pennsylvania musician magazine july 2014

2 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014

July, 2014 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 3


ACROSS THE DESKBy Whitey & Robin Noll

Every month I think that I’m doing ok and I’m going

to make it but it seems there is always something to

keep me from meeting that deadline. This month it was

called a vacation and it put me way behind. Then all my

writers got behind as well and that hinders things as

well. After 30 years I have a set way of doing things and

when the puzzle pieces get all helter skeltered it seems

my brain goes that way as well. Almost done... and this

issue is jam packed with information for your musical

entertainment in the month of July.

White Witch is celebrating 30 years with a huge

Witch Fest on July 26th. Jeff knows how to throw a

party so be sure to check out all the details.

Gordon Brinton has been working hard and long at

getting the first PA Reunion Fest going this year to be

held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds. You can enjoy some

great bands in a festival setting. Thus far this summer

we have been treated to some amazing talent and it

seems that it will continue.

York Music Shop has moved. They only moved a

few blocks from their previous location and there is

more parking and easier access to the store. I’ll be

checking it out this month as I deliver and will be taking

pictures and doing an interview to find out more about

York Music Shop. I do know that Jim (owner)

appreciates quality and exquisite gear. He is interested in

buying your choice instruments that you have collected

over the years. He not only deals in guitars but has amps

and all the other equipment that professional musicians

need.

Michi has released a new CD. She’s a talented

musician from the Selinsgrove area that has moved on to

Jersey and is making quite a name for herself on the

eastern seaboard. She is coming to her hometown on

Sunday, July 27th to host a CD Release party at Steaks

and Ribs in Selinsgrove. Bret Alexander will be joining

her and it is a Free/ All Age show from 6pm to 8pm. It

seems many musicians are starting to have earlier shows

so note the time.

Whitey is doing well and we had a great vacation at

Ocean City, Maryland. Though it was raining here in PA

we had mostly sunny skies. Health wise he is doing

better than a few years ago. We are both very thankful.

He is still giving guitar lessons. The Pennsylvania

Musician Magazine is doing a whole lot better as well. I

have decided to keep plugging along as long as you all

support it with your ad dollars and pick it up and read it

or you can visit our website at www.pamusician.net and

read the digital issue, though it does take a while to get it

updated. We are very thankful for all of our long time

advertisers and we are very thankful to each of you who

read each issue. So we will continue with help from our

friends and staff. “And there they go...I must hurry and

catch up with them for I am their leader.” God Bless each

one of you!!


OUT & ABOUTby RACHEL ROCKS!

Wow! June just flew by like a whirlwind of craziness. It was

a very fun and very busy month. We went on a week long

family vacation with Mom and Dad. It’s the first time in over

30 years of doing the magazine I convinced them to shut down

the office and get away for a whole week! We all had a great

time, but it’s sad to realize our big vacation is already over for

the Summer. With being away for a whole week that wiped two

weekends out of my normal “Out and About” shenanigans…

but I did still manage to see a few bands this month.

My first adventure was out to Winner’s Circle to see Deezle

Church. Winner’s Circle is a great place to go to get your live

music fix Wednesdays and Thursdays. They also have free line

dancing lessons on Thursday nights starting at 7pm, so you’re

almost always guaranteed plenty of people to watch on the

dance floor. Sometimes I’m even brave enough to kick my

heels up and give it a try! It’s awesome to see Jim Horn back

in the lead vocals position. It’s great that he was given the

much needed break to help raise his newborn son, and be there

to support his wife around the house, but he definitely belongs

on stage too! It’s always fun to watch Wade back their holding

down the fort on drums. His facial expressions and antics to the

songs always make me laugh. I’m glad they were playing on a

Thursday night so I could get out there and see them before my

month got too crazy.

That weekend I headed out to Johnny Joe’s for Voodoo. I’m

glad these guys put another ad in the mag so I know where they

are playing. I haven’t seen them in forever and it was great to

get my Voodoo fix! Voodoo, in case you didn’t know already,

is a Godsmack tribute band that has been together since 2010.

This was the first time I’ve seen them with Joel on vocals, but I

know he’s been part of the band for a while. Joel has one heck

of a voice! He’s also filled with all kinds of stage antics, so

much that one time he wiped out himself and Jay on bass!

Luckily no one was hurt, I wish I would’ve caught that on

camera, but I missed it! Steve and Lonnie also have a great

stage presence and that really helps make the show even more

fun! Johnny Joe’s was packed with all my hard rock lovin’

friends, dancing, head-banging and having a great time. It was

a total blast! I’m so glad I made it out to another Voodoo show.

Hopefully I’ll see them again soon! Frayed Nott opened again

for Voodoo and I once again missed them. Dave did come up

and help sing a song with Voodoo, and it was cool to at least

hang out with the guys and show them their Hot Shots in the

June issue of the mag. Thanks Frayed Nott for all of your

support as well! Check out Voodoo and Frayed Nott’s

schedules in this issue and get out there and support some great

live music!

The next night I headed out to Double K to see Band of

Brothers. Most people know this band as Hired Guns. They

unfortunately lost one of their members, Rob Porter, way too

soon, to a horrible case of pneumonia back in February. Rob

was a big musical influence to many people in the area, and

one that will be missed for many years to come. I can’t even

imagine what it’s been like for the rest of his band mates, but I

think their new band name would make Rob proud. He

definitely wouldn’t want to see any of these guys stop playing

music, and I’m sure he’s rockin’ out right with them in heaven!

Band of Brothers line up is now Ronnie and Jim Rhoads on

guitars and vocals, Mike Morrison on bass, and other

instruments, and Jason Betz on drums. It’s awesome to see

their fans out supporting them and everyone having a great

time. They play a great mix of Top 40 Country, classic rock and

even some originals. Do yourself a favor and get out there to

see these guys soon!

While we were sitting on the beach at Ocean City Maryland,

I couldn’t help but notice I could hear live music playing from

my beach chair! The Clarion Hotel right beside ours also has

Lenny’s Beach Bar and Grill with live music every night

from 4:30 til 10pm. Plus happy hour daily from 4-7pm! Live

music and happy hour... PERFECT! The band of the week was

On the Edge from Delaware. This band has been around since

1984. Over 30 years of providing live music to the Eastern

seaboard and beyond! They have an extremely wide range of

music ranging from 60s Motown all the way to the current hits

cont inued on page 1 2 . . .


like “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Obviously if these guys

got my attention from THE BEACH, they must be good! I’m

glad Mom and I threw our gear on and went over to see them

for a bit. No matter where I go I can’t stay away from live

music for too long!

Once I got home and got settled I headed back out to Double

K for Banished for Life. Talk about seasoned musicians..

These guys have been playing area stages since the 70s! Yet

they still keep their show hip and happening and keep the fans

coming! They did take a break in the late 80s, but they are back

and ready to rock! What a great band to come back to after

being away. Definitely a great night to let loose and have a

good time. I saw video of the part of the night I missed when a

whole huge group of ladies traveling around for a Bachelorette

party stormed the Double K and the stage, dancing along and loving the music. The video is now on their Facebook page as

proof that it did happen. It almost sounded like a “fish that got

away” story from a rockstar until I saw the video. Banished for

Life is definitely read to help you rock the night away, get out

there and support live music!

A little shout out to Aaron and Scott from Sonic

Productions. They were doing the sound and lights for the

show. When you truly want to have amazing, top-notch

production these are the guys to contact. Sonic Productions

have an ad in this issue. Check it out and get your venue or

your show some top-notch production! Great job Aaron and

Scott, I always know my ears are in good hands when I see you

guys behind the boards.

The next band was a surprise. I got home from running some

errands with the kids and I could hear live music from my

driveway. We decided to follow the great sounds and see where

it was coming from. Hoffman Ford was having their annual

Community Day and The Uptown Band was entertaining the

crowd. The boys and I wound up spending a couple hours at

Hoffman Ford. They really put on a great event for the

community. Pretty much everything was free: ice cream, hot

dogs, hamburgers, cotton candy, snow cones, bounce houses,

the Game Truck, and of course the entertainment! While the

boys were being entertained with all the activities I was able to

Aaron & Scott with all the pretty ladies.


