And – just like that – the summer season transitions into fall. Students and teachers are back in the classrooms, baseball starts fading behind football (at least for long-suffering Pittsburgh Pirates fans like me), and summer festivals and events give way to fall festivals before everything heads back indoors for the cold weather season. Enjoy the outdoor festivities while they last!
I checked out several outdoor benefit events in recent weeks, starting with the annual We Care Music Fest in late July at Shawnee Park in Roaring Spring, with proceeds benefiting the We Care Foundation of Central PA. Seven bands and performers entertained throughout the afternoon and evening; I caught sets from the middle three bands on the bill, arriving as 7th Virtue was performing. Six members strong, 7th Virtue played a variety of rock and hits, primarily from the 1970s and 80s. Lynne Deyarmin handled most of the lead singing duties, flanked by lead guitarist Rob Lynn, rhythm guitarist Diana McElhevy, bassist Steve Everett, keyboardist Chuck Hesbacker and drummer Randy Deyarmin. 7th Virtue mixed it up with numbers from Tracy Chapman, Linda Ronstadt, Pink Floyd, Loverboy, Lita Ford, Badfinger, Quarterflash, Stevie Nicks and others. Next was Ganister, who fired up rowdy rock and country favorites. Singer Ken Gray, guitarists Chris Silva and Rob Sottile, bassist Joe Lybarger and drummer/singer Randy Wilson quickly had folks dancing in front of the stage with rocking numbers from Stone Temple Pilots, Theory Of A Deadman, Seven Mary Three, Fuel, Buckcherry and more; as well as modern country favorites from Randy Houser, Brantley Gilbert, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs and others. And I caught a chunk of Xorillion’s performance – singer Travis Dick, guitarists Jordan Ferraro and Josh Michael, bassist Isaac Sell and drummer Alex Michael mixed rock from the 1980s to present, with a few of their own original tunes thrown in. Xorillion also triggered lawn dancing out front with numbers from Red Hot Chili Peppers, 3 Doors Down, Alice In Chains, Cracker, Talking Heads, Kings Of Leon and others; among their original songs was the rowdy “Stand Up.” This year’s We Care Music Fest was again well attended, and successfully raised funds for the We Care Foundation of Central PA. Next year’s event will take place on July 19.
The annual Vets Fest again took place early last month under the outdoor pavilion at Altoona’s Unter Uns Musical & Entertainment Society, raising funds for veterans in the Blair County area through the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Blair County Chapter 967. This was again a special day, with guest speakers, giveaways, food and refreshments, and live music. After Anna Oberneder introduced the afternoon by singing the “Star Spangled Banner,” The Backyard Rockers kicked off the music. Joined by guests Craig Albright on electric guitar, Dave Ebersole on bass (and Ken Civils on keys later in the set), singer and guitarist Rich Dasch and yours truly on djembe, backing vocals and kazoo played a selection of 1970s and 80s classics from Faces, The Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, John Denver, Tom Petty, Marshall Tucker Band, Johnny Cash, Elton John and more. After Anna returned to sing a rendition of “God Bless America,” Flashpoint then continued with their set of 1960s and 70s-era hits. Singer and guitarist Don Osborn, bassist and singer Bill Hunter, Ken Civils on keys and Rick Guyer on drums did numbers from a wide array of artists, including the Four Tops, Loverboy, the Boxtops, Beach Boys, Marshall Tucker Band, Steely Dan, the Grass Roots and others. Anna returned to the stage to sing lead on Flashpoint’s renditions of Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin.’” The Stiffs – singer Lane Williamson, guitarist and singer John McKelvey, guitarist Craig Albright, bassist Dave Ebersole and Rick Guyer again behind the drum kit – opened and closed their set with a few classic rock numbers, sandwiching an assortment of their original songs in between. Their hard-rocking originals included “Bring On The Stones,” “In My Dream,” “Scars,” “Never” and “Where the Music Starts,” while their cover selection included songs from Thin Lizzy, the Smithereens, Spirit and more. Before premiering his self-named band project later on, Phil McCaulley did a short solo set featuring a few patriotic-geared songs and some classics. Phil displayed his resonant voice on Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” to open the set, and welcomed Anna Oberneder back to the stage to sing on Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” Phil finished his early set with the blending of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” with the Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rider.” Skye 2.0 then took the stage to celebrate progressive and arena rock of the 1970s and 80s. Singer and keyboardist Adam D., Don Osborn back on guitar, Ken Civils returning on keys, Kris Civils on bass and Vets Fest organizer Bill Hocherl on drums performed numerous classics from the progressive rock era, including numbers from Yes, Pink Floyd, Uriah Heep, King