Post by jptheprofessor on Jan 11, 2007 20:55:19 GMT -5
JP’S HIGHLIGHT REEL – 2006
As we turn the page from 2006 into 2007, it's time for yours truly to reflect over the past year one more time, and offer my thoughts on the past year's happenings, on the local music scene and otherwise. The following opinions and views on the past year are strictly those of your friendly neighborhood Professor, and do not reflect the views and opinions of Q94, Rockpage, Pennsylvania Musician Magazine or anybody else who tends to get irritated by my mental meanderings...
JP’S HIGHLIGHTS/LOWLIGHTS OF 2006
I'll begin by listing a few highlights and lowlights from the past year, musically and otherwise...
HIGHLIGHT: THE AREA HEAVY ROCK/METAL SCENE: Many observers have noted in the past that metal and heavy rock are big in this part of the world; 2006 showed that trend is getting stronger. A number of this area's hardest-hitting bands stepped it up in 2006; putting out some excellent CD's and delivering the goods onstage. 4 Days Dirty, Second Offense, Choking Faith, House Of Cain/Killjingle/The Embalmed, FedUP, Condemned Existence, Dragon Fire, Chapter 5, Suicide Switch, Pivot, Lies, Inc., Flord and Opposition all represented well in 2006, putting on excellent live performances, and many issuing killer CD’s (or planning to issue CD’s in 2007). The strengthening of the area’s heavy music scene has opened the door for bands from outside of our area, such as York’s Ninetail and West Virginia’s Stuck In Kaos, to develop fan bases locally as well. And two western PA heavyweights, Pittsburgh’s Skell and New Castle prog-metal monsters Coinmonster, also saw good crowds during their visits over this way. Credit the strength and quality of the area heavy rock scene; venues that host shows such as Aldo’s, Westmont Gardens and others; and entities such as The Underground Television and Dave Moses’ One Voice Musical Showcase for providing some of the catalysts for people to discover this scene. I’m looking forward to more great things from area heavy rock in 2007!
HIGHLIGHT: BURGI'S ROUNDHOUSE PROVIDES THE GATEWAY TO PITTSBURGH MUSIC: Once upon a time, long ago in the 80's, Altoona used to see regular visits from some of the biggest names Pittsburgh had to offer: Billy Price & the Keystone Rhythm Band, Norman Nardini, B.E. Taylor, G-Force and others, playing places like the Coaches Inn (now City Limits) and Cisco's (now Red Lobster). After Coaches Inn and Cisco’s closed their doors, and up until Burgi’s Roundhouse opened up two years ago, sightings of such names became sporadic and rare in the Altoona area. But the powers that be at Burgi’s remember the days of Coaches Inn and Cisco’s, and have strived to reopen the gateway to Pittsburgh’s top talent. The Billy Price Band, Norman Nardini, Tony Janflone, Jr., Jill West & Blues Attack, Glenn Pavone & the Cyclones, Povertyneck Hillbillies, Angel Blue & the Prophets, Mystic Knights, The Jimmy Adler Band and others have graced Burgi’s stage in the past year. Although some of these groups have drawn well, consistent support needs to improve for Burgi’s to want to continue to bring such acts to their stage. Please support these shows when you can in 2007, and guarantee that this great talent continues to visit our area.
LOWLIGHT: PETER C'S, CASTLE PUB, CROWBAR CLOSE DOORS: The area lost three of its premiere live music venues in 2006. Although Peter C’s announced they were closing in 2005, delays in the transfer of the liquor license and deed kept the venue open until late January, with the annual Rockpage Benefit Jam closing out the venue. Ebensburg’s Castle Pub was forced to shut its doors due to repeated problems with liquor law noise enforcement, believed to be grudge-motivated. And State College’s Crowbar, citing lease issues and competition, closed its doors in early summer. Although this location has reopened as The Cell Block, live music has been sporadic so far, and the business’ future plans regarding live music aren’t yet clear. Each of the closed venues served a unique aspect of the live music scene; and all three are sorely missed.