OUT & ABOUT continued....


enjoy the band. The Uptown Band was an 8-piece band with

an amazing sound. Erich and Jenifer both had amazing voices,

and they would switch lead quite frequently. Erich also played

multiple instruments throughout the day, including a flute and

saxophone. The band had a 3-piece brass ensemble, keys, and

of course, bass, guitar, and drums. They had an amazing mix of

music to keep everyone in the crowd entertained. I heard they

even have a new original CD that is already getting

International airplay, so congrats to them! Hoffman Ford had a

nice covered area with chairs so you could escape the sun to

enjoy the music too. After performing at this event for four

hours at 3:30pm they had to quickly pack up so they could get

to their next gig and perform another 3-4 hour show. If you see

The Uptown Band’s name anywhere get out there and see

them for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.

Kudos to all of you musicians that play multiple events on the

same day! I honestly don’t know how you have the energy to

do it. There are so many benefits everywhere where some

bands even play double shows for free! I know I greatly

appreciated the talent that played my Relay for Life events for

me in the past years. I’m not responsible for any Relays this

year, but there are still plenty of them going on and plenty of

bands that stepped up to help keep the walkers entertained. I

always felt bad asking bands to play for free, but when you are

truly trying to raise funds for a certain cause, it’s hard to put the

money into the entertainment.

The final band of the month was the Colt Wilbur Band at

Johnny Joe’s. Johnny Joe’s was absolutely packed. This was

also the second gig for the guys this day. Some of their fans

even followed them to both shows! That’s how much love and

support these guys get. Thanks to you guys for the huge shout

out when I arrived. It’s nice to hear how much I’m appreciated

once in a while. All of their energy on stage is just crazy! I

know if you are a musician in a band you have to love to play

music to even be there and do it, but Jason Purcell takes it to a

whole new level! His face and his actions are just pure

craziness! I heard them play a new original, “Set the World on

Fire” and let me tell ya, they definitely set Johnny Joe’s on

fire with that one! What a great song. These guys are constantly

adding to and changing their set list, and putting on amazing

show every time! Check out their schedule in this issue and get

out there and party the night away with these guys. It’s always

a boot scootin’, head-bangin’ good time!

I also had the honor of sitting down this month with Gun

Metal Gray to talk about what the band is up to and listening

to their first CD Release “Salvation”. The interview was a lot

of fun and interesting to hear all that goes into the process of

creating their original music. For more info, make sure and

read their Cover Story in this issue.

That’s all the live music to report on for June. Did you hear

that Skid Row is coming to Tubby’s on July 25th!! Check out

their ad and find out how you can reserve your tickets! This

whole issue is filled with amazing bands to see and amazing

venues to see them at. Check it out and plan your next month of

being “Out and About”… I know I am! Get out there and

SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC.. any advice or if ya just want to

say Hi, you can e-mail me at [email protected].

Looking for Musicians or want to joina band? Check the classifieds in the

hard copy and on line at

www.pamusician.net

Deadline to place a FREE Classified for Musicians Wanted & Musicians Available is the 20th of

each preceding month. Email your classified today...

[email protected]

OUT & ABOUT continued...


with gallery owner Richard Reilly. The band and Reilly

performed music from Reilly’s NYC band The Victims. Jet

Silver and Richard Reilly will perform again at HMAC on

July 6th with Split Squad and The Bo Deadlys. This show is a

must for fans of the NYC 70’s punk scene and bands New

York Dolls, Iggy Pop and The Stooges.

National recording artists Foxy Shazam opened their US

Tour in Harrisburg! The Gonzo Tour consists of over 40

shows which won’t end until mid-August. Foxy Shazam put

on an amazing live show with huge energy. The band is

compared to Queen because of its use of theatrics and singer

Eric Sean Nally has been called the love child of Freddie

Mercury. Their latest album ‘Gonzo’ was recorded live in one

room with legendary producer Steve Albini. Albini recorded

Nirvana’s release ‘In Utero’. Foxy Shazam have toured with

The Darkness, The Strokes, Slash and Hole. Congratulations

to promoter Rick Gadd of Fed Live on making this great show

happen.

NATIONALS NEWS: Former Smiths frontman Morrissey

canceled his Hershey Theatre show (June 19th) and remainder

of his US Tour, accusing his opening act (and her “horrendous

cold”) as the reason. Morrissey blames catching a respiratory

infection from longtime tour mate Kristeen Young. However,

Young, differs claiming she only had an allergy attack. Moz

tour manager stated, “For the good of all, Kristeen was asked

to step down from the immediate upcoming shows.” No make-

up dates were announced.

Casey Kasem, the internationally famous radio broadcaster

with the cheerful manner and gentle voice who became the

king of the top 40 countdown with a syndicated show that ran

for decades, died June 15th. He was 82. Kasem retired in 2009

from “American Top 40” with his signature signoff, “And

don’t forget: keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching

for the stars.” Kasem suffered from advanced Parkinson’s

disease and a form of dementia.

Placido Domingo will sing before a World Cup final for the

sixth time, announcing he will perform at Rio de Janeiro’s

HSBC Arena on July 11th. The 73-year-old classic musical

star had joined Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras to form

The Three Tenors. “I always think music and sport are the

two great things many people can understand without any need

to really speak the language,” said Domingo. He has attended

every World Cup final since 1970 with the exception of 1978

in Argentina.

Country music king George Strait capped off the last tour of

his career with an epic, star-studded final performance at the

billion-dollar stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play,

dazzling an audience of nearly 105,000 people with duet after

duet with some of the biggest names in country music. The

attendance shattered the previous record set by The Rolling

Stones at The Louisiana Superdome in 1981. Known for his

honky-tonk style, classic interpretation of Western swing and

Texas cowboy get-up, Strait, 62, toured for nearly 40 years. He

has said he will continue to play the occasional gig. His tour,

The Cowboy Rides Away, sold out every show in 45 stadiums

and arenas that he played in 31 states. Strait performed for an

estimated 1 million fans.

Medical examiner’s say Dave Brockie, the frontman for the

heavy metal band GWAR, died of an accidental heroin

overdose. Brockie – who went by the stage name Oderus

Urungus – was found dead in his Richmond home on March

23rd. He was 50. Brockie’s cause of death was acute heroin

toxicity. The Grammy-nominated band GWAR was founded in

1984 and is known for its comically grotesque costumes, stage

antics and vulgar lyrics.

Bret Michaels suffered a medical emergency during his

concert in New Hampshire. The Poison frontman was three

songs into his set when he rushed from the stage. A crew

member says Michaels’ blood sugar was extremely low. The

singer was diagnosed with diabetes as a child. Michaels

returned to the stage, extremely apologetic telling fans he

couldn’t continue performing.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers have announced a

nationwide tour and new album. Their latest effort “Hypnotic

Eye” is scheduled for a July 29th release. Steve Winwood will

serve as special guest for the tour visiting Holmdel, NJ Sept

11th at PNC Bank Arts Center and Philadelphia’s Wells

Fargo Center on September 15th.

UPCOMING SHOWS: Lebowskis Harrisburg G-man July

3rd. Jet Silver Harrisburg HMAC July 6th. Rightstart

Harrisburg Abbey Bar July 12th. Bruno Mars Hersheypark

Stadium July 12th. Steel Gettysburg Zippers July 12th. Fall

Out Boy / Paramore Hersheypark Stadium July 19th. Steel

Harrisburg Double K July 26th. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Whitehouse Station NJ July 27th. Ziggy Marley Penn’s Peak

July 31st. www.facebook.com/Eric S. Hoffman.

Nationals continued...

Dirt Cheap

Shea Quinn, Sal Saunders & Jeffrey Gaines


By Rachel Rocks

Gun Metal Gray is ready to put on a show you won’t forget.

