[Jim Price]

WEEKEND RECAP 11/15/04

BLIND JONNY DEATH @ THE HITCHING POST, ALTOONA 11/10/04

Satisfied as I was the first time I had gone to see them, I was back to take in another Wednesday performance of Americana music duo Blind Jonny Death at Altoona’s Hitching Post. Having heard some ‘new’ old gems during my first Blind Jonny Death show a few weeks earlier, I was eager to hear what other surprises Slim and Red had to offer.

I arrived at The Hitching Post just prior to the start of the duo’s second set. After Slim introduced the show as the “Blind Jonny Death Radio Hour,” the pair kicked things off with their original number, “Driver Blues.” The pair then ventured into some Bob Dylan with “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” and Hank Williams’ “Cold Cold Heart” and “My Bucket’s Got a Hole In It.” Slim then introduced another Blind Jonny Death original, “Requiem for America.” After Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” Slim and Red bluegrassed out, offer a pickin’-and-grinnin’ take on Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker,” and the traditional bluegrass song “Freeborn Man.” The pair then performed another traditional number made popular by Old Crow Medicine Show, “Tell It To Me,” and an older country number, “Long Black Veil,” before honoring an audience member’s request for the Roger Miller chestnut “King Of The Road.” The duo proceeded with Elvis’ “Devil In Disguise,” Hank Sr.’s “Move It On Over,” Johnny Cash’s “Cry Cry Cry,” and Peter Rowan’s “Land Of The Navajo” from Muleskinner. Into the homestretch of their performance, Slim and Red shifted into blues with Big Bill Broonzy’s “Long Tall Mama,” jumped back into Elvis with “Little Sister,” and then finished the evening with “Wagon Wheel.”

As with the first time I saw them, Blind Jonny death performed their rootsy mixture with heart and enthusiasm. You could tell Red and Slim were genuinely enjoying the music they were playing; the upbeat, folksy vibe permeated the room. Often the songs would venture into energetic and determined acoustic jams and passages between the two players, as Red’s upright bass and Slim’s guitar would push each other along. Although the audience wasn’t as big this night as during the duo’s first Hitching Post show, those who were present enjoyed Blind Jonny Death’s show, politely cheered and even made a few requests.

After the show, I chatted with Red and Slim, and we discussed the range of sounds these two were into. I was impressed by the depth of the names that were mentioned; these two were definitely into some lesser-known names at the roots of rock’n’roll and country, as well as deeper songs from the established favorites. It was a pretty enlightening conversation, which gave me a fuller appreciation of what Blind Jonny Death brings to the stage.

Once again, I found Blind Jonny Death’s performance to be both fun and enlightening, as the two musicians introduced the Hitching Post to more flavors of roots and Americana music, and delivered a good time while doing so.

L.C. Slim of Blind Jonny Death.

Red and Slim of Blind Jonny Death.

MATT WAGNER/2 SKINNY DORKS @ THE BAR, ALTOONA 11/11/04

Since he was my scheduled guest on Q94’s “Backyard Rocker” in three days, I figured I’d take in Matt Wagner’s performance at The Bar this night. As it turned out, I was in for a bonus…

As I arrived at The Bar, procured a brew and a table near the front stage area, I discovered Matt with several other musicians setting up instruments. At first, I thought these were perhaps members of Matt’s recently assembled full band, setting up to accompany him this night. I then learned that this was not the case, and the musicians were a band from Cleveland called 2 Skinny Dorks. A light bulb then went off in my head, as I recalled that 2 Skinny Dorks were scheduled to play a free show at Penn State Altoona’s Slep Center earlier in the day. As it turned out, somebody in attendance at that show invited 2 Skinny Dorks to come out to The Bar this night, and Matt was graciously allowing them some time to perform during his show. Very cool…

