THE RUSTLANDERS @ ZENO’S, STATE COLLEGE 5/27/08
Just before they embarked on a series of tour dates with acclaimed Americana artist Ryan Bingham, I decided to catch The Rustlanders while they were still in the area, performing this night at Zeno’s in State College.
I got a bit of a late start due to workplace duties, so I didn’t roll into Zeno’s until just shy of midnight. The Rustlanders were on intermission, and since Penn State in the midst of semester break, Zeno’s was a little less populated than usual, so I found an open table easily and set up shop.
Soon The Rustlanders took the stage to perform their nightcap set. The group added a new member since the last time I saw them, as keyboardist John Rattie now contributes his organ groan alongside singer/guitarist Jason McIntyre, guitarist Jason Tutwiler, bassist Corry Drake and drummer/singer Chris Rattie. The group proceeded to play their tasty mixture of original folk rock, country, blues and Americana sounds, performing songs from their self-titled CD from last year as well as newer song material. From the CD, the group did the songs “La Conchita,” “Blind Faith,” “Beginning to Show Through” and, towards set’s end, the fiery and Black Crowes-line “My Rock N Roll.” I didn’t catch too many titles from the new material The Rustlanders did, except for the country-leaning “Carbon County Line” and the folk/blues number “Shooting Stars.”
The Rustlanders mixed their various flavors well, with their sound never staying in one place for too long. Their musicianship was in good form, with acoustic and electric guitar blending with leslied organ tones to craft a tasteful sound. Jason McIntyre and Chris shared lead vocal duties, each blending good range with rural twang. It all sounded very good, and applause from the Zeno’s audience grew with each song.
Good things are happening for The Rustlanders, starting with their ongoing show dates with Ryan Bingham, who was recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine. The group will perform at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in State College in July, and this fall will be playing some dates with Rusted Root. Their increased road work is making The Rustlanders’ local appearances a little less frequent, so I was glad to get to Zeno’s this night to witness their show once again.
The Rustlanders, bringing their country-rock sounds to Zeno’s.
With their newest member John Rattie on keys (on left), The Rustlanders.
Jason McIntyre of The Rustlanders.
Again, The Rustlanders.
Jason Tutwiler of The Rustlanders.
Jason McIntyre and Jason Tutwiler of The Rustlanders.
Chris Rattie of The Rustlanders.
Once again, The Rustlanders.
BEDLAM @ 30 SOMETHING, ALTOONA 5/30/08
After finishing up workplace duties this Friday night, I headed to 30 Something to do the combination of dinner special and live music, the latter being provided by Bedlam.
There wasn’t a specific dinner special this night, as I learned that 30 Something’s main cook was in the hospital and having a baby this night (congratulations!). But 30 Something main man Claudio hooked me up, making up a “JP Special” featuring a foot-long chicken and steak sub with fries and dessert. It ruled; thanks Claud!
Bedlam wasn’t bad either. ‘Toona music scene vets John McKelvey on guitar and vocals, Denny Frank on bass and vocals and Duane Young on drums mixed current, classic rock and blues. Their opening set featured favorites by White Stripes, Shinedown, Blink 182, Weezer, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, Green Day, Black Crowes, Beatles and more. Highlights included several blues numbers sung by John, including Albert Collins’ “I Ain’t Drunk,” Jonny Lang’s “Lie to Me,” Jimmy Thackery’s “Cool Guitar” and John’s own slow blues original “Heart Is in the Mind.”
I stayed for about half of Bedlam’s second set, and watched as the group did the interesting Led Zeppelin fusion of “Whole Lotta Love” sandwiches between the intro and outro of “Over the Hills and Far Away;” the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated,” the funky double-shot of Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” into Cameo’s “Word Up,” Prince’s “Kiss,” and the John-fronted spin on Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Blue On Black.”
Bedlam did a solid job; these guys obviously know their way around their instruments, and vocally did a decent job as well. Although 30 Something was relatively unpopulated this night, the few in attendance seemed to appreciate the group’s efforts.
Bedlam, rocking dinner at 30 Something.
“METAL TWINS NIGHT” w/SUICIDE SWITCH/DRAIN THE SORROW/CHAPTER 5/CHOKING FAITH @ ALDO’S, ALTOONA 5/30/08
After departing 30 Something, I headed over the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks to Juniata, where Aldo’s was hosting a metal blast featuring four bands and two ladies. The ladies were “The Metal Twins,” Stacy & Megan (“S&M”), two metal models out of the Philadelphia area who promote metal and on this night, the over-21 world’s most popular cough medicine, Jagermeister. The bands were four of the Altoona area’s heaviest and nastiest; Suicide Switch, Drain the Sorrow, Chapter 5 and Choking Faith.