This five piece metal band from Harrisburg, PA has been

melting faces and rocking area stages for almost three years and

rapidly growing their fan base along the way. John O’Connor

on drums, and Nick Wright, on guitar, are the original

founding members of the band. They quickly found David

Damone for the front man position, and even though they’ve

undergone some member changes, their current line up has

Christian Koch on guitar, and Myles on bass. They originally

started building their fan base by being a cover

band playing a lot of your favorite 80s metal

music, but with the release of their first EP

“Salvation” they are ready to save the world

from the decaying world of pop culture music

and bring back the spirit of classic metal with a

modern edge.

Nick Wright and Christian Koch, their two

mind-blowing guitar players, are also the main

writers of the band. Gun Metal Gray released

their first single, “G\m/G” in 2013. It quickly

became a huge crowd favorite and a sing

along, or what they like to call “Gang Vocals”

at every show! Ultimately “Salvation” is a

collaborative effort of the whole band as each

song would morph at every practice until it

was complete, which didn’t take long at all.

With their fans screaming for more originals

at every show, they wanted to come out with

some quickly, but also professionally. They

started working on “Salvation” in January of

2014 at MDW Productions with the help of

Darin Warren, and Mike Washkevich, who

mixed and mastered the EP. With their balls to

the wall, they knocked it out and had it ready

to release on March 29th at their CD Release

party at The Strand Capitol in York.

I had the privilege to sit down with all the

guys and have our own little listening party of

their new EP. It was my first experience sitting

down with a band and hearing them discuss the

writing process and the logic behind every

note. It’s quite interesting watching a band sit

back and enjoying their own music without

playing it at the same time, although there

were plenty of “air instruments” happening

around the table. “Salvation” itself was

created to show people how they are prepared

to bring back the “from your gut/heart ROCK

music, the Spirit of classic metal, but with a

modern edge”.

Their first song “Doom” is a mini story in

itself, portraying a post apocalyptic era. We are

in a decaying world of pop culture music.

Music has lost it’s artistic integrity. If you’ve

never been to a Gun Metal Gray show, just by

listening to “Doom” you can quickly visualize

how these guys don’t just play music, they put

on a show! You can see the lights,

pyrotechnics, and their shredding guitars. They

are definitely bringing back ultimate

instrumental solos from every member of the

band.

“Chains That Bind” is the transcendent part of the album. It’s

the stage of the journey when you finally breaking free from

everything holding you back. Half way through this track there

is a definite change in tempo and even the style of the song, that

represents the moment of breaking free. The point when you

can’t take it any longer. I can almost guarantee you that by the

end of this song you’ll be chanting along, “From the chains

that bind you!”

“Salvation” is rising up from the ashes, or finding salvation.

It immediately starts with a killer drum line from John O’

Connor on drums, that will get you rising up right there with

them. The lyrics of this song leave plenty of spots where I’m

sure their fans are already singing along. The end of the song

leaves you hanging and helps you realize that this is only the

beginning of the new world of music that Gun Metal Gray is

bringing you. I hope you’re ready!

“...you never know who’s watching

and it’s good to always put 100%

into every show!”

Some of you have already proved you are more than ready,

and you want more! Gun Metal Gray has performed in many

different venues throughout the mid-state and beyond. They’ve

even had the opportunity to play before some national acts.

Their first National Act was Slaughter. They took full

advantage of this opportunity and they used this night with an

amazing crowd to record their first official music video for their

single “G\m/G”. They have quite a few amazing videos on their

Gun Metal Gray youtube channel that you can check out for

yourself. They also had one of their newest fans, Merlin

Miller, from the Discovery Channel show ‘Amish Mafia’,

introduce them. Merlin helped draw in even more press and

fans to the show. You might be wondering how did a metal

band like GMG get to know a guy from the Amish

community…

One night in 2013, Gun Metal Gray was playing a show at

The Ritz in New Holland. It wasn’t a great night as far as their

crowd was concerned, but one thing about them is they perform

their hearts out no matter if there are 50 people, or 5,000. After

the show Merlin Miller and Alan Beiler from ‘Amish Mafia’

came up and introduced themselves. They wanted Gun Metal

Gray to play at one of their ‘Hut Parties’. Gun Metal Gray

quickly agreed and their business deal quickly turned into a

friendship. Merlin and Alan have both been big supporters of

Gun Metal Gray ever since. It just goes to prove you never

know who’s watching and it’s good to always

put 100% into every show!

GMG has also opened up for Stephen

Pearcy and Kix. They are getting another

opportunity to play at Kix’s Album Release

Party on August 16th at the Greencastle

American Legion Picnic Grounds. That show

is going to be epic! I’m sure Gun Metal Gray

will take full advantage of every second. They

have a pretty jam packed summer. They will

also be opening for Skid Row at Tubby’s on

July 25th. They don’t only play the “big”

shows, there are plenty of other smaller shows

happening too. They play a good amount of

charity events. One will be Gettysburg Rocks

on August 9th for the 4 Diamonds fund and

August 30th for Helping Little Hands. They

enjoy playing benefits, they want to make sure

people know they are good guys, after all they

chose to use the spelling of “Gray” with an A

because A stands for America!

They also take advantage of every contest

they possibly can. In May of 2014 they were

the Top band in the Buffalo Trace Contest,

they won a $500 cash prize for having nearly

5,000 shots (or votes). The finals for that

contest are in September and they could win

$10,000. Get ready to vote to help them win

big! They’ve been wanting to play the Philly

area, so in May they went down to play a

Battle of the Bands contest at The Rusty Nail

in Ardmore and won! They will be playing in

the finals for that in August at World Café

Live. As of press time they are eagerly

awaiting the news to see if they will be playing

as part of the Warped Tour in Scranton on

July 9th. They also have a big announcement

to make very soon about a possible

international tour in December! Gun Metal

Gray is on fire! They have so much going on.

Make sure you like them on Facebook

www.facebook.com/GMGband for all of their

latest updates and announcements.

Gun Metal Gray wouldn’t be anything

without all of the love and support they have

from their family, fans, and all the other local

bands and venues that have given them the

opportunity to perform. A special shout out to

all the wives, and Colleen and Gary Wright,

for helping them get started and supporting

them along the way. Also, to Silvertung from

Baltimore, for their great friendship and

sharing shows along the way. Last but not

least, HUGE thanks to Dean Ghoweri who is a major fan and

long-time friend who eventually turned into their official

manager allowing Gun Metal Gray to focus all of their efforts

on giving their fans their best music and best performances.

One thing for sure is there is more music on its way! They are

already talking about recording a full album. They said it best

when they said, “The best way to pay tribute to those who

paved the road before us is to pave the next section ourselves.”

Don’t forget to ‘Like’ them on facebook at

facebook.com/GMGband. You can also check them out on

Youtube so you can see what you’ve been missing! To get them

booked at your show or venue, give “The Dean” a call at 717-

877-4433.

Gun Metal Gray… The Spirit of Classic Metal with a Modern Edge


THEPROFESSOR’S“LIVE REVIEWS”

By Jim Price This has already turned into a travelling warm weather live

music season for me, and we’re just entering July! Since last

deadline, I have hit the road to see performances in Boalsburg,

Bedford, Saxton, Pittsburgh, Patton, the Harrisburg vicinity,

and in and around my home base of Altoona. More travels are

circled on the calendar; I enjoy this time of year!

One event that brought me to the Harrisburg area last month

was Pop Evil’s concert at Tubby’s in Duncannon. Opening the

night was York’s Small Town Titans. Now the trio of

frontman/bassist Phil Freeman, guitarist Ben Guiles and

drummer Jonny Ross; Small Town Titans set the tone with a

strong set of mostly original songs. They did several numbers

from their “From Fight to Flight” CD such as “The End of the

World,” “Line By Line,” “Within the Heart of War” and the

acoustic “9 to 5,” and also broke out a rocking take on Lorde’s

“Royals.” Baltimore’s Silvertung then fired off driving, hard-

hitting rock with a focus on tunes off their new CD “Devil’s in

the Details” such as “Coming Alive,” “Justify,” “Déjà Vu,”

the dark ballad “Never Too Late” and the anthemic “Daddy’s

Little Girl.” Silvertung’s delivery was nonstop and pedal-to-

the-metal, and continued to fire up the Tubby’s crowd for the

acts to follow. Washington, D.C.’s Super Bob then stepped up

the turbulence with their set of agitated rap rock. Frontman

Matt Santoro, guitarist Adam Smith, bassist Drew Recny and

drummer Chris Faircloth combined all-out musical aggression

with witty attitude as they performed original tunes like “Rock

n Roll,” “Cali,” “Superfly,” “Freak,” “Popstar” and more.

