Gig Updates

June 27, 2009-Saturday

Birdie’s Landing: Port Vue, PA

This turned out to be a six hour delight. Not a cloud in the sky, just a perfect summer eve for da workin  poor to celebrate life. I started out on my low tuned black strat but it was actin up so da red tele got da work load. “Lazy Bones” & “Boilermaker” took off and we never looked back. Tunes like “Somethin’s Cookin”, “Hells Highway”, “Heat of the Night”, “Love Dog” & “Little Things” cooked all da way thru da first set. “Burn’in Up”, “That Girl” & Mark Stutso’s take on “Million Tears” then “It’s My own fault” highlighted set two. Ole buddy Bobby Betters blew harp on “Like A Rolling Stone” n’ lil’ Kate sang with me on “Ring Of Fire”. Kenny Blake showed up about four and a half hours into this blissful eve, so we kept on a’ rockin. “Mercy Mercy”, “Walkin to My Baby” & “Minimum Wage” were all smokers. But a half naked Ratman stole some thunder as he danced to “Tequila”. We always have to play “Down by Al’s Riverside” in honor of all da good times we had back in da day. I saw a mess of my buddy’s kids n’ I’m amazed at how fast they’ve all grown up……….it’s their world now………hats off to Harry & Stutso for laying it down hour after hour after hour……..a lesser band, would have crumbled

June 26, 2009-Friday

Scottdale Fireman’s Club: Scottdale, PA

We loaded up on some chicken wings just to keep da whole vibe honest. And so it was, we strapped it on n’ started rippin. A special request for “Smoke Two Joints” forced us to deliver early in the first set. We sent “Good Rockin Man” out to da Breedwell’s, who were lookin well. Then we jumped all over “Hells Highway”. Harry reached his core audience when he crooned “King of the Road” which always gives me the opportunity to play some fancy chords. Ole Tiger tunes pleased da people so we hit “High Times”, “That Girl, n’ “T-Bird”. And as been the case lately, Mark Stutso’s been bringin down da house with his vocals on “Three Times Your Fool”, “You Go Your Way” n’ “Victoria’s Secret”. Katey Simone sang “Dead Flowers” n’ sounded strong, folks was gittin it.

June 21, 2009-Sunday

La Casa Narcisi: Gibsonia, PA

The setting was beautiful. As I looked out from the stage I saw trees, grass, and a buncha folks ready to enjoy some music. We ripped a couple instrumentals, “Lazy Bones”, “Rebel Rouser” & “Mercy Mercy” before Shari Richards, our featured singer for this show, took the stage. Shari, as usual, did a great job getting the audience to focus on the show. Shari sang a few standards as well as a few Norman songs, “New Blood”, “Million Tears”, & “Rich Kid” all came off well. Set two was more of the same with “Victoria’s Secret” shining thru. We did an instrument to end the set that featured me on G tuning slide and this groove that Stutso says is some kinda New Orleans thang, I wish we would have recorded it. Set three came to a climax that demanded an encore so we came back and had Shari sing “I’d Rather Go Blind”. This was a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

June 14, 2009-Sunday

Hartwood Acres: Pittsburgh, PA

This was a beautiful summer evening under a blue sky. We got there in time to see Donora, a very cool 3 piece pop band. Our show kicked off with “Boilermaker”, I was glad I made the decision to bring out Vinny Q to bang out some hunks a’ guitar meat, dis was a huge stage and I was happy to have support. “Ready Freddy” churned along just like it’s spose to. “Rock n’ Roll City” seemed to get da rhythm section of Harry n’ Stutso pumpin on da one. Truth is, we didn’t hit our stride till “High Times”, and it sho felt good. We did a tight take on “That Girl’ then busted up some “Rich Kid”. I’d like to mention that I met a wonderful new Nardini child, Ambrose Othello, who is just about the most gorgeous boy ya’ll might ever see. We met backstage and I was overwhelmed by da power of da miracle of life. My Uncle Larry used to say “Breed, boy, it’s the only thing that matters”, and when I think about it, there’s a real good chance that Uncle Larry knew what he was talkin bout, welcome to da planet Ambrose. “Heat of the Night” got the young bucks in the house in our corner, crazy, cause it was written years before they were born. “Comin Home” was a change of pace, but I think a good one. We had Mark Stutso sing us out with “Victoria’s Secret”, and then we did “Moneymaker” for an encore………..Happy Birthday Larry

June 13, 2009-Saturday

Neid’s Hotel: Pittsburgh, PA

This outdoor situation was very cool, kind of like a patio between two city buildings with a nice stage and a city feel. The Neid’s Hotel Band opened the show and did a good job, workin hard for da people. Plus, they got a major league rhythm section. I wanted to establish a new dynamic, after the strong n’ loud opening show, so I called “Comin Home” to kick our set off. “Boilermaker” and “Rock n’ Roll City” got the new dynamic level where I wanted it. “Somethin’s Cookin” did some solid swingin, “Nothin To Lose” got real big n’ powerful, by da last guitar solo I was high as a loon. Saw Paul, of the Spuds, and his wife Chris, saw Tony Maggio. This show was a blast, lottsa folks packed together in the night air. “Shit House Rat” got a nice response. “That Girl” got some girls out on da flo, n’ “Burnin Up” burned up da show. We sent out a shout to the porch people who sit high above the whole situation, looking down. Stutso closed out our set by bringing down da house singin “Three Times Your Fool” and “Victoria’s Secret”.  

Stay tuned for the latest updates! Better yet, come to one of the shows and experience "The Manful Handful" himself, first hand!

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