LOWLIGHT: WE LOST SOME FRIENDS: It was a rough year for losing friends, both on the area music scene and personally. Of course, the music scene suddenly lost John Baker to a heart attack in late January. We also lost Clearfield music scene member Al Forsyth during July, and Michael Gingrich of State College’s Chaos Method lost his life in an auto accident in early August. And in December, Infused drummer Ed Longo lost his battle with cancer, and local music fan Steve Lockard passed from a heart attack. Also in December, Harrisburg music personality Bob Brechbill, who played drums for the swing band Big Tubba Mista and ran sound production, was lost to a heart attack. Personally, I lost a good friend, Cynde Clapper (mother of Jen Snyder, aka sword-twirler “Nikki Slice”) to cancer in April, and Q94 lost a devoted listener and friend, Dale Zunich, at the hands of a murderer during Memorial Day Weekend. Needless to say, a rough year.
HIGHLIGHT: THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT! Cheers to the area music scene’s youth movement, and the organizations and events that nurture it. From my position, it’s very cool to see youngsters develop their musical talents and blossom into the fresh new names on the music scene. Hats off to Get Closer To The Music for their efforts to get kids interested in music, and to Dennie Huber and his annual Crazy Fest Amateur Youth Talent Show for giving youngsters the stage and opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a supportive audience. Every year, I see Crazy Fest alumni graduate into the music scene in different ways; surfacing in bands, or developing into solo talents. It’s also very cool to be writing about the children of musicians I was writing about when I started covering local music nearly 20 years ago! Based on what I’m seeing, the future of the music scene shows much promise, with a steadily evolving crop of young musicians progressing into and refreshing the scene every year.
LOWLIGHT: SMALLER CROWDS AND FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIVE MUSIC: This is a complex problem with no simple solutions. There are a number of factors involved; the dollar doesn’t stretch as far, and jobs in this vicinity are generally lower-paying, so people have smaller budgets to allot for entertainment and often pick their night of the weekend for going out instead of venturing out two or three nights as in years past. DUI and checkpoint concerns keep more people indoors on weekends. Competing entertainment from deejays, karaoke, mechanical bulls, sumo wrestling, movies, the internet, video games and more all take their toll on live music support on any given night. Diminished crowds have contributed to the closure of places like Peter C’s and Crowbar, and the scaling back of live entertainment at other venues (both City Limits and Burgi’s cut back on their Friday live entertainment in recent months). There is no single solution to reversing this trend. But now more than ever, bands need to put their best foot forward on stage every night to keep fans coming back to support live music. More and more, it seems that two- and three-band bills are more successful for new and developing bands than new bands attempting to win a fan base alone. And bands and venues need to keep promoting, and keep EDUCATING the public about who they are and what they do, and why folks should choose their show over the other entertainment options available on any given night. The music scene needs to keep pulling together and selling the live music scene as a whole.
HIGHLIGHT: THE HITCHING POST'S WEDNESDAY COUNTRY NIGHT: For the longest time, in spite of country being the dominant force on radio in this part of the world, local country bands and artists had a tough time landing local gigs or drawing crowds on area stages. That trend has changed in recent years, and The Hitching Post’s weekly Wednesday “Country Night” has contributed to that trend. Since its inception, Wednesdays at the Hitching Post have seen steadily increasing crowds and support for such area country names as Blind Jonny Death/Rusty Gun Revival, .00 Buck (R.I.P.), Broken Pony, The Country Outlaws and more. And bluegrass has found a stage on select Wednesdays at the Hitching Post, with John Stevens’ monthly bluegrass jam night, and Mt. City Grass sowing ‘grass seeds on stage. It's good to see local country and roots music finally getting some love on area stages; kudos to the Hitching Post for providing one of those stages.
LOWLIGHT: THE STEELERS: It’s tough for teams to repeat as Super Bowl champions in this era of NFL parity, so the Steelers already had their work cut out for them in the 2006-07 season. Then Big Ben had his motorcycle crash and nearly lost his life, followed by a bout of appendicitis that set him back further in getting ready for the season. There was the distraction over whether coach Bill Cowher would be leaving at the end of the year. Having finally earned that “one for the thumb,” there may have been some complacency and “Super Bowl Hangover.” And there were injuries to key players, mental lapses and stupid penalties; and the Steelers found themselves 2-6 at the midway point of the season. To their credit, the Black and Gold battled back and were not eliminated totally from the playoff race until the next to the last week of the season, and finished 8-8. At presstime, Bill Cowher had resigned and is stepping away, so the Steelers will have a new skipper to guide them next year. Here’s hoping they find the missing pieces to the puzzle, stay out of motorcycle wrecks, and return to the NFL forefront next fall.
