“SAVIN’ SANITY” BENEFIT w/THE RUDYS/THE DAILY SUPPLEMENT/THE HIMALAYAS/ALCHEMY/STRIKE.FIRE.FALL @ CROWBAR, STATE COLLEGE 11/30/04
This week’s full slate of live music activity for me kicked off with a roadtrip, as I journeyed to Crowbar in State College for the all ages “Savin’ Sanity” benefit, with proceeds helping out the VH1 “Save The Music Foundation,” which works to restore music programs to public schools and encourage youth participation in music.
This was the first opportunity I had to serve as a “chaperone” at one of Crowbar’s all-ages shows. Ever since the PLCB chaperone law fiasco, Crowbar has frequently advertised the need for people to serve as chaperones at their all ages shows, so that more under-age fans could enjoy these shows. Chaperoning involves overseeing the all ages main floor area and not drinking alcohol, and in turn chaperones don’t have to pay admission to see the show. This arrangement worked out for me, since I was planning to spend most of the evening on Crowbar’s main floor area to begin with; and since I was on the road, I didn’t need to be consuming alcohol anyway.
I arrived shortly into the set of the first band of the evening, The Rudys. This was actually the first time I would get a full look at this band, and also the first I got to see this group after their recent roster changes. Former Bleach Black/Ground Zero frontman Rich Cupillari now sings for the group, and former Coil/Madcheddar drummer David Wessels takes over behind the kit. The Rudys played a set that blended original songs with select cover material. Rich, Dave, guitarist/singer Denny Cisney, bassist Gary Frisco and guitarist Tom Cox showcased hard-driving original tunes such as “Favorite Song,” “Big H,” “Last One,” “Synthetic Affection,” “Articulation;” and by request of their large throng of stagefront fans, “My Backyard” to close the set. The Rudys’ general style merges current modern rock/punk flavors with old-school punk spirit and edge. The group’s melodies were solid, edgy and listenable. The Rudys also performed a few select covers, including Chevelle’s “Red” and Social Distortion’s “Ball and Chain.” The Rudys’ performance was strong; new drummer Dave fueled the group’s sound with a powerful, prominent beat, and singer Rich was out front and in charge, keeping the stagefront crowd focused and attentive. The crowd cheers increased with each song, and by set’s end it was clear that the Rudys had won some new fans in this good-sized Crowbar crowd. The show emcee, representing a Philipsburg FM station, even told the audience that the Rudys’ “My Backyard” would be getting played on his Saturday request show, based on the response the audience was giving the band this night.
The Rudys commence the festivities at the Savin’ Sanity benefit.
Rich Cupillari of The Rudys.
Once again, The Rudys.
Denny Cisney of The Rudys.
Again, The Rudys.
New Rudys drummer Dave Wessels.
Next up would be my first look at a relatively new name on the State College circuit, The Daily Supplement. As their set unfolded, it became increasingly clear that this was band that was unafraid to step outside of the box and do things a bit differently. Their style was eclectic, merging elements of alternative, ska, acid jazz, funk, psychobilly and more into intriguing, complex compositions. Their first song, I think called “The Industry,” blended ska and jazz elements in the song’s main body, before stretching out for some jamming histrionics in the end. The second tune, I think entitled “You Just Don’t Get It,” featured an odd time signature, and blended jazz and rock elements with a slight King Crimson flavor. The group proceeded through other original compositions, including the acid funk/jazz-flavored “Stegosaurus” with its “Hey Joe”-styled progression, and one cover to finish out the set, a jangly take on “I Put a Spell On You.” Instrumentally these three players were on their game; I especially was impressed with the guitarist and the varied solos and textures he offered on his instrument. The Daily Supplement reminded me some of Frogwings, the jam project that Allman Brothers drummer Butch Trucks started with his son, Derek, prior to Derek joining the Allman Brothers. The Daily Supplement plays at The Brewery in State College every Monday night; for something completely different, this is a band well worth exploring.
The Daily Supplement states their case onstage at the Savin’ Sanity Benefit.
Once again, The Daily Supplement.
The guitarist for The Daily Supplement. This guy can jam!
The Daily Supplement’s bassist.
