Rachel Rocks, Josh Noll, and Robin Noll
Hello Central PA and beyond, welcome back to another edition of PA Musician Magazine. March is descending upon us, and it seems as if the spring showers are arriving a little early this year. I guess old Phil could be right this year. Let’s hope Old Man Winter goes back to sleep, and our March is filled with birds and local bands singing for all to hear. I know I’ve had enough of the fluffy white stuff for one year, but you just never know what March in PA will bring. Still plenty of time for a last-minute blizzard. So keep those snow shovels handy, and let’s get into the music.
I started the month of February strong with a full night of music down on the west shore. First, over to see “Katz 22” and “The Resistors” for a SOLD OUT “Ultimate Classic Rock and Roll Experience” at the beautiful West Shore Theatre in New Cumberland. If you haven’t been to the Theatre, you should check out an upcoming event. It’s a great place for a show. They have been having great turnouts, so if you see a show you like, get your tickets in advance, as they could sell out. The theatre gives you a big feel in an up-close and personal setting. They seat about 200 people, and along with the main seating, they have side bench areas for groups. This month you can catch Jeffrey Gaines with Meaghan Farrell on the 23rd. Along with music, they have a full month of events from movies to comedy and kids events. Check them out on facebook.com/WestShoreTheatreArts and WestShoreTheatre.org for tickets and events.
“The Resistors” kicked off the show and did a great job for the full house. These self-proclaimed seasoned musicians didn’t waste any time getting the crowd pumped. They play a good mix of sing-a-long style classics that everyone knows. From “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” to “Hang on Sloopy,” all the songs you grew up on and more. The bass (Rick Bell) and guitar (Dave Kelly) players both took turns switching it up, taking the lead with the vocals, and even drummer Eric Sheerer took his turn on the mic. They did a great job harmonizing and generally just having a great time, which translated well to the crowd, who responded with clapping and singing on cue when asked by any of the band members. I was really impressed with the band’s stage presence as well as the crowd’s spirit. Everyone was there to eat popcorn, listen to live music, get rowdy, and have a good time. This all built up to the amazing Katz 22 performance that had people out of their seats and in the aisles singing and dancing along. Check out the cover story in this issue for the full Katz 22 story. We are lucky to have a place like the West Shore Theatre, so get out and support. Also, be on the lookout, as Katz 22 and The Resistors, along with Little Rock Productions, plan on hitting up some more venues in the area with the ‘Ultimate Classic Rock and Roll Experience.”
After the theatre, I headed over to the Underground Live for the ending of what was a 4-band night featuring The Riot, Calling Hours, The Jelly Bricks, and Jet Silver. I missed the first two bands but caught the last couple of songs of the Jelly Bricks. It’s been a while since seeing these guys, and when followed by Jet Silver, it was like a 2000 family reunion show. I’ve spent a lot of time in the “Underground Live” in its many iterations. Seeing all the familiar faces reminded me of the good old days, and the whole night reminded me how great the local music scene really is. To hear the full show review, check out Chris Riders’ article starting on page 18. The Underground is still BYOB and is another great place to catch a band; they have a lot of shows coming up, and on March 30th, you can catch Dead Cowboy and The Cretins; doors at 7:00, show starts at 8:00 pm.
There is a ton of new shows popping up; check out what the area has to offer. Plenty of shows and events are heading our way; just flip through and check out everyone’s schedule. One note of importance is The Public House at The Markets has done a name change and is now the Iron Lion. Be sure to check out the schedule in this issue and plan your next trip. They have the same great owners and staff, just a new name to start out 2024 fresh.
That’s it for this month. If you would like to get the news out about your upcoming event or summer festival, hit me up fast because summer will be here before you know it. Email: joshnoll@pamusician.net Call 717-636-4203. We have the best rates around in the only music-focused local music paper still in print. We would love to help promote you or your next event. Take care and talk to you soon, music lovers.