HIGHLIGHT: THE MARAUDERS HOOK UP WITH BRIAN SETZER: One of the best stories to emerge out of the area music scene this year...Through a mutual friend, local roots rockers The Marauders came to the attention of Brian Setzer, who identified with the group's grit and blue-collar, don't-give-a-d**n attitude enough that he penned a song for them, "We Are The Marauders," and then took them out on the road to open six dates for his Brian Setzer Orchestra. It was quite a ride for The Marauders in 2006; here's hoping 2007 is just as exciting for them.
LOWLIGHT: QUEENSRYCHE CANCELS GREENSBURG CONCERT: It was one of the more anticipated concerts of the year for many of us; Queensryche, touring in support of their Operation: Mindcrime 2 sequel album, was performing both the original Operation: Mindcrime and Mindcrime 2 albums in their entireity, complete with theatrics and actors onstage. Eyewitness reviews of this concert in other cities were excellent, and this concert was to visit Greensburg’s Palace Theatre in early November. However, those arriving at the ticket window that night learned 20 minutes before showtime that Queensryche singer Geoff Tate became ill after sound check, and the show was cancelled. There was no make-up date. For Queensryche fans like yours truly, a major disappointment!
JP’S TEN FAVORITE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE MOMENTS OF 2006:
Next, I'll list my ten favorite moments on the area/regional music scene during the past year. Your mileage may vary. These are in no particular order.
1) BURGI'S BLUESFEST: Burgi's Roundhouse pulled all the stops on Veteran's Day and brought together four of western PA's top blues-geared acts; Pittsburgh legend Norman Nardini, Johnstown's Totem, Felix & the Hurricanes and Pittsburgh's Tony Mollick Project; in the first-ever Burgi's Bluesfest. Highlights were plentiful this night, from the steady and large audience on hand for the entire evening, to Tony Mollick performing in his first appearance since being seriously hurt in a June motorcycle accident, to stunning musical fireworks from all four bands, to Norman Nardini bringing members of the other three bands onstage with him for a jam session during his set. The vibe was happy and festive the entire evening, and this was easily one of the highlight shows of the year! Look for Burgi's to do another one in 2007!
2) THE JB VAVAPALOOZA BENEFIT: Obviously, the circumstance that led to this show ever having to take place – the passing of popular area musician and friend John Baker in January – was a lowlight. But the second memorial benefit concert for John (the first took place at Davey's Lounge in Hastings in February), the JB VaVa Palooza Benefit at Electric Avenue in Houtzdale, was unforgettable. The electricity in the room this day was incredible; every band and musician rode at an incredible high, pouring it all out onstage in honor of John Baker. Although I arrived later and caught the latter half of the show; the Tugger tribute, and sets by Buck-It, Serious Jones and the Ozone Rangers were exciting and passionate, capping a very memorable day and a fitting tribute to a good friend.
3) ELVIS ENTERS THE BUILDING w/RUSTY GUN REVIVAL AT CUSTOM SKIN ART'S CHOPPIN' LOT PARTY: This magical moment from Rusty Gun Revival's performance at Custom Skin Art's Choppin' Lot Party in Altoona in early June (which included a Q94 live remote)...Towards the end of the performance, popular local Elvis impersonator Phil McCaulley stepped up to belt out his 'King-ly' voice on "That's Alright Mama." The Rusty Gunners hadn't heard Phil sing before, and it was cool to see the smiles on their faces when they heard his convincing Elvis voice. Toes were tapping, and folks were digging this unexpected musical treat.
