[Jim Price]

WEEKEND RECAP 12/11:

As you will read, this past weekend was full of things not going as planned, thrills, chills and rock and roll!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT 12/4 - I had Pennsylvania Musician paperboy duties to attend to this night, but thought I'd swing by Peter C's late for the triple bill featuring By Any Means Necessary, Chapter 5 and Suicide Switch. I had expected to see By Any Means Necessary, since they were billed as the headliner. But upon arrival, I found out that BAMN played second on the bill and Suicide Switch was slamming the lid on the night. Good crowd in attendance as Suicide Switch launched into their set of blistering metalcore rage. I always enjoy how this band goes all out and full tilt. Frontman Cheez, looking very Brock Lesnar-like this night, was again total rage and intensity on the vocal front - with veins threatening to exit his head at any moment! The rest of Suicide Switch backed Cheeze with a malevolent-sounding wall of all-out metallic intensity, likened to an armed division of chainsaws and jackhammers. Total merciless aural devastation! Definitely the 'Toona's heaviest band since Dragon Fire's demise, 'nuff said!

THURSDAY NIGHT 12/5 - With the Hurricanes doing the prison tour this month, several other bands and shows are populating the Thursday stage at Peter C's this month. This night, it was Not Them Guys unplugged. Though lightly attended, this turned out being a fun evening. Singer Steve Shiffler, guitarists Jerry Naugle and Jim High played a variety of tunes from Collective Soul, Neil Young, Commander Cody & his Lost Planet Airmen, America, REM, Bob Seger and more. Highlights for me included Jim's slidework on Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane," the lost classic from Commander Cody, and the trio's nice work on America's "Sister Goldenhair." In between sets were solo onstage cameo appearances by Lerch from Xpendable and Scott Russell from Broken Neck. It was a laid-back, good time; catch Not Them Guys unplugged again on Dec. 19, and also when they open the Wish Jam benefit at Peter C's on Dec. 26!

Yes, it's them guys...Not Them Guys!

Scott Russell and Julia...AWWWWWWW!!!

FRIDAY NIGHT 12/6 - It can't be said that I don't give new bands a chance. This night, I started by heading to Aldo's to check out the first area appearance of 4-Foot Prophet. But when I arrived, I was informed that the band never showed up. So there went their chance to get some coverage, out the window. Sux for them. So I headed to Peter C's to check out the triple bill with Broken Neck, Xpendable and Feight. Good crowd in the house as I arrived during Xpendable's set. This band is quickly developing into a force! I got to witness Xpendable's strong, powerful treatments of tunes from Sevendust, Pantera, System of a Down plus a few high-octane scathing original songs. Singer Matt is fast emerging into a fierce, confident frontman; and guitarist Lerch, bass man Jay and drummer Danny are quickly tightening into a lethal unit. Expect to hear a lot about Xpendable in 2003, based on what I saw this night! Broken Neck then had Peter C's slamming with their blend of streetwise metallic aggression and attitude, as they did numerous songs off their re-released "Back To Riality" disc such as "Filth," "Slut," "Drive By," "Gat Song," and "Death Polka" to close the night. To me at least, this incarnation of Broken Neck demonstrates more confidence and attitude than the earlier edition, I pronounce current-day Broken Neck the Degeneration X of the 'Toona music scene! Impressive, scathing set; I'll be interested to hear what direction and shape their new songs take in the coming months.

Matt Watson (Xpendable) with Broken Neck

Scott Russell of Broken Neck

SATURDAY NIGHT 12/7 - After pounding the Pennsylvania Musician delivery trail all day, I ended up at the triple bill at the Sanbar in Mill Creek, featuring Brok*n, The Grimm and Screamapillar. From York, Screamapillar launched the night with a high-energy set blending current and classic rock favorites plus several originals. The group’s focal point was frontlady Jackieraye, a feisty and fun performer who sang, jumped and took it to the (laid-back) audience the whole set. Flanking her were guitarists Chris Rupp and Jason Greenwood, drummer Chris Rosier, and former Jump The Gun drummer-now-turned-bass player Troy Logan (I’ve known Troy for several years, this is the first time I ever got to see him perform). Screamapillar had a good groove going the whole set, and I liked the song selection, including favorites such as Stone Temple Pilots’ “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart,” Sublime’s “Santeria,” Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages,” Led Zep’s “Immigrant Song” and more. Together just a few months, Screamapillar already was fairly tight on their instruments; and Jackieraye showed a good voice, and should get better as she sings more shows and becomes more comfortable in the frontlady role. Overall a good set. The Grimm then performed a powerful set mixing original songs and a few select covers. Grimm faves like “Enough” and “Dead Time” sounded good, as well as new “Resurruption” songs like “Suicide Knob,” “Fade” and “Raise The Line.” The group also was nails on Tool’s “Aenima,” and the Mill Creek audience was invited to partake in gifts from ‘Bob’s Big Bad Bag’o’Stuff’ (I got a slime-green plastic Halloween cup). Latest word on the long-awaited “Resurruption” CD, it comes out in February (delays, delays). Brok*n then finished the night with two sets of rocking current and classic favorites and originals, mixed with a few technical snafus (the band explained that they’re called Brok*n because gear always breaks when they’re on stage, lol) and a few laughs along the way. Overall, this is probably the strongest show I’ve seen from Brok*n yet; especially the final set, which featured original songs like “Oracle” and “Step Off,” plus tunes from Nickelback, Limp Bizkit, Saliva and more. I even got invited to pound the dance floor, cool! No scurrying centipedes at the Sanbar this night, actually they’ve fixed up the stage area since my last visit, and now have black and white curtains covering up the rest of the storage area (you had to stare real hard to see the engine block and paint/tar cans). The dance floor could use a real good mopping, though. In all, a strong show and a fun night, thanks Shel Hoachlander for the early Christmas gift, now I can use my “Get Milk” carry case for what it was originally designed for – carrying SIX-PACKS!