Although they only performed three songs, 2 Skinny Dorks were amazing! And although they were called 2 Skinny Dorks, there were actually three musicians present – guitarist/singer Eric Penrod, singer/guitarist Jake Blazer and sax player Matt Corey. The trio performed three songs in all; starting with the playfully funky and upbeat “Hey Love” off the group’s Spread Love CD. This song had a Sublime-like flavor, as Jake developed an upbeat, positive rap passage as the song continued. The group then played something more familiar, a version of Phish’s “Gumbo;” before ending their mini-set with a soulful new song, “How Sweet.” 2 Skinny Dorks were upbeat, sassy, friendly and likeable; were good on their instruments (especially sax player Matt, this man could wail!); and were an instant hit with this decidedly Matt Wagner audience and fan base. It was very cool of Matt to allow these performers to sit in and give The Bar audience this small sampling of what they were about.

After a brief intermission, Matt Wagner himself returned to the stage to continue his show. Armed with his acoustic guitar, Matt performed a mix of new, classic, older rock favorites and original songs. Matt concentrated his original tunes to the earlier portion of the set, performing the somber “You Never Know,” “Alone Without You” and “Cycle;” before mixing favorites from James, Pearl Jam, Blues Traveler, Seven Mary Three and more. Matt honored a request for Dion’s “Runaround Sue” from an older fan, and later in the set dug into the early 60’s archives for the Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody.” Matt ended his set by teasing the intro to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” before veering into his Dave Matthews-flavored version of “All Along the Watchtower.”

Matt's voice was in decent form, his sandy midrange ringing through clear and powerful. His presentation was relaxed and cordial, and his guitarwork was crisp and on target. Matt appeared comfortable in front of this audience of friendly fans, as he bantered with and took requests from those fans between songs. I thought it was amusing that several of those fans, obviously familiar with Matt's music through his unlabeled demo CD, were actually requesting Matt's original songs by the cut number on the CD rather than the song titles themselves!

The combination of Matt Wagner with his unexpected guests, 2 Skinny Dorks, made for a pleasant, upbeat show and vibe at The Bar, and a good way to kick up the mood heading towards the weekend.

Cleveland’s 2 Skinny Dorks conjure up good vibes at The Bar.

Matt Wagner continues the festivities at The Bar.

Once again, Matt Wagner.

FELIX & THE HURRICANES @ PETER C’S, ALTOONA 11/11/04

With time left on this Thursday night after Matt Wagner’s show concluded, I headed a few blocks away to Peter C’s to catch the final chapter of this week’s Thursday night Hurricaning.

The Hurricanes' fireworks were well under way as I arrived. The Hurricanes were a foursome this night, with Dick Kos onstage and singing lead on a number, while a guest guitarist (whose name I didn't catch) was onstage and temporarily standing in for Hurricane Felix. Felix then returned to the stage, and a female guest named Stephanie took over the lead microphone to belt out a powerful rendition of Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" to end the set.

During the intermission, a few more musicians arrived, including former Stix and Stones guitarist and current solo acoustic performer Rick Ramsey. This set the stage for a memorable, albeit short, final set of the evening.

Rick soon strapped on (his/Felix's) guitar and began singing Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue," and Hurricane Felix soon joined him onstage, taking position behind Hurricane Bob's drum kit! This was a fun sequence, as Rick delivered his best Johnny Cash groan, and in the song's last verse declared, "If I ever have a son, I'm gonna name him...FELIX!" This onstage pairing continued through another Johnny Cash classic, "Ring Of Fire." Then it was back to the regularly-scheduled Hurricanes programming, as the Hurricanes foursome finished out the night with a storming rendition of The Outlaws' "Green Grass and High Tides," with Felix, Dick, Bob and bassist Jeff Clapper pushing the song to full homestretch meltdown as the clock reached 2 AM and the end of the night.

I may have arrived late and only caught the last hour of it, but I was glad to catch this latest chapter in the growing local legend of The Hurricanes. Nights like this one, with the 'Canes and their unexpected guests combining for memorable moments and heated jams, continue to build this band's legacy on area stages.