4) CITY LIMITS TOYS FOR TOTS BENEFIT: The fourth annual Toys For Tots Benefit at City Limits, co-sponsored by Pennsylvania Musician and Q94, was another excellent night with lots of highlights. There was Felix & the Hurricanes' fiery set to kick things off, followed by moshing Marines during FedUP's performance, and escalating nonstop party mayhem during Silver Sunday's, Bad Daze's and Fayted's sets. By night's end, there were more ladies and partying Marines onstage than musicians! The bottom line was a highlight as well - well over $1,100 and several sacks of toys raised for the U.S. Marine Corps' Toys For Tots program.
5) MAXWELL STRAIT DURING SENIOR WEEK AT THE PHYRST: One of the best times to experience live music in downtown State College is during Senior Week in May, the week when graduating Penn State seniors are whooping it up one last time before donning caps and gowns and leaving to enter the real world of employment. Although Maxwell Strait always delivers an excellent show Wednesdays at the Phyrst, I discovered that during Senior Week, things get even crazier. Band and partying packed house crowd pushed each other skyward through the course of the night...All the components came together - excellent band, fired up by a wild and crazy packed house of celebrating Penn State seniors! A great time, and I'll be sure to head to Happy Valley during Senior Week again in 2007!
6) THE FLAME SKY'S ALL-NIGHTER AT THE CENTRAL PA HOEDOWN: I had heard about the legend of The Flame Sky's all-nighter performances at the annual Central PA Hoedown near Huntingdon, but never got to experience it firsthand until this past August. 24 hours removed from Felix & the Hurricanes' all-nighter the night before, yours truly and several other hardcore music fans battled drooping eyelids and watched as the Flame Sky played until the sun rose. For me, the highlight was watching the Flame Sky perform as the sun started to rise, giving the sky an orange 'flaming-sky' effect - very cool! And my first Central PA Hoedown experience was a good enough time that I plan to use a vacation day and make a whole weekend of it in 2007!
7) HURRICANES MEET CYCLONES AT BURGI'S ROUNDHOUSE: It was a memorable night of stormy blues rock at Burgi's Roundhouse in September, as Pittsburgh's Glenn Pavone & the Cyclones and Felix & the Hurricanes paired up for plentiful musical fireworks. Both bands put on excellent performances in their respective sets, capped by Glenn Pavone's nightcap set, when he welcomed Hurricane Felix onstage for a stormy guitar summit! Here's hoping for more stormy musical weather like this on Burgi's stage in the New Year!
8) GET CLOSER TO THE MUSIC'S MUSIC FESTIVAL: This event keeps getting bigger and better, and this year's was the best yet! Get Closer To The Music's annual Music Festival again provided ample opportunities for youngsters to experience the world of music, with instructors, instrument petting zoos, and chances to play instruments with professional musicians. Youngsters were given opportunities to play alongside .00 Buck and Felix & the Hurricanes, and one teenager even got to play a guitar solo with the Hurricanes! Other highlights included local country star Ricky Lee making a cameo appearance, singing with the Hurricanes and handing out free tickets to his concert later that night at the Jaffa Mosque. An all-around excellent day!
9) HAGERSTOWN'S INAUGURAL DOWNTOWN LIVE: In late October, Hagerstown, Maryland hosted its first-ever Downtown Live concert, a day-long music fest right in the heart of that city's downtown area. The weather was perfect, the autumn leaves in that part of the world were achieving their colorful peak, and the music was equally colorful, with stellar performances from such names as DC & the Continentals, The JiMiller Band, Ledbetter Heights, The Jarflys, Kelly Bell Band, Jah Works, Lloyd Dobler Effect and Jimmie's Chicken Shack. The crowd grew throughout the day, and music brought a diverse gathering of people together to celebrate the day. An excellent time, and I'm hoping to return for the sequel in 2007.
10) WISKERBISKET'S DEBUT BLOWOUT AT THE HITCHING POST: New Year's Eve weekend got off to a wild and crazy start during this show, Wiskerbisket's first appearance at The Hitching Post. The band's energy and enthusiasm was feverish and contagious, and band and crowd rode the festivities to a wild and crazy high. It's very rare that any band can get JP up and doing the 'Chicken Dance!' (I drew the line at country line-dancing and conga lines, though, I have my dignity!) A wild time and a memorable blowout; unfortunately, singer Doug Snook is leaving Wiskerbisket in early 2007, and the group's future is in question.
