As expected, it has been a busy few weeks since I wrote last month’s article, anticipating how crazy the outdoor season would get. But through hot 90-degree temperatures to severe thunderstorms, torrential rains, Canadian forest fire smoke and a huge steam locomotive passing through the area, I managed to partake in all the music events I hoped to attend. It’s hard to believe that we are already starting to enter summer’s homestretch!
Downtown Ebensburg again celebrated motorcycles and chicken wings in late June with their annual Wheels & Wings event. Local businesses and wing vendors presented their best wing varieties for visitors to savor. Live music was again part of the festivities…I first found the music outside the Ebensburg American Legion, who hosted Stacy & the Rejects as they played under a tent. Singer Stacy Feighner, husband Tony Feighner on guitar and vocals, bassist Dave Warren and drummer John Tedeski brought the party from the get-go, quickly triggering dance action with their mix of rock and pop favorites from the 70s and 80s to now. After their first set, I then checked out the nearby classic car show before proceeding to the stage near the Castle Pub to see Johnstown rock force Octane, playing to a large contingent of wing connoisseurs and music fans. Singer Mike Prebehalla, guitarists Kenny Murdick and Ian Kordish-Murdick, bassist Dave Bambino and drummer Chris Jimerson showed their versatility as they smoothly blended classic metal favorites from Judas Priest and Metallica to 90s numbers from Bowling For Soup and Wheatus to nu-metal from Drowning Pool, Rob Zombie and more. Ebensburg happily rocked down, and threatening stormy weather stayed north of town until some drizzle and light rain arrived near the end. Wheels & Wings was again a good time – hats off to the organizers for putting together another fun event!
With a shuttle bus transporting passengers between the two events, after Wheels & Wings concluded I rode the shuttle to the nearby American Legion Fairgrounds outside Ebensburg for the first night of Cambria Summit A.B.A.T.E.’s annual Bike Fest. The raindrops that began falling toward the end of Wheels & Wings evolved into a steady and heavy rainfall during Bike Fest, as Ruff Tymes – singer and guitarist Bob Ruffing, wife Tina on backing vocals, son Justin on drums and bassist Bob “Beanz” Klayko – performed on a covered stage to brave souls enduring the showers and chill under a tent. The weather didn’t dampen Ruff Tymes’ enthusiasm as they happily made the music and had fun playing classic rock, country and even a few newer favorites.
Rainy weather also didn’t dampen spirits during the 13th annual Tyrone Hops & Vines Festival in downtown Tyrone in late June. As participants sampled local craft beers, wines and moonshine, live music was happening…State College duo The Corner Brothers kicked off the music with their wide variety of acoustic hits and favorites. Brothers Matt Greer on guitar and Tyler Greer on percussion sang out numbers from Tears For Fears, Elton John, America, Chris Stapleton, Hall & Oates, Jim Croce and many more…Following them was Better Days, who stirred things up with their pop punk takeover. Lead singer and bassist Zach Estright, guitarist and singer Cameron Irvin, guitarist Jon Leo and drummer Rory Johnson established a brisk tempo as they rocked with songs from All-American Rejects, Good Charlotte, Blink-182, Lit, Sum 41, Jimmy Eats World and others.
Hot, muggy air was in place as Altoona’s Railroaders Memorial Museum hailed in the July 4th holiday with their “Main Line Mania” event, featuring another Wing Fest Express with wing vendors contending for awards in four wing categories, live music headlined by Josh Gallagher, and post-music fireworks. I arrived too late to see K4 Kountry’s swan song set, but did catch the last three songs from 7th Virtue’s set. Josh Gallagher and his band soon took the stage and entertained before a huge and jubilant home area audience. The finalist (4th place finisher) on Season 11 of NBC Television’s “The Voice,” Josh and his group mixed songs from his run on “The Voice,” new numbers such as his soon-to-be-released single “Junkie,” plus “Father to Father,” “Drink Along,” the inspiring “Never Could,” “Bright Side” (dedicated to his wife), the heavier-hitting “God’s Country,” “Boots Like Mine,” “Product Of” (a song Josh co-wrote that Lewis Brice [with brother Lee] recorded), “I Drink Beer” and more. Celebrating America 250 and the July 4th holiday, Josh and band roused the crowd with their feisty version of Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” Josh has evolved into a strong and confident performer; he sang with poise, toughness and enthusiasm, and he and his band put some rocking power behind his country twang. After Josh finished, the crowd was directed outside into the museum parking lot to enjoy an Independence Day fireworks display. This was the most successful Wing Fest Express event so far, with more than 1,000 people in attendance.
