pennsylvania musician magazine november 2015

November, 2015 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 3

DEADLINEfor the December 2015 issue...

Friday, November 20th!Don’t delay call today 717.444.2423

or email your info to:[email protected]

November , 2015 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 5

6 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE November, 2015


Spend a day learning from professionals in the media industry during the annual student-run

VALE Media (formerly Music) Conference at Lebanon Valley College on Saturday, November

21st. By expanding to include all media, this event offers educational opportunities beyond just

music. Conference registration is $15 for the public, $5 for LVC students, and free for high

school students.

Panelists will represent video and film production, music recording, musicians, journalism,

web design and development, and additional media areas. A full list of professionals scheduled

to attend is available on the conference website at www.valemusicgroup.com.

Since its inception in 2005, the conference has incorporated numerous improvements. As an

annual student-run event, the class continually explores new ways to attract attendees. To begin

a new decade, the 2015 conference will be presented in collaboration with LVC’s Digital

Communications Department. The digital communications industries and music industries are

deeply intertwined and serve as natural partners to host the conference.

“A main takeaway of the 2015 VALE Conference will be the understanding of how these

differing majors and backgrounds interact within the media industry,” says Katlyn Jumper —

16, conference president. Liz Allebach —17, president of the student-run advertising club

DigiVal agrees.

So what’s in it for students who attend? Professionals provide first-hand advice to students

about the music and media industries, discuss how these types of businesses operate, and share

valuable information about their careers.

Past conferences have served as excellent networking opportunities for internships and jobs.

“There are many aspects to the VALE Conference that make it memorable, but the personal

relationships made during the

day help create greatest

m e m o r i e s . T h o s e

relationships make for

connections that last a

lifetime,” says Jumper.

Registration is available at

www.valemusicgroup.com

for current college students

and members of the public.

High school students should

contact the LVC Admission

Office at 717-867-6181.

VALE MEDIA INDUSTRY CONFERENCE....

ACROSS THE DESKBy Whitey & Robin Noll

So here I am on In Desgin. I do not know what I’m doing but here I go. I was on the last sentence when my faithful 10.4.11 died. It hung in there and if I had just been a few clicks quicker I would have made it. Sorry some of you don’t know my computer saga. I had it all typed out on the other computer but it crashed and won’t let me turn it back on. It all started about 3 weeks ago when I was having trouble connect-ing to the internet. I called Leading Electronics and described my problem and he said the one

board was going out and I would need to get a new computer but use the old one until it died. Well I was two strokes from being done and it died. Here I am taking a crash course on the In Design program so it will be far from perfect I want to thank Chad Cowder of Center Daily Times for talking me through my !rst page, it’s scary but I’m getting there. Also I need to thank Amy for working with me when I thought my old mac died on Wednesday but it revived long enough to get me almost to the end and if I hadn’t been on facebook I would have been done. I have to thank Rachel for helping me get the new IMac, that’s a whole other story but we don’t have time for all the crazy details. I do have to thank Andrew Justice for helping to con!rm the mac I was looking at. "ank you to my neice Kate Lynch and my sister Ethel who came to my rescue when we couldn’t get the new IMac to hook up to the wireless. Kate had it going about 15 minutes a#er she sat down in front of the computer. What would I do with-

out people in my life who continually help me every day and help me every month get the PA Musician Magazine out to the public. So many people help get each issue out: Jim Price, Ra-chel Rocks, Deb Whitcomb, Je$ Kreitz Jr (who is sadly leaving us next month, thank you for your help this past year), Eric Ho$man, Keith Hummel who still delivers some papers for me to make sure faithful readers still can get their issue. Je$ Pittenger, Deanne Trio, Randy Wil-son, Shawn Kurey, Jimi Jaymz, Imelda Reading, Meredith Kaminek who takes our awesome cover shots. "e list goes on and on but I need to get this to the printer. "is is our Anniversary issue. We are going into our 34th year of publishing the Pennsyl-vania Musician Magazine. "ank you to all of our wonderful clients who have been so faithful in placing ads. It’s the ad dollars that keep us going. I should raise my rates and I might have to this year so get in while the rates are low. I have to thank God for helping me the most. I am thankful for His guidance and continual provision. I am thankful that he let the old com-puter hang in there so I didn’t have to design all my ads a new. I have a lot o them saved but I will be learning new programs so I’m looking to change up the design in the near future. I also have to thank my husband and my soul mate, Whitey Noll for giving me the career I was designed to have. I love you Whitey. Love and Hugs to one and all and hopefully by next month I’ll know what I’m doing.



OUT & ABOUTby RACHEL ROCKS!

Rocktober was rockin’ as usual! I love Fall! It is such

an amazing time of year. As the cooler weather starts to

make it’s way to the area and the leaves are all changing

into their beautiful colors, I can’t help, but get out there

and enjoy it! Plus I love wearing hoodies!! (obviously).

Hopefully you’ve been able to get out there and enjoy it,

but save enough energy to get out there and support local

music too! Kudos to all of the bands that have donated

their time and talent to many benefits throughout the area

thru Fall Festivals and other outdoor fun! I know lots of

events were happening all month long, and all of the

entertainment was appreciated.

I have to give the Happy Anniversary shout out to us,

The Pennsylvania Musician Magazine! We’ve been

going strong for lots of years, 33 to be exact. Mom and

Dad started the mag back in 1982, right after my 4th

birthday. They started the magazine in our house on

Route 17, I remember a room with Mom on a typewriter,

and I remember her desk was like a square. I can

remember crawling under her desk with my cat,

Sunshine while she worked, I also remember running out

and meeting the neighbors while Mom was making her

deadlines and all of my siblings were at school. I had

some amazing neighbors who entertained me when I was

bored. I remember in order to answer the phone I had to

be able to say, “Hello, this is The Shopper’s Remedy and

the Pennsylvania Musician, how can I help you?” I think

I was about 7 or 8, then I would unpolitely scream,

“Mooooommmm!!!!!” when it wasn’t one of my friends.

So if you were one of the lucky ones that I screamed in

your ear, I apologize, but it was just a nice way to realize

how much of a small family business you were

supporting. Mom’s office was once part of the kitchen in

our Treaster House, then moved to the back half of the

living room, and then when we relocated to The Witmer

Farm, she at first thought she’d try renting “real” office

space in the bottom of the old hardware store in town,

that was downright miserable not having Mom at home,

and that place was all dark and dingy, then at the Witmer

Farm she decided the laundry room would be plenty big

enough for her office, it’s tiny and extremely narrow, but

Mom got out her tape measure and made it happen. The

view from her office is amazing with windows all along

one wall. It looks out to a beautiful lilac tree and another

flowering tree that attracts hummingbirds, plus of course

the cows are always fun to watch. We’ve truly been

blessed at the Pennyslvania Musician Magazine. Mom

and Dad have done some crazy amazing things to keep

this business afloat. I honestly have NO idea how they

have made it happen. To bring a family of 6 off of

welfare to starting your very own business with no

degree, and no college experience, just street smarts and

great friends to help where the help was needed. Some of

our advertisers have been with us since the beginning

and I can’t thank you enough! You’ve seen me through

life, and most of you don’t even realize it. It’s your ad

dollars that have not only kept this magazine alive, but

also our family. So from the very bottom of my heart I

thank all of you for advertising, reading, and supporting

the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine! I’m glad that

Dad got this idea in his head and stuck to his guns, and

made it happen, I’m also glad he had a wife who

believed in him and has stuck by him and his crazy ideas.

They make an amazing team! Sorry for all the nostalgic

ramblings, now onto my month of amazing

entertainment!

The first show of the month was also Take 147’s first

show back since their summer break. The “Takers”

cont inued on pg. 1 2 . . .


were out in full force to support them taking the

stage at the Tourist Inn. Take 147 decided to

kick off Breast Cancer Awareness month by

raising money for the Breast Cancer Coalition.

They donated $1 for every bra thrown up on

stage. Then they also had a contest to see which

bra was the best decorated. It was a great way to

add to the party already happening! Who doesn’t

love bras flying through the air! I’m not sure of

the final count, but bras were flying everywhere!