The next group would be another total shift in musical direction from the first two acts. From Philadelphia, The Himalayas brought hardcore rap and freestyle onto Crowbar’s stage. Seven members strong, The Himalayas delivered fast-firing rhymes and rants against a recorded rhythmic backdrop. The group was constant action, with members platooning to and from the mics to recite their respective lines. They appeared well-coordinated at what they were doing, although it was often hard to follow along with exactly what they were saying due to members walking on each others’ raps. The general subject matter of The Himalayas’ presentation was sex, drugs, women, and life, death and unity in the ‘hood; presented with an abundance of “f-bombs” and “n-bombs.” With the rhythmic track constantly segueing between chords and melodies, it was hard to discern where one “song” left off and another began. I also found it curious that at one point, even with seven guys on the stage, the rhythm track actually contained backing vocals – couldn’t some of the seven members do this? Although musically this wasn’t my cup of tea, I thought The Himalayas were at least entertaining at what they did, and they had a throng of fans at the stage front dancing and cheering approval.
Bringing some urban flavor into the Savin’ Sanity Benefit, the Himalayas.
Once again, the Himalayas.
After The Himalayas, another radical shift in direction as Happy Valley jamsters Alchemy took the stage. Having seen this band go off on some wild improvisational jam episodes previously, I was curious to see just what type of adventure they had in store for us this night. Alchemy again blended elements of rock, funk, country, jazz and more into varied grooves with constantly shifting flavors and textures. The group’s songs were a bit more concise and focused this night, with no 20- or 30-minute jam episodes during their set. Highlights for me included originals such as the dual-speed “Twist Your Head Off” with its blends of reggae and funk flavors, the blues/funk-flavored “I’m Coming Home,” and a wild and colorful number whose title I didn’t catch (a Spanish name, “Santiago”-something, is shouted in the chorus), that intensified into a heated jam finish. With Alchemy, the highlight was again witnessing how the band blended styles together into grooves, and observing how these musicians – singer/guitarist Josh Dominick, guitarist Stanton Custer, keyboardist Paul Rennie, bassist/singer Ben Thonus and drummer Todd Evans – played off one another and followed each others’ leads. With Crowbar still packed, Alchemy received a good response from the crowd as their set progressed.
Alchemy continues the fun at the Savin’ Sanity Benefit.
Once again, Alchemy.
Ben Thonus of Alchemy.
The final band of the evening was another group I had not heard of or seen before, Strike Fire Fall. And judging by the sizable group of fans that clustered onto the Crowbar main stage floor area to see this band, I was wondering why I hadn’t heard of them! Playing their first show in six months, Strike Fire Fall performed a set of hard-edged, uptempo melodic rock of the Goo Goo Dolls/Foo Fighters vein. The songs were catchy, fast-paced and hard-hitting, and delivered cleanly by the band’s four members; Chris, Dan, Shawn and Paul. I didn’t catch any song titles, but the large number of fans on the dance floor obviously knew the group’s songs, calling out titles and singing/cheering along. At one point, some of the fans even started a mosh pit. Strike Fire Fall’s singer mentioned that the group was involved in a contest on Purevolume.com, and encouraged the audience to visit the site (www.purevolume.com) and cast their vote. (Strike Fire Fall eventually won the contest; the prize was the recording of their EP on Takeover Records; the EP comes out this spring.) I was pretty impressed with Strike Fire Fall and their brand of hard-rocking pop songcraft; and I wouldn’t mind catching this group’s show again.
Capping the Savin’ Sanity Benefit, Strike.Fire.Fall.
Once again, Strike.Fire.Fall.
With a crowd to cheer them on, Strike.Fire.Fall.
This put the wraps on the Savin’ Sanity Benefit. This turned out to be a successful endeavor, with a large audience on a Tuesday night, raising a good-sized chunk of change for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation. Early word is that there may be a sequel Savin’ Sanity event this coming spring.
The night also enabled me to witness five unique and diverse band entities, four of them for the first tome. This amounted to a night of band discoveries for me, making me glad I made the roadtrip to watch it all unfold.
WOOD-N-STRINGS @ THE KNICKERBOCKER, ALTOONA 12/1/04
Wednesdays are usually my “hell night” at the workplace, and I’m usually lucky if I can escape the clutches of gainful employment any time before 11 PM on a given Wednesday night. Fortunately, this was one of those weeks. I was lucky, and could escape by 10 PM. Since there was live music happening a half block away from my broadcast employer, I walked around the corner to the Knickerbocker to check in with Wood-n-Strings.
