the pennsylvania musician magazine october 2013
DESCRIPTION
The PA Musician Magazine is an entertainment magazine for the state of Pennsylvania. It is the magazine for not only the people who make music, but for the people who love music! We've been around for over 30 years supporting the music community.TRANSCRIPT
2 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 3
6 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
NOVEMBER is our ANNIVERSARY...31 YEARS of serving the Pennsylvania Music Industry.They said we would die within a year...Many others have come and gone but we’re still here.Rolling back the cost of a 1/4 page to $100 for the month of November Only! Call me, (Robin)today to reserve your space...717.444-2423. Deadline is MONDAY, OCTOBER 21st!Get your business in the History of the Pennsylvania Music industry.The PA Musician Mag has longevity— some people have every issue.
8 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
10 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
ACROSS THE DESKBy Whitey & Robin Noll
Phew, the last piece of the puzzle. You would think I
would write this little tidbit way in advance, but no, last
minute Suzy. When we first started the PA Musician
Magzine 31 year’s ago Whitey would always wait until
the last minute to do his article as well, I use to get so
upset but as soon as he let me do it on my own I do the
very same thing. It’s so frustrating when you push
yourself to get something done and there’s always one
more thing to do.
This month I had the blessing of my IMac crashing
on my deadline day of are other paper, The Shopper’s
Remedy. Fortunately the computers were networked
and I was able to go on the hard disk and copy all my
info onto the other computer and now also have it
copied onto a hard drive. Ah yes, I guess these
computers don’t last forever. I was trying to think when
I got my Imac and I think it was about 7 or 8 years ago.
So, I’ve been wanting to learn some new graphic
programs and once again I’m going to be forced into it.
God knows me so well. He knows that I hate change and
he’s been telling me changes are a coming and need to be.
This month I printed an article by Maddie Strunge, she
actually calls herself Maddie Simpson because she’s one
of Cody Simpson’s “Super fans”. She’s an only child and
her and her mom try to go to as many of Cody’s shows as
they can up and down the East coast. Anyway, she did an
interview and asked if I would print it. I normally stick
with Pennsylvania performers as we are The Pennsylvania
Musician Magazine but she was super excited and her
grandmother, Deb Whitcomb has been a friend and
happens to help me work on the papers. So Maddie’s first
officially printed article appears on page 26. I was a little
pressed for time to edit it like it should be but I did do
some. Originally when I started being the editor of the
mag I wanted to get people to write more of what Maddie
has done. She captured the moment at the show and also
her feelings of anxiety and anticipation of her interaction
with her ‘heartthrob’ plus I needed the filler so it worked
out for everyone. Cody now has a PA Musician t-shirt I
hope he wears it on stage sometime ( tee,hee hee, I can
still get giddy at 59, especially with no sleep in over 24
hours).
There are so many shows going on the first week of
October that is why I’m pushing to get this baby to sleep,
printed and on the streets. Rachel wrote a decent article
about The Badlees, if I do say so myself. The Badlees
were on are cover several times over the years. All the
magazines and everyone wrote about them and talked
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 11
about them. I use to not think too much about it until one
night at the Millennium Music Conference I got to
experience their talent. Then I said to myself, “Now I get
it. They are all so gifted and that was a few years ago
before they went their separate ways and I know that
none of them gave up on their music, true musicians just
don’t do that. Not with their talent. They’re new CD and
shows are going to be phenomenal and if you don’t catch
them locally while you can they’ll probably be taking off
on world tours. They’re actually going to do a pre-show
on top of someone’s roof in Harrisburg on Thursday so
check their facebook and website and see what’s going
on and enjoy their talent and charisma.
As usual I have to make this short and sweet because
I’m only 4 hours late and I don’t know if they’re going to
print my paper or not...I hope that they do. They are such
sweethearts but I know I messed up their schedule once
again. Jim emailed me last night and said so we’ll have it
by 7:30 - 8am... I was like hmmm. I was thinking
noonish. So... go through the paper and check out all the
great articles. By the way it’s Jim Price’s birthday month
if you think about him send him a card and wish him a
happy birthday. He wishes everyone he knows a Happy
Birthday at the end of each of his articles. One month I
had someone call and complain that he missed them.
Geez. I always want to edit that out but his fans would
throw a fit.
I am ready to make some big changes in my life. If
anyone is interested in buying the PA Musician
Magazine we are currently taking bids on it. There is so
much potential under the right management. They say
paper is going away. My dad was in the printing business
and they were saying that 60 years ago. I imagine it will
change and it is changing and we have changed with it.