Matt tempered his sassy vocal bark with a fun side as he led

the group on a version of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It,” and

Drew’s bowel movement-inducing bass rumble is among the

lowest I’ve ever heard! Then Pop Evil came, saw and

immediately conquered the Tubby’s audience with their

powerful performance, proudly executing their radio hits and

songs off their latest CD, “Onyx”. Backed by the forceful corps

of guitarists Davey Grahs and (Pittsburgh native) Nick

Fuelling, bassist Matt DeRito and drummer Chachi Riot,

singer Leigh Kakaty took charge early and led the group on

popular radio tracks like the ballad “Monster You Made,”

“Boss’s Daughter,” “Last Man Standing” and the current

single “Torn to Pieces.” They also did songs from “Onyx”

such as “Goodbye My Friend,” “Sick Sense” and “Behind

Closed Doors.” Their execution was tight and exciting,

especially Chachi’s go-for-broke action behind the kit. Perhaps

the big non-musical highlight happened when Leigh

acknowledged a number of underage fans listening outside the

venue; he quickly invited two young lady fans in through the

backstage entrance to step up on stage. As the audience

cheered, he told them they had to quickly leave; but gave them

a message as they exited, thanking them for being fans of Pop

Evil instead of Justin Bieber. When the Tubby’s crowd

demanded an encore, Pop Evil responded with two of their best

anthems, “Deal with the Devil” and their hit “Trenches.” This

was a great show, and well worth the roadtrip!

Also near the state’s capital, my good friend and cohort, staff

photographer Meredith Kaminek, celebrated 17 years in

business with an open house celebration last month at her

portrait studio in Goldsboro. Live music was again part of

Meredith’s open house, with Mileunder and the Backyard

Rockers providing the entertainment. Introducing new bassist

Riley, Mileunder played their soulful and groove-informed

original songs, including favorites like “Spacegirl,” “Nemo”

and more. The Backyard Rockers then broke out numbers

from The Band, Neil Young, Steve Earle, Old Crow Medicine

Show and more; before the group’s hand percussionist sang and

performed his first-ever original song on ukulele for the open

house host, a happy song about Meredith’s world called

“Meredith Avenue.” Then both bands joined forces for a fun

afternoon-closing jam session, loosely branded ‘the Mileunder

the Backyard Jam.’ (Thanks to Meredith for having us; my

bandmates and I eagerly look forward to next year’s party on

‘Meredith Avenue!’)

Following Meredith’s open house event, we finished the

evening at the nearby Alpine Inn in Lewisberry, where I

caught up with Steel. Still the foursome of frontman Chris

Redding, guitarist Aaron Zimmerman, bassist Dave Magaro



nd drummer Trevis Becker, Steel kept a large Alpine Inn

crowd rocking and dancing with their selection of mostly 1970s

and ‘80s era hard rock and metal. Chris displayed an excellent

soaring voice on numbers like Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,”

Iron Maiden’s “Trooper,” “Run to the Hills” and “Hallowed

Be Thy Name” and Queensryche’s “I Don’t Believe in Love,”

but also tackled Heart on renditions of “Crazy on You”

“Barracuda.” Instrumentally Steel is strong as well, with

Aaron firing off crisp guitar leads, Trevis providing double-

kick thunder behind the kit and Dave’s tight bass lines tying it

all together. Steel kept the Alpine Inn crowd in front of the

stage for the entire night, and the crowd didn’t want the party

to end.

The third annual Striking Chords Against Cancer benefit in

late May provided a day-long slate of live music on two stages

on the big flatcar at Altoona’s Railroaders Museum to benefit

the American Cancer Society. The acoustic stage launched first

with Matt Pletcher, who performed a selection of classic and

modern rock and country favorites, plus an original song, “Sure

Thing”, from his forthcoming solo CD. The Syrins kicked off

the electric stage entertainment with a strong set of ‘60s, ‘70s

and ‘80s era rock. Singer/drummer Chris Conrad, guitarists

Tom Fronauer II and Mike Furry, and returning bass player

Ryan Furry mixed up hits by Greg Kihn Band, Genesis, John

Fogerty, the Police, the Byrds, Tommy James and more. They

also included a British Invasion section, plus a driving take on

the Smithereens’ “Behind the Walls of Sleep”. Travis Singer

resumed acoustic stage action with hits from The Band, Philip

Phillips, Oasis, Tom Petty and more; and dedicated the Beatles’

“Hide Your Love Away” in memory of a friend felled by

cancer. Cranking up the party next on the electric stage was 7th

Gear with their variety of mostly female-fronted hits. Singer

Ashley Thompson’s voice was in great form as she belted out

numbers from Pat Benatar, Veruca Salt, Lita Ford, Pretenders,

Heart, Scandal, Blondie and more. Appearing for his third

straight year, Jackson Monsour brought a tropical vibe to the

acoustic stage with several reggae numbers and original songs.

Flight 19 followed with their lively set of modern, classic rock

and more; triggering dancing on the lawn with tunes from

Volbeat, Black Keys, Toto, Bon Jovi, REO Speedwagon, Joe

Walsh and a rocking take on Kiss’ “Beth” to end the set.

Accompanied by Pistol Peg guitarist Joe Scott and Manny

Barbazzeni on box drum, Matt Wagner continued the

acoustic entertainment with his distinctive takes on modern and

classic rock hits. All three musicians displayed great vocal

harmonies and fresh arrangements, and Matt and Joe engaged

in detailed fretboard interplay on Dave Matthews’ “Two Step”.

For their finale, Matt was joined by his 7-year-old daughter,

Kaedyn, who sang lead on the Disney song “Do You Want to

Build a Snowman?” Shallow Nine then turned up the party

with their energized blend of modern rock and pop favorites.

Singer Erika Marino’s voice was in good form; and she,

guitarist/singer Mike Fox, guitarist P.J. Kelly, bassist Mitch

Neuder and drummer Todd Harshbarger triggered some lawn

dancing and grooving with hits from Lady Gaga, Jimmy Eat

World, Paula Abdul, Ceelo Green, Neon Trees, Fallout Boy and

more. The Backyard Rockers wrapped up the acoustic stage

entertainment with their blend of classic rock, country and

blues; performing songs from Neil Young, Tom Petty, Steve

Earle, Santana, Johnny Cash and more. Chris Vipond and the

Stanley Street Band then got their groove on to close out the

show, incorporating a wide variety of song material into

infectious, almost nonstop grooves. It’s always fun watching

the instrumental interaction between guitarist C’Jay Castello

and bassist Mike Stanley, riding atop Chris’ Hammond organ

groan and Randy Servello’s busy and inventive drumbeats.

Beautiful, sunny weather and the quality entertainment helped

make this the most successful Striking Chords Against

Cancer benefit yet.

A few days later, country music launched the Railroaders

Museum’s annual Alive @ Five Summer Concert Series,

with Johnstown-based Johnny and June Carter Cash tribute

group Ole 97 and Pistol Peg & the Beer Kegs providing the

entertainment. With the low-voiced greeting “Hello, I’m

Johnny Cash,” Johnstown’s Man in Black, Randy Hunter,

and Ole 97 treated the Railroaders Museum audience to a

celebration of Johnny and June Carter Cash and their body of

hits. Randy, Charlene Boldin in the June Carter role,

guitarist/fiddler Joe Brucker, guitarist Doug Nagy, bassist

Andy Heinze and drummer Paul Carpenter performed

favorites such as “Folsom Prison Blues,” “The Ballad of Ira

Hayes,” “Jackson,” “I’ve Been Everywhere,” “A Boy Named

Sue,” “I Walk the Line,” “One Piece at a Time” and more.