With guests helping out, The Hurricanes kick out the jams at Peter C’s.

Rick Ramsey.

Rick Ramsey plays Felix’s guitar, while Felix plays Hurricane Bob’s kit.

The Hurricanes continue the party.

The brothers Kos, Dick and Felix, of the Hurricanes.

LEEPER FIRE BENEFIT w/NEVER ENOUGH/CLASSIC CATS/BAD DAZE/HAIR FORCE ONE @ CITY LIMITS, ALTOONA 11/12/04

One of the coolest things I get to witness when covering this area’s music scene is when the scene pulls together as a community to help out somebody in need. This night was one of those nights.

On October 7, area musician Jeff Leeper, his wife Sue and their family lost their Birmingham home and all their belongings in a devastating fire. Although the Leepers were insured and would soon have a new home to move in to, they still needed funds to help get them back on their feet in the interim. Bad Daze singer Rob Carolus proposed the idea of a benefit show for the Leepers on Rockpage. A number of bands and musicians expressed interest in taking part, and the Leeper Fire Benefit was organized. Since Bad Daze was originally scheduled to play at City Limits this night any way, the group decided to turn that night into the benefit. Although Fridays are often a hit or miss affair with attendance, it was hoped that people would make the effort to attend this show and help the Leepers out.

Things looked promising as I arrived at City Limits to emcee the proceedings this night. An initial audience comprised mostly of the Leepers, friends and families of the bands involved was already in the house; Rob from Bad Daze quipped that this was already a bigger attendance than the group’s last Friday City Limits appearance. More people would steadily start arriving as the show got under way.

Soon, Never Enough got the evening started onstage. Making their first-ever City Limits appearance, Never Enough performed mostly female-fronted rock spanning the 80’s to present, led by the charged and powerful vocals of Stacy Feighner. Opening with Pink’s “Get This Party Started,” Stacy led Never Enough through tunes by Blondie, GoGo’s, Guns’N’Roses, Lipps Inc., Pat Benatar, Heart, AC/DC and more. Stacy’s husband, guitarist Tony, spotted her some occasional breathers by singing lead on select tunes by the Ramones and Modern English. Never Enough also welcomed a guest singer midway through their set, former Pitch Black frontlady Lexanne Berich, who sang lead on Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” backed by nice harmonies from Stacy and drummer Christi Roddy. Never Enough provided a brisk, upbeat pace, determined to heat the show up and trigger some dance floor activity. Tony, Christi and bass man Lou Nagy were instrumentally solid and on target, packing ample musical muscle behind Stacy’s powerful pipes. Never Enough provided a good, hard-hitting start to the benefit and party.

Tony Feighner of Never Enough.

Never Enough gets the party going at the Leeper Fire Benefit.

Christi Roddy of Never Enough.

Again, Tony Feighner of Never Enough.

With special guest singer Lexann Berich, Never Enough.

Stacy Feighner of Never Enough.

Second on the bill would be Jeff Leeper’s own band, the Classic Cats. This would be the first time in several years I had seen Jeff perform, since his days with Heart’N’Soul in the 90’s. Jeff on voice and guitar, bassist/singer Ross Hoover and drummer/singer Dwayne Ott played just what their band name would suggest, classics from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. All three musicians alternated lead vocal duties as they kept the dance floor busy with tunes from Rare Earth, Grand Funk Railroad, Van Morrison, Roy Orbison, Bruce Springsteen, Stray Cats, ZZ Top and more. The Classic Cats were instrumentally crisp and tight; and all three could carry their respective tunes vocally, plus harmonize nicely. The trio maintained a tight pace and an uptempo energy level that kept the show moving. Jeff thanked the audience for their support several times during the set; and he and his bandmates maintained a fun and cordial mood. Classic Cats kept the party moving, and put in a good showing.

Show beneficiary Jeff Leeper of the Classic Cats.

Once again, Jeff Leeper of the Classic Cats.

The Classic Cats celebrate rock and roll memories at City Limits.