Coinciding with July 4 this year was the 13th annual Wam Bam Mountain Jam near Port Matilda. This event gets bigger every year; 13 different bands and performers graced the stage through this year’s event. I missed the first three performances by Liv and the Juveniles, Kyle Womer and Mr. Pocket; but arrived in time to see The Narrows, Luke Goes Electric, Matilda, Racer Y, GoatSmoker, festival hosts Donny Burns & the 3rd Degree, Sidewinder, Forrester Grey and PDA. (The arrival of a thunderstorm chased me back to my car, so I missed the storm-shortened set by Making State.) Musical highlights were plenty throughout the day; including the little kid “circle pit” during power metal rockers Matilda’s set, GoatSmoker’s excellent rendition of Tool’s “46 and 2” plus the young guests joining them onstage for their rendition of Mastodon’s “Blood and Thunder,” the excitement level during the entirety of Donny Burns & the 3rd Degree’s set plus fireworks during their version of Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue,” Sidewinder’s scorching set, the vocal harmonies of show closers PDA and more. The music, vibrant atmosphere, friends, T-shirt slingshots and rural setting again combined to make this another fun event…This year’s Wam Bam again drew a huge crowd; hats off to Donny Burns and his crew for making this party happen each year!
The second weekend in July again meant arts festival weekend in Centre County, and I was able to attend both the 60th annual Central PA Festival of the Arts in downtown State College and the People’s Choice Festival of Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts – making its return to the Military Museum in Boalsburg after a few years at a different location. I took in Thursday’s activities during the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts…I arrived in time to catch the last couple of songs by the J.R. Mangan Band with Veronica Auger on the Festival Shell stage, and then proceeded to the Willard Building Plaza to see singer and songwriter Jim Colbert. I then headed to the Sidney Friedman Park Stage to see three acts; Bradford’s Marshmellow Overcoat was performing when I arrived. This group – singer and keyboardist Tyler Calkins, bassist and singer Dave Verbocy, lead guitarist Alan Hancock and drummer Anthony Cavallaro – still shows a knack for sharp and catchy melodies, demonstrated as they performed a few songs from their new album “Beat A Dead Horse” plus some of their older song material…Following them was Lancaster’s DeRose & the Dreadnoughts. Five members strong and fronted by namesake, singer, guitarist and keyboardist Mark DeRose, this group mixed classic rock, funk and soul flavors on several original songs plus a few select covers such as Steve Miller Band’s “Jet Airliner” and Paul Simon’s “Late in the Evening”…Closing the Sidney Friedman Park stage were the Cody Sisters with their mix of bluegrass and folk flavors. Originally from Colorado but now based in Brooklyn, this four-piece group – including sisters Megan and Maddie Cody – played a variety of original songs, including some from their latest album “All the Quiet People.” The sisters also shared stories about their musical adventures, often with some witty humor…I finished the day at the Allen Street stage, discovering the Pittsburgh-based trio of McConnell, Vitullo and Choe. Drummer Brent McConnell, guitarist Tim Vitullo and bassist Rob Choe generated instrumentals blending rock, blues, jazz and more. Most of their selections were originals, but they did do rocking instrumental variations on Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” David Bowie’s “Heroes,” Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” and more.
My choice to do the Central PA Festival of the Arts was a wise one, as I learned on Friday when I attended the People’s Choice Festival. Shortly after arriving at People’s Choice this day I learned that State College got nailed by a nasty rain storm that caused street flooding along College Avenue and forced some performances of their Arts Festival to be cancelled. Some rain fell and created some mud puddles in Boalsburg, but caused no flooding or cancelled performances. A power disruption pushed back the start time for the day’s final band, Coal Aly. That may have been a blessing in disguise, as it allowed more people to arrive and fill the seats before the band started. I was first blown away by Coal Aly when I saw them last summer at Canal Basin Park in Hollidaysburg, and once again these guys and ladies dropped my lower jaw to the ground with their performance! Armed with great singers, a five-piece horn section (“The Steel Rail Horns”) and amazing players, Coal Aly again brought a fun mix of classic and modern brass-rock, soul and pop gems to a happy audience. They did numbers from Lighthouse, Chicago, Steely Dan, Friends of Distinction, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Stevie Wonder, Toto, Tower of Power and more! They sounded sharp, their horn section was bold and together, singers Cat and Meredith delivered great voices and harmonies, and this band knows how to have fun and GROOVE! The People’s Choice crowd thoroughly enjoyed them! If you like brass-edged musical fun, seek out Coal Aly – you won’t be disappointed!