Charlene flexed her voice on Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby

McGee” and Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots,” and Joe

demonstrated his fiddle-sawing skills on “Ole 97,” “Orange

Blossom Special” and Charlie Daniels’ “The South’s Gonna Do

It Again.” Ole 97 also did Cash-flavored original numbers such

as “Fruitcake” and “A Whole Lotta Cash”. While Ole 97

represented Johnny Cash and country’s traditional sound, Pistol

Peg & the Beer Kegs represented today’s country, triggering

dancing and a crowd swell in front of the stage with their mix

of popular current country hits. Singer Jill Simanski,

singer/guitarist Mark Simanski, lead guitarist Joe Scott,

rhythm guitarist Brandon Kane, bassist Justin Brown and

drummer Steve Holtz fired up the party with favorites from

Dixie Chicks, Miranda Lambert, Leann Rimes, Shania Twain,

Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, Sugarland, Blake Shelton, Garth

Brooks and more. Their presentation was tight, and the group

kept the music and energy constant to keep the huge

Railroaders Museum crowd happy. The Railroaders

Museum’s Alive @ Five series continues this month with

Metallica tribute Four Horsemen with Half Tempted on July


The Professor continued...

Ole 97 (Johnny Cash tribute)


11, and Journey tribute Separate Ways with 7th Gear on July

25.

Pleasant, sunny weather helped make the 8th Annual Day Of

Rock benefit at the Saxton Sportsmen’s Pavilion a big

success, raising much money for Easter Seals of Central PA.

Felix & the Hurricanes launched this year’s event with their

original rock and blues, including favorites such as “Walking a

Straight Line,” “Keep On Rockin’” and “The Lonely One.”

The Backyard Rockers followed with their acoustic rock,

country and blues. Chris Woodward & Shindiggin’ then

triggered the day’s first dancing action with their country

sounds. Now armed with new bassist Brianna Sheeder, the

group now includes female country hits by Miranda Lambert

and others; and Brianna and drummer Zac Grace also did the

Kid Rock/Sheryl Crow ballad “Picture”. Root and the Fifths

celebrated ‘90s era rock favorites in their set, performing

numbers from Goo Goo Dolls, Cracker, Local H, Third Eye

Blind, Better Than Ezra, Collective Soul and more. Next was

my first look at Lewistown-based rockers JunkHouse, who did

a mix of hard rocking favorites from the ‘90s to now. Featuring

former Represent the Lie frontman Brent Carolus and bassist

Mike Goss, JunkHouse did nice work on numbers from Stone

Temple Pilots, Silverchair, Volbeat, Megadeth, Shinedown,

Tool and more, plus an original song, “She Don’t Like It”.

Naildriver then brought full-force metal, scorching the Saxton

hillside with original power metal and select covers. Lead

howler Matt Watson led the group on fierce original numbers

like “The Enemy Within,” “Hypocrite’s Anthem” and “Seal the

Exits”, and also did numbers from Budgie/Metallica, Pantera,

Iron Maiden and Black Label Society. Singer Erika Marino

and Shallow Nine reconvened the dance party with their feisty

mixture of modern rock and pop favorites. As darkness arrived,

Ganister fired up the crowd with their variety of rocking

sounds; giving hard-rocking treatments to rock, country and

pop favorites alike. Female fans danced alongside band

members onstage as Ganister did songs by Pink, Theory Of A

Deadman, Orgy, Jason Aldean, Big & Rich, White Zombie,

Eddie Money, Black Crowes, Cameo, Nickelback and more.

The Sitch then closed out Day Of Rock with their own fun

brand of rocking favorites, including numbers from AC/DC,

Ramones, Violent Femmes, Offspring, Black Keys, Weezer and

more. Plans are already under way for a bigger and better Day

Of Rock in 2015.

A Pittsburgh sojourn last month to catch a Pirate baseball

game provided an opportunity to check out the nearby Three

Rivers Arts Festival. In addition to multiple arts and crafts

vendors, the Arts Festival featured a variety of live music

during its 10-day span, with headlining acts such as The

Smithereens, Trampled By Turtles, Lucinda Williams and

more. I took in part of the performance by Brooklyn-based

indie folk rock group Noble Hunter. Normally a four-piece

group, Noble Hunter was an acoustic duo this day, featuring

singer/guitarist Kevin Garrett and guest upright bass player

Anton. They performed songs from Noble Hunter’s self-titled

debut CD, and previewed numbers from their forthcoming

second disc, being recorded later this year. Their songs touched

on personal themes and ambitions; including “House in Santa

Barbara,” “Head West” and “If Hope Could Talk”. The duo

also did select covers, such as Ray Lamontagne’s “Jolene.”

(Later, the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-0.)

It was 150 years ago when three women went to a Boalsburg

cemetery and placed flowers at the graves of soldiers who died

in the Civil War, setting the precedent for Boalsburg’s claim as

“the birthplace of Memorial Day.” Boalsburg celebrated the

anniversary with numerous events on Memorial Day, including

a special evening memorial service with governor Tom

Corbett in attendance. Live music was a part of the festivities

as well, including OverheaD performing outside Boal

Mansion. Each member of this group - Kevin Fagley, Eileen

Christman, Wendy Hanson, Tom Mallouk and Rick Plut - is

multi-talented and shares several duties in OverheaD. The

group entertained the Memorial Day audience with a variety of

original songs, classic rock and country hits. Their song

selection this day included numbers from the Guess Who,

Queen, BTO, Beatles, Stray Cats, B-52s, Otis Redding and

more. OverheaD also did original songs such as “Say the

Word” and “Not Guilty”. Along the way, guest Chris Lee sang

and played guitar on several numbers, and Eileen played fiddle

on several numbers, including K.T. Tunstall’s “Black Horse

and the Cherry Tree”, John Mellencamp’s “Cherry Bomb” and

Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”. OverheaD

will again be part of this year’s Central PA 4th Fest near Penn

State’s Beaver Stadium on July 4.

One of the rising names in ukulele, Danielle Ate the

Sandwich, performed last month at Allegheny Creamery &

Crepes in Hollidaysburg, in a show presented by the

Allegheny Ukulele Kollective. The Allegheny Bilge Rats

Shanty Choir opened the evening with a short set of

swashbuckling sea shanties such as “What Shall We Do with a

Drunken Sailor,” “Blow the Man Down” and the Dave Parry-

fronted “Hanging Johnny”. Armed with soprano and baritone

ukuleles, Danielle Ate the Sandwich (aka Danielle Anderson)

introduced a variety of original indie-folk songs, including

several from her fourth and latest CD, “Like A King”. Danielle

mixed in touches of humor as she explained the inspirations

behind each song, from the jealous feelings behind “Some

Other Girl” to the human/animal comparisons in “Pet Store”

to the societal struggles of “The American Dream” and “The

Have Nots”. Danielle also performed two covers, offering

versions of the Louie Armstrong-popularized “I Get Ideas” and

the Temptations’ “My Girl”. Danielle Ate the Sandwich

provided a fun and cheerful performance, and was well-

received by the outdoor courtyard audience. (No, she did not

eat a sandwich, but did enjoy a crepe from the venue.)

With no threats of 18-inch snowfalls to thwart them this time,

southern Mississippi’s Rosco Bandana returned to


cont inued on page 2 2 . .

