Norman Nardini Gig Updates!

Gig Updates

December 31 - 2004 Map
Moondog's: 378 Freeport Rd, Blawnox, PA (412) 828-2040
10:00 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Friday
NEW YEARS EVE BASH!!!!
"Boilermaker", "Rock N Roll City", "White Trash Tragedy", "Graceland". Powerful startup for a great Norm Years Eve show. Enter Phil Brontz, ace tenor sax with 8th Street Rox. "T-Bird" followed by "Weekend", Phil really sounded at home with Norman & The Guys. Next up, "Lovedog" and "That Girl" from the "Redemption" CD. The first set closed out with Phil blowin' "Burnin Up" and "Friend Of Mine". Short break gave way to a great instrumental version of "Bulldog" with Phil and Norman lickin' it up real strong. Enter Mark Stutso of Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers on lead vocal. Stutso proceeded to rip up 6 or 7 Norman songs. "Million Tears", "Victoria's Secret", "You Go Your Way", "Just Like A Woman", "Three Times Your Fool", "Heartbreak Shake", then a great cover of the old Wilber Harrison tune "Work Together". Norman tried to count down the seconds to the New Year but he couldn't seem to get it right so he shut up and let the audience take over. Food Break! Moondog laid out some good lick. Pork & Sour Kraut with Kolbassi, pasta and potato salad, hoagies, meatballs & rigatonis, veggie tray and a serious selection of cookies. The last set kicked with Norma wailin' "End Of The Line". Stutso came back up and crooned "Bow Legged Woman" which featured hot solos by Phil & Norman. Enter Whitey "Clyde" Cooper up front to soul shout with Stutso now playin' drums. "6-3-4-5-7-8-9", "Shamalama Ding Dong", "My Baby Caught The Train", "Mojo", then a chillin' version of James Brown's "Try Me". End of show. Encore?! Norman sings Chuck Berry's "Round N Round". Chucky Koehler came up and sang "Hand Jive". Up to the stage came Ronnie "Moondog" Esser to join in on "I Shall Be Released", which ended with everyone singin' and no instruments playin'. Nice touch! Norman said "I think 2005 is gonna be a great year! Hey! Maybe he's right!

December 18 - 2004 Map Driving Directions
Penn Monroe Grill: 3985 William Penn Hwy, Monroeville, PA 15146 412-373-1180
10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Sat.
Norman said he thought that people partying for the Saturday Steeler game might have hurt the crowd a little as the Penn Monroe is usually packed. A good performance of "Just Another Christmas Song" stood out early in the first set. Harry shined doing lead vocals doing "Pots N Pans". Norman did a kick ass version of "Bow Legged Woman" that had the whole place hootin' and hollerin'. "Victoria's Secret" opened the second set and sounded strong. "Theree Tmes Your Fool" and "Red Hot Lover" both sounded good as Norman doesn't often do those songs. "What the F*&%" let everyone know that when you're dealin' with double N, you're dealing with a crazy man!

December 16 - 2004 Map
Rex Theatre: 1602 E Carson St Pittsburgh, PA 15203 (412) 381-6811
8:00 P.M. Start
Norman will be opening the show for Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes! Don't miss it!
What a beautiful room to see a show! Peanuts, the host of the north coast cried out "The Hottest Thing From The Hills Since The Steel Mill...Norman Nardini!" Whitey Cooper kicks the drums, Harry Bottoms bangs the bass and double N screams out "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here at the church of rock n roll" Bam! Rock n Roll City! "White Trash Tragedy" was the chaser. Norman broke a guitar string so he changed to his Tiger guitar and performed "Gettin' It". He then talked for a minute how you can't hear his beloved Pittsburgh rock n roll on the radio. He then sang "It's A Long Way To Pittsburgh PA". Applause..Applause...Applause... "Who Dat Do Dat" and a smokin' version of "End Of The Line" with a very convincing slide guitar solo. How bout a soulful version of "Burnin' Up" with a great rap and a powerful guitar solo. "Help Me Make It Through The Night" closed out the show. Norman got up and introduced the evening's headliners, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes who did a tireless two hour set.