Troy Logan of Screamapillar

Screamapillar rocks the Sanbar

Jackieraye of Screamapillar

Big Bad Bob of The Grimm

Ron Brode of The Grimm

Justin of Brok*n

Jay of Brok*n

Guitarist Ed dines on his axe strings as Brok*n rocks the Sanbar.

SUNDAY NIGHT 12/8 - First, my apologies to the PXP gang.I wanted to attend the four-band kickoff extravaganza at the End Zone in State College, but a long-distance gig on a "Backyard Rocker" Sunday night doesn't work very well for me, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't leave the "day job" until after 11 PM, so it wouldn't have been worth my while to drive all the way there to see maybe 15 minutes of music. So instead, I went with "Plan B" and went to Pellegrine's, where a band from the D.C. area called Lloyd Dobler Effect was making their first 'Toona appearance...and quite likely, last. Perhaps it is a built-in sixth sense with me or something, but when I have to decide between two show situations (a.k.a. Pelly's and End Zone this night), something always seems to happen at the show I choose to justify my decision. I chose Pelly's this night, and maybe a minute after I stepped in the door at Pelly's, a major brawl erupted at the main bar! Bar and security staff quickly wrestled the instigator out the door, though he put up some resistance and made it interesting. Then when the guy started to threaten cars in the outdoor parking lot, the police were called, so several uniforms were soon in the vicinity to make sure the idiot didn't damage anybody's ride. (Interesting observation.At Pelly's, there can be 500 or 600 people present on a holiday eve night and no problems surface, and everyone is well-behaved. But take a night like this one, when less than 100 people are in the room, and all hell breaks loose.) So already the audience had delivered some entertainment, now it was time for the band. Lloyd Dobler Effect's sound suggested a funkier take on the Dave Matthews thing; I thought musically, this band was actually very good. Interesting, improvisational original tunes that mixed rock, jazz, funk, hip-hop and even Celtic flavorings, and their electric violin player, Javier, was very skilled on his instrument. But all-original, improvisational music at Pellegrine's is a no-brainer; and the crowd - at least what crowd there was - was definitely not into it. Then there was the quarky behavior of the band members themselves. The singer/guitarist went off on some tangent about his smelly, crusty underwear; a little too much information for me. But the best was saved for last.For the last song, Javier the violin player donned fuzzy doglike headgear and started crawling around Pelly's dance floor and back the aisles on his hands and knees. Okay, I thought, whatever floats your boat. But then, he stood up and tried to walk on Pelly's tables a la Eddie Van Halen in the "Hot For Teacher" video - bad idea. The 3 Stooges couldn't have orchestrated better slapstick.Since Pelly's tables are supported from the center, it only took Javier stepping on the edge of the first table to cause it to topple forward; and when he stepped on the edge of the next table, it toppled backward.WHAP!!! Javier was sandwiched between two tables! Ouch. He appeared a little dazed, but meandered his way back to the stage. Everybody else either was looking on in bewilderment or laughing at this unintended stunt. Not laughing were Harry Jr. and Natalie, because one of the tables was broken, and two newly reupholstered chairs were damaged, resulting in money being docked from the band's pay to compensate for the damages. (I learned the following night that after everyone had left Pellegrine's, the band tried to take the broken table with them, leading to an altercation between Harry and band, and another police visit to Pelly's over the whole thing. Memo to Lloyd Dobler Effect: the tables are there for putting drink glasses and food on, not to serve as a platform for your violin player to strut his best Fido dogwalk. Get a clue, folks.) Lloyd Dobler's effect and first impression were negative; if you missed them, you missed them, because they won't be coming back. Needless to say, it was a three-ring circus at Pelly's this night.

Javier of Lloyd Dobler Effect; excellent violin player, but bad, bad doggie!