Black Ridge


McGarvey’s in late May. Rogan Allen and Nobody’s Heroes

provided enthusiastic opening sets, before Rosco Bandana

again amazed the McGarvey’s crowd with their multi-flavored

musical mix. Singer/guitar is t Jason Sanford ,

singer/keyboardist Emily Sholes, singer/percussionist Jenny

Flint, guitarist Patrick Mooney, mandolinist Jackson

Weldon, bassist Josh Smith and drummer Patrick McGinley

blended elements of rock, country, blues, folk, Americana and

worldbeat into a catchy, colorful and exciting mixture. The

group did several songs from their “Time to Begin” CD

including the delta blues/gospel-flavored single “Woe Is Me,”

“El Luna” and “Tender”, introduced newer numbers such as

“Take It In”, and offered their inventive arrangement on KC &

the Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight”. Rosco Bandana

escalated many of the songs into heated climaxes, and their

blend of harmonies and shifting instrumental tones kept each

song fresh and invigorating. Rosco Bandana again won many

new Altoona area fans during this show; they return to

McGarvey’s September 26.

Philadelphia-based foursome American Babies paid their

first visit to McGarvey’s during Memorial Day weekend.

Improvisational, jam-styled rock is this group’s forte;

American Babies demonstrated inventive, colorful grooves

with a lot of variation and versatility. Singer/guitarist Tom

Hamilton, keyboardist Adam Flicker, bassist Marc

Friedman and drummer Dave Butler crafted intriguing

musical journeys throughout the show, with songs intensifying,

taking unexpected tempo, style shifts and side journeys. Tom

sounded strong on the vocal end, and Adam’s keyboard muscle

often came in whenever things got quiet and quickly made its

presence felt. Most of American Babies’ grooves were

original, but they did venture into an inventive take on the

Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” in the later stages of their

performance. American Babies won a number of new fans

during their first Altoona sojourn; expect a return to

McGarvey’s in the fall and give them a listen!

Blairsville-based quintet Black Ridge made their first visit to

McGarvey’s stage early last month. Featuring singer/guitarist

Paul Chakot, guitarist Matt Bortz, sax player Alec Zander

Redd, bassist Cody Lemmon and drummer Jake LeJeune,

Black Ridge performed a gritty mixture of classic rock and

original songs. I liked their song selection, which included

many numbers not often heard on live stages. Black Ridge

broke out renditions of Hall & Oates’ “I Can’t Go for That,”

Guess Who’s “American Woman,” Wilson Pickett’s “In the

Midnight Hour,” CCR’s “Lodi,” the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter,”

Bob Seger’s “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” and more; as well as

original songs like “Chocolate Hair,” “New World” and

“Down the Road.” Their presentation was loose and relaxed, as

they improvised solos and rode each song to heated peaks.

Black Ridge provides a fresh, invigorating show and approach,

and are worth looking out for on area stages.

Mysterytrain keeps on chugging along, even though its main

conductor is still out of action for a few more months. The

four-piece edition of Mysterytrain generated happy grooves at

Shaw’s Bar on Memorial Day weekend. Percussionist Jacob

Haqq-Misra, keyboardist Gina Riggio, drummer Chuck

Bailey and new bassman Wes “Stagger Lee” Fahringer

delivered what one casual observer described as “people-

friendly, happy music” before a near packed house. The mood

was upbeat and positive, and Mysterytrain rode that mood

with new compositions and several established favorites such

as “Flow River Flow,” “Overgrow,” “Send Me a Smile” and

“Sway.” Jacob fired it up on the percussion and vibrophone,

and Gina’s keyboard work sounded sparkling and bright. Guest

Rich Edmundson joined in on acoustic guitar and vocals

during the last set, even freestyling a version of “Feelin’

Alright”. ‘Train “Conductor”, Dan Klock is reportedly doing

well during his hiatus and is working on new songs. Based on

this night, it looks like Dan can hit the ground running once he

returns from the break.

Bedford’s Borrowed Time continues to write new songs

toward their seventh CD. Some of those songs were on display

when half of the group - singers/guitarists Chad Patterson and

Michael Clapper - performed acoustic at Bad Boyz Bistro in

Bedford in late May. The pair mixed older and newer songs;

introducing new rock and blues-geared numbers such as “Long

Dark Highway”, “Mississippi Man”, “Livin’ Alone and Singin’

the Blues”, “You’re Bad News” and more. Perhaps their most


cont inued on page 2 3 . . . .

THE BIG TIME -

“DREAMERS AND

BELIEVERS” (no

label) Since forming in

2009, Altoona-based

foursome The Big

Time has evolved and

honed their brand of

energetic power

pop/rock, along the

way earning support slots with All Time Low, Mayday

Parade, Hit The Lights and more. Their latest CD,

“Dreamers and Believers”, captures the group’s

explosive blend of punk-infused adrenaline and precision

melodies. Erupting rhythms from drummer Aaron Porta

and bassist Dylan Auerbeck fuel The Big Time’s hard-

driving melodies; underscoring the guitar roar of

Brandon Porta and frontman Derek Mrdjenovich.

Most of the disc’s eight songs offer hard-hitting odes to

the ins and outs of love; the beginning and ending tracks,

“Take It to the Floor” and the title song “Dreamers and

Believers” are more hopeful in tone, while “Done With

It” and the milder “Sick and Tired” lean toward throwing

in the towel. “The Drive” offers words of devotion,

while “All for You” and “Hard to Get” grow weary of

head games and relationship nonsense. The Big Time

offers an acoustic update of “Stay Strong,” a somber

tribute to a lost loved one. The songs are sharp and to the

point, and the group’s melodies are catchy and concise.

Mrdjenovich’s voice is strong and drives each song

forward, and he effectively varies the intensity for the

task at hand on each song. Paul Leavitt’s production and

mix are busy, leaving no dead spaces or lulls in the

action. The melodies are served, while the group’s edge

is sharp throughout. The Big Time sounds tight and

polished on “Dreamers and Believers”, and the group’s

steady progress displayed here suggests that they may be

ready for the big time in short order. (The CD can be

obtained through the website

www.thebigtime.bigcartel.com.)

THUNDER VEST - “THUNDER VEST” (no label)

Five buddies bonded by booze and rock’n’roll,

Pittsburgh’s Thunder Vest formed two years ago to

generate two- and three-chord shout-along punk-rocking

anthems. Their self-titled debut CD delivers high-octane,

punk-fueled rock’n’roll excitement over eleven tracks; as

Thunder Vest blends simple, infectious melodies, gang-

shout choruses, and relatable, often funny lyrics. Fast-

firing rhythms from drummer Captain Shingles and

bassist Phil Irvest couple with the dual snarling guitar

tandem of Stevie Novocain and Neil to set the boisterous

backdrops for

frontman Scott

Terzolino’s witty and

sassy words. Thunder

Vest greets listeners on

their disc-leading title

track “T-H-U-N-D-E-R

VEST!” with suggested

uses for the disc (even

romantic settings),

before “It’s All About

Me” follows a more

self-centered theme. “Look Ma” proudly shows parents

what their kids have become, while “Rad Girls”

celebrates ladies at punk shows. Thunder Vest also

celebrates smoking women on “Cigarette Girl,” and the

joys of full-figured gals on “Fat Chicks.” Libation is

also part of Thunder Vest’s equation, as they savor PBR

on the drinking anthem “Piss and Vinegar.” The group

also offers two covers; their spin on New Bomb Turks’

“Automatic Teller” and the adrenalin-rush disc-closing

edition of the Hellacopters’ “Riot on the Rocks,” capped

with some furious harmonica wailing. The tempo is fast

and go-for-broke, but the execution is tight and on target.

Terzolino knows his turf here, and his cadence is clear

and keeps with the pace. The action is constant, and just

like the group’s live shows, never a dull moment. Mixed

and mastered by Eric Wrecker, the disc sounds full and

clear, and Thunder Vest’s sharp edge is constant and

cutting. Thunder Vest offers short, sweet, to-the-point

and fun punk rock on their debut; a disc that will quicken

the pulse, and may cause acceleration in vehicles if

listened to while driving. (The disc can be obtained

through Thunder Vest’s Bandcamp page,

www.thundervest.bandcamp.com.)