As reported recently, this area’s music scene lost a beloved and talented member, as Mark Rossi passed away on May 22 at age 66. The area music community celebrated Mark’s life and legacy last month at Altoona’s Unter Uns Musical & Entertainment Society. The afternoon saw several performances; the most anticipated was a reunion performance of members of the U.S. Hotel House Band, formed by Mark and his brother Jimmy (who passed in 2000). Hosting weekly Wednesday jam nights at the U.S. Hotel in Hollidaysburg from the late 1980s through early 1990s, Mark and Jimmy with the House Band sowed seeds to help build a musical brotherhood. A number of U.S. Hotel House Band alumni and participants came together to create music and remember Mark; including Pat McGinnis, Randy Rutherford, Bob Scholl, Felix Kos, Kent Martin, Jason Ebersole, Chuck Knepper, Dave Villani, Kim Metzgar, Pat Kibler and others. Mark’s (and Jimmy’s) brother Steve Rossi sang lead vocals on several songs, and Mark’s daughter Serena sang the lead vocal on Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis.” Also performing during this celebration were The American Mood (who kicked off the music), the Mannish Boys, Bruce Schettig, Don Osborn & Friends, and Firewheel. This was a special afternoon with a lot of love under the pavilion; proceeds from the day helped out Mark’s family.
Happening at the Lincoln Caverns Campground near Huntingdon, last month’s annual Route 22 Rock & Blues Festival provided more musical highlights and memories. Starting Friday night and finishing on Sunday afternoon, the weekend saw performances from 18 different groups and artists. Friday’s slate included Side FX, Maul, Walkney, Take The Hit, Abstentious and Mashbrotatoe. Weather staged its own performances on Saturday, with a succession of thunderstorms from morning through early afternoon resulting in some performances being delayed or cancelled. Once the stormy weather cleared, the day saw performances from Little Jimmy Melonballer, John Peacefire, Surly Martyrs, Kevo, the BSXpress, Alyssa Malvoisin and JuJu Bone. In the midst of JuJu Bone’s set, a violent line of storms arrived and forced the stage to shut down. (This was the same line of storms that triggered tornado activity in several areas not far from the festival.) The music appeared to be done for this night, but after midnight, young jam rockers Ugmo would not be denied – they got permission to plug in their gear, and performed to the joy of late night revelers (including myself). The festival finished on Sunday with acoustic performances from Croaker Norge, Nate Gates, Rusty Speicher and Jesse & the Ghost. Also performing during Friday and Saturday evenings were the dancers of Higher Frequency Illusions, whose fire-twirling added to the energy and fun of the weekend. Weather notwithstanding, this was another great time – hats off to Todd McKeone and everybody who made this another successful event!
I did catch a few indoor shows in recent weeks. Weather played a role in my roadtrip to Jergel’s Rhythm Grille in Warrendale (north of Pittsburgh) early last month to see Quiet Riot. Nasty thunderstorms with flooding rains were pounding much of western PA, and I drove straight into one along Route 422 near Indiana, and pulled off the road to wait out the nonstop torrential rains, thunder and lightning. I decided to resume my quest after the storm passed, and I’m glad I did…This was an excellent show! I arrived in time to see the last song of openers Yigga Digga’s set. What I witnessed of them sounded strong and rocking, and the crowd was digging them. Johnstown’s Blood Union then followed; adding drummer Mikey and keyboard player Ernie since I last saw them, Blood Union pulled all stops to deliver a driving, hard-hitting set of original tunes. Opening with “The Best Part of You Was Me,” the group powered through such numbers as “Shine On,” “On Top,” “Knock You Out,” their soon-to-be-released single “Outlaw,” “Lit” and more. Blood Union was powerful and tight, and delivered their songs with purpose and swagger; Tim Frick has evolved into a sharp frontman with ample vocal range and grit. Blood Union also received great response from the Jergel’s crowd; this band was clearly firing on all cylinders. It was then Quiet Riot’s turn…The current line-up features their longtime bass player Rudy Sarzo, singer Jizzy Pearl (formerly of L.A. Guns and Ratt), guitarist Alex Grossi (previously with the group from 2005-08) and drummer Johnny Kelly (former Type O Negative drummer). After Queen’s “We Will Rock You” blasted through the speakers, Quiet Riot teased the intro to “Metal Health” before launching into “Run for Cover” to open the set. They then instantly fired up the crowd more with “Slick Black Cadillac” and “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” before slowing the tempo for the power ballad “I Can’t Hold On.” They followed with “Sign of the Times,” “Love’s a Bitch” and the title track to their “Condition Critical” album, before dedicating the ballad “Thunderbird” in memory to their fallen brethren Kevin DuBrow, Frankie Banali and Randy Rhoads (who was with Quiet Riot before jumping to Ozzy Osbourne’s group). They also did “Party All Night,” “Breathless” and “The Wild and the Young,” before launching into the set closer “Let’s Get Crazy,” which shifted into a “Crazy Train” midsection (in honor of Randy) and a scorching full-shred guitar solo from Alex, then a Type O Negative riff which led back into the original song’s close. After a pause where the audience yelled for more, Quiet Riot encored with the two missing favorites thus far, their hit cover of Slade’s “Cum On Feel the Noize” and “Metal Health (Bang Your Head),” escalating into a feverish finish! Quiet Riot was invested and exciting from start to finish, they engaged the crowd, left it all on stage and gave the crowd a smoking show!