I had already missed Suicide Switch and Drain the Sorrow’s performances by the time I arrived. Chapter 5 was in the midst of their set, entertaining a mid-sized contingent of fans in front of the stage. Singer/bassist Tim Mort, guitarists Tom Noel and Shaun Barr, and drummer Bill Mort did several songs from their A Great Day to Die CD, including “Hollow Song” (with Choking Faith frontman Jason Mittan helping with vocals), “Compromised,” “Buried” and more. The group finished their set with their punk-powered rendition of Social Distortion’s “Ball and Chain.”
Tim Mort and Chapter 5.
Chapter 5 and fans.
Billy Mort of Chapter 5.
Tim Mort of Chapter 5.
During Chapter 5’s set and the ensuing intermission, the Metal Twins got onstage and addressed the Aldo’s crowd, busting on New Jersey, praising live metal music, and having fun with a few of the other ladies in the house.
The Metal Twins, whooping it up with some ladies onstage at Aldo’s.
Again, The Metal Twins.
At the onset of their set, Choking Faith frontman Jason announced that this would be bassist Steve Seymore’s final show with the group, as he is moving on to work on a new project. Jason, Steve, guitarist Dan Miller and drummer Joe Richards started off their brand of metal maelstrom with the newer original “My Bloody Valentine,” before performing three songs from their Thru the Ashes EP; “Porno Tongue,” “Wait!” and “Oblivion,” with Cheeze from Suicide Switch assisting on backing vocals during the latter two. The group then did two more new ones, “The Devil Is My Shepherd” and “Fall Away,” before Jason welcomed his sister Michelle up to the stage to help sing the title track epic to Thru the Ashes. Jason again acknowledged Steve’s final show with Choking Faith, encouraging cheers for the departing bass player as he proclaimed, “Steve has been with us since the start of this incarceration of this band… (I didn’t know the guys were logging jail time!) Choking Faith then continued with the one remaining song from Thru the Ashes they hadn’t done yet, “The Trainwreck of Life,” before finishing out this metal party with their corrosive renditions of Motley Crue’s “Girls Girls Girls” and Skid Row’s “Youth Gone Wild;” the group said this would be their final performance of the latter song, retiring it as Steve steps away from the band.
Cheeze of Suicide Switch and Jason Mittan of Choking Faith.
Choking Faith with special guest Cheeze.
Jason Mittan of Choking Faith.
The Metal Twins and their new friends make a cameo appearance with Jason Mittan and Choking Faith.
Again, Jason and The Metal Twins, sharing the joys of Jager.
Jason’s sister, Michelle, joins in to help sing “Thru the Ashes.”
Again, Jason and Michelle.
Playing his final show with Choking Faith this night, Steve Seymore.
Choking Faith with special guests and dancing ladies.
The craziness continues with Choking Faith and friends.
The combination of metal and Metal Twins made for a good time this night, and the night finished with audience members and musicians chatting and getting pictures taken with the Twins over by the main bar. A fun, hard-rocking night!
The Final Cut’s “Beergod” lives! The former purveyor of sagely beer-induced wisdom in The Final Cut’s former hardcopy incarnation is flanked by the Metal Twins.
MY TURNING POINT @ ELECTRIC AVENUE, HOUTZDALE 5/31/08
With gasoline prices what they are these days, if my workplace has me driving into Clearfield County to do a live Harley remote in late afternoon, I’m going to use the opportunity to catch some live music in the neighborhood later in the evening and kill two birds with one roadtrip, so to speak.
My live remote broadcast was at the R-Bar in Hyde near Clearfield. But the R-Bar was featuring deejay entertainment after the remote, so I explored other venues for live music options this Saturday night. Since my cohort Guv’nor Jesse showed up at the R-Bar in one of his vintage early 70’s Cadillacs (which he proudly told everyone he put over $70 of gasoline into before making the trip), I decided on a game plan. Since Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Championship Series was happening this night, I decided to head to Electric Avenue in Houtzdale, first to do dinner and watch the game on the venue’s big screen, and then catch my first look at the new roster of My Turning Point. And for Jesse, he could eat, check out the band, imbibe in some 100 proof Budweiser, and pay to sleep in one of Electric Avenue’s hotel rooms overnight to return home the next day. It was a plan!