RETRO ROCKET - “RETRO ROCKET” (no label)

Formed in northeastern PA in 2006, Retro Rocket

establishes their multi-flavored musical turf on their self-

titled CD. Featuring Mike Chafin on vocals and various

stringed instruments, Jessica Illuzzi on vocals, guitar and

piano, bassist Chuck Artim and drummer Jim Davis;

Retro Rocket introduces a sound that blends elements of

Americana, folk rock, country and - consistent with their

name - retro-flavored pop over their disc’s hefty 17

tracks. With Mike and Jessica sharing lead singing

duties, Retro Rocket displays a knack for hook-driven

melodies and relatable, easy-to-digest lyrics dealing with

life, love and the ways of the world. The disc opens up

with a tear-in-beer old-school country flavor, as Jessica

laments sudden solitude on a rendition of “Lonesome

Blues.” She sings

the more country

and folk-geared

numbers on the

disc; exploring her

Pennsylvania roots

on the rustic

“Pennsyltucky

Wings,” fantasizing

about a new source

of income on

“Money Tree,” and

crooning the vocal on a folksy read of Tom Petty’s “You

Don’t Know How It Feels,” one of the album’s four

remakes. Retro Rocket frequently taps into late

‘60s/early ‘70s folk and pop rock vibes, displayed on

such numbers as “One Way Love,” “Jessie” and “One

Time Girl.” The group also kicks it into a rowdier early

‘70s Rolling Stones vein with “Bouncy Girl.” The

performances are solid throughout the disc; both Mike

and Jessica display clear and distinctive voices, and the

group’s arrangements and instrumental execution are

fresh and tasteful. Self-produced by Mike, the disc

sounds clear and vibrant; there is some slight fluctuation

between volume levels on tracks through the disc, but for

the most part this is a consistent listen. Retro Rocket

successfully marries Americana and retro pop flavors on

their debut, offering an impressive calling card that

welcomes new listeners into their world, and establishing

a broad-based musical foundation to expand upon. (The

disc can be obtained through the group’s Facebook page.)

(VARIOUS ARTISTS) - NOW AND THEN: THE

STATE COLLEGE MUSIC SCENE 1968-2012

(Apache Records) With its transient student population,

the State College area has hosted many talented and

diverse musical acts over the years and up to the present

day. State College-

based indie record

label Apache

Records undertook

the mission of

celebrating Happy

Valley’s rich musical

heritage with “Now

and Then: The State

College Music Scene

1968-2012,” a two-

disc set celebrating

area music from 1968 to now. Proceeds from sales of the

set go to Happy Valley Cares, which helps child abuse

victims. The first disc, “Then,” celebrates State College

music from 1968 to 1990. The oldest representation is

from 1968, the Woolly Thumpers’ playful folk-rock

number “Come Closer.” Some of State College’s most

legendary band names are represented on this half of the

set; including Menagerie’s “Wrong About You,”

Cartoon’s “In My Dreams Tonight,” Backseat Van

Gogh’s timely 1980 pop anthem “Catch a New Wave,”

Tahoka Freeway’s “Light Rain,” Code: Blue’s spirited

“(You’re So Busy),” Queen Bee & the Blue Hornet

Band’s “Take Your Lies Home to Mama,” Sideshow

Bob’s “As She Says” and more. The “Now” disc, of

course, spans 1990 to present (2012, the year this set was

issued). A few of the acts here have since folded, such as

the popular Sona and their 2001 track “Birdsong” and

Katsu’s 2001 song “Walkaway.” But many current State

College and area performers represent, such as Felix &

the Hurricanes with “Grow,” Ted McCloskey’s

“Dancing As Fast As I Can,” Triple A Blues Band’s

“Call Home Blues,” My Hero Zero’s “Make Some

Noise,” The Nightcrawlers’ “Place in the Dark,”

Mama Corn’s “Fallen Leaves,” Harold Taddy’s “Buon

Giorno,” Pure Cane Sugar’s “My Favorite Song” and

others. Produced by Daniel Collins and mastered by Bill

Filer at Audible Images Recording, “Now and Then”

sounds consistent throughout, with the best quality

brought out of the older recordings, some which were

originally issued through prehistoric analog media such

as vinyl records and tape. A little more background

information on the performers - especially the older

groups - might have made this set more complete; but as

is, “Now and Then” still captures a nice chunk of State

College area music past and present, and offers a good

crash course in the Happy Valley music scene’s heritage

to those curious in exploring where it has been and where

it is now. (The compilation can be purchased through

Apache Records’ website, www.apachemusic.net.)


All CDs reviewed in July by Jim Price

Send your CDs for review to:

JIM PRICE

1104 S Catherine St. Altoona, PA 16602

PA Musician Magazine CD Reviews


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lease. Will be coming to

Pennsylvania & Ohio area

Spring/Summer of 2014.

P l e a s e v i s i t :

www.cartertransport.shutt

erfly.com,

www.facebook.com/busm

anagement or email:

[email protected]

om for questions. (8/14)

FOR SALE: Music Store,

complete stock and

d i s p l a y s . M o e ’ st

Everything Muse 825 Ann

Street, Stroudsburg, PA

18360.Call 570-223-6900

shop or 570-350-2962

cell.

FAMOUS CUTS: Are

you a talented hairstylist?

Tired of only making a

small percentage of your

services? Well, make a

change for the better and

call Jerry at Famous Cuts

in Lemoyne. You can

make your own hours, and

earn high commission on

everything you do. Call

Jerry today!! 717-761-

5050.

CONTROL F R E A K

SOUND. Want top-notch

sound at your next show?

Call Jerry Martin at

Control Freak Sound! Pro

gear, pro attitude. You’ll

sound so good, you just

may start your own fan

club! 717-465-8120

WANTED: ARTIST to

sponsor. This deal

includes one of my guitars

as well as maintenance on

your other instruments. To

be considered for this

sponsorship you must be a

working musician (band)

playing a minimum of 8

gigs per month over the

past year and have future

bookings showing this to

be a continuing schedule.

At least 50% of your show

must be performed with an

acoustic guitar. Musical

genre is not important.

Would prefer someone

playing the northeast

circuit but will consider

artists playing in larger

local markets. Anyone

interested should contact

me. Please post and share

this anyplace you think

would be appropriate.

Brian Howard Guitars

717-566-9883

www.brianhowardguitars.

com

FOR SALE: Antique

Victorian Packard Pump

Parlor organ and stool.

Circa 1888, solid walnut,

mint conditon, still

plays.Call Debbie 717-

761-1162.

CLASSIFIED NOTES continued....

cont inued on pg 2 8 . . .

EQUIPMENTFOR SALE:


OR SALE: JBL, 2025

bass bins, $400; 300etek,

100w lead head, $500; (4)

10” cab. $100. All in

excellent condition. Will

return calls, 717-630-

2394.

FOR SALE::Carvin bass

rig less than 5 months

old,barely used.BX700

h e a d , ( 2 ) B R 2 1 0

cabinets.$600 570-412-

7614

FOR SALE: Spector

legend 5 string bass.All

new hardware and preamp

installed.Pictures available

upon request.$375 570-

412-7614.

FOR SALE: Peavey

LB1200 par 64 midi and

dmx controled lights with

gels, 2 bars with 4 lights

each. work great $250.00

Ph. 717-248-8739 email:

[email protected]

FOR SALE:Hammond

Proline 860 Leslie, With

foot pre-amp and leslie 11

pin cable, All in great

condition! $600.00 Phone

717-248-8739 Email:

[email protected]

F O R S A L E :

Compressor/limiters.

Aphex 720 Dominator II,

DBX 266XL,Drawmer

241L. Leave message.

610-488-0914.

F O R S A L E :

Microphones. (2) AKG C-

391’s Sold as a pair only.

Mics include clips and

cables. Leave message.

610-488-0914.

FOR SALE: Multitrack

recorders. Tascam. (3)

DA-88’s, (1) DA-38 and

(1)RC-848. Includes sync

cables w/balanced snakes,

rack cases and remote

control stand. Leave

message. 610-488-0914.

FOR SALE: Multi effects

processors: t.c.electronics

M5000 w/digitaloptions.