A special benefit event for the ArtsAltoona Center took place in late June in the facility’s Grotto space. Sponsored by the Jeanne Shank-Huber Live Music Foundation and organized by Mike Shank of Strings, the event featured performances from Firewheel, the Backyard Rockers, Strings and The Band OZ. The event celebrated Mike’s mother, Jeanne Shank-Huber, who was a prominent Altoona area musician during the 1970s and a strong supporter of the arts. Mike told several stories about his mother and her musical career during breaks between performers. After Strings’ performance, a special portrait of Jeanne was unveiled in the Grotto. Proceeds from the event support ArtsAltoona’s programs and community arts initiatives.
Area Kiss fans wanted the best, and got Kiss Army when they performed at Funky Claud’s in Altoona in late June. Opening the night was Northern Cambria-based young rockers Farge. Featuring singer and guitarist Damian Searle, drummer A.J. Berardi, bassist and trumpet player Gio Turano and guitarist Ethan Keener, Farge played a number of hard-hitting alternative rock original songs, including several from their forthcoming album. They also led off when a version of the Stray Cats’ “Stray Cat Strut.” Kiss Army later took the stage and celebrated the 1970s era of classic Kiss. Marc Shadows as “Gene Simmons,” Steve Clark as “Peter Criss,” Bryan Angel as “Paul Stanley” and Rob Evans as “Ace Frehley” played most of the essential Kiss classics, such as “Detroit Rock City,” “Hotter Than Hell,” “Firehouse” “Do You Love Me,” “Cold Gin,” “Calling Dr. Love,” “Hard Luck Woman,” “Shout It Out Loud,” “God of Thunder,” “Rock and Roll All Night” and more.
Other performances I saw in recent weeks included Cambria County hard rockers Rust performing early last month as part of the summer outdoor concert series hosted by the Old Canal Inn in Hollidaysburg…Firewheel as they performed at the annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Festival in Altoona…and Felix & the Hurricanes during their monthly Sunday night performance at Altoona’s Black & Gold Tavern.
News and notes…Carrolltown Park will host its second annual Sunset Summerfest event on August 14 and 15; the event will feature live music both days, along with food, park concessions, a basket giveaway and more. Performers include The Toths father and son duo, Octane, Campfire Acoustic, Jimmy Mowery and Stacy & the Rejects…The inaugural “Harvest Jam: Music Revival” event will take place on Sept. 26 at the Patton Sportsmen’s Club near Patton. The Revival will feature music from The Balladeers with special guests Forrester Grey, Spaces In Between, One Sock Ollie and Owen Garrison…The Barnesboro Legion Post 508 in Northern Cambria is again hosting a “Battle of the Bands” event this year; the event will take place on Aug. 8. The outdoor event will feature bands all day, along with food, refreshments, games, face painting and more…“Kevin’s Smile: A Benefit for the Camera Guy: Kevin Stiffler” will take place on Sept. 27 at People’s Natural Gas Park in Johnstown. Always present at concerts and other events taking portraits of all the artists, Kevin has recently been battling bone loss and chronic health issues, and medical expenses have left him in tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt. Donating their talents on that day will be Jeff Perigo, Felix & the Hurricanes, and Bill Toms & Hard Rain…Altoona-based rock and dance band Model Citizen has announced the addition of a new singer, Ryen Beam; Ryen has previously sung in other projects, plus is an active member of the local theatre community…The Jaded Lips will soon rock to the beat of a different drummer, as the group’s current drummer, David Applas, will step away from the group soon; he’ll continue to be with the band for the gigs remaining on their schedule until a suitable replacement is found…Pittsburgh rockers Chip and the Charge-Ups are going through changes; the group is shortening their name to just The Charge Ups. Namesake Chip Dominick is still with the group, but all three band members – Chip, his daughter and bassist Maleena, and drummer Nolan Allen – now share lead singing duties. And with a nod to Kiss, the group will simultaneously release solo albums from each member plus issue their “crown jewel” – a full band album entitled “King for a Day,” on Sept. 4…And after a four-plus year hiatus, the Philipsburg-based hard rock band Vision To None is returning to action and will be back on area stages soon.
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. And continue to SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC!
