate.Fear.

Next was Envy Insane, a band who 4 Days Dirty met and befriended during their recent participation in the Bodog Battle Of The Bands. Envy Insane’s style leaned slightly heavier and more incendiary. Guitarists Trey Smith and Brad Pruett, bassist Kevin Clement and drummer Shane Lambert provided the lean and heavy-hitting backdrop for the in-your-face presentation of singer John Paul Paolicelli, whose style reminded me of both Scott Weiland and Zack De La Rocha. Envy Insane showcased songs from their original arsenal such as “The Weight Of My Gun,” “Never Fade,” “Blame,” “Bite the Bullet” and more. Their sound intensified and became more feral as their set progressed, with John Paul taking control of the crowd early on and rallying them to the stagefront. By set’s end, Envy Insane had much of the Aldo’s audience in front of the stage and rocking along. Based on the response, I wouldn’t be surprised to be seeing Envy Insane on Aldo’s stage again sometime soon.

Envy Insane, also from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and also making their Aldo’s debut. A little bit of irony here; although both Love.Hate.Fear and Envy Insane are from the same town in Virginia and both know each other, they had never shared a stage together until this night at Aldo’s!

Trey Smith of Envy Insane.

John Paul Paolicelli of Envy Insane.

Once again, Envy Insane.

4 Days Dirty finished out the night with a bristling set that showcased new and older original songs. Singer/guitarist Steve Danfelt, guitarist Joe Neary, bassist Paul Greiner and drummer Justin Fair did a lot of new numbers, whose titles I didn’t catch. They also did several from their Raise Your Hands…If You Feel Like Dying CD such as “Disguise” and “Killbox.” Perhaps the big highlight of their set, though, actually resulted from a technical snafu during their encore; when Steve’s microphone went dead, the group’s fans came to the rescue and sang the vocals on the song they were doing (which I didn’t recognize). As expected, 4 Days Dirty’s performance was hard-hitting and aggressive, with the band riding each song to a furious and intense crescendo. The hometown Aldo’s crowd was up front and tearing it up with the band start to finish, providing an action-packed close to the night

This was a very good show, again with a strong and supportive audience celebrating original rock. And it was good to see the local fans showing support and appreciation for the newcomer bands from out of state. It was another good night for original music, and further strengthened Aldo’s growing stature as this town’s premiere original rock venue.

Here is some video footage from 4 Days Dirty’s performance:

http://www.rockpage.net/users/jprice/video/MOV09338.MPG


4 Days Dirty keeps the excitement going at Aldo’s.

Justin Fair of 4 Days Dirty.

Paul Greiner and Steve Danfelt of 4 Days Dirty.

Steve Danfelt of 4 Days Dirty.

Joe Neary of 4 Days Dirty.

VELVEETA @ 4D’S LOUNGE, ALTOONA 1/13/07

After aging for over eleven years on area stages, Happy Valley’s party cheese, Velveeta, continues to pack dance floors. With nothing else pressing or urgent happening on the town’s stages this night, I decided to kick back and party down with the Velveeta gang at the 4D’s Lounge.

I arrived and set up shop at a table back near the rear entrance shortly before Velveeta kicked off their first set. Already the Dees was crowded; a party was imminent!

Velveeta; guitarists Brian Kriley and Mike Lee, bassist Steve Bentz, keyboardist/guitarist Brent Martin and drummer John Harper; kicked off the night with The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated.” This started an almost nonstop blend of mostly 80’s-era “cheesy” favorites. The Dees’ dance floor quickly filled as Velveeta performed favorites from Tom Petty, Soft Cell, John Mellencamp, Hooters, Eddie Money, Violent Femmes, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, The Knack, Joan Jett and more. The group did one more recent number during this set, Sublime’s “What I Got.”

So far, so good. Velveeta kept it interesting, as all five members shared and swapped vocal duties onstage, keeping the show constantly moving. Their overall musicianship was solid, and they continually communicated and maintained contact with the dance floor crowd, making them a part of the party.

Velveeta’s second round kicked off with Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again,” before the group dug back further for some 60’s cheese courtesy of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” The party continued with more favorites from Aerosmith, Rick Springfield, Journey, Presidents of the United States of America, Bon Jovi, Aha, Dexy’s Midnight Runners and more. A few more current numbers showed up in this set as well, including another Sublime hit, “Santeria,” as well as The Darkness’ “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” and Buckcherry’s “Crazy Bitch” to finish the set.