I made my way to the Knickerbocker’s rear lounge, where Wood-n-Strings – Dwane Edmiston and Jeremy Nelson – were playing guitars and singing tunes. I arrived during the pair’s second set, and watched as they performed a wide range of acoustic current and classic rock favorites, with a number of surprises along the way. Wood-n-Strings’second set repertoire included songs from Soundgarden, Tom Petty, John Mellencamp, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Grateful Dead, Stealer’s Wheel, Incubus and more. Curios and highlights during this set included a bluegrass-flavored tune called “Another Cigarette;” a full-out acoustic jam edition of Grand Funk’s “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home),” and the pair funking it up acoustically with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” to close the set.
Thus far, it was sounding good. Dwane and Jeremy blended their guitar talents and complemented each other well, alternating lead vocal duties and combining for nice harmonies along the way. I also enjoyed Wood-n-Strings’ varied song list, mixing old, new and unexpected. And although not a large audience, the people in this portion of the Knickerbocker clearly were here for the music, and showed their support with applause after each song.
After intermission, Dwane and Jeremy commenced their final set of the evening. Dwane started things off on a solo note with a Dave Matthews tune, before Jeremy joined him and the pair performed “All Along the Watchtower.” Jeremy then sang lead on Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here;” the duo then opted to stretch it into a Pink Floyd double-shot, and blew me away in the process with a kickass two-man acoustic rendering of “Pigs (3 of Them).” The pair then continued with a Rusted Root number, before pausing while Jeremy performed “the ancient Chinese art of ‘tu-ning.’” The pair continued with the Eagles’ “Take It Easy” with Jeremy singing lead, before getting the Led out with Zeppelin’s “Thank You.” Dwane demonstrated some nifty knuckle-ride slide on Sublime’s “What I Got,” followed by the duo’s version of the Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil,” which inspired an appropriate hoot chorus response from the audience. An audience request for “Paint It Black” turned this into a Stones double-shot, followed by Puddle Of Mudd’s “Blurry.”
At this point, hunger pangs were starting to affect me, and I departed the Knickerbocker to go satisfy my Pellegrine’s Wednesday pizza fix for the week. But I was quite pleased with what I witnessed from Wood-n-Strings. Dwane and Jeremy had resumed the chemistry they demonstrated when this duo was first together a few years ago; and their fun and unpredictable setlist kept the show interesting and fresh throughout. It’s also cool to see the Knickerbocker doing some live music, making it a logical place to walk to when I am able to escape the workplace early on Knickerbocker music nights.
Jeremy Nelson and Dwane Edmiston, together as Wood-n-Strings.
FELIX & THE HURRICANES @ PETER C’S, ALTOONA 12/2/04
One of the established credos about any Felix & the Hurricanes show is that while you will hear a lot of familiar tunes from week to week, the mood is always different, and every show is unique.
This night proved it, once again.
It was a good-sized Thursday night crowd in the house as I arrived during the Hurricanes’ second set. Unofficial fourth Hurricane Dick Kos was onstage to provide the twin guitar attack with brother Felix; and the fireworks were already hot and heavy as the band blazed through the Allman Brothers’ “No One to Run With.” This song finished with Dick, Felix, bassist Jeff Clapper and drummer Bob Watters showcasing their talents round-robin around the stage; each player answering what the player before him did. Cool stuff! Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy” led into Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally,” where the ‘Canes deferred the attention to Jeff’s bass talents. After a blues number, the group did “Who’s Fooling Who,” followed by the group’s authoritative set-closing rendition of the Outlaws’ “Green Grass and High Tides.” This song resulted in the expected homestretch instrumental fireworks, with Dick, Felix, Jeff and Bob pushing each other to the brink of total meltdown.
During the intermission, I noted another factor playing into the festive mood of the Hurricanes’ proceedings so far; prominent Hurricaniac Harry Bottoms was celebrating a birthday this night, and was obviously having a good time already.
The Peter C’s audience still buzzing from the previous set’s instrumental fireworks, the Hurricanes soon returned to the stage to provide some more, kicking off with the Allman Brothers’ “Soulshine.” The group turned this into a Southern rock triple-shot medley, proceeding into Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” and then Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See.” Dick Kos then took the spotlight, singing lead as the group picked up the tempo with “La Bamba.” The fiesta continued with Los Lonely Boys’ “Heaven,” before some Hurricanes chicanery brought some laughs from the Peter C’s crowd. A flashy, garland-like purple scarf made its way onto the stage, and soon was draped around Dick. Brother Felix got into the mischief as well, and soon both Kos brothers were adorning the scarp as the group launched into Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ with Disaster” and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “The House Is Rockin’” to end the set.