(More of my 2006 recap is posted below...)
As we turn the page from 2006 into 2007, it's time for yours truly to reflect over the past year one more time, and offer my thoughts on the past year's happenings, on the local music scene and otherwise. The following opinions and views on the past year are strictly those of your friendly neighborhood Professor, and do not reflect the views and opinions of Q94, Rockpage, Pennsylvania Musician Magazine or anybody else who tends to get irritated by my mental meanderings...
JP’S HIGHLIGHTS/LOWLIGHTS OF 2006
I'll begin by listing a few highlights and lowlights from the past year, musically and otherwise...
HIGHLIGHT: THE AREA HEAVY ROCK/METAL SCENE: Many observers have noted in the past that metal and heavy rock are big in this part of the world; 2006 showed that trend is getting stronger. A number of this area's hardest-hitting bands stepped it up in 2006; putting out some excellent CD's and delivering the goods onstage. 4 Days Dirty, Second Offense, Choking Faith, House Of Cain/Killjingle/The Embalmed, FedUP, Condemned Existence, Dragon Fire, Chapter 5, Suicide Switch, Pivot, Lies, Inc., Flord and Opposition all represented well in 2006, putting on excellent live performances, and many issuing killer CD’s (or planning to issue CD’s in 2007). The strengthening of the area’s heavy music scene has opened the door for bands from outside of our area, such as York’s Ninetail and West Virginia’s Stuck In Kaos, to develop fan bases locally as well. And two western PA heavyweights, Pittsburgh’s Skell and New Castle prog-metal monsters Coinmonster, also saw good crowds during their visits over this way. Credit the strength and quality of the area heavy rock scene; venues that host shows such as Aldo’s, Westmont Gardens and others; and entities such as The Underground Television and Dave Moses’ One Voice Musical Showcase for providing some of the catalysts for people to discover this scene. I’m looking forward to more great things from area heavy rock in 2007!
HIGHLIGHT: BURGI'S ROUNDHOUSE PROVIDES THE GATEWAY TO PITTSBURGH MUSIC: Once upon a time, long ago in the 80's, Altoona used to see regular visits from some of the biggest names Pittsburgh had to offer: Billy Price & the Keystone Rhythm Band, Norman Nardini, B.E. Taylor, G-Force and others, playing places like the Coaches Inn (now City Limits) and Cisco's (now Red Lobster). After Coaches Inn and Cisco’s closed their doors, and up until Burgi’s Roundhouse opened up two years ago, sightings of such names became sporadic and rare in the Altoona area. But the powers that be at Burgi’s remember the days of Coaches Inn and Cisco’s, and have strived to reopen the gateway to Pittsburgh’s top talent. The Billy Price Band, Norman Nardini, Tony Janflone, Jr., Jill West & Blues Attack, Glenn Pavone & the Cyclones, Povertyneck Hillbillies, Angel Blue & the Prophets, Mystic Knights, The Jimmy Adler Band and others have graced Burgi’s stage in the past year. Although some of these groups have drawn well, consistent support needs to improve for Burgi’s to want to continue to bring such acts to their stage. Please support these shows when you can in 2007, and guarantee that this great talent continues to visit our area.
LOWLIGHT: PETER C'S, CASTLE PUB, CROWBAR CLOSE DOORS: The area lost three of its premiere live music venues in 2006. Although Peter C’s announced they were closing in 2005, delays in the transfer of the liquor license and deed kept the venue open until late January, with the annual Rockpage Benefit Jam closing out the venue. Ebensburg’s Castle Pub was forced to shut its doors due to repeated problems with liquor law noise enforcement, believed to be grudge-motivated. And State College’s Crowbar, citing lease issues and competition, closed its doors in early summer. Although this location has reopened as The Cell Block, live music has been sporadic so far, and the business’ future plans regarding live music aren’t yet clear. Each of the closed venues served a unique aspect of the live music scene; and all three are sorely missed.