Ensoniq DP/4. Lexicon

LXP-5 w/MRC. Leave

message 610-488-0914

FOR SALE: DI boxes.

Countryman Type 85 and

ProCo CB-1. Leave

message 610-488-0914

FOR SALE: Record

video of your band from

the stage or Front of

Housesound board. Attach

any camera to these

u n i q u e C A M E R A

MOUNTS. 610-488-0914

FOR SALE: 19960’s Kay

blues, jazz hollow body

electric guitar. Cecked

Sunburst finish, $300 firm

or will consider trade of

equal value. Call Steve

717-379-8010.

FOR SALE: Epiphone

Dot 335 solid body


cont inued on pg. 2 9 . . .


electric guitar. Beautiful

finish in blond with

hardshell case and Fender

Deluxe 900 amplifier with

cover, $450 firm. Call 717-

379-8010.

FOR SALE: BCRich

Beast Guitar & molded

case, 2001 Limited Edition

b o d y - a r t c o l l e c t i o n

“BORIS” 24-fret neck, 2-

humbucker pickups $300.

[email protected] or

717-542-5351.

FOR SALE: Pair Yamaha

S115V & Peavey TLS-5

speakers, QSC RMX2450

& Numark amps, monitors,

pa/monitor processor, in-

ear system, speaker cords.

[email protected] or

717-542-5351.

FOR SALE: Gallien-

Kruger 700RB with Hartke

XL Series 4.5 Bass Module

$625, call 610-898-4133.

FOR SALE: Carvin bass

cabinets, (2) BR 210 $250

a piece, BR 410 $300.All

cabinets brand new. 570-

412-7614.

FOR SALE: Tascam 380

24 track recording board

with V.O. meters, $500.

717-627-4800.

FOR SALE: Mastering

cassette recorders like new,

$35 to $35 each. 717-627-

4800.

MUSICIANSWANTED:

WANTED:Guitarist and

keyboardist to comlete

Elvis Tribute Band.

Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg

shows and Booking Agent.

Need dedication and pro

attitude. Call for set list

A.S.A.P. 717-701-3302.

WA N T E D : Female

vocalist for traditional

country band. Lead and

bacgroundowrk, playing an

instrument would be a

plus. Serious and mature

only. A modern day June

Carter Cash would be nice.

Scranton, Wilkes Barre

area. Practice in Lake

Ariel, PA on Saturday

evenings. Call Daave 570-

352-4697.

WA N T E D : Rhythm

Guitarist for all original

band. We play original

rock/ hard rock. Must have

equipment, transportation,

and experience.

Practice is the Lewisburg

area. 717-712-2008 or 717-

418-0020.

WANTED:Gui ta r i s t /

Singer / Writer looking for

b a s s i s t , d r u m m e r ,

keyboardist to support

original debut album.

Rock/Blues styles. All

MUST sing. No problems

or issues. Wilkes-Barre

area. Call John 570- 287-

3954.


cont inued on pg. 2 9 . . .


WANTED: Musicians for

an all in one cover, tribute,

o r i g i n a l b a n d i n

Norristown, PA. Call

Danny: 610-290-3492 or

email:

[email protected]

WA N T E D : Working

band, playing classic,

radio rock needs a lead

guitar player with vocals.

Can provide current song

list and details. Call 717-

460-3515.

WA N T E D : Guitarist

looking for a keyboardist

and drummer for original

music. Influences are

Steven Wilson’s “Grace

for Drowning” and Pink

Floyd’s “Meddle”. Call or

text 484-300-7693.

WANTED: Lead Vocalist

and bassist for a new

project. Looking to do

70’s and 80’s guitar rock.

M u s t h a v e s t a g e

experience. Please send

info, vid clips, audio

s a m p l e s t o :

[email protected]

WANTED: Pro drummer

wanted for touring pro

b a n d . C o n t a c t

[email protected].

570-982-2133.

WANTED: Band looking

for Rhythm guitarist/lead

to complete current line

up. Concrete minded

band. Older music to

cover simple phone screet

to recieve green light.

717-303-4211.

WANTED: Metal band,

Car Wreck Syndrome

needs bassist and lead

guitarist. Can get gigs, pro

gear, transportation a

must. Pittsburgh area. 412-

841-6756.

WA N T E D : Hardcore

Punk Vocalist Newly

formed, 80’s style kick ass

punk band needs a singer,

influenced by Poison Idea,

early Bad Brains, DK’s,

Dwarves etc. We have 15

orig songs so far, that are

going to blow the doors

off everything, no filler.

We have much experience

.We just need some good

vocals to compliment our

tunes. Practice 1-2 times a

week. Age unimportant as

we are 20s-40s. We

practice close to the

Lancaster/ Berks border,

just a few mins off rt.222.

email

[email protected]

or text 717-824-0568.

WANTED: Musicians.

Guitarist/Singer/Writer

looking for bassist,

drummer, keyboardist to

support original debut

album. Rock/Blues styles.

All MUST sing. No

problems or issues.

Wilkes-Barre area. Call

John 570-287-3954.

WANTED: Seeking Bass

man for female Fronted

Blues Band: Lil’ Pittie and

Da Blues Dogs are

Looking for a Talented

Bass Man. We just started

Booking. We Practice in

Duncannon, Sundays 2-5.

Email:

[email protected]

m

WANTED: Hired Guns/

Contract Killers PA/ MD/

NJ/ NY Working band in

need of experienced fill in

guitar player(s) with pro

Gear, shredding ability,

and transportation for

upcoming gigs. Can be

M/F, Old School/ New

School. Current needed to

solve temporary situation,

but a possibly a permanent

position! Compensation

for you time. You Play-We

Pay! Contact Blair

findmerighthere@hotmail.

com

WANTED: R h y t h m

guitarist wanted for all

original band. We play

original rock/ hard rock.

Must have equipment,

t r anspor t a t ion , and

experience. Practice is the

Lewisburg a r e a .

www.tukurpa.com 717-

712-2008 or 717-418-

0020.

WANTED: Musicians for

an all in one cover, tribute,

o r i g i n a l b a n d i n

Norristown, PA. Call

Danny: 610-290-3492 or

email:

[email protected]

.

WANTED: Working

band, playing classic,

radio rock needs a lead

guitar player with vocals.

Can provide current song

list and details. Call 717-

460-3515.

MUSICIANAVAILABLE:

AVAILABLE: Harrisburg

area acoustic upright and

electric bass player,

singer/ songwriter looking

to add to a duo or other.

Enjoy country, bluegrass,

folk or acoustic rock.

Enjoy what I’m doing but

miss the really strong

harmony. Looking to be

your third part for covers

and originals. Call Mike

717-565-0539 o r

email BigStringPKR@aol.

com

AVAILABLE: Rhythm

Guitarist looking to join

fun group playing 80’s

style rock. Some originals

too. State College area.

Early 40’s. Call anytime.

814-342-9123.

AVAILABLE:Experience

d professional drummer,

well versed in both

modern and classic rock as

well as metal and some

p r o g r e s s i v e , s e e k s

somewhat established

band with an emphasis on

melody, hooks and good

songs be it covers or

originals. Please no time

wasters...my time is

valuable and yours should

be too. Pro gear, play to

win attitude and can play

to a click track for studio

work if necessary. Serious

inquiries should contact

Don at 570-449-1933

AVAILABLE:

P r o f e s s i o n a l r o c k

drummer in Altoona area

for established working

band. 30+ years, Covers,

Originals, and Studio,

most recent : Hal f

Tempted, Hy-Tyde. Call

Erik @ 814-381-5312.

AVAILABLE: Bassist /

strong lead and harmony

vocals; Also play guitar

and have originals:

Available for working

band or musical situation

in Wilkes-Barre / Scranton

area. Call David 570-899-

2272.

AVAILABLE: Female

vocalist looking to start

rock band in Lancaster

County. Musicians ages-

40-60, genre 1960’s-today.

Experienced and dedicated

only need apply. 717-682-

4987


Send your classifed to:[email protected]

pennsylvania musician magazine july 2014

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