The rowdy and festive Peter C’s crowd still wanted more, and the Hurricanes answered. First, they brought Harry Bottoms onstage and led the audience in serenading him with “Happy Birthday,” capped by Harry showing his bottom to the crowd. The Hurricanes then capped the night with Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl” as the clock pushed 2 AM.
As Hurricanes shows go, this one had firepower and frivolity. The ‘Canes demonstrated scorching musicianship and individual virtuosity on their respective instruments, but also fed off the crowd’s crazy and festive vibe and got loose with some highjinks of their own. It again proved that no two Hurricanes Thursdays at Peter C’s are ever truly the same; the songs might remain the same some weeks, but the vibes and moods always guarantee that each show is fresh and unique.
Raisin’ hell on a Thursday night at Peter C’s, Felix & the Hurricanes.
Dick Kos shows off his new wardrobe addition to brother Felix.
Getting into purple scarf mischief, Dick and Felix Kos of the Hurricanes.
Those ever-crazy brothers Kos!
With an audience guest helping on backing vocals, Hurricane Felix.
SHADOWS OF THE KING (ELVIS TRIBUTE) @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 12/3/04
It’s very rare that Pellegrine’s offers live music on any night other than Sunday, except for the occasional holiday eve or other special occasion. In this case, it was special occasion – the eve before Natalie Pellegrine strolled the aisle and tied the knot. As a kickoff to get her special weekend started, Natalie and Pellegrine’s brought Elvis to Altoona, from beyond the grave.
It was the same Elvis who last visited the area a year ago at City Limits. Parodying himself as Elvis “tribute act” Shadows Of The King, Elvis…errr…Jamie Harris, as he would have us believe…again performed many of his classic hits and celebrated moments from his illustrious career. His sidekick, Cletus, wasn’t present this night; The King’s current wife, Michelle, served as the producer/director for the evening.
Decked out in a black studded outfit and cape, Elvis was in a more mellow mood this time – perhaps due to a lack of hecklers like he had to contend with last year at City Limits. Singing against a recorded backdrop as before, (Shadows Of) The King was performing Tony Joe Shite’s “Polk Salad Annie” as I arrived and situated myself at a table. Elvis was concentrating his repertoire on the late 60’s and early 70’s, ballads in particular. He did work up a sweat when he performed “Burning Love,” jokingly asking afterward if anybody knew CPR. After renditions of “In The Ghetto,” “And I Love You So” and “My Way,” Elvis broke into some Christmas tunes, performing “Christmas Snow” and “The Wonderful World of Christmas.” Elvis then closed out the set with his trilogy, performing “Dixie,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love with You.”
Although the audience in front of the stage wasn’t large, they wanted to hear more from The King, so Elvis postponed his peanut butter and pickle sandwiches to do several more songs. After an a cappella version of “Viva Las Vegas,” Elvis performed “Love Me Tender.” Requesting a beer, Elvis continued with “All Shook Up;” The King was apparently shook up about needing the beer, because he was off the beat of the song while trying to sing along. Then, for the finale, Elvis closed the show with “The Wonder of You,” battling some feedback problems as he strode around the room. I’m sure Col. Tom Parker wouldn’t have put up with such screw-ups!
In all, Elvis…errr, Jamie…did a solid job. His voice was in good form, and his presentation was low-key and cordial. The Pelly’s audience was older and a bit quieter than the rowdy City Limits audience last year, so Elvis seemed to cater his performance more towards their tastes, with more ballads and less uptempo songs. Elvis serenaded bride-to-be Natalie and her mother a few times during the course of the show. In all, it was a polite, relaxed atmosphere; and made for a little change of pace to the usual goings on at Pellegrine’s on a Friday night.
Elvis…”Shadows Of The King”…entertains at Pellegrine’s.
HOMER’S ARMY @ BURGI’S ROUNDHOUSE, ALTOONA 12/3/04
Several months after first opening, I was overdue to finally check out a band at the new Burgi’s Roundhouse in Greenwood. And since it had been several months since I first saw Homer’s Army, I decided to head to Burgi’s Roundhouse after leaving Pellegrine’s, and observe as Homer’s Army practiced their musical maneuvers.
My first impressions of Burgi’s – NICE room! Spacious, clean, sizable bar area, huge dance floor, comfortable atmosphere. Burgi’s wasn’t particularly crowded as I arrived, so I found a table in relatively close proximity to the stage, and ordered up a brew as Homer’s Army was underway with their second set of the night.
The big surprise for me right off the bat was the presence of a new bass player and singer. Mike “Griff” Griffiths was singing and playing bass this night, replacing Gerry Stanek. Mike informed me later that he was taking over the bass spot in Homer’s Army while his other band, the Buzz Munkys, went on indefinite hiatus at the end of the year.