December 11 - 2004 Map
Excuses: 2526 E. Carson St. (South Side), Pittsburgh, PA (412) 431-4090
10:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Sat.
Makin' it look easy! That's what this chilly Saturday night was all about. "Bulldog", "Boilermaker", "Rock n Roll City", "White Trash Tragedy". Norman's bull crap flowed like a raging river. Laughter was the thing. At the end of a song, Norman blew a ping pong ball out of his mouth. He said "That's a power move!" "Smoke Two Joints", closed out the first set. Norman said that as the high priest of the church of rock n roll, he is sometimes called upon to perform special services. He then pointed to two people standing by the ladies room door and then said he would like to know if Tami would like to marry John? Tami yelled out "Yes!" and the guys played "I Can't Help Falling In Love". Everybody had a tear in their eye. It was a very romantic moment. The night closed out with a serious version of "End Of The Line". Makin' it look easy!

December 10 - 2004
Crystal II: 300 Water Street, East Brady, PA 724-526-3746
10 PM - 2 AM - Fri.
Not everybody got it right away, but by teh end of the night, everybody was on the same page. Norman said he liked traveling up to East Brady, PA. But he imagined that a lot of other rock n rollers might not be man enough to make the trip. Harry was drinkin' beer outta the biggest beer glass ever! Local celebrity, Spike, an old World War II Vet, seemed to have the best time. Lots of old covers and b.s. Norman said he took a leak in the river to before he arrived to bless the night. Whatever!

December 9 - 2004 Map
Moondog's: 378 Freeport Rd, Blawnox, PA (412) 828-2040
8:00 p.m. - 12 a.m. - Thursday
CHRISTMAS PARTY BASH!!!!
Norman will be appearing with Glenn Pavone & The Cyclones!!!!!!
A Christmas Party & an announcement celebration from Ron "Moondog" Esser and his club "Moondog's" for for winning The Blues Foundation's 2005 "Keeping the Blues Alive" award. What a great night! Glenn Pavone & The Cyclones played the first set and just kicked ass! After the set, Moondog let out a great buffet! Good, good lick! Then Norman got up and did about 10 minutes of b.s. about Moondog and Moondogs, it was hilarious. When Norman announced the award, everyone stood up and applauded...how cool! Steve Rohan of Radio 97 Rock also spoke and gave away T-Shirts and Cds. Then Norman played wit The Cyclones followed by Bill "The Sauce Boss" Wharton, Zack Weissinger, Chuck Koehler and Moondog himself. About 2 hours of straight unrehearsed jammin', what a treat! Nobody wanted to go home. Yeah it was one of THOSE nights! Merry Christmas!

December 3 - 2004 Map
Starlite Lounge & Moondog's: 364 Freeport Rd (Starlite is 2 doors down from Moondog's), Blawnox, PA
412-828-2040.
10:00 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Fri.
Norman was insane tonight, just talking out of his mind. But crazy as it sounds, everyone in the room was on the same page. Norman said Harry Bottoms is starting a new band called "Lobotomy". The Hanful kept talkin' about being the black sheep of the dysfunctional Pittsburgh rock n' roll family. Somebody asked why he wasn't at the Pittsburgh Flood Relief concert with Joe Grushecky & Bruce Springsteen. He answered very calmly, "I wasn't asked". Everyone in the club was yellin' crazy stuff up to the band the whole night. It was truly an audience participation night. Chucky Koehler jumped up and sang "Hand Jive" & "Can't Help Falling In Love" and sounded especially good tonight. Norman told a story about giving a guitar lesson to a young kid and scaring the innocent boy and his parents. That was the last guitar lesson he's given. A rarely played version of "Latin Shuffle" really lit up the room. Very appropriately, Chucky closed out the night singin' "For The Good Times".

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