Crimson, Deep Purple and more. The group did a passage from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and welcomed guest Bruce Schettig (who was a member of the original Skye lineup from the early 1970s) to help sing on Yes’ “Roundabout.” And the return of the McCaulley Project then finished out Vets Fest. All making their return to the stage after appearing earlier in other groups, the group featured namesake Phil on lead vocals and guitar, guitarist Craig Albright, bassist Kris Civils, keyboardist Adam D and Bill Hocherl behind the drum kit. The McCaulley Project prompted the busiest dance floor activity of the day as they did hits from Del Shannon, John Denver, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Righteous Brothers, Guns N Roses, Eagles, ZZ Top and more. Still remembered from his Elvis Presley impersonator years, Phil honored requests for Elvis with the double-shot of “Suspicious Minds” and “Burning Love.” When the dancers demanded an encore, the group answered with a version of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy” to end the day. Other highlights during the day included VVA representatives Tim Susengill and John Foy telling the audience about the VVA and what it does, the visit of American Legion Riders of Pennsylvania Alexandria Post 520, Joe Oberneder from the Unter Uns presenting a $3,000 check to the VVA and more. This was one of the most successful Vets Fests yet, raising $8,128 to help out area veterans through the VVA.
It’s said that “all good things must come to an end,” and the Make A Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia closed the book on its annual Pickin’ For Wishes Bluegrass Festival last month after a successful run of 10 events. The event’s finale was one of its best, with great weather, a prevalent happy mood, great bluegrass music from four groups throughout the day, and a heartfelt surprise ending. Each of the four groups – western PA’s Middleground; Lancaster County’s Ironwood Drive; Morgantown, West Virginia favorites the Hillbilly Biscuits; and western PA’s Well Strung – performed two sets each in rotation through the day. Four members strong this day, Middleground demonstrated a sound rooted in traditional bluegrass with nods to bluegrass pioneers like Flatt & Scruggs and Jimmy Martin. The group – guitarist and singer Zach Rearick, banjo player Eric Swaney, mandolin player Ron Dick and upright bass player Tricia Rearick – also introduced a number of original songs such as “Bourbon Backstep,” “Come On Back,” “The Time I Didn’t Do” and others. The five members of Ironwood Drive – singers Stephen Werner and Brett Beiler, plus Gideon Werner, Jordan Beedle and Brandon Fox – showed a style rooted in traditional and gospel bluegrass as they mixed songs off their new album “A Place Called Home” with select covers from such names as The Dillards, John Denver, Waylon Jennings and more. The Hillbilly Biscuits again fired up the audience with their high-energy brand of traditional bluegrass and string music. The Biscuits provided nonstop musical action, from the heated fiddle work of Gray Buchanan (who has a powerful singing voice as well) to the precision banjo picking of Levi Houston Sanders to the vocals and vocal harmonies of husband-and-wife duo Trae and Jamie Lynn Buckner. The Hillbilly Biscuits fired up the crowd with everything from traditional bluegrass, fiddle and string band tunes to a cover of the Marshall Tucker Band’s “Fire on the Mountain,” their bluegrass-flavored take on the “Pennsylvania Polka” and much more. And Well Strung brought their festive energy to the stage with two fun sets blending catchy original songs with Americana favorites. Displaying his colorful “blues tree” upright bass, Jeff Scheller led the group, flanked by guitarist and singer Christian James, fiddler and singer Ray Bruckman and banjo player Dustin Terpenning. During their latter set, Well Strung staged the “Cresson Middle School Contest,” where the individual band members did solo ventures; Ray performed Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile” on five-string fiddle, and Jeff did solo upright bass solo work on “Grandfather’s Clock.” Shortly after Well Strung finished their nightcap set, festival organizer Michelle Houser and her mother gave tearful, heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported this event during its ten-year run. Then the night ending surprise, as Mama Corn – Jeremy Nelson, Bruce Forr, Johnny Stevens and Bryan Homan – got back together onstage one more time to perform “We Bid You Goodnight,” the song they traditionally ended the festival with while they were together. A fireworks display then capped the final “Pickin’ For Wishes.” Prior to this year, “Pickin’ For Wishes” had raised more than $305,000, enabling Make A Wish of Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia to grant 72 wishes for children battling critical health issues. This year’s success will enable that special work to continue. Hats off to Michelle, Carolee and the entire Make-A-Wish team for making this special event happen for the past 12 years. As the sign on the back of the stage said, “Thanks for the Memories!”