We have a website and our facebook grows everyday but
there’s nothing like having all the information at your
fingertips without having to depend on electricity. There
are people who still want to pick it up. We distribute over
12,000 copies every month and we ususally wind up
picking up about 1,000 (give or take a few). But anyway
I’m rambling. Take care, have a great month. And for
those of you who want to know about Whitey, the
Mighty he is doing great and giving lessons.
Everyday he plays his instruments and lately he’s been
into art. The other day he was researching and
experimenting with different kinds of paper. I love that
about my man, he’s always learning and doing
something.
Take care and God Bless all of you who work and
support all the many benefits that are happening
everywhere. No wonder it’s hard for musicians to place
ads everyone wants them to perform for free and the do
it gladly for the love of their music and because they like
helping people. Musicians are a special breed of people.
Email: [email protected] or call I like the
phone...717-444-2423.
Across the Desk continued.....
NOVEMBER IS OUR
ANNIVERSARY
ISSUE...SPECIAL FOR THE
MONTH $100 for a
QUARTER PAGE
5” x 6 & 1/4”
Deadline, Monday,
October 21st!!
12 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
cont inued on next page . . .
OUT & ABOUTby RACHEL ROCKS!
What a crazy fun filled month, so many celebrations and new
adventures. I finally officially found a job that is as flexible as I
need it to be to continue to be a Mom and of course, Rachel
Rocks. It was an extremely long job hunt, and I’m glad to say
it’s finally over.
The first band I saw this month was Booby Trap out at
Double K. Booby Trap has played at Double K before and
their fans were back in full force. It’s always nice to see a full
venue. Booby Trap plays a great mix of classic to modern rock,
plus even a few hilarious originals. Sometimes hearing them
live you think to yourself, “Did he just sing what I thought he
sang?!?” Now that I have my Booby Trap CD I know I’m
hearing him correctly. Their original songs have some crude
humor, but I personally think they are hilarious. It’s always a
great time when Booby Trap is in the house.
On my way home I swung into the Blue Moose for Shea and
Swish. They of course had the Blue Moose packed and people
were dancing everywhere they could possibly dance. I got there
during the 3rd set and by that point in the night it was more or
less a free for all. They would ask for requests and play
whatever they were asked to play. Every time I see these guys
they simply amaze me. I can’t imagine all the notes and lyrics
in Shea’s head. Their following is amazing, I’m sure most
musicians wish they had the same notoriety as these two!
The next weekend there was a great benefit for Autism at
HMAC called “Get on Board 3”. There were three bands
playing, Sixis, Tsunami Experiment and Trailer Park
Cowboys. That was awesome in itself, but the other super cool
part was all of the hand painted skateboards from different
tattoo artists throughout the state. It was cool to see how all the
tattoo shops pulled together to make this benefit possible. The
boards were on display to purchase throughout the month of
September. I sure hope they raised a lot of money for Autism.
When I got there Sixis was on stage. Sixis is a three piece jam
band. It was cool to see Kevin Daboin, formally of The
Thrives back behind the drum kit. He’s a great drummer and
perfect for this type of band. Ryan from The Colt Wilbur
Band is also part of this band too. It was cool to see him have
even a bigger part in this small three piece band. They also had
a great guitar and it was nice to sit back and hear them jam.
Tsunami Experiment caught me by surprise. Again another
local band that amazed me by their talent! I know I’ve heard
their name before, but it was the first time I saw them. They
played some instrumental/jam band type of music, but
occasionally their lead singer, Dave, would sing, he has a great
voice, I personally feel like he should sing even more. They had
Ryan on keys, which really helped add to the sound of the
band. I’m glad I finally saw these guys. Hopefully our paths
will cross again soon.
The main reason I came to this show was to see The Trailer
Park Cowboys, and to support Autism. The Trailer Park
Cowboys recently replaced their bass player. It’s been a long
process, but hopefully it’s not too early to say, they finally
found their man. Trust me when I say you would not expect this
guy to be part of this band, but I can see why they chose him.
His bass lines are amazing and really help the songs get their
groove. The energy these guys have is just crazy! I swear the
longer their set gets the faster the songs get too! Trailer Park
Cowboys put on a great show from start to finish, and never
disappoint their fans. The dance floor was hopping from start to
finish. It was definitely a great benefit to support. I’m glad I
had the opportunity to get out there and check out this great
event!
The next night I headed up to Tubby’s to see Mindcrime and
Back in Black. Mindcrime is a Queensryche tribute band. I
saw Mindcrime the last time they played at Tubby’s and they
are amazing. I knew my friend Terri Miller would love them,
so I brought her along. She couldn’t believe how spot on they
all were, especially their lead singer, Branko. The last time I
saw them Kelli, their female vocalist, just came up and sang a
couple songs with them, now she sings back-up and some lead
throughout all the songs. I couldn’t believe how calm the crowd
was when they were on stage, but that didn’t stop Branko from
just going out there and signing with them. It was a great show!
