As I begin my article for February, the thermometer is showing the temperature as 3 degrees below zero. Hopefully I can keep my hands and brain thawed long enough to make it through this month’s writ.
Due to job duties and winter weather, I got to check out only a limited number of shows during this past month, including two during the recent holiday season. Two days after Christmas, longtime area blues-rock favorites Felix & the Hurricanes marked 35 years of rocking with a special anniversary show at Funky Claud’s in Altoona. A large contingent of “Hurricaniacs” and fans filled the house to celebrate as the Hurricanes – founding member “Hurricane Felix” Kos on vocals and guitar, Bill Nusom on bass and vocals, Bob Watters on drums and vocals, and Dave Villani on keys and vocals – played an abundance of classic, southern rock and pop hits and several of their original song favorites. They welcomed numerous members of the Hurricanes’ extended family onto the stage along the way…’Canes alumni Jeff Clapper and Pat McGinnis both joined in on bass and vocals; Mike Borstnar added some scorching guitar licks; Donnie Rhodes sat in behind the drum kit; and John Shimko, Brian Elliott and Lauren Johnson all added their impressive voices to the mix. Starting with their rendition of Robben Ford’s “Start It Up,” the Hurricanes and their guests jammed on tunes from Delbert McClinton, the Allman Brothers, Golden Earring, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steppenwolf, Van Morrison, CCR, Spirit, Neil Young, James Gang and many more. Jeff Clapper, who sang on and helped create many of the Hurricanes’ original numbers, joined in to perform on some of those songs – including “Keep On Rockin,’” “Issues,” “Coming Home,” “Black Widow” and “Just Had to Play the Blues”…Pat McGinnis also played bass on several numbers and sang lead on Little Feat’s “Willin’”…John Shimko unleashed his Danny Joe Brown growl on Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ With Disaster”…JuJu Bone frontman Brian Elliott and Stone Bridge Blues Band guitarist Mike Borstnar contributed their talents on renditions of Willie Dixon/Muddy Waters’ “Hoochie Coochie Man” and Freddie King’s “I’m Tore Down,” Donnie Rhodes (who filled in for Bob as he recuperated from triple-bypass surgery a year ago) provided the drum rhythms during Grand Funk Railroad’s “Some Kind of Wonderful,” and Lauren Johnson sang lead on Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away.” The Hurricanes remembered their former drummer John McKnight (who left us two years ago this month) with a song he created during his time with the group, “Way Behind,” with Bob singing the lead. The mood was festive and celebratory throughout the night, the dance floor stayed filled, and special anniversary cakes were baked up and served to the crowd – it was a very joyful evening! Congratulations to Felix and all of the Hurricanes past and present for 35 years of great music and times – and as their original tune says – “Keep On Rockin’”!
Helping me to segue from old year 2025 to New Year 2026 was D.D. & the Pub Crawlers, who provided the New Year’s Eve musical fun at Altoona’s Unter Uns Musical & Entertainment Society. The evening started with “New Year in Germany,” featuring a special German sampler food platter (pork chop, mini potato pancakes, soup and more) available for purchase. Back by popular demand for New Year’s Eve, D.D. & the Pub Crawlers – singer Dana “D.D.” Martino, husband Art Martino on bass and vocals, Devin Sherman on guitar, Adam Baranik on keys, Rick Guyer on drums, and the four-man horn section of Anthony Martino and Scott Lovell on saxes, Scott Woomer on trombone and Larry Detwiler on trumpet – fired up the celebration with their feisty mixture of rock, soul, swing, ska, R&B and more. The Pub Crawlers brought energy and fun from the get-go, their enthusiasm and joy quickly radiating into the audience, many who were up and dancing almost immediately. The group played their first two sets leading up to midnight, with plentiful highlights along the way. Another member of the Martino family, Nicholas, joined in to sing dual lead with Dana on Louis Prima’s “Jump, Jive an’ Wail,” and the group jumped and jived between numbers from Sam & Dave, Peter Gabriel, Van Morrison, the Kinks, Labelle, Chicago, Stray Cats, Billy Joel, Amy Winehouse, Aretha Franklin, Reel Big Fish, the blending of Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” into Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and more. Midnight, champagne toasts, hot dogs and sauerkraut arrived as 2026 ousted 2025, and the Pub Crawlers resumed the party afterward with music from the Four Seasons, Blue Swede, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, A-Ha, Boz Scaggs, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, James Brown and others. When the audience and dance floor called for one more at night’s end, the Pub Crawlers responded with the Ides Of March’s “Vehicle.” A great time was had by all, and…The Pub Crawlers return to the Unter Uns for next New Year’s Eve!