The late July installment of the PA Roundhouse Rally concert series at Roundhouse Harley-Davidson near Duncansville brought a prevalent 1990s flavor during its two days. Kicking off the music on the Friday half, The Zuds set the tone with their strong set of 1990s rock and alternative. Singer Luke Patterson, guitarist Eric Prindible, bassist Brad Bender and drummer Jared Middleton fired off rocking 90s favorites from Green Day, Seven Mary Three, Lit, Incubus, Live, Weezer, Stone Temple Pilots, Eve 6, Silverchair, Alice In Chains, Toadies, Better than Ezra, Smashing Pumpkins and more. One group The Zuds didn’t cover this night was Pearl Jam; that task would be handled by Pittsburgh-based Pearl Jam tribute The Ten Band. Celebrating Pearl Jam’s music since 2003, The Ten Band did an amazing job bringing Pearl Jam’s music to the crowd, sounding convincing enough that you could close your eyes and believe you were hearing the real thing! They covered the Pearl Jam essentials, doing such numbers as “Animal,” “Evenflow,” “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” “Dissident,” “Nothingman,” “Daughter,” “Better Man,” “Why Go,” “Black,” “Jeremy,” and when the crowd demanded encore – “Alive,” a version of The Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me” and “Yellow Ledbetter.”…Saturday’s leg of the PA Roundhouse Rally kicked off with the Bad Luck Lover Boys, with Todd Harshbarger staffing the drum kit in place of Brad Hengst. Todd, singers and guitarists Chris Diehl and Matt Godissart, and bassist Adam Lingenfelter brought the power punk as they did numbers from Jimmy Eat World, Blink-182, Weezer, Green Day, Fall Out Boy and more. Guest singer Erika Machiel from Shallow 9 joined the group to belt out a version of the Cranberries’ “Zombie.” The Jaded Lips continued to fire up the crowd with their rock and soul “lip service,” mixing many of their original songs with tunes from the Rolling Stones, Peter Gabriel, Black Crowes, James Gang, Jimi Hendrix and more. Philadelphia-based Stone Temple Pilots tribute group Lounge Fly then slammed the lid on the Roundhouse Rally with their strong performance of the group’s songs. Singer Brian Rosner, guitarist Scott Eller, bassist Richard Dean Wilson and drummer Ira Fleischer convincingly brought forward Stone Temple Pilots’ material, doing such songs as “Unglued,” “Lady Picture Show,” “Dead and Bloated,” “Wicked Garden,” “Vasoline,” “Interstate Love Song,” “The Big Empty,” “Crackerman,” “Sour Girl,” “Creep,” “Plush,” “Sex Type Thing,” and to close out the night, “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart.” Proceeds from the Roundhouse Rally benefit children and veterans in Blair County.