Take 147 had a great show, and we all enjoyed

hearing their new songs they were working on

over the Summer. Shortly after this show Take

147 also announced they will be retiring at the

end of November. They have too more shows to

end their 10 year run as a band. One show will

be November 7th at Gullifty’s, and their FINAL

show will be November 21st at Tubby’s. I’m personally extremely bummed to hear

this news. I always had a blast rockin’ with all of these ladies and their fans, aka “The

Takers”. It’s extremely sad the band is breaking up, but it’s even more sad to think I

probably won’t see a lot of the “Takers.” They had quite the fan base and we’ve all

become friends in the last few years. I will miss everyone. Hopefully they still get out

there and support local music. Local music needs all of the support it can get!

The next band I saw was End of Silence at The Eagle Hotel in Fredericksburg.

These guys have been rockin’ area stages and I’ve heard a lot about them, and I’m

very excited that I finally got a chance to catch them ‘Out and About’. When I was

heading home from delivering the magazines in Reading I saw they were on the Eagle

Hotel’s schedule and it worked out perfectly to stop by and rock out for a few minutes

on my way home. What an amazing sound and off the chain stage presence! It was

sooo refreshing!! This year they’ve also released their first EP, “Way of the World.”

They’ve also had some amazing music videos made to go along with their EP release.

Check them out on their Facebook page so you can see and hear these guys for

yourself. I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of these guys in the very near future!

Even though I already had a very long day, it wasn’t quite over yet, I decided to take

one more stop to catch the tail end of Halfway to Hell’s debut show at Double K.

This amazing AC/DC Tribute band came down from the mountains of Northeast PA to

entertain the masses. They had Double K packed and singing along to all of their

AC/DC favorites. Halfway to Hell has a few familiar faces on the stage, and some

new ones. One very familiar face is Dave, “Dazz”, Danishefsky, formerly of the

Poptart Monkeys. It was great seeing him back on the stage rockin’ away! Halfway

to Hell is hitting the highways and spreading their music throughout the state of PA.

Keep an eye out for these guys in your area, you won’t be disappointed.

I haven’t been to the Fredericksburg Eagle Hotel for months, and now I was there

twice in one month, this time it was for the crazy, amazing, and talented, Mycenea

Worley. I was excited when I saw her on the Eagle Hotel’s schedule and I knew it

would be well worth my trip back to the “Hoootel”. Mycenea had the crowd dancing

and singing along as usual. The Eagle Hotel is one of those venues that just makes

you feel like you are home. Everyone is the salt of the Earth and welcomes you in with

open arms, just like Mycenea. It truly is the perfect venue for her to perform at. It’s

like one big family reunion. There were plenty of requests, a lot of which were for

Mycenea’s originals from her latest album, “Siren”. If you want to add some amazing

music to your song list, get this album! Mycenea’s voice is filled with so much soul

even tho she has a rocky edge to her music as well. It’s definitely her own very well

crafted genre of music that is like no other! Check it out for yourself at

www.mycenea.com. If you’ve never been out to the Fredericksburg Eagle Hotel, I

highly suggest a visit soon. Their food is absolutely delicious, might I suggest their

absolutely amazing wings on their Sunday Wing Days! Mmmm… GOOD! Check out

the Eagle Hotel’s schedule in this issue and get more info on their amazing specials

and entertainment!

My next night out was another busy one. The night started out early at the

Millerstown Moose for An Evening of Love to benefit Gracie Snyder. Gracie is a

precious 5 month old baby girl who is fighting Leukemia. In order to survive Gracie

will need a bone marrow transplant. After this night I learned how to become a

possible donor with Be the Match Donor Registry. I completed my kit, but they say it

takes anywhere from 2 to 6 months to get your kit processed to see if you are a match.

I hope if I’m not a match for Gracie I will at least be a match to someone in need. It

was a super simple cheek swab kit that was sent to me and I just swabbed my cheek 4

times and sent the kit back in a self-stamped envelope. I highly suggest checking it out

at www.bethematch.org. The night was filled with tons of fun thanks to the band

Jughead, who donated their time and talent to this benefit. Jughead plays so many

songs that make you scream, “I love this song!” as you’re running to the dance floor.

Not only does Mike have an amazing voice on lead vocals, but all of the musicians are

cont inued on next page . . .

Out & About continued...

Tracey singing w / Steel


equally amazing as well. Not only are they spot on with

their instruments, but their harmonies are just amazing! I

know I’ve been saying a lot about these guys, but trust

me, they deserve it! Jughead has been trying their

hardest to get more gigs in the Harrisburg area and

beyond. Trust me when I say, if you are a club owner,

you want to give these guys a chance! Chances are Mike

has called you, but if not you can call him at 717-795-

4420 to get these guys booked before it’s too late!

After the benefit I still had time to zoom down to

Tubby’s on my way home for Penntera. Seeing them

on the yacht was pretty darn amazing, but I have to

admit I love seeing them on Tubby’s huge stage with

amazing sound and lights even more! Their stage

presence is absolutely amazing and they are always so

much fun to watch and rock out with! By the time I

arrived the crowd was in full rock mode after already

hearing Rabid Assassin and Show No Mercy, which is

a Slayer Tribute band. I heard great things about both of

the opening bands, and Penntera kept the crowd rockin’

all night long! I can’t imagine ever having as much

energy as Johnny has jumping and running all over the

stage while singing and hitting those amazing notes!

Space is back there banging away on those drums. I

love watching his face, you can’t help but smile

watching someone do what they love! Penntera has

quite a few shows this month ranging from Maryland to

New York, with of course Pennsylvania in between!

Check out their ad in this issue and get out there and

rock with them soon!!

Last but not least is Steel, who was playing back at

Double K. ‘The Steel Nation’ was there in full force

partying, dancing, and singing along with the band we

love! I have to give another shout out to one of their

newer songs, “Fire,” which is one of my Bruce

Springsteen favorites, and now one of my Steel

favorites, although I’ve been missing “Black and Blue”

at my last couple of shows… But anyway, in all honesty

I love all of their music! All of their songs get us up

dancing and having a great time. Our Fitbits were busy

again trying to track all of our dancing feet. On their

final song, “Hallowed Be Thy Name” I am thrilled to

report all of the headbangers were lined up from one

side of the stage to the other ready to headbang to the

end of the night. It’s a Steel tradition and it’s how every

show ends. At the very end of the show Trevis came

running out with his very own Fitbit trying to beat us

dancers with his thunderous double bass kick drums,

unfortunately he only wears his on his hip, so I don’t

think it counted as many steps as it should have. Next

time he should wear it on his foot! All in all it was once

again another amazing night of music and entertainment.

Check out their schedule in this issue and get out there

and support these guys soon. I guarantee you it will be a

great night out on the town!

Well there I go for another great month of amazing

music! This marks 8 years of being “Out and About.”

Thanks so much to everyone for reading my article,

checking out my Hot Shots, and just for saying “Hi”

when you see me Out and About. I absolutely love going

out and supporting Local Music! Please come on out

and support it with me! If you have any questions or

c o n c e r n s , y o u c a n e - m a i l m e a t

[email protected]. Make sure and check

out our website at www.pamusician.net and our

Facebook Page: facebook.com/PAMusicianMagazine.

Out & About continued...

NATIONALS By Eric Hoffman

Greetings Rockers and Rollers! Last month started

with the return of Stephen Pearcy in Annapolis,

Maryland on October 2nd. The former lead singer of

Ratt played an intimate show at a small English pub

called Union Jack’s. A great rocking show consisting of

Ratt’s most popular songs, including “Slip Of The Lip,”

“Way Cool Jr” and “Round and Round.” Pearcy and

the band were great after the show, taking time to meet

and hang out with fans.

October 15th also marked the return of Barb Wire

Dolls to Baltimore’s The Depot. A female fronted punk

rock band from Greece who truly follow their punk roots

and beliefs. The band travels non-stop by van, does

everything DIY and work with select record distributors

to release their albums. Barb Wire Dolls give an

immensely energetic show in their pursuit of success as

a band. Since forming in 2010, the band has played over

1,000 shows in over 22 countries including working

with members of the Sex Pistols, Motorhead, Guns N

Roses, Aerosmith and The Cult.

Eric & Isis Queen of Barb W ire Dolls

cont inued on pg 1 4 . . .


