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Gig Updates
Saturday, October
28-2006
Excuses: Southside- Pittsburgh, Pa.
A bit of a slow night at the
bar. Thanks to our regulars for coming out and sticking around. We
really appreciate your support. A gang of 20 somethins, all halloweened
out their minds stumbled in so, I asked them to dance "The Monster
Mash". Dance they did, beautifully. To keep them on the floor, we did
"Ring Of Fire", "Folsum Prison Blues" and "Sham A Lama Ding Dong". I
said dong, cool huh? These young attractive people ran outta gas and
left to haunt someone else's house. We kicked a few songs a**es tonight.
"Two Story House", "Sidewalk Romeo", "Son Of A Gun" and "In These
Dreams". I tried to sing "Jingle Bell Rock" for the first time. If at
first you don't succed.................
Wednesday, October 25
-2006
Moondogs: Blanox, Pa.
Bill Toms on acoustic guitar,
Phil Brontz on tenor sax opened the show and did a fine job setting the
table. I was lucky enough to have P.K. Lavengood play guitar with me for
my short acoustic set. We opened up with "Playin In A Rockn'Roll Band"
and followed it with "This Is Where You Kiss Me". The folks seemed to be
enjoying our performance, which pleased me. We then did another novelty
type tune "Today I Stepped In Somethin". I normally wouldn't do two
goofy songs in a row, but I thought about tonight's headliner John
Eddy's often comic material and figured, if not tonight, never. New
song, "Hell's Highway" gave Mr. Lavengood a chance to rip some bone
chilling licks off...powerful. Before we went on stage, P.K. mentioned a
song he and I had written years ago "Laughin Just To Keep From Cryin", I
wanted to hear it again, so we played it. I was glad we did because
people responed very well to it. We closed out our set with "Sick n'
Tired" and "I Was Blind". John Eddy took the stage for almost two and a
half hours and did what he's been doing for years, rocking strong. New
drummer Rick, is really jellin with legendary bass man Kenny AAronsen.
Late in the show, myself, Phil Brontz and local Pittsfield singer Andrea
Pearl got up on stage and helped John and the boys slug their way
through a bunch of ole covers. "Honkeytonk Women", "Sweet Home Alabama",
Cheap Trick tune, "Mommy's all right, Dadddy's all
right"................Moondog's was da place to be Wednesday night.
Monday, October 23-2006
Moondogs: Blanox, Pa.
Most of the people in the
audience had seen us play before, but not in the past 20 years. We
played a very sophisticated show for this crowd. I wanted to do a few
old tunes, but also show who we are today. "Old cow died with a rag in
his a**" was the first thing you heard; "Dearly beloved we're gathered
together here" was the next thing you heard. The pounding drums of "Rockin
Roll City" put out notice that, although tonight's headliner was
bringing the Liverpool beat, me and my boys was throwin and showin
Pittsburgh rockin roll, man style, all over da place. You wanna git in
da ring wit me? I didn't tink so. "Somethins Cookin" came rolling off
the stage real manful. I was proud as a ruttin buck to bring this
masculine music to these nice people. "We Come A Long Way" had extra
meaning because we played to folks who hadn't seen us in ages. Old tune
"Ready Freddy" felt good, we hadn't played it in months. "You Go Your
Way" got a soulful vibration going. "Hell's Highway" took everybody down
the road and up around the bend. Whitey Cooper was blowing minds on
"Sick n Tired". All along the way here's me, talkin sh*t. Surprised? Not
really. "That Ain't Gonna Happen" and "I Seen Too Much" took my own
breath away. "Lovedog" reminded everybody not to take anything to
seriously. WE KICKED A**. Next up "The man who put the beat in the
Beatles, Pete Best and the Pete Best Band". Very cool act. Four strong
singers, great material and "The man who put the beat in the
Beatles...........................
Saturday, October
21-2006
Molnars: Elizabeth, Pa
Halloween partys like this are
cool cause everybody's laughing all night. That works for me. Great
food, I had some of the brains-they were delicious.We played pretty well
on this fall evening. Lots of cover tunes, a few dancers. "Ring Of
Fire", the Johnny Cash tune, came off real well for the first time.