I took in a portion of Saturday’s half of last month’s Mass N Tha Grass Music, Art and Gaming Festival, which happened at the Sinking Valley Fairgrounds near Skelp in northern Blair County. This festival again presented a wide array of musical performers over its two days, spanning a variety of genres. Local singer and songwriter John Peacefire was under way as I arrived; John offered a throwback to the 1960s style of activist folk singer as he sang original numbers about societal ills, the government war machine and more. John performed several numbers from his new album “Checks and Balances in an Underground Tunnel,” as well as such tunes as “War Of Attrition” and “Piece of the Universe.” Following John was Altoona-based foursome Toy, who performed their brand of melody-based, punk-rooted alternative rock. Singer and guitarist Christian Douglas, guitarist Julian Saborio, bassist Dylan Forr and drummer Braeden McCabe did many of their original songs; including their latest single “Chemical Burns,” “Until the Day It Does,” “Dreaming,” “Pariah” and “Target Audience,” along with covers of Nirvana’s “Marigold” and The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” Next was State College-based EDM and rap artist Wookspok, who constructed musical creations using synthesizer, samples and audio experimentation. Wookspok’s original song creations included “The Basketcase,” “Swing It Harder,” the EDM-geared “Bananagram Hammock” and more. Lucid Yooth & the Cubensis Lenses then brought their style of melody-geared, psychedelic rock. The group brought a special guest this day, as longtime area drummer Steve Bidoli took over behind the drum kit – joining his daughter, bassist and singer Anna Marie Bidoli, and lead singer and guitarist Guy Mauro. Lucid Yooth & the Cubensis Lenses sounded strong on their variety of original material, doing such songs as “Acid Rain,” “The Word,” “Magic Rug,” “Space Queen Daydream” and their newly-released studio single, “Double Rainbow.” As darkness arrived, the Flow N’At fire dancers started illuminating the grounds near the stage with their artistry as Grimm and the Reapers took the stage, stepping up the intensity with a powerful set of their original blend of hip-hop-edged punk and nu-metal. Vocalist Grimm Adams, guitarist Brandon Valentine, bassist Tyler Valentine and drummer Joe Carlo delivered volatile, action-packed numbers including “Get Up,” “Good and Evil,” “Medusa,” “Zombies,” “Attack Attack” and more, stirring up dancers along the way. The music then shifted to blues, as Lancaster-based blues trio Soul Miners Union dropped jaws to the ground with their stunning brand of blues rock. Singer and guitarist Ben Brandt, bassist Liam Galiano and drummer Tristan Miller demonstrated their knack for thick, bluesy grooves as they played a number of original songs. Soul Miners Union’s songs often built into intense, blues-rocking jams with Ben delivering fiery guitar solo displays. The group also did an extended jam version of Robin Trower’s “Bridge Of Sighs.” The music then moved inside one of the fairground buildings, where The Jaded Lips then demonstrated their sassy rock and soul “lip service.” Singer and guitarist Mike Wertz, bassist Hunter Karns, lead guitarist Greg Larrimore and drummer David Applas did many songs from their debut CD “Lip Service,” introduced several new original numbers, and did select covers from the Rolling Stones, Snoop Dogg and others. Mass N Tha Grass saw brisk attendance this year, and this annual festival appears to have a bright future.
A little story…During a Monday in mid-July, I hit the road to make my usual annual sojourn to Knoebel’s Amusement Resort in Elysburg to enjoy some park food, fun and live music. I never got there that day, as my “Professor-mobile” of the past 10 years, my 2012 Suzuki SX4, succumbed to transmission failure along Route 45 between Mifflinburg and Lewisburg after 239,186 miles of service. After procuring a new “Professor-mobile” (a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport), I gave the new machine its symbolic initiation by again undertaking the journey to Knoebels on another Monday last month. The weather was on the rainy side this day (unlike the 90-degree-plus temperatures of that July day), but I made it there to enjoy the park and live music courtesy of Rick K’s Road Trip. Continuing the show band tradition of his previous incarnation, Rick K & the All Nighters, Rick K has assembled a new roster; including sax player and keyboardist Seth Mellon, guitarist Johnny Henline, bassist Jay Van Scyoc and drummer Harry Marion (this day; Bryan Bond also drums with the group). During their latter set, Rick led the group on a variety of hits spanning the 1950s to today; displaying a strong singing voice and eagerness to connect with the audience. He and the group performed songs from Roy Orbison, Wild Cherry, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & the Shondells, Van Morrison, Dion, the Monkees and more. The Road Trip crew supported Rick with strong performances; at several points Seth could be seen playing keys and sax at the same time. Later in this set, Harry’s daughter April stepped up to sing lead on a version of Abba’s “Dancing Queen.” Rick K’s Road Trip maintains a busy schedule; they play this month at the Gratz Fair, Beaver Community Fair and Bloomsburg Fair, and play 10 show dates at South Padre Island, Texas in November.