Dwayne Ott of the Classic Cats.

Ross Hoover of the Classic Cats.

More people continued to arrive at City Limits as the benefit progressed, and a good-sized crowd was in place as the evening’s next band, Bad Daze, took the stage.

The host band for the event, Bad Daze quickly escalated the energy level and intensity of the show as they launched into Jet’s “Cold Hard Bitch.” This ignited a barrage of current and 80’s rock, as Bad Daze fired off tunes from Lit, Billy Idol, Ozzy, Nickelback, Poison, Puddle Of Mudd, Megadeth, Velvet Revolver, Eminem and more in rapid succession. Singer Rob Carolus was fiery and confident, taking charge of the party from the get-go, and taking his party out to the audience early and often. Kenny Murdick displayed his guitar solo prowess several times during the set, and the band’s new rhythm battery of bassist Paul Rainey and drummer Randy Wilson provided a powerful, hard-hitting foundation. Bad Daze’s presentation was in-your-face and fiery, and their execution sharp and focused. This group had the crowd up on the dance floor quickly, and gave them little reason to want to sit down. It was a confident, charged set that took this party and evening up to the next level. Based on this display, it appears the current line-up of Bad Daze is gelling quite well.

Kenny Murdick of Bad Daze.

Kenny Murdick and Rob Carolus of Bad Daze.

Paul Rainey of Bad Daze.

Scorching out a solo, Kenny Murdick of Bad Daze.

Rob Carolus of Bad Daze.

The dance floor gets busy as Bad Daze brings the party.

Once again, Kenny Murdick of Bad Daze.

Bad Daze’ set nicely set things up for the rowdy finale presented by Hair Force One. The group made their grand entry using the intro to Motley Crue’s “Shout At The Devil,” and launched into the song and set from there. Although keyboard man/guitarist Phillip DaPussee battled some technical difficulties early, it did not slow down Hair Force One as they rocked their way through Headbanger’s Ball-era classics from Kix, Poison, Guns’N’Roses, Quiet Riot, Def Leppard, Skid Row, Faster Pussycat and more. The band was technically on the money on their instruments (well, at least after Phillip resolved the early technical problem), and singer Victor Synn’s voice was in good form, soaring to the heavens to match the Steve Whiteman, Axl Rose, Sebastian Bach and Joe Elliott highs note for note. Hair Force One quickly had the stagefront masses partying down, and even played amidst a mass of audience humanity onstage during AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long.” After Def Leppard’s “Rock Of Ages” closed the set, the crowd demanded an encore, which set the stage for the night’s special ending. Hair Force One launched into KISS’ “Rock and Roll All Night,” with Bad Daze’s Rob Carolus and Never Enough’s Stacy Feighner joining Victor Synn onstage to sing along!

After the song ended, with the crowd still at stagefront, the proceeds from the benefit – nearly $800 – were presented to Jeff Leeper, who took a moment to thank everybody for the support.

Thus capped a special evening, where the area music scene again demonstrated its generosity and community; uniting to help out a fellow musician and his family in need. Hats off once again to Rob Carolus for organizing and coordinating the benefit, all four bands for donating their talents, Claudio and his staff, Zilly the soundman, and everybody who donated at the door and attended to support the cause! You all did very well!

Victor Synn and Philip DaPussee of Hair Force One.

Hair Force One steps up the party at the Leeper Fire Benefit.

Taking his performance out onto the dance floor, Victor Synn of Hair Force One.

Hair Force One rocks the fans at the Leeper Fire Benefit.

Again, Victor Synn of Hair Force One.

Michael J. Cox of Hair Force One.

Into the benefit’s homestretch, Hair Force One keeps the 80’s rock coming.

Again, Victor Synn and Philip DaPussee of Hair Force One.

The Hair Force One dance floor party spreads onstage.

Again, Philip DaPussee of Hair Force One.

In the benefit’s waning moments, Rob Carolus and Victor Synn belt out “Rock and Roll All Night.”