After arriving, enjoying a blackened Cajun chicken dinner and not enjoying the Penguins losing 3-1, I headed out to the main band room to take in My Turning Point’s performance. The brainchild of former Stept On/Wake Up Screaming drummer-turned-singer and guitarist Jim Bagrosky, the current roster of My Turning Point now featured Jim out front on lead voice, Chris Kane on guitar, new addition Paul Cavaliere on bass, and John Placer on drums. The group was under way in their first set before a lightly populated room. This first set featured mostly current and 90’s hard-rocking numbers from Seether, Velvet Revolver, Puddle of Mudd, Rage Against the Machine, Local H, Stone Temple Pilots, Sponge and Alice In Chains. My Turning Point also did one song from last year’s CD, Seclusion Serves Me Well, performing the leadoff track “Shine Through You.”
A few more folks started arriving during the first set and ensuing 17-minute intermission, including several area musicians. A few of these guys would be active participants in the proceedings later on. Although not a big audience, this was a rowdy and party-hardy audience, and took Jim Bagrosky’s cue early on to refer to the band as “The Asswhores” for the night.
Ozzy Osbourne’s “I Don’t Wanna Stop” launched My Turning Point’s second set. This time, the group rocked the growing audience with Seether’s “Fake It,” Nirvana’s “Come As You Are” and Jim’s growly rendition of Heart’s “Barracuda,” before guest drummer Matt Twoey of Butcher Shop took over behind the kit for Seven Mary Three’s “Cumbersome.” My Turning Point then continued with the Doors/Willie Dixon’s “Back Door Man,” before performing “Broken Man” off their CD. Their set then finished with Chevelle’s “Red” and a song I didn’t recognize (“Push Me?”).
After a 23-minute break, My Turning Point was back for the nightcap set. The group instantly drew revelers up in front of the stage for Buckcherry’s “Crazy Bitch” to open the set, and followed with Saliva’s “Survival of the Sickest,” Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” and Radiohead’s “Creep.” Then the group broke out a tune I had not heard in ages, Cracker’s “I Hate My Generation.” For the rest of the way, My Turning Point’s show turned into a musical chairs of special guest musicians joining in on the fun. Jim Bagrosky reverted back to his previous band role by stepping back behind the drum kit, while Paul Cavaliere took over lead mic duties, and Butcher Shop bassist Nate Socoski and guitarist Jim Force stepped up; this grouping of musicians delivered competent renditions of Alice In Chains’ “Man in the Box” and Danzig’s “Mother.” Then the Butcher Shop contingent completely took over, with Nate, Jim Force and Matt Twoey performing Megadeth’s “Symphony of Destruction.” (I kidded Jim Bagrosky that I saw him working; he was letting these guest musicians take over so My Turning Point could leave the stage sooner before the end of the night!) My Turning Point did return to the stage for one more song, pulling out something from Rebel Meets Rebel (the project featuring David Allen Coe singing with Pantera minus Phil Anselmo), “Cowboys Do More Dope.” When the audience demanded one more song, My Turning Point quickly delivered one more, ending the night with Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.”
My Turning Point represented well this night. Jim Bagrosky continues to progess as a frontman; he exuded confidence as he sang and barked out his vocals during the course of the show, all while frequently moving about the stage, climbing up on John’s drum kit and more. The recent additions of Paul Cavaliere and Chris Kane gives My Turning Point two seasoned veterans of Clearfield County stages; these two were tight and solid alongside John’s steady and powerful drumbeats. This group kept it rocking and fun, delivering the goods but never taking themselves too seriously. They were there to deliver the good time to the folks who were in attendance, and they succeeded. And the production crew of Al Kephart and Nate Socoski made it sound powerful and look good.
Despite the Penguins’ loss, it still was a fun night at Electric Avenue, thanks to My Turning Point’s enthusiastic, hard-rocking performance.
My Turning Point, rocking Electric Avenue.
Again, My Turning Point.
Jim Bagrosky and Chris Kane of My Turning Point.
Paul Cavaliere and Chris Kane of My Turning Point.
John Placer of My Turning Point.
Jim Bagrosky of My Turning Point.
Again, Jim Bagrosky of My Turning Point.
Again, John Placer of My Turning Point.
Paul Cavaliere of My Turning Point.
Once again, Jim Bagrosky of My Turning Point.
Yet again, Jim Bagrosky of My Turning Point.
Chris Kane of My Turning Point with special guest Nate Socoski.
Nate Socoski and Paul Cavaliere.
Back behind the drum kit, Jim Bagrosky.
With Nate Socoski and Jim Force joining them, My Turning Point.
Nate Socoski and Jim Force.
Again, Nate Socoski.
A Butcher Shop show broke out during My Turning Point’s third set, featuring Matt Twoey, Nate Socoski and Jim Force.