Legendary punk rock band, Bouncing Souls, visited

Lancaster’s Chameleon for a sold-out show on October

17th. The band formed in New Brunswick, New Jersey

in 1988 and play fast light-hearted songs. Bouncing

Souls have released a total of nine studio albums and are

a staple in the punk rock scene. The band has only

changed one member in its 27 year existence. Two years

ago, George Rebelo of Hot Water Music and Against

Me! fame joined the band as the new drummer.

NATIONAL NEWS: After visiting the Bryce Jordan

Center in State College on October 15th, Paul

McCartney gave a private performance in Philadelphia

on October 18th during the American Trucking

Conference. McCartney changed the lyrics to the

Beatles song “Drive My Car” to play to the crowd of

about 1,000 and sang, “Baby you can drive my truck.”

McCartney played the two-hour show at a customer

appreciation dinner. McCartney’s wife, Nancy Shevell,

is an executive at Elizabeth, New Jersey-based New

England Motor Freight, a trucking firm owned by her

father.

Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh says he has been

diagnosed with bladder cancer and is being treated in

Arizona. The 75-year-old bassist announced his illness

was diagnosed in early October and has been

undergoing tests and will eventually have surgery to

remove the tumors. He says he’s “very fortunate” to

have the pathology reports show the tumors are all non-

aggressive and that there is no indication that they have

spread. Lesh says he will be able to return to normal

activities two weeks after surgery.

October 9th, Prince performed for Madonna at

Paisley Park. About 30 Prince fans were summoned to

Paisley Park late for something “extra special.”

Madonna walked into the dance party late and

disappeared, but then emerged later followed by Prince.

He took the stage and played a funky set, as Madonna

sat on the edge of the stage at his feet. Reports say that

Madonna looked up at him adoringly as he sang.

Willie Nelson recently canceled his October 17th

concert in Reading, PA due to “Willie has been feeling

under the weather.” Nelson is currently touring with

Merle Haggard in support of their latest joint album,

‘Django & Jimmie’, which was released in June. The 82

year old icon also postponed shows in both Florence,

South Carolina and Roanoke, Virginia last month.

David Bowie is still active in the studio, but has

retired from touring. John Giddings, managing director

for Solo Agency stated, “David [Bowie] is one of the

best artists I’ve ever worked with. But every time I see

him now, before I even speak to him, he goes, I’m not

touring and I say, I’m not asking.” Bowie recently

composed the opening credits for the TV series “The

Last Panthers.” And has also written four new songs for

the musical “Lazarus,” in New York City.

Philadelphia’s Electric Factory is on the limited

club run for Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz (otherwise

known as The Flaming Lips). Six intimate shows to

celebrate the band’s album released for free this past

August. The band also has announced a special naked

concert in the name of quality music video-making. And

the audience is going to be nude too. To up the

weirdness factor, everyone is going to be covered in a

substance that resembles milk. Cyrus announced

October 7th that all shows on the (presumably clothed)

tour were sold out.

Janet Jackson, Steve Miller, Chicago, The Cars,

Cheap Trick, Los Lobos, Chaka Khan and James

Brown’s famed backup band The J.B.’s are among the

first-time nominees being considered for induction next

year in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. More than 800

artists and members of the music industry voted on the

Nationals continued...

Continued on next page...


15 potential honorees. Artists back on the ballot for

another try are Chic, Deep Purple, N.W.A., Nine Inch

Nails, the Smiths, The Spinners and Yes. The

Cleveland-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and

Museum generally inducts five performers a year. The

induction ceremony will be in New York in April.

Promising a 25-date run across North America,

England’s The Cure has locked in 6 shows already for

Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. It hasn’t been very

long since Robert Smith & Co. last graced these

shores. In 2014 the band hit a few festivals, including

BottleRock Napa Valley in Northern California and

Riot Fests in Toronto, Chicago and Denver. Tapping

Scottish band The Twilight Sad will provide opening

duties.

Intrepid pilot/vocalist Bruce Dickinson says Iron

Maiden is launching their “The Book Of Souls” world

tour in Florida. Dickinson and his metal warriors have

determined nine North America gigs. “We haven’t

decided on the set list as yet and won’t until we start

rehearsing but we really look forward to playing a

number of new songs live,” Dickinson said. “However,

as it’s been a while since we saw you all, I am sure we

will include plenty of older fan favourites too. You

certainly deserve it for your patience.” Iron Maiden

has tapped The Raven Age for support. Iron Maiden

plays NYC Madison Square Garden on March 30.

UPCOMING SHOWS: George Wesley Moon Dancer

Winery Nov 7. Public Image Limited (PIL)

Washington DC, U Street Music Hall Nov 10. Public

Image Limited (PIL) Philadelphia Trocadero Nov 11.

Insane Clown Posse Baltimore Soundstage Nov 12.

Buckcherry Reading Reverb Nov 17. George Wesley

Harrisburg Abbey Nov 18. Tommy Conwell & Young

Rumblers Ardmore Music Hall Nov 21. Jerry Joseph

Harrisburg Abbey Nov 21. Ocean Blue Lancaster

Chameleon Nov 22. KIX / Back In Black / Dirt Cheap

Camp Hill Radisson Nov 27. The Sharks Lancaster

Village Nov 28.

Eric & Stephen Pearcy


Go to the website for updates and schedule of events...

A few truths and myths

about AC power.

AC - alternating current electrical power is a necessity

of every production, show or event in some way or

another. Even if it is to recharge someone’s smart

phone. As many of you know, the prevailing wisdom at

smaller venues is “everybody has used this one outlet

and it worked!” Ah - but did it really?

There was an event where all the production gear

ended up on one circuit breaker. The breaker actually

held; it did not go out BUT nothing was working right.

The reason is that there was too much stuff on one set of

wires which caused voltage variations, namely drops in

the voltage. Some things do not work when they do not

have the right voltage. In the words of Homer Simpson,

- “duh!”

At this particular event the audio would cut out

whenever it came to a louder part. Something in the

setup would stop working when the voltage got too low.

Granted, quite a few international products can work

within a range of 100V (Japan) to 240V (UK). But there

are many things that work only within 110V to 120V

range. When the power dropped to 104V at this event;

goodbye!

Simply put, the small wires have increased resistance

which suck up the juice. Power is a function of voltage,

current and resistance. Voltage = Current x Resistance

(E=I x R).

Picture yourself driving down a highway or a road. If

it is a one lane road, there is a good chance you will get

bogged down. But, put the same amount of traffic on a

six lane highway, and everyone sails along smoothly. Of

course it you live in LA, you’ll need an even bigger

highway.

The moral of the story? Use larger, heavier gauge

cables whenever possible. Using multiple runs of cables

helps also, especially if you do have heavy ones. Also

use multiple circuits (for several reasons). Even if you

have heavy cables, the wiring at the venue may not.

There was a show down in South America I did (well

actually it has happened a few times in various

countries) where during the show a power company

transformer blew; one of the ones on a pole. We could

see it from the stage - it put on a nice light show with

sparks flying and such. We happened to have a

generator (genny to those of you in the business) on site

so we were up & running in about 15 minutes luckily

with no loss of gear. Another moral to a story; have

your options ready to go!www.pamusicianmagazine.net

November , 2015 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 19

November marks another anniversary for Pennsylvania

Musician Magazine, supporting and reporting on the state’s

music scene now going 33 years! Musicians, bands, fans,

venues and music trends have come and gone during that span,

and the music scene now is very different from what it was

when Whitey Noll devised the idea of starting this publication

back in 1982. But here we are in 2015, continuing to inform

readers and the world about what Pennsylvania musicians have

to offer. Congratulations and thanks again to Whitey and

Robin for keeping the fire burning, and enabling

Pennsylvania Musician to remain a valuable resource for this

state’s music scene!

Another outdoor live music season is in the books, and the

season’s last festivals and outdoor events provided most of my

recent live music highlights. Delgrosso’s Amusement Park in

Tipton again celebrated Italian tradition with the 26th annual

Italian Food and Heritage Festival in late September. Food

was again in the spotlight as Delgrosso’s, other area businesses

and organizations provided a wide smorgasbord of delicious

Italian food. And Italian-themed music again accompanied the

feast. This year marked the return of Pittsburgh’s Jimmy

Sapienza & Five Guys Named Moe on the main stage.