Hair Force One’s Victor Synn, enjoying a post-game moment with former Q94 2002 Calendar Girls Amanda and Lisa.

Yours truly, Rob Carolus, show beneficiary Jeff Leeper and Hair Force One’s Michael J. Cox.

Yours truly and Rob Carolus look on as Jeff Leeper thanks everybody for their support.

MIDNIGHT RODEO @ AMERICAN LEGION, BEDFORD 11/13/04

Although I do my best to attempt to get out and see all of the bands and musicians that populate our region’s vast music scene, once in a while there’s a band I don’t get to right away that falls through the cracks. Their performance schedule doesn’t align with my availabilities to go see them, or perhaps the group concentrates on other markets outside of this region, diminishing the possibilities for my catching them in action. Or fate otherwise throws a wrench in the way of my being able to see and report on certain groups.

In the eight years that Bedford County country/classic rock band Midnight Rodeo has been making music, I hadn’t been able to hook up and catch a show. To be fair, I actually wasn’t aware of Midnight Rodeo until about four years ago. I eventually received and heard their 2002 self-titled debut CD, but their performance schedule didn’t match with my availabilities. The group began concentrating more shows south of the Mason-Dixon line, performing heavily in the Cumberland, Maryland area and West Virginia. And then this past July, when I would have finally seen Midnight Rodeo for the first time at the Horseshoe Curve July 4th lighting ceremony, Mother Nature intervened and rained out the group’s performance.

But opportunity finally knocked at the right time for me to see Midnight Rodeo in action. The group organized a private party for 200 of their fans and friends at the Bedford American Legion, and invited me to be one of the lucky 200 by way of one of a former bandmate from past projects, Duane “Appliance Outlet” Sipe. Duane contacted me, and with nothing outstanding on the slate for this Saturday night, I was up for the roadtrip to Bedford to finally get my first look at Midnight Rodeo.

This was a pretty neat affair. The evening kicked off with an all-you-can-eat dinner, with food furnished by lead singer Rick Zimmerman’s mother. Barbecue pork sandwiches, meatballs, macaroni salad, cole slaw, chips, pretzels, some type of soft-tortilla rolled up hors d’ouevres that grew on me as the night proceeded, cake, brownies, refreshments and beer on tap – very cool! A few door prizes were given away after the meal, and by 8 PM, the music was set to begin.

Midnight Rodeo – Rick, guitarist/singer Mark Diehl, keyboardist/singer Terry Feathers, bassist/singer Roy Corle and drummer Dana Corle – kicked off with their title song, “Midnight Rodeo,” and quickly drew a number of people onto the dance floor with their brand of “country with a kick.” Midnight Rodeo mixed songs from their self-titled 2002 debut CD, country hits and select rock’n’roll favorites.

Through their first set, the group introduced a new song, “What Goes Around Comes Around,” from their forthcoming second album. Midnight Rodeo played country selections such as Charlie Daniels’ “Honky Tonk Avenue,” Tim McGraw’s “Real Good Man,” Toby Keith’s “I Wanna Talk About Me” and “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” and more. The group mixed up the country with some rock’n’roll selections, such as The Monkees’ “I’m A Believer,” the Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There,” ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and more. The band kept the dance floor constantly busy, and threw in a few ballads along the way to allow couples to slow dance.

Midnight Rodeo’s performance was sharp. Rick Zimmerman is a good frontman; his voice was clear and powerful, and his presentation was confident and enthusiastic. Instrumentally Midnight Rodeo was tight as a unit. Mark’s guitar work was clean and tasteful, and he and keyboardist Terry achieved a nice balance that fleshed out the sound well. Supporting the sound was the steady beat of Dana and the meaty bass line from Roy.

During the intermission, I checked out the special picture board that Midnight Rodeo had set up at their merchandise table. Included on the board were photos, posters, newspaper ads and clippings from throughout the band’s career. This was a nice added attraction that enabled new fans to learn more about Midnight Rodeo and their career to date, and gave folks something to look at during intermission as they enjoyed the evening.