LOWLIGHT: WE LOST SOME FRIENDS: It was a rough year for losing friends, both on the area music scene and personally. Of course, the music scene suddenly lost John Baker to a heart attack in late January. We also lost Clearfield music scene member Al Forsyth during July, and Michael Gingrich of State College’s Chaos Method lost his life in an auto accident in early August. And in December, Infused drummer Ed Longo lost his battle with cancer, and local music fan Steve Lockard passed from a heart attack. Also in December, Harrisburg music personality Bob Brechbill, who played drums for the swing band Big Tubba Mista and ran sound production, was lost to a heart attack. Personally, I lost a good friend, Cynde Clapper (mother of Jen Snyder, aka sword-twirler “Nikki Slice”) to cancer in April, and Q94 lost a devoted listener and friend, Dale Zunich, at the hands of a murderer during Memorial Day Weekend. Needless to say, a rough year.
HIGHLIGHT: THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT! Cheers to the area music scene’s youth movement, and the organizations and events that nurture it. From my position, it’s very cool to see youngsters develop their musical talents and blossom into the fresh new names on the music scene. Hats off to Get Closer To The Music for their efforts to get kids interested in music, and to Dennie Huber and his annual Crazy Fest Amateur Youth Talent Show for giving youngsters the stage and opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a supportive audience. Every year, I see Crazy Fest alumni graduate into the music scene in different ways; surfacing in bands, or developing into solo talents. It’s also very cool to be writing about the children of musicians I was writing about when I started covering local music nearly 20 years ago! Based on what I’m seeing, the future of the music scene shows much promise, with a steadily evolving crop of young musicians progressing into and refreshing the scene every year.
LOWLIGHT: SMALLER CROWDS AND FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIVE MUSIC: This is a complex problem with no simple solutions. There are a number of factors involved; the dollar doesn’t stretch as far, and jobs in this vicinity are generally lower-paying, so people have smaller budgets to allot for entertainment and often pick their night of the weekend for going out instead of venturing out two or three nights as in years past. DUI and checkpoint concerns keep more people indoors on weekends. Competing entertainment from deejays, karaoke, mechanical bulls, sumo wrestling, movies, the internet, video games and more all take their toll on live music support on any given night. Diminished crowds have contributed to the closure of places like Peter C’s and Crowbar, and the scaling back of live entertainment at other venues (both City Limits and Burgi’s cut back on their Friday live entertainment in recent months). There is no single solution to reversing this trend. But now more than ever, bands need to put their best foot forward on stage every night to keep fans coming back to support live music. More and more, it seems that two- and three-band bills are more successful for new and developing bands than new bands attempting to win a fan base alone. And bands and venues need to keep promoting, and keep EDUCATING the public about who they are and what they do, and why folks should choose their show over the other entertainment options available on any given night. The music scene needs to keep pulling together and selling the live music scene as a whole.
HIGHLIGHT: THE HITCHING POST'S WEDNESDAY COUNTRY NIGHT: For the longest time, in spite of country being the dominant force on radio in this part of the world, local country bands and artists had a tough time landing local gigs or drawing crowds on area stages. That trend has changed in recent years, and The Hitching Post’s weekly Wednesday “Country Night” has contributed to that trend. Since its inception, Wednesdays at the Hitching Post have seen steadily increasing crowds and support for such area country names as Blind Jonny Death/Rusty Gun Revival, .00 Buck (R.I.P.), Broken Pony, The Country Outlaws and more. And bluegrass has found a stage on select Wednesdays at the Hitching Post, with John Stevens’ monthly bluegrass jam night, and Mt. City Grass sowing ‘grass seeds on stage. It's good to see local country and roots music finally getting some love on area stages; kudos to the Hitching Post for providing one of those stages.
LOWLIGHT: THE STEELERS: It’s tough for teams to repeat as Super Bowl champions in this era of NFL parity, so the Steelers already had their work cut out for them in the 2006-07 season. Then Big Ben had his motorcycle crash and nearly lost his life, followed by a bout of appendicitis that set him back further in getting ready for the season. There was the distraction over whether coach Bill Cowher would be leaving at the end of the year. Having finally earned that “one for the thumb,” there may have been some complacency and “Super Bowl Hangover.” And there were injuries to key players, mental lapses and stupid penalties; and the Steelers found themselves 2-6 at the midway point of the season. To their credit, the Black and Gold battled back and were not eliminated totally from the playoff race until the next to the last week of the season, and finished 8-8. At presstime, Bill Cowher had resigned and is stepping away, so the Steelers will have a new skipper to guide them next year. Here’s hoping they find the missing pieces to the puzzle, stay out of motorcycle wrecks, and return to the NFL forefront next fall.