Jimmy was the skilled showman, displaying a great singing

voice and witty sense of humor as he led his Five Guys

Named Moe - this day sax player Kenny Blake, keyboardist

Keith Stebler and drummer Louis Francini - on a variety of

jazz and swing standards. These guys were entertaining and

fun as they spotlighted hits from legends like Frank Sinatra

(“My Way,” “New York New York”), Dean Martin (“That’s

Amoré,” “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head”), Bobby Darin

(“Beyond the Sea”), Louis Prima (“Angelina,” “Jump Jive an’

Wail”) and Louis Jordan (“Choo Ch’Boogie” and the group’s

namesake song “Five Guys Named Moe,” which ended their

performance). In between sets, the Faiella Father & Son duo -

father Benny on guitar and son Matthew on mandolin -

strolled the festival area to serenade festival-goers with Italian

folk numbers.

Ebensburg reconvened its celebration of the spud in late

September with the 24th annual Potatofest, which featured

organizations and food vendors with a wide variety of potato-

based foods, arts and crafts vendors, wine-tasting, children’s

activities, and live music on four stages spaced throughout

downtown Ebensburg. I saw four of this year’s performers,

starting with Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing at the Penn Eben

Park gazebo stage. Singer Jason Gamble, guitarist Brendon

Bassler, upright bassist Nick Adams and drummer Josh

Williams showcased their acoustic, groove-driven mix of

original songs and select covers. Jason demonstrated a soulful

voice and personality as he led Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

on original songs like “Strange Future,” “The Bliss in This”

and “Lucky,” as well as versions of the Beatles’ “Come

Together,” Van Morrison’s “Moondance” and the Grateful

Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias.” I then headed up High Street to its

intersection with Center Street, where Pittsburgh’s Michael

Christopher was wrapping up his performance. Flanked by

guitarist Zach Reeder and Keith Kleinhampl on cajon,

Michael strummed and sang country-flavored original songs

like “Looks Like Rain” and “She Stood Out in the Crowd,”

plus versions of Alabama’s “I’m in a Hurry,” Poison’s “Every

Rose Has Its Thorn,” Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” and

more. Totem then commenced their performance at the tent

stage near Memorial Park. Lead singer/guitarist Perry

Sheesley, bassist Paul Lanzendorfer, keyboardist Gene Suto

and drummer Tom Gajewsky sounded strong on classic rock

favorites from Bob Seger, Tom Petty, Jimi Hendrix, the Allman

Brothers, Sugarloaf, Bruce Springsteen and more. I then

returned to the Penn Eben gazebo stage to catch some of

Never Enough’s performance, as singer Stacy Feighner,

guitarist/singer Tony Feighner, bassist Lou Nagy and

drummer Christi Roddy blended a variety of hits from

Jefferson Airplane, Queen, Aretha Franklin, K.T. Tunstall,

Adele and more.

After Potatofest, I then caught the part of the day-closing

jam session that capped the inaugural Canal Jam at the

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site near

Gallitzin. Following the theme “Party like it’s 1839,” Canal

THEPROFESSOR’S“LIVE REVIEWS”

By Jim Price

cont inued on pg. 2 0 . . .


Jam celebrated the music, stories and folklore performed and

shared in the “port towns” along the Pennsylvania Main Line

Canal from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh during the middle

1800s. Canal Jam featured presentations, readings and

musical performances throughout the day; participants and

performers included Pittsburgh folk group Up In The Batten

House, Smithsonian Gold Medalist Dr. William Hullfish and

the Golden Eagle String Band, Penn State Altoona

representatives Dr. David Parry, Steve Sherrill and Dr. Jerry

Zolten, Richard Sleigh, plus a lunchtime concert at the

Lemon House by Dr. Bonnie Cutsforth-Huber and several

Penn State Altoona students. This first Canal Jam was well-

attended, and early word is that this event will return in 2016.

During the first Friday of last month, Downtown State

College again presented its First Friday event to showcase

downtown businesses, art and music. Several musicians and

group set up shop and performed at various locations

throughout downtown State College. I first encountered Eric

Ian Farmer as he performed outside The Tavern Restaurant

(where he frequently entertains on Thursday nights). With his

bold and soulful voice, Eric sang an eclectic variety of

material, including his distinctive folk-geared arrangements on

Sam Cooke’s “Having a Party,” Bob Marley’s “Three Little

Birds,” and even a a cappella number. Meanwhile, The Big

Coronas Band was demonstrating their jazz chops in front of

First National Bank on Allen Street. Performing as a quintet

this day, this group showed amazing instrumental skills as they

entertained passers-by with a mixture of modern jazz favorites.

And in front of the Student Book Store on College Avenue, I

saw the last two songs of The Wreckers’ performance.

Singer/guitarist Roy Long, singer Kasi Damiano, guitarist

Alex Sterbenz, bassist Chris Michael and drummer Kirk

Mountz closed out their set with spirited renditions of The

Eagles’ “Take It Easy” and 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up.”

I attended the first and last days of Bedford’s annual Fall

Foliage Festival, held during the first two weekends of

October. Rain and chilly temperatures graced the festival’s first

day, but didn’t thwart Harrisburg’s Nate Myers & the Aces

from providing the musical good time on the downtown

gazebo stage. Singing and wailing on harmonica, Nate led the

Aces on a mixture of original tunes and select remakes. By

request, Nate retold his humorous musical dog ode “Sparky

Come Home,” and also did “Back Porch Swing” off his ‘It’s

My Music’ CD, along with versions of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No

Sunshine,” Archie Bell’s “Tighten Up,” Bobby Bland’s “Turn

On Your Lovelight” and more. I again saw Pittsburgh’s

strolling Faiella Father & Son duo mix Italian folk songs and

polkas, and caught a few songs from Pittsburgh-based jazz

crooner Nick Fiasco on the gazebo stage as he spotlighted

numbers from Frank Sinatra. I then headed to the festival’s

River stage to see The Beatlemaniacs. An offshoot project

from White Shadow, singer/drummer Jerry Carnicella,

singers/guitarists Bob Helbig and Johann Von Schrenkel, and

bassist/singer Andy Rhody almost needed a “Yellow

Submarine” to transport their instruments past a sizable pond

of rainwater in front of the stage! But Cambria County’s fab

four persevered, doing nice work on hits from throughout the

Beatles’ catalog. The weather vastly improved for the

following weekend’s final day of the Fall Foliage Festival,

with sunshine and temperatures in the low 70s. I arrived in

time to see most of Lovebettie’s performance in front of a

large audience at the gazebo stage. With guest Ray Kuchinka

sitting in on harmonica, Lovebettie - singer/keyboardist

Alexandra Naples, guitarist C.T. Fields, bassist Nick Quinn

and drummer Larry Shotter - mixed original songs with their

inventive takes on classics from Ben E. King, Blues Traveler,

Tom Petty, Marvin Gaye, Dolly Parton and more. Lovebettie

introduced a number of new songs, and before doing one of

their established older originals, “Are You Out There,”

Alexandra explained that the song was inspired by the passing

of her grandmother. Devoid of yellow submarines or

psychedelic-era 1960s attire this day, White Shadow then

closed out the music on the gazebo stage with their celebration

of good time rock’n’roll from the Beatles, Beach Boys, Everly

Brothers and CCR, plus a little Elvis Presley thrown in for

good measure. White Shadow instantly had people dancing,

and kept the dance area in front of the stage busy for the

duration of the afternoon.

October also means Oktoberfest, and People’s Natural Gas

Field in Altoona hosted its fifth annual Yuengling Oktoberfest

early last month. This year’s event featured German-styled

food and refreshments, children’s activities and live music.

Holding up the German music side of Oktoberfest was

Pittsburgh’s Grammy-nominated Dick Tady Orchestra, who

opened the evening. Featuring singer/namesake Dick Tady on

sax and button box, Bob McBride on banjo and guitar,

accordionist/keyboardist Tony Grandovic, bassist Ed Gould

and drummer Joe Gill; the Dick Tady Orchestra mixed up a

tasty variety of European polkas, waltzes, German oompah

music and more. Capping Yuengling Oktoberfest were local

country favorites Pistol Peg & the Beer Kegs. Singer Jill

Renee, singer/guitarist Mark Simanski, guitarists Joe Scott

and Brandon Kane, bassist Justin Brown and drummer Steve

Holtz quickly fired up the party with their lively country mix,

doing favorites from Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Little Big

Town, Zac Brown Band, Toby Keith, John Michael

Montgomery, Gretchen Wilson, Rascal Flatts, Florida Georgia

Line, Alabama and more. Their presentation was bright, upbeat

and fun, and the group kept the energy constant throughout

their entire set, never giving the party-hardy audience any

reason to want to step away or sit down.