Stormy brought their musical mixture to Hollidaysburg’s Canal Basin Park last month as part of the “Music in the ‘Burg” summer concert series. A huge crowd took advantage of non-stormy, sunny weather to enjoy Stormy’s mixture of classic rock with a jazzy touch. Singer and harmonica player Mark Montrella, guitarist and singer Brandon Stewart, drummer Ray Fedeli, keyboardist Charlie Leiden, and Charlie’s son Luke Leiden on bass, played a wide selection of material spanning the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Their selection included songs from the Byrds, Neil Young, Phil Collins, Badfinger, Ringo Starr, Rolling Stones, Eddie Money, Crosby Stills & Nash, Steely Dan, Lovin’ Spoonful, Joe Cocker, Bruce Hornsby & the Range and many more. Highlights along the way included Carole Fedeli joining in to sing lead on songs from Patsy Cline and Carole King, plus duet with Mark on tunes from Fleetwood Mac and John Prine; Brandon growling out the lead vocal on Tom Waits’ “Heart Attack and Vine,” the group’s dazzling version of Traffic’s “Low Spark of High Heeled Boys,” and their Beatles finale of “Let It Be” into “Lady Madonna,” where audience members merged into a dancing circle in front of the stage. Stormy’s overall talents and bright delivery captivated and aroused the large audience from start to end. For more fun, watch for Stormy’s monthly appearances at Hollidaysburg’s Argonne Café.
Altoona’s historic Baker Mansion has again been hosting its annual “Sunday on the Lawn” summer concert series, and I caught my first look at local acoustic duo Strings there in late July. Singer and guitarist Mike Shank and guitarist Dave Lamb started Strings in 2021 after first meeting during the weekly Wednesday Jam Night at Altoona’s Unter Uns Musical & Entertainment Society. Strings has been earning a fan base ever since with their personable presentation and easy-going delivery. Mike and Dave mixed a wide variety of hit songs spanning the 1960s and 70s, including numbers from Glen Campbell, The Youngbloods, Dave Edmunds, Elvis Presley, Roger Miller, CCR, the Temptations, The Hollies, Three Dog Night, the Youngbloods, Classics IV, The Cyrcle and many more. Mike shared stories and perspective on many of the songs the pair performed. Strings plays in a variety of settings, including public venues, private parties, nursing homes, community events and more.
I was a performer and a spectator during last month’s Claysburg Area Community Days celebration at Claysburg Community Park. I helped lead off the entertainment during Sunday’s festivities as part of the Joy Drummers contingent, as we played a number of West African drum songs on djembes and djun-djuns (African bass drums). After the Claysburg American Legion Band performed a set of patriotic songs and standards, Lauren & Joe finished up the music in acoustic fashion. With Lauren Johnson doing most of the singing and Joe George playing acoustic guitar and singing, the duo played a wide variety of rock, folk and country hits, with requests from the audience steering their journey. Lauren and Joe played requests for songs from John Mellencamp, Tracy Chapman, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Murphy and many more. One of the big surprises was when they received a request for Temple Of The Dog; they took on the group’s song “Hunger Strike” and did an excellent job with it. Joe also sang lead on John Prine’s “Spanish Pipedream.” Lauren & Joe maintain a busy performance schedule throughout the region, from Johnstown to Altoona to Bedford, Huntingdon and more.