Not surprisingly, the Dees was jam-packed by the time the third set was set to begin. Velveeta has called the Dees their Altoona home for nearly ten years; and have amassed a huge following in this room. And again this night, a full house was here to party down with “Penn State’s party band.”

Starting back up after 1 AM, Velveeta’s final set of the night was an abbreviated one. The group got the Dees masses dancing again with Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” and played numbers by Wild Cherry, Proclaimers, James and more, before ending the set with Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” This huge Dees crowd wasn’t finished partying yet, though, and after several seconds of loud demands for an encore, Velveeta quickly obliged and ended the night with the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right (to Party).”

It was a typical day (night) at the office for Velveeta, and that resulted in a good time 80’s cheese/rock’n’roll party for their fans. It was reliable, steady, happy 80’s rock mayhem for three sets; and this veteran party force again demonstrated why they have remained favorites on this region’s stages for over a decade running.

Brent Martin and Brian Kriley of Velveeta.

Brian Kriley of Velveeta.

Mike Lee and Steve Bentz of Velveeta.

Again, Brent Martin and Brian Kriley of Velveeta.

It was wall-to-wall people in the dance floor trenches for Velveeta’s party.

Brian Kriley and Mike Lee of Velveeta.

Again, Brian Kriley of Velveeta.

Velveeta guitarist/keyboardist and former radio guy Brent Martin.

Once again, Brian Kriley of Velveeta.

The party continues with Velveeta.

Once again, Brent Martin of Velveeta.

One more time, party mayhem with Velveeta.

Yours Truly, getting a lift from Velveeta.

NINE PLANET TOUR @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 1/14/07

After a brief hiatus for maternity leave, Altoona’s Nine Planet Tour was back in action this night at Pellegrine’s. After completing my regularly-scheduled “Backyard Rocker” duties at the radiator station, I headed to Pelly’s to see the Tour’s return.

As I watched the last set and a half unfold, it became instantly obvious that this band was happy to be back on stage. Singer/new mom Erika Marino and drummer/new dad Evan Rutherford, guitarists Brendan Burns and Eric Wertz and bassist Kelly Montgomery performed with a fire and vigor this night that I hadn’t witnessed from them before – they were feeling it!

The group had a healthy mid-sized Pellegrine’s crowd getting festive as I arrived in the middle of their second set. As they morphed Led Zeppelin’s “D’yer M’aker” into their reggae spin on Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” guitarists Brendan and Eric proudly ventured out into the dance floor crowd to mix it up with the fans. They followed with a kickass rendition of “Twist and Shout,” before finishing up the set with two more recent numbers, Sublime’s “What I Got” and Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag.”

The group’s nightcap set provided more of the same excitement, as Nine Planet Tour confidently fired up the dance floor party with numbers from the B-52’s, Heart, Radiohead, Janis Joplin, Weezer, Guns’N’Roses, Aerosmith, Joan Jett and more, eventually closing out the party with Nena’s “99 Redballoons.”

As I said, this band was back with a vengeance this night. Erika again demonstrated an excellent voice with ample power and range; her displays on Heart’s “Barracuda” and Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee” were incredible! Her bandmates’ execution was tight and inspired, keeping much of the Pellegrine’s crowd on the dance floor for the duration. Again, you could tell that these folks were happy to be back in action.

It was a welcome return for Nine Planet Tour, and this fiery show served notice that this band is ready to take over stages throughout the Central PA galaxy. Look out!

Here is some video footage from Nine Planet Tour’s performance:

http://www.rockpage.net/users/jprice/video/MOV09360.MPG


Brendan Burns of Nine Planet Tour.

Nine Planet Tour, back with a vengeance.

Evan Rutherford of Nine Planet Tour.

Again, Evan Rutherford of Nine Planet Tour.

Again, Nine Planet Tour.

Once again, Nine Planet Tour.

Erika Marino of Nine Planet Tour.

Eric Wertz of Nine Planet Tour.

Erika Marino of Nine Planet Tour.

Again, Eric Wertz of Nine Planet Tour.

The guitar tandem of Nine Planet Tour, Brendan Burns and Eric Wertz.

Once again, Erika Marino of Nine Planet Tour.

More of Nine Planet Tour.

The party continues with Nine Planet Tour.

Once again, Nine Planet Tour.

One more time, Erika Marino of Nine Planet Tour.

JP’s HAIKU

Velveeta cheese fest
Packed Dees’ dance floor start to end
Penn State’s party band!
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http://pamusician.net

[Jim Price]

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http://pamusician.net