HIGHLIGHT: THE MARAUDERS HOOK UP WITH BRIAN SETZER: One of the best stories to emerge out of the area music scene this year...Through a mutual friend, local roots rockers The Marauders came to the attention of Brian Setzer, who identified with the group's grit and blue-collar, don't-give-a-d**n attitude enough that he penned a song for them, "We Are The Marauders," and then took them out on the road to open six dates for his Brian Setzer Orchestra. It was quite a ride for The Marauders in 2006; here's hoping 2007 is just as exciting for them.
LOWLIGHT: QUEENSRYCHE CANCELS GREENSBURG CONCERT: It was one of the more anticipated concerts of the year for many of us; Queensryche, touring in support of their Operation: Mindcrime 2 sequel album, was performing both the original Operation: Mindcrime and Mindcrime 2 albums in their entireity, complete with theatrics and actors onstage. Eyewitness reviews of this concert in other cities were excellent, and this concert was to visit Greensburg’s Palace Theatre in early November. However, those arriving at the ticket window that night learned 20 minutes before showtime that Queensryche singer Geoff Tate became ill after sound check, and the show was cancelled. There was no make-up date. For Queensryche fans like yours truly, a major disappointment!
JP’S TEN FAVORITE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE MOMENTS OF 2006:
Next, I'll list my ten favorite moments on the area/regional music scene during the past year. Your mileage may vary. These are in no particular order.
1) BURGI'S BLUESFEST: Burgi's Roundhouse pulled all the stops on Veteran's Day and brought together four of western PA's top blues-geared acts; Pittsburgh legend Norman Nardini, Johnstown's Totem, Felix & the Hurricanes and Pittsburgh's Tony Mollick Project; in the first-ever Burgi's Bluesfest. Highlights were plentiful this night, from the steady and large audience on hand for the entire evening, to Tony Mollick performing in his first appearance since being seriously hurt in a June motorcycle accident, to stunning musical fireworks from all four bands, to Norman Nardini bringing members of the other three bands onstage with him for a jam session during his set. The vibe was happy and festive the entire evening, and this was easily one of the highlight shows of the year! Look for Burgi's to do another one in 2007!
2) THE JB VAVAPALOOZA BENEFIT: Obviously, the circumstance that led to this show ever having to take place – the passing of popular area musician and friend John Baker in January – was a lowlight. But the second memorial benefit concert for John (the first took place at Davey's Lounge in Hastings in February), the JB VaVa Palooza Benefit at Electric Avenue in Houtzdale, was unforgettable. The electricity in the room this day was incredible; every band and musician rode at an incredible high, pouring it all out onstage in honor of John Baker. Although I arrived later and caught the latter half of the show; the Tugger tribute, and sets by Buck-It, Serious Jones and the Ozone Rangers were exciting and passionate, capping a very memorable day and a fitting tribute to a good friend.
3) ELVIS ENTERS THE BUILDING w/RUSTY GUN REVIVAL AT CUSTOM SKIN ART'S CHOPPIN' LOT PARTY: This magical moment from Rusty Gun Revival's performance at Custom Skin Art's Choppin' Lot Party in Altoona in early June (which included a Q94 live remote)...Towards the end of the performance, popular local Elvis impersonator Phil McCaulley stepped up to belt out his 'King-ly' voice on "That's Alright Mama." The Rusty Gunners hadn't heard Phil sing before, and it was cool to see the smiles on their faces when they heard his convincing Elvis voice. Toes were tapping, and folks were digging this unexpected musical treat.
4) CITY LIMITS TOYS FOR TOTS BENEFIT: The fourth annual Toys For Tots Benefit at City Limits, co-sponsored by Pennsylvania Musician and Q94, was another excellent night with lots of highlights. There was Felix & the Hurricanes' fiery set to kick things off, followed by moshing Marines during FedUP's performance, and escalating nonstop party mayhem during Silver Sunday's, Bad Daze's and Fayted's sets. By night's end, there were more ladies and partying Marines onstage than musicians! The bottom line was a highlight as well - well over $1,100 and several sacks of toys raised for the U.S. Marine Corps' Toys For Tots program.