Midnight Rodeo soon returned from their intermission, and reconvened the country-fried festivities with Alabama’s ever-popular “Mountain Music.” The group proceeded to mix country and rock’n’roll favorites from Lonestar, Kenny Chesney, Montgomery Gentry, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, Wilson Pickett, Hank Williams Sr., Lynyrd Skynyrd and more. Bassist Roy spotted Rick’s voice a rest by singing lead on Bruce Springsteen’s “lory Days.” Other highlights during the set included one of the group’s original ballads, which Rick sang while slow-dancing with his wife on the dance floor; and the set-closing rendition of Dwight Yoakum’s “Fast As You,” during which Rick demonstrated some wild, spastic dance moves on the floor.

A small game plan came together during the second intermission of the evening, resulting in an interesting highlight to kick off the third set. Originally from Bedford County, Duane Sipe had played with Mark and Dana in two previous bands, Fine Cut and Skiptown. After the three musicians conferred during intermission, Duane, Mark and Dana reunited onstage to rock out on a version of Kiss’ “Cold Gin.” Although mostly a country-geared crowd, the audience applauded this brief foray into harder rock. The rest of Midnight Rodeo then returned to the stage to return the audience to the regularly-scheduled program, with Rick introducing another new original song, “Saturday Night,” from the forthcoming CD. The group continued with Brooks & Dunn’s “Dumas Walker,” and again mixed country and rock’n’roll favorites from the Human Beinz, Wilson Pickett, Tim McGraw, Bad Company, ZZ Top, Eagles, Travis Tritt, and finally, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “The House Is Rockin’” to close the show. The audience continued to keep the dance floor filled, and some ladies in the back of the room even did a cheerleader-like human pyramid.

My first experience seeing Midnight Rodeo was a good one. This is a solid, sturdy, polished country-rock band with a good sound and entertaining live presentation. Their mood is happy and upbeat, and they mix up their song selection enough to keep both country and rock’n’roll fans satisfied within the course of the same night. I was glad I finally got to see Midnight Rodeo this night; hopefully I will see this band again sometime soon.

Midnight Rodeo entertains their fans and friends at the Bedford Legion.

Mark Diehl of Midnight Rodeo.

Rick Zimmerman of Midnight Rodeo.

Dana Corle and Roy Corle of Midnight Rodeo.

With a fan dancing along onstage, Midnight Rodeo.

Again, Mark Diehl of Midnight Rodeo.

Once again, Midnight Rodeo.

Terry Feathers of Midnight Rodeo.

It’s a Skiptown reunion onstage at the Bedford Legion, as Duane Sipe (right) joins Mark Diehl and Dana Corle of Midnight Rodeo.

In the latter stages of Midnight Rodeo’s party, several female fans attempt to build a human pyramid.

The pyramid is a success!

Midnight Rodeo’s montage was on display at the merchandise table, so fans and passers-by could learn more about the band and their career to date.

HALF TEMPTED @ GLENN’S PLACE, CLAYSBURG 11/13/04

Since Midnight Rodeo’s show ended at midnight, there was still time left to catch another band in action. So designated driver Duane and I proceeded north to Claysburg to catch Half Tempted’s last set at Glenn’s Place.

Half Tempted was moments away from starting their third set when we arrived. A mid-sized Saturday night crowd was on hand at Glenn’s as singer/guitarist Ron Dalansky, rhythm guitarist/singer “Big Jim” Ricotta, bassist P.J. Kelly and drummer Steve McCulley returned to the stage.

Classic rock favorites from the 70’s and 80’s were the order of the evening, as Half Tempted fired off tunes from the Ramones, Violent Femmes, Tommy Tutone, Cheap Trick, Metallica, Bob Seger, Aerosmith and more. This Claysburg crowd was a relatively quiet one, not in the dancing mood and not offering much response despite a decent effort from Half Tempted. Nevertheless, the group honored one audience member’s request for an encore at set’s end, and finished the night with a rendition of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.”