The first show I attended after New Year’s Day was in State College…After finishing my early January PA Musician downtown State College deliveries, since the student crowds were away and parking was free, my live music destination was Zeno’s, where former Rustlanders frontman Jason McIntyre was in town and bringing some of his distinctive brand of folk, folk rock and country. Some musical friends were on hand to contribute to the fun –Nathan Cutshall on harmonica, singer Kate Twoey, Daryl Branford on conga drums and djembe, Cory Neidig on banjo and Adam Laird on mandolin. Over two sets, Jason and his guests mixed a number of his original songs with select blues, folk and country covers. I didn’t catch too many song titles, but Jason introduced a few new original numbers, and also performed “Stop Breaking Down” and his closing number “Last Night’s Cigarette.” He and his friends also did a Jerry Jeff Walker song, along with renditions of Little Feat’s “Willin,’” the gospel standard “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home.” The mood was happy throughout, as Jason reveled in playing before a State College audience, and that audience showed their appreciation. Soon after, another local favorite, Eric Ian Farmer, performed two sets of music along with a few of his musical friends. Joining Eric were Brazilian guitarist Pepe Barcellos, Nevaris on congas, Michael Christie on drums and Mickey Klein on bass; plus Nathan Cutshall also joined in on harmonica during a rendition of the Beatles’ “Yesterday.” Eric played a wide variety of material, tapping into flavors of soul, funk, reggae and more. Some of his selections included two Marvin Gaye numbers, “Mercy Mercy Me” (into “We Shall Overcome”) and “What’s Going On,” Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” and his powerful and emotional rendition of Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me” to finish the night. Eric and his guests often elevated their songs into energetic and extended jams and grooves, and while addressing some of today’s social issues, brought a connecting thread of hope for a better world through much of the performance. Both Jason McIntyre and Eric Ian Farmer, joined by their respective casts of musical guests, delivered a rousing show.
I caught my first look at Lock Haven-based guitarist and singer Nathaniel Mowery when he entertained at McGarvey’s last month. Nathaniel brought an interesting presence to the stage – including a distinctive and gritty singing style, his arrangements and experimentations on acoustic guitars and ukulele, and variety of song material. The 1990s made up a prominent part of Nathaniel’s repertoire during the time I watched him perform. Guest Sascha Frost was assisting on acoustic guitar on an Alice In Chains number when I first arrived, and Nathaniel also played numbers from Nirvana, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and a harder-geared folk rendition of Tool’s “Aenima.” He also broke out numbers from CCR, Foster the People, White Stripes, the Doors, and Pink Floyd, and guest Mindy Lee sang lead vocals on a version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” Nathaniel Mowery offers a different angle with his acoustic performance; watch for him on stages throughout central PA.
McGarvey’s also presented national recording artists Tantric last month, headlining a three-band bill. With a large crowd already in the house, Altoona’s Take The Hit led off the music, slamming out high-velocity punk and metal-fueled rock. Guitarists Jake Defibaugh and Wes Shriner, bassist Steve Reighard and drummer Josh Ryan set their intense, go-for-broke pace from the get-go for each song, setting the volatile backdrop for Jake’s feral howl. Take The Hit hammered out intense, no-nonsense original numbers such as “Lick the Pump” and “Smell the Glove,” plus newer assaults as well. Williamsport’s Audiobox followed with their hard-hitting set of 1980s/90s-rooted alternative rock originals and select covers. Lead singer and guitarist Matthew Colegrove, guitarist and singer Joe Reighenbach, bassist Jason Miller and drummer Jason Maurer introduced melody-geared, hard-rocking numbers such as “My Child,” “Disappear,” “The Ballad of James Alex” and others, plus did numbers from Clutch, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters. Matthew provided the strong voice up front, and Audiobox sounded powerful and tight – receiving increased cheers as their set progressed. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Tantric delivered a strong and heartfelt set recounting that first album and their body of music. Lone remaining founding member, singer and guitarist Hugo Ferreira, lead guitarist Matt Fuller, rhythm guitarist Jarad Carney, bassist Breezy Bree and drummer Christian Lawrence played much of their self-titled album plus several of their other song creations. After the triple-shot of “Down and Out,” “After We Go” and “Cliché” led off the set, a short interlude led to Tantric’s performance of the debut album starting with “Live Your Life,” and continuing with “I Don’t Care,” “Paranoid,” “Revillusion” and the ballad “Mourning.” Hugo recalled the struggles of the music business as Tantric got off the ground, but expressed appreciation for the ride and thanked the crowd for their support. The group continued with another of their better-known songs, “Astounded,” followed by “I’ll Stay Here,” “Frequency,” “All To Myself,” “Hate Me,” “Inside Your Head,” and to wrap up their main set, the leadoff song from the debut album, “Breakdown,” which was their most successful single. When the McGarvey’s crowd called for an encore, Tantric returned with another of their well-known tracks, “Hey Now,” to end the night. Tantric’s performance was strong, as Hugo communicated and connected with the audience, and the rest of the group supported him with a hearty and energetic performance. Their third time at McGarvey’s, Tantric was well-received by the audience, and this was a very good show.