During last month’s annual Apple Cider Festival at Prince

Gallitzin State Park, I enjoyed bluegrass music courtesy of

Ian Mellencampby JP

The Professor continued...

cont inued on page 2 1 . . .


Trains, Moonshine & Jesus (TMJ Bluegrass for short).

Featuring Steve Shilling on dobro, Ron Schinkle on guitar,

Tim Holtz on upright bass and Jeff Dodson on banjo, TMJ

Bluegrass sounded strong on a variety of traditional folk and

bluegrass songs from the catalogs of Ralph Stanley, Bill

Monroe, Woody Guthrie, John Prine and more. The group

included the occasional gospel number to fulfill the ‘Jesus’

part of their name, and honored requests for the ever-popular

“Wagon Wheel.” TMJ Bluegrass’ instrumental skills were

excellent, and their vocals and harmonies sounded clear and on

target. Their brand of folk and bluegrass sounds was a perfect

fit for a pleasant early October day surrounded by fall tree

colors and a lake.

Last month’s 40th annual Hartslog Day Festival filled

Main Street in Alexandria with many visitors, who enjoyed

arts, crafts and other vendors, yard sales, children’s activities,

food and refreshments, and live music. Scholastic ensembles

filled the morning schedule under the tent near Hartslog

Museum, before Anita Roseborough and friends launched the

afternoon music. Anita strummed and sang songs by the

Eagles, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, The Impressions, plus a

stanza of her established crowd favorite, John Denver’s

“Grandma’s Feather Bed.” Anita also welcomed some family

and friends up to help sing, including retiring WTAJ-TV

weather lady Regina Miller. Scent Of Water then entertained

with a mixture of rock, country and Christian music favorites.

Singer David Beck, guitarist Brett Rodkey, bassist Shane

Walters and percussionist Luther Sprankle did numbers from

Journey, Johnny Cash, Parmalee and more. Next was

Lewistown’s Unusual Suspects String Band, performing

traditional bluegrass and folk sounds. Five members strong

and anchored by the husband and wife tandem of R.B. Powell

on banjo and Bridget Allen on upright bass, Unusual

Suspects had fun as they performed their bluegrass variations

on “Wabash Cannonball,” Bill Monroe’s “Blue Ridge

Mountain Blues,” Tanya Tucker’s “Delta Dawn,” Freddy

Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” Ricky Nelson’s

“Hello Mary Lou” and more. Raining Blue continued the

music with their jazz-informed takes on rock and pop

favorites. Multi-instrumentalists Walt Yatta and Amy

Williamson mixed up the instrumentation as they applied their

distinctive flavor to numbers from the Classics IV, Fleetwood

Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Edmunds, Santana and more.

And the Backyard Rockers closed out the day with their

blend of acoustic rock, country, folk and blues spanning names

like Neil Young, Tom Petty, Marshall Tucker Band, Steve

Earle and more. R.B. Powell from Unusual Suspects joined in

on banjo on the group’s versions of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom

Prison Blues” and “Wagon Wheel.”

The first visible snowflakes of the season fell upon

Hollidaysburg’s 10th annual Pumpkin Festival last month.

While the day’s weather was oppressive with cold, wind, rain,

snowflakes and sleet, it didn’t thwart live music. As I arrived

and started savoring pumpkin-based edibles (including

pumpkin chili, a favorite at this event), I first spotted local

Joy Ikeby JP


cont inued on pg 2 2 . . .


hand-drumming specialist Erro Gutshall leading a percussion

group on a street corner. I then caught my first look at The

Chrome Hearts. The husband and wife duo of guitarist Bob

and Stephanie Onkst share singing duties, flanked by guitarist

Chad Buterbaugh, bassist Brian Baum and drummer Doug

Fetter. The Chrome Hearts’ primary flavor is country, with

touches of rock and blues thrown in. During their two sets, the

group did upbeat numbers from Johnny Cash, Don Williams,

Jeannie C. Riley, the Eagles, Miranda Lambert, Elvis Presley,

Albert King, Little Big Town, Linda Ronstadt, CCR and more.

The Chrome Hearts also introduced two of their own original

songs, “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is” and “Jealous

You.”

Indoors, State College’s Darkhorse Tavern hosted a special

benefit evening to help out area singer Jackie Brown. Jackie,

who fronts the Gill Street Band and has sung with Urban

Fusion and other area groups, has been battling breast cancer

since early last year. The benefit saw performances by Urban

Fusion, Natascha and the Spy Boys and The Gill Street

Band, before a jam night featuring a multitude of area

musicians closed the night. Among the jam participants were

Eric Ian Farmer, John “JT” Thompson, Natascha

Hoffmeyer, Dave Skipper, Steve Christensen, Drew

Jackson, Peter Jogo, Andy Tolins, Stubby Stubs, North

Carolina’s Bill Kind, student musicians and more. And the

night’s beneficiary, Jackie Brown, also stepped up to sing on a

few numbers.

Pittsburgh-based singer, songwriter and musician Joy Ike

visited Penn State Altoona’s Slep Center in later September

for a performance presented by the campus’ Office of

Institutional Equity and Diversity. Accompanied by Jason

Rafalak on upright bass and Ryan Socrates on drums, Joy

sang, played guitar, ukulele and keys as she performed a

selection of her original music. Her songs blended elements of

folk, pop and jazz; and her words were thoughtful, as she

explained the inspirations behind each song. She also talked

about an organization she works with, Food for the Hungry

(FH), and its initiative to sponsor and feed hungry children

worldwide.

New York’s Ian Mellencamp visited State College in late

September, bringing his band to perform at the Phyrst and

Happy Valley Brewing Company. The nephew of the

infamous John Mellencamp, Ian blazes a musical trail totally

different from his uncle, performing experimental,

improvisational rock with unexpected twists and turns, spacey

effects and more. During the Phyrst performance, Ian and his

band took the crowd on an intriguing journey; singing, playing

guitar and harmonica, he led his group through such songs as

“Force Field,” “Dry Land,” “Sun Goes Down,” “Spells,” a

space-reggae rendering of Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an

Eagle” and more. Ian’s inventive takes on rock ultimately

won the Phyrst crowd, and drew increasing cheers as he

proceeded.

As Ian Mellencamp’s Phyrst appearance happened on a

Thursday night, I stuck around to catch the regular nightcap

Thursday band at that venue, Maxwell Strait. This group

quickly fired up the party, accelerating the number of fans in

front of the stage from a handful to jam-packed in mere

seconds! Maxwell Strait always delivers a fun and quality

show; it’s always a treat to witness the talents of singer Molly

Countermine, guitarist Ted McCloskey, keyboardist/singer

John “JT Blues” Thompson, bassist Rene Witzke and

drummer Jack Wilkinson. Maxwell Strait’s musical menu

this night included fresh takes on Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Cold

Shot” (sung by Molly), a Stones-flavored send-up of Nirvana’s

“All Apologies,” John belting out BobDylan’s “Serve

Somebody” and Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times,” the

Beatles’ “Come Together,” Fine Young Cannibals’ forgotten

chestnut “She Drives Me Crazy,” the Jackson 5ive double-shot

of “I Want You Back” into “ABC” and more.

This year’s Patched Together benefit concert takes place

later this month, on November 21st, at Altoona’s Bavarian

Hall, and will again feature a day-long slate of area bands and

performers, raising money and awareness for Home Nursing’s

Healing Patch program and its counseling services for young

people who have lost loved ones. As a tune-up and teaser for

the big event, the “A Patch of Bluegrass” Healing Patch

fundraiser happened at Hollidaysburg’s U.S. Hotel early last

month. Strait & Miller opened, before Mama Corn

performed two sets that mixed traditional folk and bluegrass


cont inued on pg 2 3 . .