With the announcement earlier in the week that “Big Jim” might be leaving the group at year’s end for job-related reasons, it was good for me to get a look at Half Tempted at least one more time in its present form; before any possible roster changes on the horizon are implemented.

Half Tempted kicks off their third set of the night at Glenn’s Place.

”Big Jim” Ricotta of Half Tempted.

Once again, Half Tempted.

Ron Dalansky of Half Tempted.

BOB & PATTY @ U.V.A. CLUB, ALTOONA 11/13/04

Besides finally seeing Midnight Rodeo in action, this night provided another first for me, as I finally set foot inside Altoona’s U.V.A. Club for the first time. A members-only club, the U.V.A. has become a popular place for people to head to after bar activity shuts off at 2 AM; their entertainment can run to 3 AM. Since Duane was a member, he signed me in, and I was able to find out what this place was about.

I had often heard that the U.V.A. gets packed after 2 AM, as many members and Altoona ladydom head there after the bars and clubs close. I witnessed this for myself this night, as a steady torrent of people arrived through the doors after Duane and I arrived.

Although we had hoped to see Adam D performing there, we learned earlier that this was his ‘off’ week from the U.V.A. Club, and Bob and Patty Helbig were providing the entertainment instead. Patty sang, and Bob sang and played guitar to an electronic backdrop. The pair was mixing up the song selection between current and classic pop hits. Although Duane and I were only present for a short time, we heard the duo sing Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do,” Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” CCR’s “Born on the Bayou,” Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” and more. As more people filed into the U.V.A. at this late hour, dance floor activity picked up, and was going strong by the time we called it a night a departed.

The big highlight for me from this brief interlude with the U.V.A. Club is that I became a member! Thanks to Harry Jr. at Pellegrine’s for setting it up for me!

MR. PINK @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 11/14/04

Another weekend was in the bag, and I was off to Pellegrine’s to send it off to glory, with Mr. Pink providing the tunes.

I had seen Mr. Pink for the first time just two weeks before, during Pelly’s annual Halloween party. This would be my first chance to see this group under normal circumstances, without costumes or other Halloween-influenced happenings.

I arrived during the group’s second set, but didn’t advance towards the stage area until the third set was under way. Picking up the action there, Mr. Pink was entertaining a moderate-sized dance floor crowd with a variety of partying rock’n’roll favorites. Frontlady Holly, guitarist Alex, bassist Mike P. and drummer Mike W. were firing through spirited renditions of Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta,” Violent Femmes’ “Blister In The Sun,” The Foundations’ “Build Me Up Buttercup,” James’ “Laid,” Blink 182’s “What’s My Age Again,” The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” Sublime’s “What I Got,” the Alex-sung version of Guns’N’Roses’ “Sweet Child O’Mine,” and Greenday’s “She” to end the night.

Once again, singer Holly was clearly the focal point of Mr. Pink’s presentation. This woman was again high-energy, wild, crazy, and exhuberant; cavorting about the stage with punkish energy as she sang and barked her words to the Pellegrine’s party faithful. At one point, during Green Day’s “She,” she dropped down to the stage floor and started doing push-ups! The remaining band backed Holly up with a driving rhythm backdrop, executed tightly and excitedly. All together, Mr. Pink delivered a fast-moving, sharp presentation that kept the party moving forward with few breaks in the action.

Again, this was a satisfactory party, that kept the Pelly’s crowd happy and entertained. Given this was only Mr. Pink’s second Pellegrine’s appearance, the group appeared to be building a healthy initial fan base, judging by the response the group received this night. Hopefully they can continue to nurture it along, and build a steadier presence on ‘Toona area stages.

Mr. Pink parties down at Pellegrine’s.

Once again, Mr. Pink.

Guitarist Alex of Mr. Pink.

Mike W. of Mr. Pink.
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