As expected, Homer’s Army – Griff, singers/multi-instrumentalists Tim Homerski and Keith Homerski, and drummer/singer John Homerski – were pumping out heavy doses of classic rock favorites. The three Homerski’s swapped lead singing duties from song to song; Tim fronted the band on the Allman Brothers’ “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” Keith sang lead on Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl,” John furnished lead voice on the Doobie Brothers’ “China Grove,” etc. ZZ Top’s “La Grange” drew some dancers onto Burgi’s dance floor, and Homer’s Army kept it Southern with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Simple Man.” The group continued with favorites from the Beatles, Van Morrison, Grand Funk Railroad; and finished out the set with the Hollies’ “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run.”
As I witnessed during my earlier encounter with Homer’s Army during the Rockpage Jam last summer; this group was again in good form. All four members were strong on their respective instruments and vocal roles, and gelled together well into a cohesive, tight unit. Unlike their Rockpage Jam performance, though, Homer’s Army didn’t have to battle technical problems thus far this night.
Homer’s Army soon reconvened, jumping back into the music with Grand Funk Railroad’s “Footstompin’ Music.” Wilson Pickett’s ever-popular “Mustang Sally” and the Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Runnin’” featured John on lead voice, before Tim did the honors on Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man.” The classics continued with The Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes” and Grand Funk Railroad’s “We’re an American Band,” leading up to Homer’s Army’s impressive homestretch. First, the group demonstrated their overall musicianship and vocal harmony coordination on Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son;” leading to the finale, The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Here Homer’s Army really proved their credentials; Tim tapped out the song’s staccato keyboard riff by hand, without a sequencer. John went full Keith Moon behind the kit, blasting out the beats like there was no tomorrow, and Tim unleashed his full Roger Daltrey scream to trigger the song’s homestretch. Amazing display!
Homer’s Army again demonstrated that they were not only rock musicians, but rock solid musicians whose execution was tight and on the same page. New man Griff fit in well with the Homerski’s; the future for this group appears bright as Griff becomes a full-time member after the holidays. The band was firing on all cylinders vocally and instrumentally, and didn’t have technical problems to stymie their efforts this night. Overall this was a strong performance, offering proof that Homer’s is one Army that is mobilized and moving forward with their solid arsenal of classic rock.
Executing their maneuvers, Homer’s Army at Burgi’s Roundhouse.
Tim Homerski of Homer’s Army.
John Homerski of Homer’s Army.
Again, Tim Homerski of Homer’s Army.
The new guy, Mike “Griff” Griffiths of Homer’s Army.
Continuing their conquest of Burgi’s, Homer’s Army.
LOUDMOUTH @ ELECTRIC AVENUE, HOUTZDALE 12/4/04
This Saturday evening I headed up the mountain to Houtzdale, to get my first look at Loudmouth at Electric Avenue.
Loudmouth is a Philipsburg/Houtzdale-based power trio featuring three area music vets: Former Hitchcock bassist/singer John Cimino, former House Rules guitarist/singer Brandon Giuffre, and longtime area drummer and brainchild behind The Worry Knot, Michael Hughes.
Electric Avenue was packed solid when I arrived early during Loudmouth’s second set and procured a table back near the sound board. As Loudmouth’s set unfolded, I discovered this band’s unique angle in delivering their rock party. While the trio did plenty of familiar favorites, they also threw in a number of 80’s new wave and Brit pop tunes along the way. During their second set, Loudmouth mixed in tunes from The Outfield, Radiohead, and The Pixies’ “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” sung by Mike. The group also broke out two U2 numbers, including “Vertigo;” and strung together a fast-firing medley including tunes from Metallica, Bush, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, Aerosmith and Cheap Trick to end the set.
Loudmouth’s presentation was uptempo, hard-driving and action-packed. They kept the tunes coming nonstop, fueled by Mike’s sharp, big beats. John and Brandon handled the lion’s share of lead vocal duties, both demonstrating solid voices. Their performance was upbeat and fun, and kept Electric Avenue’s dance floor constantly filled.
