Norman Nardini Gig Updates!

Gig Updates

March 27 - 2004 Map
Excuses: 2526 E. Carson St. (South Side), Pittsburgh, PA (412) 431-4090
10:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Sat.
"How You Like Me Now", "Last Night I Had A Dream", "Heartbreak Shake", "Yesterday's Gone". We love it when Norman and the guys make it look easy. The music just came pourin off the stage...Powerful! Norman said he wrote a new song the other day and wanted to try it, although Whitey and Harry had never heard the tune before. It came off pretty well. It's called "That Girl Must Be From Graceland". Then Norman thanked the audience for listening to an unprepared tune. He said he learns a lot by doing shit like that. Whatever. A late night version of the classic "High Times" was appreciated by all. Lenny Ferrari of Lou Reed fame (although Norman said he never held that against him) got up to play drums on a couple of soul tunes while Whitey Cooper tore up on vocals. Then Norman played half of another brand new song "Wild Yonder Blues" stopped in the middle and broke into a night closing "Smoke Two Joints". He walked offstage before the song was done and came back out to take some bows. He was acting like he was out of his mind. I think he gets so high on the music that he even scares himself!
Notables in attendance: Patty & Ron, Michelle, Lenny Ferrari, Doug and Angela, Dave & carol, Martha, Terry & Angelo, Terrible Tom, The two South Side Girls, Gail and Lori and Larry, Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Lange

March 20 - 2004 Map Driving Directions
Penn Monroe Grill: 3985 William Penn Hwy, Monroeville, PA 15146 412-373-1180
10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Sat.
Harry Bottoms caught the cold Norman had last week. He said he felt terrible but he sure did a great job. "Lazy Bones" into "Heartbreak Shake" (great songs for early in the set to get things rockin. Also, and early version of "Nothin To Lose" just crushed. "White Trash Tragedy" was also a standout tonight. A smokin version of "What the F&*%" seemed appropriate for the evening's audience. Norman mentioned the new release "Redemption" is almost ready to hit the street! He played a song "Gorilla" from the new CD while he made monkey noises. (He's f'd up!) Norman tried to get the audience to sing backup vocals on "Up Jumps The Devil" and they seemed to humor him. Whitey went off on "Sick N Tired" and brought he house down. The evening closed with a raw version of "Smoke Two Joints".
Notables in attendance: Dave & Carol, Patty & Ron & Lynn, Nick

March 13 - 2004 Map Driving Directions
Big Dawgs: 2600 Liberty Way, Liberty Boro/McKeesport, PA Jane (412) 896-9454
10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Sat.
It all started off so innocently. Norman and the guys playin some bad ass Pittsburgh rock n roll to some nice beer drinkin people. About one hour into the show, somewhere between 10-15 local and state police converged on Big Dawgs looking for under age drinkers. Yeah, that makes sense...underage drinkers at a Norman show. Obviously, there were no underage drinkers at the show, but the arrival of a police task force can sure take the magic out of the air...and the band played on. Norman was sick all night with a bad cold so he was a little goofy. The guys did an impromptu version of Roy Orbison's "Candy Man" for no apparent reason. Cool! ...A candy colored clown they called the Sandman...
Notables in attendance: Rocky and Dana, Karen, Shelley, Mike & Gene

March 12 - 2004 Map
Moondog's: 378 Freeport Rd, Blawnox, PA (412) 828-2040
10:00 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Fri.
The first thing Normans said tonight was "Hi! I'm Norman and I have a cold. "Till The Cows Come Home" has been showing up early in the shows lately. Also, "Little Things" showed up in the first set and kicked ass. Anther real old Norman tune "Gorilla" showed up tonight and gave Norman a chance to make a fool of himself as he jumped around making monkey noises and picking fleas off the other musicians. In the second set, Norman dedicated "Rainbow" to bartender Mary. He gets the biggest smile on his face during that song for some reason. When the Rat Man got up to song "Wild Thing", the only people left didn't seem to mind when he gave himself a wedgie.
Notables in attendance: Mark the vet, Grant, Vince, Chuckles, Tony Pirollo and Bernie, Angelo & Terry, Patty

March 11 - 2004 Map
Parkway Tavern: 312 Center Rd, Monroeville, PA 15146 (412) 372-8199
8 p.m. - 11 p.m. - Thurs.
Tonight he just made it look so easy. How he do dat? An early show "Burnin Up" took on a serious note and everyone seemed to understand. Norman said he wrote that song in 1979 with Warren King and it sounded like it could have been written yesterday. Great first set. The second set started off where the first one left off. One Norman song after another. Sometimes, it's hard to believe that some of these songs are 25 years old or older, while some songs are just a couple of months old. Yet, they all seem to blend together so well. Then Norman called a guy up to the stage, Chris Franchese. Norman said he was a badass from New Jersey. Then he handed Chris his guitar and Franchese proceeded to rip up on guitar and vocals, performing a couple for blues standards. He was in fact, a badass from New Jersey. Then Norman called up Pittsburgh legend Sherry Richards up to the stage and she sang "Queen Bee" and Kris Kristofferson's "Bobby McGee". She kicked everybody's ass! She's a bad lady! Then Norman sang the stupid song "Norman" to end the show. The call for an encore brought the old standard "Sick N Tired" to life...and if you yourself have ever been sick n tired, then you knew exactly what it's all about. Like Norman said, "every day is a precious gift...even IF you're sick n tired!"
Notables in attendance: Foo & Jill, Nancy & Handsome Hubby, LeAnn, Elaine & Howie, Rat n Betty

March 6 - 2004 Map
Excuses: 2526 E. Carson St. (South Side), Pittsburgh, PA (412) 431-4090
10:30 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Sat.
"Lazy Bones" into "Till The Cows Come Home"...and it just took off from there. "How You Like Me Now", "Play", "Yesterday's Gone" all soared. Chizmo Charles got up on stage and sang a great version of "Green, Green Grass of Home", then a very cool "Boney Maroney". What a wonderful Pittsburgh treasure he is. Then came all the new Norman songs one after the other. "Boilermaker started the second set. Harry Bottoms sang a great version of "Pots N Pans". Then a crushing version of "Nothin To Lose" seemed to put a little order to the universe. Norman ended the night doing a couple request for his sister's birthday "Rock You" and "Mustang Sally".
Notables in attendance: Frank & Kathy, Nick, Ron & Kathy, Dale & Debbie, JP & Ann, Randy & Chooch, Rat n Betty, Erick & Chris, Terrible Tom

March 5th - 2004
Thirsty Ear Tavern Beer Bar: 1200 West Third Avenue Columbus, OH 43212 (614) 299-4987 http://www.thirstyeartavern.com
9:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. - Fri.
It had been over a year since the guys played Columbus, so everyone was happy to see the boys from Pittsburgh. Norman started the show off with three instrumentals "Lazy Bones", "Boilermaker", "Rebel Rouser". The first set lasted two hours with Norman responding to a lot of requests yelled up from the audience. "High Times", "T-Bird", "Burnin Up" and "Godd Rockin Man" were all called from the audience. Norman asked if anybody in the crowd was from Pittsburgh. People from Sheridan, North Side and a few other Pittsburgh neighborhoods called out. Everyone seemed to enjoy Whitey Cooper's high vocals on "Sick N Tired". The 90 minute second set just ripped from the stage, ending with "Let It Bleed" to statisfy so many request for something from the Stones. Whitey Cooper sang the encore "Sweet Soul Music".
Notables in attendance: Bruce & Charlie Nutt, AMy (bartender), Shawn Murray & Ken

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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