Next up was Back in Black, I love these guys and it was a
great way to celebrate my birthday. It also happened to be the
same night Halestorm was playing at the York Fair, so there
wasn’t quite the crowd they usually have, but it was still a
really good crowd, and I personally appreciated not being
squished in like sardines. I had a blast taking pictures with my
new camera. You can see them all in color and more at
www.pamusician.net. Back in Black always puts on a great
show. Spencer keeps them all on their toes with all of his crazy
duck walking and jumps across the stage. He’s definitely the
youngin’ of the band. Back in Black continues to go above and
beyond at every show I’ve seen!
I could’ve easily stayed all night, but there are always more
bands to see and hear. I zoomed down to Johnny Joe’s to see
the tail end of S.O.S.’s show, and I’m so glad I did. The party
was in full swing by the time arrived. It was awesome to see
them already take some of my advice and get a little crazier on
the stage. Their new guitar player, John, definitely adds some
spunk to their stage. Congrats to Larry on buying a new drum
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 13
Out & About continued...
kit, it looked and sounded awesome! It’s hard to find a band that truly creates a party, but these
guys definitely do! It was a great way to end a crazy, fun-filled night!
After surviving my 11 year old’s birthday sleepover I needed to bang my head and have a
good time, and what better way to do that then go to a Gun Metal Gray show at Double K.
Luckily I even convinced Terri to go out with me again and we truly had a head banging good
time. My head and neck reminded me of that the next morning. If you like rockin’ out to heavy
metal, do yourself a favor and get to one of their shows! I was glad I was there to hear them
play their brand new, self-titled, original for the first time live. Great job guys! I’m sure you
will continue to create amazing originals. One thing I would love to hear is Millhouse singing
more... I’ve heard him sing in other bands and his vocals are amazing, just my own humble
opinion. Congrats to Gun Metal Gray for being selected to open for Slaughter on October 5th
at the Hummels Wharf Fire Co. Check out the ad in this issue to see all the info on how you
can get tickets to see this amazing show! What an awesome opportunity!!
My last adventure of the month was a big one! I escaped for the weekend and followed Take
147 down to Rehoboth Ale House for their last beach gig of the season. It was their fourth
time there this year and I was sick of hearing about all the fun they all had, so I thought I’d end
my birthday month with this special trip. My friend Michelle Miller went along with me, and
we had a blast! Take 147 had Rehoboth Ale House packed both nights. I hadn’t seen them in
quite a few months and I was pleasantly surprised at all of the new songs they’ve added to their
set list. I know I don’t always get to full shows, so it was cool to hear them from start to finish
and see them get crazier and crazier as the night goes on. There were plenty of locals on hand
to enjoy the show, but I was surprised to see how many people came from Harrisburg and even
Williamsport to see them rock da beach! Take 147 have developed quite a loyal fan base.
Rehoboth Ale House was a great venue with super nice staff, the stage area was tiny, but Take
147 managed to rock it anyway! It was definitely an added bonus to walk about a block and
have your toes in the sand during set breaks! Take 147 already lined up five shows for next
year’s beach season starting in April, for most major holidays, Memorial Day, 4th of July, all
the way thru I believe even October for the Sea Witch Festival! Congrats ladies on all you’ve
been accomplishing! I’m proud to be your fan!!
I have to throw out a shameless plug for Eagles Nest Family Campground in Milton, DE.
We stayed in a 4-person cabin for only $54/night that had heat and air conditioning, a
microwave, and a mini fridge! Not to mention a bath house with flush toilets, and nice hot
showers! It was only 13 miles from Rehoboth. We thoroughly enjoyed the beach all day at
Cape Henlopen State Park, which was only a quick ten minute drive away. It was a relatively
cheap way to get to enjoy the beach, the show, and some time away from all the craziness of
life! If you want to get to a beach gig, or even just get to the beach and save yourself a couple
bucks, I highly suggest it!
I attempted to surprise Nate Myers & the Aces at the Dogfish Brewery in Rehoboth.
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...
cont inued on pg 1 4 . . .
14 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
Out & About continued...
Unfortunately it’s one of those venues that doesn’t really have
any space to just stand around and hang out, especially in a
monsoon storm! We had table reservations at Rehoboth Ale
House at 9pm and by the time our table was available at
Dogfish Brewery it was 10:50pm! If it wasn’t storming so bad
I probably would’ve adventured over. I’m sure they had a great
show because not only are they amazing musicians, but that
place was PACKED! Hopefully next year I will make my way
down there to support even more live music!