Nick Fiasco



with their original tunes, including numerous songs off their

latest CD ‘Hold That Crooked Line’. Singer/guitarist Bruce

Forr, singer/banjo player Jeremy Nelson, singer/dobro player

John Stevens and upright bassist/singer Bryan Homan

triggered dance floor activity with songs such as their own

“Shenandoah Mountaintops,” “Stoney Lonesome” and

“Another Couple Days,” as well as versions of the spiritual

“Working on a Building,” Leiber & Butler’s “Down Home

Girl,” “Peggy-O” and more.

Big Bear Chase Me wrapped up two years of good times on

area stages at The Arena in State College last month, as they

go their separate ways for family and other musical endeavors.

The finale was a good time, as singer Brian Storm, guitarist

Steve Shutt, bassist Adam Zimmer and drummer Adam

Rider fired through plentiful rock favorites of the past three

decades. They mixed up tunes from Breaking Benjamin,

Seether, Bush, Velvet Revolver, Fuel, Rage Against the

Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, Disturbed and more. Among

the highlights for me were a rare cover update of Sponge’s

“Molly (16 Candles),” bassist Adam belting out Danzig’s

“Mother,” and a guest female singer from the audience trying

to keep a straight face as the group took some liberties with the

choruses of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll.” An encore

rendition of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the

Name” slammed the lid on Big Bear Chase Me’s career; good

luck to these guys on their future endeavors!

I checked out Dreadnot in late September as they provided

the music during the Wine & Wellness Expo at Altoona’s Oak

Spring Winery. The acoustic duo of Bobby Gates and John

McKelvey did nice work on a variety of mostly classic rock

favorites from the 1960s and 1970s, with an emphasis on the

British Invasion, plus a few newer songs and original tunes

from the pair’s band project with drummer Skip Fisher, MFG.

Medleys from the Who, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin all

sounded strong, and it was also a treat to witness John

breaking out the mandolin on a few numbers.

I witnessed several multi-band bills at McGarvey’s in

Altoona during recent weeks. Darkness On The Radio,

Writing off Tomorrow and Ember’s Fall teamed up for a

night of original modern metal in late September. It marked the

first Altoona appearance for Ember’s Fall as they introduced

songs from their just-released debut CD, ‘Cessation’. Also in

late September, One Adam 12, Float and Fyre teamed up for

a triple-bill. And 4 Days Dirty came out of retirement for a

reunion show at McGarvey’s last month, with Naildriver

opening.

No Angels quietly continues to gather momentum on

Altoona area stages with their powerful rock presentation.

During their show at Altoona’s Belmar Hotel last month, No

Angels - singer/guitarist Ross Hoover, his wife and bassist

Beth Hoover, guitarist Todd Lane and drummer Todd

Mallory - sounded strong as they mixed it up between old and

new, doing classics from Bad Company, Badfinger, Cheap

Trick, Tom Petty, Foo Fighters, Free, The Cult, Three Doors

Down, Black Keys, Green Day and more. Backyard Rockers

harmonica man Dave Baird joined the group to wail some

harp on versions of Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and

the Doobie Brothers’ “Long Train Running.” Other highlights

included No Angels’ inventive funky take on Buffalo

Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” and their night-ending

edition of Angel City’s “Marseilles.” The group saw more

dance floor action as the night continued, and had a strong

party going by night’s end.

Besides seeing him in action with the Beatlemaniacs and

White Shadow at the Bedford Fall Foliage Festival, I also got

to see Andy Rhody’s solo performance last month at the Park

Avenue Pub in Patton. Andy alternated between acoustic

guitar and electric bass, singing and playing along self-

recorded backing tracks as he did numbers from the Rolling

Stones, the Beatles, Byrds, Billy Joel, Cars, David Bowie,

Animals and more. Andy broke out versions of seldom-heard

tunes such as the Kinks’ “Tired of Waiting for You,” the

Human Beinz’s “Nobody But Me,” Every Mother’s Son’s

“Come on Down to My Boat,” the Animals’ “It’s My Life” and

more. His arrangements accurately captured the flavor of the

original songs, and his presentation was hearty and

enthusiastic.

And I caught part of Born and the Beanstalk’s

performance last month at Altoona’s Family Pizza & Pub.

Singers/guitarists Sean Osborn and Ben Bower plus

percussionist/singer Ed Hofer delivered an energetic acoustic

show, packing gusto into their renditions of songs from Johnny

Cash, the Clarks, Sublime, Mumford & Son, Tom Petty, Eve 6,

the Beatles and more.

The state’s music scene mourns the recent losses of two

musicians. Chris “Buzz” Deardorff, a guitarist and founding

member of popular Harrisburg-based jam band Quagmire

Swim Team, passed away last month at age 39. And Tom

Swovick, guitarist for several Altoona area bands in the late

1970s, also passed away last month. Our condolences go out to

the families, friends and musical associates of both men.

News & Notes: A former area singer will make her movie

screen debut shortly; Crystal Cameron, who sang for area

party band Fuse in the late 1990s, will star in the upcoming

independent film ‘The Jesus Freak’, which will be released

during Easter of next year. Chris Rattie has signed with

northeastern PA-based independent recording label Prava

Recordings; production will begin this month on a new full-

length album to follow up Chris’ 2013 solo debut, “All These

Things”. The original members of 1970s-era Altoona hard

rockers Piranha will reunite to perform a benefit concert at 30

Something in Altoona on Nov. 28; proceeds will benefit St.

Jude’s Childrens Hospital. Harrisburg area-based Godsmack

tribute group Voodoo has announced their return with a new

singer, former Blackjack and Back Alley Empire member

John Yohe. Harrisburg lady rockers Take 147 have announced

that they are retiring. The Chris Bell Band is recording a new

CD; according to Chris, the working title of the new disc is

“Moonshine High”. A Kickstarter fundraising effort is under

way to bring the story of popular Lehigh Valley

singer/songwriter Steve Brosky to the theatrical stage; funds

are being raised to bring to life the musical “Living Here in

Allentown”, which is a musical biography about Brosky’s life,

set against the backgrop of Allentown and featuring his music.

Please send correspondence and recordings to: Jim Price,

1104 S. Catherine St., Altoona, PA 16602. You can e-mail

me at [email protected]. If you’re into social

networking, look me up on Facebook or Google+. SUPPORT

LOCAL MUSIC!


PA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE CD REVIEWS

Send your CDs to be Reviewed to Jim Price, 1104 S. Catherine St.

Altoona, PA 16602 PA Musician Magazine PO Box 362,

Millerstown, PA 17062

JAKESWAY -

‘JAKESWAY’(no label)

Northeastern PA-based rock group Jakesway

continues to hone their mainstream rock sound and song

crafting skills on their third, self-titled album. The roster

of singer Gary Kaschak, electric guitarist Mark Sutorka,

drummer Tom Herbert and bassist Steve Kuna blend

catchy song hooks with arrangements that incorporate

acoustic, rock, country and pop elements. This band’s

strength continues to be its melodies; each of the disc’s

eight songs presents an infectious hook, and Jakesway

provides the vocal and instrumental chops to make each

one work. Melody and harmonies highlight the mild and

upbeat disc-opener (and acoustic disc-closer) “Beautiful

Distraction.” “Broadcast” builds into an elaborate but

alluring rocker, while “Alright That’s Right” rides a

punchy, Black Crowes-like funk-rock vibe. The crunchy

“Will I Be” examines the mindset of soldiers returning

home after a tour of duty. The acoustic prelude “Liv’s

Song” leads into “Lost Weekend,” addressing the

frustration of wasted opportunities and time. “Broken”

laments a love lost, while the acoustic rocker

“Hydroplane” seeks forgiveness and a smooth path back

to a heart. Gary Kaschak sings with grit and personality,

and his consistency provides a thread that ties the whole

set together. Instrumentally Jakesway executes solidly,

providing hard-rocking punch where needed and

subtlety on the disc’s more acoustic-geared moments.

Recorded, mixed and mastered at SJ Studios in Old

Forge, the disc sounds balanced and full, allowing the

band and their music to do the talking with basic

arrangements and no studio distractions. Their third

outing shows that Jakesway knows their turf, and the

group’s knack for strong melodies and tight

performances makes their self-titled CD a strong listen

well worth checking out. (The CD can be purchased

through the group’s Reverbnation website,

www.reverbnation.com/jakesway.)