Whitey was playing his tail off all night. I didn't start off playing
well but as the night went on, I caught fire. Harry seemed to be hitting
it hard. "Into The Mystic", the Van Morrison tune, was well received.
All the girls got up on the floor as we did "The Monster
Mash"........and my monster from his slab began to rise............
Friday, October 20-2006
Chesapeake Steak House: Pittsburgh, Pa.
All Norman songs all night.
"Bulldog", "Boilermaker", "Somethins Cookin", "White Trash Tragedy"...
we was just plowing thru the music that means so much to me. We was also
just laughing out loud at any thing that was falling outta my face. Yea,
it was one of those gigs. I don't know how to explain these informal
shows that end up being so much fun. I use the term, "talkin sh*t" but
I'm sure that terminolgy doesn't quite describe the miracle that occurs
between us and the audience when the sh*t is flyin. I remember saying,
"this music is a powerful force, in spite of the fact that at times I
may behave like an idiot." This was a magic performance. Ya shoulda been
der.
Sunday, October 8-2006
Bedford Fall Foliage Festival: Bedford, Pa.
On a beautiful autumn
afternoon in the hills of Pennsyltucky we had a blast. The audience sat
on bales of hay as we played, under a gazebo in a park-like setting, in
the center of a very cool small town. "Lazybones", "Boilermaker", "Somethins
Cookin"........I was getting a good feeling from those gathered. It's
fun to play for folks that wouldn't normally see a band like ours. Sent
out "We Come A Long Way" to a guy in the crowd with an old Decade
T-shirt. Got some locals up on stage to dance to "Steeler Nation", they
all had Steeler jerseys on. An older girl got up to dance & I joined
her, just to watch peoples faces. Set two opened with "Nightclub". We
then did a couple covers: "Folsum Prision Blues" and "Help Me Make It
Thru The Night" followed by "Mr. Right Now" and "Who Dat Do Dat". Harry
did a well received version of "Pots n' Pans" & Whitey hit a homer
singing "Sick n' Tired" all high tight n' white n' nat. Closed out the
show with Elmore James "Shake Your Moneymaker". Some guy had a T-shirt
that said "Who are these kids? And why are they calling me daddy?" This
was a fun date, new faces, the P.A. sounded great, under a blue
sky..................
Friday, October 6-2006
Cafe Supreme: Irwin, Pa.
Everybody in the house was
there to hear Pittsburgh rock n' roll. "Rock n'Roll City" and "Nothin To
Lose" really stood out. The request to do "That's Enough About Me"
scared me a little cause we hadn't done that song in a couple years. I'm
F'd up for not playin that song more often. Local celebrety Jimmy
Sinclair sang "Long Haired Country Boy". Cousin Pete Oddo played drums
on "Chain Gang" and "634-5789" while Whitey sang. We then satisfyed a
request for "Up Jumps The Devil". "Smoke Two Joints" sent em' home
smiling.
Thursday, October
5-2006
Rex Theater: Southside-Pittsburgh, Pa.
It ain't easy opening the show
for a guitar legend like Robin Trower. It becomes even more difficult
when Whitey and Harry are nowhere to be found, solo acoustic is rough
work. I think I did fairly well, although I never did get the joint to
totally quiet down while I as playing. "I'm A Man", "Look What You
Done", "Playin In A Rock n' Roll Band", "Today I Stepped In Somethin",
"Hells Highway", "You Go Your Way", "Steeler Nation", "Sick n' Tired",
"Smoke Two Joints"... If it don't kill ya, it makes ya stronger. This
show was sold out in advance. Maybe I made some new friends.
Sunday, October 1-2006
The Boardwalk: Strip District-Pittsburgh,
Pa.
Hundreds of bikes, classic
cars, and a carnival-like atmosphere brought life to the parking lot. We
brought the good rocking sounds to the waterside stage. "Lazybones",
"Till The Cows Come Home", "White Trash Tragedy", "Somethins Cookin"..............The
DJ Chuck jumped into the water display, going above and beyond in
pursuit of a party atmosphere. Nice work Chuck. Special request for "Nothin
to Lose" was a good idea, cause we ripped it.
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