The nightcap set featured more of the same blend of popular rock/party favorites with a slight new wave/British pop edge. Velvet Revolver’s “Slither” triggered the music, and quickly brought revelers back onto the dance floor. John fronted the group on the Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated,” Green Day’s “Basket Kase” and Weezer’s “Hashpipe,” before the group shifted gears into a slower and funkier take on Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” Brandon then sang lead on Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” before the group updated a 60’s classic, Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson,” featuring an agitated, accelerated ending. Loudmouth continued with Phish’s “Down with Disease,” before shifting into the new wave 80’s for Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” and The Vapors’ “Turning Japanese.” The group kept it British with The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go,” and maintained the punk flavor with the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop.” Loudmouth then capped the evening with an excellent read on Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,” with Brandon singing the lead and mixing in some spacey effects to accent the song.
I thoroughly enjoyed Loudmouth’s party. Their songs were tightly executed, and the group maintained a rowdy, uptempo pace that gave nobody a reason to want to sit down. I also enjoyed the song mix, just the right blend of familiar and forgotten that kept things fresh and a little unpredictable as the night progressed. Electric Avenue obviously enjoyed this group, as the room stayed packed until the end. Loudmouth plans to expand their territory beyond Clearfield County in the New Year; watch for them in Altoona and State College soon!
John Cimino and Brandon Giuffre of Loudmouth.
Michael Hughes of Loudmouth.
With an audience member playing along on tambourine, Brandon Giuffre of Loudmouth.
John Cimino of Loudmouth.
Again, John Cimino and Brandon Giuffre of Loudmouth.
Again, Michael Hughes of Loudmouth.
Brandon Giuffre of Loudmouth.
Once again, John Cimino of Loudmouth.
NONE OTHER @ PELLEGRINE’S, ALTOONA 12/5/04
My weekend concluded at Pellegrine’s, with my first look at a band making their first Altoona appearance, None Other.
None Other formed five years ago in central Florida, and has actually recorded several full-length albums and EP’s. The group recently shifted their center of operations to Pennsylvania, and has acquired the services of Altoona native and former Something Fluid drummer Len LeChene.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers playing (and beating) the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Sunday night game this night, lots of Black and Gold-clad Steeler fans and several “Terrible Towels” could be seen throughout the house as I arrived just before the start of None Other’s final set of the night. As their set unfolded, I noticed several noteworthy things about None Other. First, this band established a fast-firing pace, and delivered many of their songs with ample tempo and velocity. Secondly, although None Other performed a number of familiar favorites, they weren’t afraid to deliver these songs in their own unique style and voice, performing a number of them in different styles, keys and tempos.
After renditions of Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” and Maroon 5’s “Harder to Breathe” kicked off the last set, None Other broke out some INXS, doing “New Sensation.” The group followed with an Everclear number, before launching into an interesting instrumental medley that fused together the intros to a number of songs. Eventually they stuck with one of the songs, and offered a punk-flavored take on Ozzy’s “Crazy Train.” After a fast ska read of a Sublime number, None Other did Violent Femmes’ ever-popular “Blister In The Sun,” with frontman/guitarist Clint Wiley venturing out into the dance floor crowd at mid-song to do an auctioneer-styled rap. Blink 182’s “My Own Worst Enemy” led into a heavy-handed read of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin;’” before None Other introduced one of their own originals, the high-velocity “You’re Not Welcome Here.” Although the Pelly’s crowd was somewhat shy for this new band and dance floor action was relatively light during most of this set, the floor quickly filled as None Other launched into their last song of the set, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” This dance floor-packing ending was enough to prompt the crowd to yell for an encore, and None Other delivered with another surprise; using an elaborate and lengthy intro to launch into Blur’s “Song 2.”
As mentioned, None Other kept the pace of this show uptempo, fueled by Len’s booming drumbeats. In fact, in terms of hard-hitters, Len packed a wallop behind the kit, pounding the living crap out of his drums on every song! The rest of None Other – frontman Clint, bassist Mike Thornton and lead guitarist Jacob Reid, were a tight and solid unit, holding it together well through their high-velocity presentation. None Other’s presentation displayed personality, energy, aggression and swagger. I thought their song selection and variations on song favorites was a refreshing twist; and although Pellegrine’s crowd was a bit shy about this new and different band on their first night here, I get the feeling this band could evolve into a crowd magnet after a few more shows.
I was impressed with None Other’s powerhouse party, and I look forward to seeing more of it in the coming weeks and months.
Making their Pellegrine’s debut, None Other.
Clint Wiley of None Other.
Mike Thornton of None Other.
Once again, None Other.
With audience member Guv’nor Jesse taking a closer look, Mike Thornton and Clint Wiley of None Other.
Again, Clint Wiley of None Other.
Len LeChene of None Other.
Jacob Reid of None Other.