From northeastern PA, Johnny Searfoss first started

playing guitar at age six, and later learned to play bass,

drums, saxophone and clarinet during his teen years.

When health issues sidelined his interest in pursuing

sports, music became his primary passion, and

ultimately has led to his first self-titled solo album.

Through the disc’s ten tracks, Searfoss demonstrates his

guitar, bass and drum talents, does a little singing, and

shows his fluency in a number of musical styles. He

flexes his capable vocal cords during three of the

numbers; the jazzy disc-opener “Roll Me Over,” the

hard and electric “Blindsided Blues” and the rowdy

boogie rocker “She’s Got Something.” The instrumental

numbers allow Searfoss to stretch out and exhibit his

arranging and performing skills across several musical

flavors. He demonstrates his acoustic chops on the

lighter-toned “The Open Road,” crafts a southwestern

sagebrush vibe on “The Renegade,” makes his guitar

weep the blues on “Crying,” flashes funk on “Taking

Flight,” and exudes an ethereal melancholy on “A Love

Lost.” Searfoss cuts loose and rocks out on “Cruisin,’”

and salutes Santo and Johnny with his update of their hit

“Sleepwalk” to end the album. The performances are

solid, as Searfoss shows instrumental competence

across his spectrum of styles; with drummer Nick Lauro,

keyboardist Matt McGasko and harmonica player Joe

Bogwist helping to flesh out the sound. The

arrangements are effective and nicely frame each track,

and the mix and production give the album clarity and

consistency from start to end. His self-titled effort

provides an impressive overview to Johnny Searfoss’

musical world and performance skills, and it enables

listeners to appreciate his expanse of talents. (To obtain

the CD, visit the website www.johnnysearfoss.com.)

From a small western PA farming town, Adam Ernst

started singing and playing music when he was five

years old. As he turned 20, he issued his first full-length

CD, Asphalt Dreams, in 2012, and has now issued his

second album, Dirt Road Memories. Modern-edged

country is the prominent flavor over the disc’s 16 tracks,

as Ernst sings and plays every instrument, and produced

and engineered the set as well. He sings easy-to-digest

words about common country topics such as small town

life, love, the outdoors, the highway, good times and

making music. Ernst packs a contemporary rocking

backdrop behind his twang several times on the disc,

setting the tone with the hard-driving disc-opener “Like

a Bullet from a Gun,” and serving up more country

crunch on such numbers as “Raised in a Farm Town,”

“That’s Right,” “Drop It Down Low,” “Right on the

Money” and “Country Boy Ride.” Women and love

inform the themes of ballads like “Let’s Roll” and

“Good Life,” as well as more upbeat numbers like

“Bench Seat Kinda’ Thing” and “Tennessee Girl.” He

reminisces on more traditional-geared country exercises

as “Sunshine and Goodtimes” and the title track “Dirt

Road Memories,” yearns for the highway on “Drivin’

Me Crazy,” and celebrates rural values on the disc-closer

“Good Lord and John Deere.” Ernst demonstrates a

knack for sturdy and catchy song hooks, and he shows a

good grasp on song arrangements and how to fit his

singing style to serve each number. The disc’s sound is

balanced and clear, with Ernst’s vocals and the

instruments sounding distinct in the mix. A cavernous

bass thunder often underscores the mix, and modern

studio touches and effects give seasoning to a few of the

tracks as well. With his eyes set on Nashville, Adam

Ernst makes a strong case for advancing to that next

level on Dirt Road Memories, as he establishes

versatility, song hooks, songcrafting chops, and the

voice and instrumental skills to pull it all off. (The CD

can be obta ined through the websi te

www.adamernstmusic.com.)

Western PA’s After The Fall has been honing their

brand of full-throttled hard rock since 2004, and deliver

their strongest set yet with their latest CD, My

Confession. Their sound borrows from the melody-

geared crunch rock of the 1980s and 1990s, but caps it

with a decisive contemporary edge and sharpness. The

majority of the disc’s 10 tracks display an anthemic

quality; defined by catchy hooks, meaty rhythms from

the group’s veteran tandem of bassist Steve Craven and

drummer Matt Ferrante, snarling guitar riffs from

Brandon Cornish (who has since left the group, replaced

by Zac Sheppard), and topped by the polecat howl of

frontman/guitarist Doug Carnahan. The leadoff track,

“Scream,” sets the disc’s tone with a sonic punch to the

jaw that hooks the listener in and pays off with

Carnahan’s feral, in-your-face chorus. “Call to Arms” is

an infectious high-powered rallying cry, the rumbling

“For Me” outruns inner demons, and the hard-driving

“The Nameless” dresses down a drama queen. With its

hip-hop-laced introduction, “You Would Know” takes

on a slight Linkin Park flavor while addressing deceit;

and the darker-toned title track “My Confession” comes

to terms with past mistakes. After The Fall closes the

album with the acoustic “Still Here,” a somber lament to

a fallen friend inspired by the passing of Skell drummer

Keith Kweder earlier this year. After The Fall sounds

confident through all of the disc, and carries these tunes

with a convincing swagger. Carnahan delivers his words

with vigor and vinegar, and the group’s delivery is lean,

mean and airtight. Recorded, engineered, mastered and

co-produced by Sean Lee at URC Studios in Ohio, this

album sounds cohesive, crisp and appropriately

abrasive, allowing the band to bare their teeth and

sharpness with minimal studio clutter. My Confession

should further solidify After The Fall as one of western

PA’s top hard rock contenders, as it offers powerful,

bare-bones crunch to get pulses racing and fists

pumping. (The CD can be obtained through the group’s

R e v e r b n a t i o n p a g e ,

www.reverbnation.com/afterthefallband.)

JOHNNY SEARFOSS -

‘JOHNNY SEARFOSS’ (no label)

ADAM ERNST -

‘DIRT ROAD MEMORIES’

(no label)

AFTER THE FALL -

‘MY CONFESSION’ (no label)

— All CDs Reviewed by Jim Price


SANE ADVICE By John Kerecz

Fall is beer and wine festival time and they are taking

over the fall weekends. There’s no doubt about it, fall is

the perfect time for these festivals. Weekends through

the end of November are full of opportunities to get

outside and sip a few seasonal beverages. There are

celebrations with dozens of breweries across the

country; others are outdoor parties with live music and a

selection of hyperlocal breweries. This produces lots of

opportunities for musicians to get gigs!

Our advice, skip the big names and take chances on

ones you’ve never tried before. I can’t think of a better

way to say so long to summer and welcome the coming

months than by attending or playing at a beer or wine

festival.

Dozens of wineries will be pouring samples and you

really can get an education if you spend some time

working your way through the booths. I highly

recommend a designated driver or a cab if you take that

route, if you are not playing and maybe even if you are!

There’s plenty to do in the fall, even with the

temperatures getting a little chilly.

Looking for Musicians or want to joina band? Check the classifieds in the

hard copy and on line at

www.pamusician.net

Deadline to place a FREE Classified for Musicians Wanted & Musicians Available is the 20th of

each preceding month. Email your classified today...

[email protected]


CLASSIFIED NOTES

WANTED: WE PAY CASH

for used guitars, amps,

effects, etc!!! Call Matt at

Cre te r Gui ta r Shop ,

Jonestown at 717-865-3677.

We also do guitar repairs and

have a variety of lessons

available.

WANTED: Vintage guitars,

basses, amps, banjos, etc.

Fender, Gibson, Martin,

Rickenbacker, Gretsch, etc.

Top dollar paid! Call Player’s

Exchange at 717-975-2385 or

stop by and see us at 225 S.

Third St. Lemoyne, PA.

Email: [email protected].

THE BEST VALUE FOR

Y O U R R E C O R D I N G

DOLLAR: Celebrating our

30th year in business. Pro

Tools, HD3/Accel, 192k

Interface, 2 inch 24 track

analog, 16 channels of API

outboard mic pres, Yamaha

Maple Custom Absolute kit,

SWR 7 GK bass amps,

Marshall half stack, Fender

twin & Bassman guitar amps,

Hammond B-3, Yamaha C7

grand piano. Authorized Pro

Tool dealers. CD/DVD

duplication on site 3 CCC

Video Services. 5.1 surround

mixing. $300 per day.

www.datamusicsvcs.com,

Altoona PA. Phone 814-944-

2406.