Every now and then, my radio broadcast duties enable me to catch some live music, and such was the case early last month when I saw the Giants Of Science entertain as part of the Open House and BBQ event at Altoona’s Newburg Volunteer Fire Department. I caught their first set as keyboardist Scotty B, singer and guitarist Mick, bassist and singer Johnny 5 and a new drummer added to the afternoon’s fun with their takes on tunes from Neil Diamond, James, Flock Of Seagulls, the Cars, Sublime, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Modern English, Simple Minds, Men At Work and more. Following the Giants, PletchVello – the merger of singer and guitarist Matt Pletcher and drummer Randy Servello – finished up the musical activities.
I did manage to get away for a week’s vacation at North Carolina’s Outer Banks (Kitty Hawk area) in late July and early August, and managed to check out some live music while I was there. I saw Yacht Dogs bring their unique brand of rock to Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint in Kill Devil Hills. Four members strong, the Yacht Dogs played gritty, raw, garage-styled guitar rock as they mixed original songs with an eclectic range of covers. Their flavors ranged from surf rock to soul, blues, rockabilly and more. Their cover selection included the first amped-up rock version of Wayne Newton’s “Danke Schoen” I have ever heard, plus the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop,” the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” the Beatles’ “A Day in The Life” and “Don’t Let Me Down” and more.
Two nights later, I saw another Outer Banks band favorite, Formula, as they performed at the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills. Formed in 2001, this foursome also did an interesting variety of rock, including improvisational original jam-rock numbers and a wide array of covers – including versions of Johnny Kidd & the Pirates’ “Shakin’ All Over,” Al Green’s “Take Me to the River,” Radiohead’s “Creep,” Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” and – for the night’s finale – an extended jam version of Jefferson Airplane’s psychedelic 60’s classic “White Rabbit.”
The western PA music scene was saddened recently with the passing of Mark “Whitey” Cooper. A former Hollidaysburg resident who has lived in Pittsburgh since the 1970s, Mark passed away on August 1 after battling throat cancer and a heart disease. Mark was best known as a longtime drummer and singer with Norman Nardini & the Tigers and Norman’s subsequent band. He appeared on several of Norman’s albums. Mark was a highly-skilled drummer as well as an exceptional and soulful singer. Mark also formed the Pittsburgh area throwback rhythm and blues band Blind Venetians in the early 1990s, and played drums on an album by Austin, Texas group True Believers. Mark also appeared as “The White Shirt Zombie” in George Romero’s 1978 film “Dawn Of the Dead.”
News and notes…Donna the Buffalo, Driftwood, Maddie Walsh & the Blind Spots and Yam Yam are among more than 30 bands performing at the Another World Music Festival, taking place Sept. 13-15 at
Winkelblech Fields near Woodward…The 5th annual Homegrown Music & Community Festival happens Sept. 7 at People’s Natural Gas Park in Johnstown, with proceeds benefiting several Johnstown area charities. Performing will be Even The Odds, A Faster Ride, Kevin Dale and Josh Gallagher…The 12th annual Northern Appalachian Folk Festival takes place Sept. 6-7 in downtown Indiana, with live music happening both days on two stages…Altoona’s Tom Brown has just released a new album from his studio project Pensive Fear. The album is called “Codename: The Strike,” and CD’s are available for purchase…Jim Donovan & the Sun King Warriors have announced the date of the release party for their long-awaited third album, “Like A Light.” That event will take place on October 19 at Mr. Smalls Theater in Millvale…And Post Traumatik will release their second full-length album, “Saint Traumatik,” with an album release event on October 26 at Noble Stein Brewing Company in Indiana. That album will be available through streaming platforms, as well as on vinyl and CD.
Please send correspondence and recordings to: Jim Price, 1104 S. Catherine St., Altoona, PA 16602. You can also e-mail me at jptheprofessor@gmail.com. And if you’re into social networking, look me up on Facebook. Continue to SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!