Somerset-based husband-and-wife duo J.D. & Cindy visited Levity Brewing Co.’s downtown Altoona location last month as part of that location’s 10th anniversary. J.D. Ross plays bass, flute, harmonica and sings lead and backing vocals; while Cindy Ross plays acoustic guitar and sings lead vocals. The duo performed their unique blend of re-imagined folksy classic hits, along with their own original numbers. Cindy sang lead on multiple songs, including numbers from CCR, Carly Simon, Janis Joplin, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty and Jefferson Airplane, as well as the duo’s original number “Who You Are.” For those who remember J.D. from his 1990s project Nixon Pit Crew, he still wields a feisty flute, which he brandished while fronting a great version of Jethro Tull’s 1972 hit “Living in the Past.” J.D. & Cindy’s pleasant vibe and musical skills kept the audience happy throughout the performance. They return to Levity Brewing Co.’s Altoona location on May 8.
And chili, wing and live music enthusiasts filled the upstairs hall at Altoona’s Bavarian Aid Society late last month for the Central PA Humane Society’s annual “Chili and Wing Fest,” raising funds for the Society’s shelter animals. Chilis and wings from a number of area restaurants, bars, taverns and food trucks, along with several home chefs, were sampled and voted upon by a panel of judges as well as all the people in attendance. Trophies were presented for the top three finishers in both the judges and “People’s Choice” categories for both chili and wings. Shallow 9 provided the evening’s entertainment and ample reason for getting on the dance floor to burn off those newly-acquired chili and wing calories. Singers Erika Machiel and Mike Stanley; guitarist, keyboardist and singer Ryan Weaver; lead guitarist and singer John Barrett, bassist and singer Mitch Neuder and drummer Todd Harshbarger reliably triggered dance floor action with their wide variety of rock, funk, pop and hip-hop favorites. Shallow 9 broke out favorites from Tom Petty, Killers, Amy Winehouse, Outkast, Billy Idol, Bowling For Soup, Joan Jett and others. The group also generated several medleys, including a rock-punk-emo medley, a funk-disco medley and a hip-hop medley. Shallow 9 kept it fun from start to finish; the music was constant, the vocals were in good form and the musicianship grooved.
The area music scene was saddened by several recent passings…Longtime guitarist Mike Gambardella passed away on January 14 after battling illness at age 61. Mike played guitar with a number of area bands dating back to the 1980s, including Traxx, Psycho, Escape, Broken Silence, and more recently, Chris Woodward & Shindiggin’…Eric Beech passed away on January 19 at age 70. From Somerset, Eric was the longtime drummer for Somerset-based rock band Dirty Dogz and also with Whip…Longtime Centre County musician Stephen Bowman passed on January 13 at age 76. A graduate of Penn State and Berklee College of Music, Steve became a lead tenor saxophone player with the reformed Glenn Miller Orchestra, and during that period performed at Jimmy Carter’s Inaugural Ball, plus toured the U.S., Canada, Venezuela and Europe. He also performed with Billy Eckstine, Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope, Frankie Laine and Helen O’Connell. After leaving the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Steve settled in Boalsburg, and worked at Music Mart in State College, became a founding member of the Arthur Goldstein Jazz Quartet, and played for a number of years with Tommy Wareham and the Intrigues. He also taught saxophone, clarinet and jazz improvisation at his home studio.Our condolences go out to the families, friends and bandmates of all three men.
News and Notes: Featured on the cover of PA Musician two times in recent years, Pittsburgh’s Radio 45 will release their first full-length album, “For Yinz About to Rock,” in the spring; the first single from the album, “No Point,” will be released on Feb. 1…Strings Radio will perform as part of the 4th annual Nicholas Foreman Overdose Awareness Benefit, taking place at the Gallitzin American Legion’s Oriental Ballroom on February 7…Devin Sherman, Dylan Miller and Bill Ferrell will demonstrate and discuss their guitar styles, and share insights into their music, inspirations and instruments during the “Triple Threat Guitar Show on February 7 in the Grotto at the ArtsAltoona Center on February 7; the event was postponed from January due to winter weather…“The Best…2026 Guitar Show” will return to the Blair County Convention Center near Altoona on February 22…Cosmic Charlie’s Coffee House in Bellwood closed their doors in mid-January; Cosmic Charlie’s had become a friendly community space, and hosted acoustic performers as well as poetry and music open mic events…A popular publication that covered the Pittsburgh area music and arts scene has folded. Pittsburgh City Paper was shuttered on New Year’s Day by its owner, Block Communications, citing financial reasons. The free publication was an advocate for the performing arts, and frequently showcased rising performers on the Pittsburgh music scene, plus ran ads for the city’s live music venues…Good luck to Ethan Eckenroad, Jimmy Mowery, The Jaded Lips, Sweet Desire and Open Ends – all nominated for awards at the annual Central Pennsylvania Music Awards (CPMA’s), which will be presented on March 4 at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster.
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. SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC! And stay warm out there!