DRUM LESSONS: Jeremy

Hummel is welcoming adult

and home-schooled students

during morning and early

afternoon hours.Choose your

location - Carlisle Pike in

Mechanicsburg o r

Selinsgrove, PA. (570) 898-

0800,

EQUIPMENT

FOR SALE

WANTED: Older Kay

upright bass for bluegrass

band. Good condition,

reasonably priced. Call Jeff

814-585-0362.

FOR SALE: Any concertina,

accordion, or ukulele,

affordable prices. Also I Buy

in any condition Concertinas,

accordions or ukuleles. . Top

Dollar paid. From anywhere

i n PA C a l l M i k e

610.620.8833.

FOR SALE: Peavey Powered

Mixer for sale. XR680E

8channel 300watts. $300.

717-433-2954

FOR SALE: Yamaha Mixer

Board MX5000-20, 2

Yamaha S1 151V Speakers, 2

Speaker stands, 7 mic stands,

4 mics , cables and

accessor ies . Excel lent

condition. Ron 717-204-

7603.

FOR SALE: Baby Grand

5’2” piano mfg. by Wm

Knabe Baltimore 1926.

Restored 1988, mahogany

stained, light, very good

condition, best reasonable

offer. 610-388-2940.

FOR SALE: Peavey 16

channel 3600 watt PA system,

$699; Samson s tereo

compressor, $50; Crate 6

channel PA, $250; Epiphone

“SG” electric guitar with amp

$150. 717-379-8010.

FOR SALE: Ensoniq Mirage

DSK-8 keyboard, full size

keys, pressure weighted 61

keys, studio use only for

short time. Stand, manual

foot pedal, $350 or best offer

570-294-4795.

BUSINESS

CLASSIFIEDS

continued on next page...


FOR SALE: Hammond

Proline 860 Leslie, With foot

pre-amp and Leslie 11 pin

cable, All in great condition!

$600 Phone 717-248-8739

Email: superstarr@hot-

shot.com

FOR SALE: Peavey LB1200

par 64 midi and dmx

controlled lights with gels, 2

bars with 4 lights each. work

great $250 Ph. 717-248-8739

email: superstarr@hot-

shot.com

MUSICIANS

WANTED

WANTED: Seeking like

minded musicians. Original

metal project. Male and

Female. Dedication and

image conscious. Sabbath,

Type O, Pantera, Devildriver

influences.717-770-9621.

WANTED: Singer/ Front

person for Shamokin Area

Classic Rock band. Full

Rehearsal space & PA. Email

- [email protected]

WANTED: Music ians .

Mostly original metal band

looking for musicians.

Male/Female Influences..

Morbid Angel Deicide,

Slayer and older Metallica

and Testament. (717) 770-

9621

WANTED; New metal guitar

styling of “Electrified Steel”

is looking for female with

looks. Complete studios with

all art, music, video. Send

e m a i l t o

[email protected]

m.

WANTED: Classic rock

Band needs drummer and

lead guitarist. Call Ken cell

717-817-7575. Home 570-

622-3964.

WANTED: Experienced

pianist for swing band est.

1983. Able to play big band

charts, chords, and solos.

Piano provided. Contact 610-

509-2520.

Wanted. Lead singer. We do

covers and originals, We have

been together off and on

since 1990. We do a mixture

of 80s metal and 70 s rock .

We have dates, lights, and

PA. From the York and

Lancaster area. All we need is

you! If interested contact or

text Brian At 717 - 449 -

3503.

WANTED: MUSICIANS

Male or Female friends. Play

by ear or music: Accordion,

Concertina, Ukulele or any

ins t rument s . Eng l i sh ,

Spanish, Portuguese. Call

from anywhere in PA. Mike,

cell 610-620-8833.

WANTED: Music ians .

Guitarist/ Vocalist seeking

musicians for original blues

rock project. ALL MUST

SING. No drugs. No drama.

Dedication a must. Wilkes-

Barre area. Contact John:

570-287-3954

WANTED: Lead vocalist

Yo r k c o u n t y. The

Happenstance band is

seeking a lead vocalist to

bring classic rock and pop

music continually to the local

and tri-state areas. Females

encouraged to apply. Full

sound and lights available.

Free practice place. Call Rich

717-421-1095

CLASSIFIED NOTES continued...

continued on next pg..


WANTED: Lancaster Band

seeking lead guitarist/vocalist

and keyboardist. 70’s Rock to

Today. Age 35+. Mature and

rehearsal dedicated. Contact

Genie at 717-682-4987.

WANTED: Extended range

guitarist bassist singer djent

progressive call text Bobby

570 -590 -7991

WANTED: Musicians for an

all in one cover, tribute,

original band in Norristown,

PA. Call Danny: 610-290-

3 4 9 2 o r e m a i l :

[email protected]

MUSICIANS

AVAILABLE

AVAILABLE: Elec t r ic

Bassist seeks band into Jazz

Fusion standards. Funk free

Jazz . Willing to form band or

join established band. Are

you out there??? 570-454-

1917.

AVAILABLE: Guitar player

looking for another guitarist

to jam, record etc. State

college area. Call Justice 410

353 3425

AVAILABLE: Lead singer

from Shamokin looking for

classic rock / newer rock

band. No egos please. Have

many years of experience.

Contact:

[email protected]

AVAILABLE: Bass player

with 20 years experience and

pro gear. Modern rock, hard

rock preferred. No country.

Covers or originals. 570-412-

7614.Williamsport area,

willing to travel.

AVA I L A B L E : M u l t i -

Instrumentalist; Guitar,

Mandolin, Lapslide, Banjo,

Bass, Dobro, Vocals into

mellow country, blues? Do

covers but prefer originals.

Harrisburg, Perry County.

717-215-2730.

AVAILABLE: Bass player

with 20 years experience and

pro gear. Modern rock, hard

rock preferred. No country.

Covers or originals. 570-412-

7614. Williamsport area,

willing to travel.

AVAILABLE: Established

songwriter looking to get

busy again. I’m looking for a

songwriting/music

community to be part of

again;

I have three songs in the new

Sean Modica movie “all in

time”, and a couple of tunes

in catalog at pumpaudio. If

you’d like to collaborate on

songs for your next project,

drop me a l ine at

[email protected].

AVA I L A B L E : F o r m e r

Drummer of Anhedonia,

Suffer Channel, Divine

Misery and current drummer

for “ A Tribute to Thrash

Metal” seeks second band

opportunity. I have lots of

extra time and want to play

my drums more often than I

do. Harrisburg area. Victor

717-903-3155

AVAILABLE: Mature guy

(re t i red) , exper ienced

acoustic bass player looking

for traditional bluegrass,

classic country or Gospel

band. 717-273-2833.

AVAILABLE: Guitar Player,

some keyboards, strong

vocals, top equipment

available in Lehigh Valley /

Pocono area. Can travel.

Original classic rock. I have

r e h e a r s a l s p a c e , .

Experienced. 610-588-1640.

AVAILABLE: Bass Player,

30 Years experience looking

for band or acoustic act that’s

performing classic, modern

rock variety. Have good

strong vocals, equipment,

transportation. Reading area.

610-451-3824.

AVAILABLE: Rhythm

Guitar into The Stones,

Stooges, NY Dolls and The

Clash. Looking to start

mostly original band.

Contact: 717-576-7082

AVAILABLE: Classic rock

l e a d v o c a l i s t i n

Northumberland county

available, many years of

stage experience. I have live

video available, contact:

frontman_classic_rock@yaho

o.com


The Pennsylvania Musician Magazineis designed in format as a publicity magazine for musicians,

agents, and clubs. The interest it will generate will spark

the renaissance of Pennsylvania’s local entertainment scene.

That in turn, will make the Pennsylvania Musician Magazine

the most informative and entertaining magazine

Pennsylvania has to offer — Mission Statement by Whitey Noll November, 1982 (founder/publisher/musician)

And that my friends, is what has happened. —Editor Robin Noll

pennsylvania musician magazine november 2015

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