5) MAXWELL STRAIT DURING SENIOR WEEK AT THE PHYRST: One of the best times to experience live music in downtown State College is during Senior Week in May, the week when graduating Penn State seniors are whooping it up one last time before donning caps and gowns and leaving to enter the real world of employment. Although Maxwell Strait always delivers an excellent show Wednesdays at the Phyrst, I discovered that during Senior Week, things get even crazier. Band and partying packed house crowd pushed each other skyward through the course of the night...All the components came together - excellent band, fired up by a wild and crazy packed house of celebrating Penn State seniors! A great time, and I'll be sure to head to Happy Valley during Senior Week again in 2007!
6) THE FLAME SKY'S ALL-NIGHTER AT THE CENTRAL PA HOEDOWN: I had heard about the legend of The Flame Sky's all-nighter performances at the annual Central PA Hoedown near Huntingdon, but never got to experience it firsthand until this past August. 24 hours removed from Felix & the Hurricanes' all-nighter the night before, yours truly and several other hardcore music fans battled drooping eyelids and watched as the Flame Sky played until the sun rose. For me, the highlight was watching the Flame Sky perform as the sun started to rise, giving the sky an orange 'flaming-sky' effect - very cool! And my first Central PA Hoedown experience was a good enough time that I plan to use a vacation day and make a whole weekend of it in 2007!
7) HURRICANES MEET CYCLONES AT BURGI'S ROUNDHOUSE: It was a memorable night of stormy blues rock at Burgi's Roundhouse in September, as Pittsburgh's Glenn Pavone & the Cyclones and Felix & the Hurricanes paired up for plentiful musical fireworks. Both bands put on excellent performances in their respective sets, capped by Glenn Pavone's nightcap set, when he welcomed Hurricane Felix onstage for a stormy guitar summit! Here's hoping for more stormy musical weather like this on Burgi's stage in the New Year!
8) GET CLOSER TO THE MUSIC'S MUSIC FESTIVAL: This event keeps getting bigger and better, and this year's was the best yet! Get Closer To The Music's annual Music Festival again provided ample opportunities for youngsters to experience the world of music, with instructors, instrument petting zoos, and chances to play instruments with professional musicians. Youngsters were given opportunities to play alongside .00 Buck and Felix & the Hurricanes, and one teenager even got to play a guitar solo with the Hurricanes! Other highlights included local country star Ricky Lee making a cameo appearance, singing with the Hurricanes and handing out free tickets to his concert later that night at the Jaffa Mosque. An all-around excellent day!
9) HAGERSTOWN'S INAUGURAL DOWNTOWN LIVE: In late October, Hagerstown, Maryland hosted its first-ever Downtown Live concert, a day-long music fest right in the heart of that city's downtown area. The weather was perfect, the autumn leaves in that part of the world were achieving their colorful peak, and the music was equally colorful, with stellar performances from such names as DC & the Continentals, The JiMiller Band, Ledbetter Heights, The Jarflys, Kelly Bell Band, Jah Works, Lloyd Dobler Effect and Jimmie's Chicken Shack. The crowd grew throughout the day, and music brought a diverse gathering of people together to celebrate the day. An excellent time, and I'm hoping to return for the sequel in 2007.
10) WISKERBISKET'S DEBUT BLOWOUT AT THE HITCHING POST: New Year's Eve weekend got off to a wild and crazy start during this show, Wiskerbisket's first appearance at The Hitching Post. The band's energy and enthusiasm was feverish and contagious, and band and crowd rode the festivities to a wild and crazy high. It's very rare that any band can get JP up and doing the 'Chicken Dance!' (I drew the line at country line-dancing and conga lines, though, I have my dignity!) A wild time and a memorable blowout; unfortunately, singer Doug Snook is leaving Wiskerbisket in early 2007, and the group's future is in question.
(More of my 2006 recap is posted below...)