Again, Chris Kane of My Turning Point.
One more time, Paul Cavaliere and Chris Kane of My Turning Point.
G211 @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 6/1/08
After finishing up “Backyard Rocker” duties for this Sunday night, I headed to Pellegrine’s to witness the first Pelly’s appearance of Centre County party rockers G211.
Pellegrine’s is known to be a fickle room when it comes to new bands making their first appearance, and thus I wasn’t surprised to find a less-than-full house when I arrived prior to G211’s nightcap set. As G211 got under way, I noted a rookie mistake that new bands playing this room often make…bringing inadequate production. As a tip for bands looking to break into Pelly’s in the future, don’t underestimate the importance of good production. Most of the current stable of bands playing at Pelly’s uses Greg Stager and Bob Anders for production, and thus, the Pelly’s crowd is used to the quality sound and lights these two bring to the stage. So if a new band arrives and uses production that doesn’t measure up to what the Pelly’s crowd is used to seeing with Greg and Bob, it’s likely to hurt that all-important first impression that a new band needs to make with the Pelly’s crowd in order to get booked back in the future. So if you plan to try to break into Pelly’s, make sure to bring production comparable to what this venue is used to seeing if you want to improve your chances of making a return visit!
Production issues aside, G211 delivered an action-packed, fun show. Singer Brian Storm, guitarist Dale Hart, bassist Mark Holland and former Plush drummer Travis Kramer performed an energized mixture of tunes from the 70’s to persent; including numbers from Judas Priest, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots, Puddle Of Mudd, Def Leppard, Tom Petty, Seether, Toadies, Buckcherry, Neil Young, Foo Fighters and more. This set featured several highlights, mostly musical. G211 welcomed a cameo guest appearance from Kitty Whip frontlady Chryssie, who fronted the group on renditions of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock & Roll” and Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy.” Other highlights included Brian staging a butt-shaking contest for the ladies during Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun,” with a G211 T-shirt going to the winner.
And has been mentioned before, sometimes Pellegrine’s is more interesting when there isn’t a big crowd in the house; that’s when the audience “freakshow” comes to life. True to form, towards the end of the show, a drunk fellow on the dance floor apparently suddenly decided to try out for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Gymnastics team right then and there. The guy suddenly started his approach to a row of tables, before doing a head-first somersault over top of one of the tables, off the other side, and onto chairs and the floor, where he laid prone for about 3 minutes! Several people soon rushed over to make sure the guy was okay, as he struggled to his feet, retired to another table in the front bar area and passed out on the table! I don’t know what had me laughing harder, this nut doing his somersault, or the astonished look on the face of Chryssie from Kitty Whip as she witnessed the whole stunt unfold right in front of her!
Back to the band…G211 delivered the good time to the folks who didn’t let the production issues bother them. One of this band’s big selling points is that they have a wild party animal for a singer; Brian has that outgoing, crazy and unpredictable persona reminiscent of Emily’s Toybox’s Mike Wise or Wiskerbisket’s Doug Snook. Throughout the set, Brian pulled all stops to get folks involved in the party and having a good time. His surrounding instrumental corps were solid as well, with Mark and Travis delivering tight, fast-firing rhythms, and Dale offering clean and stinging guitar solo work along the way.
I personally enjoyed G211’s Pellegrine’s debut. Here’s hoping these guys get another shot at the Altoona Sunday night audience, and address the production issues if they do get that chance.
Brian Storm of G211 oversees a butt-shaking contest.
It’s a butt-shaking contest with G211!
More butt-shaking with G211.
Chryssie from Kitty Whip sings alongside Dale Hart of G211.
A lady from the audience studies Chryssie’s singing technique.
G211, with guest singer Chryssie from Kitty Whip.
Again, guest singer Chryssie.
Chryssie and G211 entertain some dance floor revelers.
Mark Holland of G211.
Dale Hart of G211.
More dance floor fun with G211.
Brian Storm of G211.
Again, Mark Holland of G211.\
With a dancing lady onstage, G211.
Brian Storm of G211 with a visitor onstage.
More highjinks with G211.
Travis Kramer of G211.
Again, Brian Storm of G211.
Horsing around with G211.
Again, G211.
Again, Dale Hart of G211.
Mark Holland and Dale Hart of G211.
The party continues with G211.
One more time, Brian Storm of G211.
After failing in his bid to make the U.S. Gymnastics Team, our inebriated would-be acrobat takes a nap on one of Pelly's countertop tables.
JP’s HAIKU
G-2-11
Entertains Pelly’s freakshow
Drunken somersault!
