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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!!
July, 2014 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 11
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 . . .
12 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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.
cont inued on page 1 4 . . .
OUT & ABOUT continued....
July, 2014 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 13
14 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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...
OUT & ABOUT continued...
16 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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
18 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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
July, 2014 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 19
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
cont inued on page 2 0 . . .
20 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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
cont inued on page 2 1 . . .
The Professor continued...
Ole 97 (Johnny Cash tribute)
July, 2014 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 21
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
The Professor continued...
cont inued on page 2 2 . .
Black Ridge
22 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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
The Professor continued...
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.)
24 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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
26 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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$ 3 0 0 p e r d a y .
www.datamusicsvcs.com,
Altoona PA. Phone
814-944-2406.
RIGHT C O A S T
RECORDING: State of
the art vintage recording
environment with years of
experience and a long list
of satisfied customers.
www.rightcoastrecording.c
om Phone 717-560-1530.
BUSINESSCLASSIFIEDS
cont inued on pg 2 7 . . .
July, 2014 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 27
WANTED TO BUY:
Piano sheet music. Call
717-250-4798.
DRUM LESSONS: with
Jeremy Hummel now at 3
Locations: Selinsgrove
Home Studio, Dale’s
Drum Shop (Harrisburg),
and The Perfect 5th
(Mechanicsburg). Jeremy
is the original drummer
for platinum selling artist
Breaking Benjamin. He
has over 15 years
experience as an educator,
professional musician and
is a regular contributor to
“Modern Drummer”
magazine.
Call 570-898-0800 to get
started.
FOR LEASE: 5 bunk
sleeper Mercedes-Benz
Sprinter available for
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:
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:
28 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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:
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:
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
CLASSIFIED NOTES continued....
cont inued on pg. 2 9 . . .
July, 2014 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 29
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.
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.
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.
CLASSIFIED NOTES continued....
cont inued on pg. 2 9 . . .
30 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE July, 2014
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:
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 :
WANTED: Pro drummer
wanted for touring pro
b a n d . C o n t a c t
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.
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:
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:
.
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
CLASSIFIED NOTES continued....
Send your classifed to:[email protected]