On a side note to all musicians out there.. NOW is the time to
sign up for the next Millennium Music Conference!! The
registration deadline is November 18th! The MMC has a new
location this year. It is off of Union Deposit Road at the Best
Western Premier-The Central Hotel and Convention
Center. It’s also going to be a week later on February 20th -
23rd. Remember if you just submit you or your band for a
showcase spot, you automatically definitely get free
registrations for you and all of your band to attend the
workshops, mentoring, and trade show! That means you get to
come hang out with me! It’s only $25 to submit your band!
Don’t delay go to www.musicconference.net and submit
today!
On a more serious note.. I would like to send out my
condolences to Ed Miller and John Seiger’s friends and
family. Ed passed away on Friday, September 13th. Ed
performed with Scream from the Huntingdon/Altoona area. I
loved watching Scream perform and hearing Ed shred on the
guitar, he will be missed by many. John Seiger, another
musician/music loving friend, passed away in a tragic house
fire, also on September 13th. The last thing I saw him post on
Facebook was a post about how much fun he had rocking out
with Take 147 at Tubby’s. Hopefully him and Ed are rockin’
out in heaven… R.I.P. to you both!
That’s all for this month. If you see me Out & About please
come up and say Hi! I love meeting new people. E-mail me any
questions or suggestions at [email protected].
Check out all my Hot Shots and Jim’s in color at
www.pamusician.net.. And more importantly… get out there
and SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC!!
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 17
Todd Harrell, the bassist for 3 Doors Down, has been
found guilty of DUI and ordered to attend a DUI
intervention program in Mississippi. Harrell told police
he’d taken five different prescription drugs before
driving into a truck. Harrell still faces charges for
vehicular homicide related to another accident in April,
in which his car clipped a pickup truck that lost control
and flipped, killing the driver. Harrell allegedly
acknowledged drinking and taking the prescription drugs
Lortab and Xanax prior to that incident as well.
Rumors continue about David Bowie booking his first
shows since 2006. Promoters are ready “for a huge
bidding battle” over the British musician. Live Nation is
trying to tempt the Bowie to play London’s Olympic
Park next year with “a multi-million pound offer” and
that AEG is coming up with its own offer that’s expected
shortly. AEG supposedly wants Bowie to take the stage
at Hyde Park.
“American Idol” is betting this year’s judges’
consisting of Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and
Keith Urban will fare better with viewers than bickering
divas Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj did last season.
Ryan Seacrest will again host the NBC talent show for
its 13th season.
Upcoming shows: Wavves Philadelphia First Unitarian
Oct 2. The Badlees Harrisburg Whitaker Center Oct 4.
Slaughter Hummels Wharf Fire Co Oct. 5. Black River
Mafia Harrisburg G-Man Oct 8. Sean Wheeler (Throw
Rag) Philadelphia Underground Arts Oct 12. The
Sounds Brooklyn NY Williamsburg Music Hall Oct 14.
Butcher Babies Luzerne PA Brews Brothers West Oct
16. Nine Inch Nails State College Bryce Jordan Oct 19.
Crocodiles Washington DC9 Oct 20. Pearl Jam
Philadelphia Wells Fargo Oct 21-22. FIDLAR
Philadelphia First Unitarian Oct 25. FIDLAR
Washington DC Rock N Roll Hotel Oct 26. Misfits
Lancaster Chameleon Oct 26. Kix Camp Hill Radisson
Oct 26. Pearl Jam Baltimore 1st Mariner Oct 27.
Southern Culture on the Skids Philadelphia World Café
Oct 27.
Like Eric on facebook/Eric S. Hoffman and see more
pics.
Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Nationals continued...
www.pamusician.net
18 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
Back in the 80’s Hummels Wharf Fire Company was
a buzz with music. Known to all as “The Wharf,” local
bands played weekly and national band Dirty Looks
played a couple of dates there. All was great in the 80’s.
Then in the 90’s grunge hit the airwaves citing the death
of “hair metal” as they called it. “The Wharf” tried to
move past this, but the fans fell off and PLCB rules kind
of put handcuffs on who could or could not enter a Fire
Company music event. So “The Wharf” fell silent for
years.
Now come the years 2000 and PLCB has got their act
together for firehouse rules and the cuffs are off. The
Hummels Wharf Fire Company has rebuilt, revamped
and is reborn. A new truck room has been built with
room for bigger fire trucks, barracks for the crew and a
new feel for the company. Now the big room got the fire
house crew thinking, “we can build a stage and put the
people into this new room for live music.” The show that
got them excited for future shows was when Fisher
Promotions brought in Kix and they had over 1,000
people in attendance just a few months ago. The crew, at
“The Wharf” have been fine tuning the room for shows
ever since. They now have a VIP section for fans at a
modest extra price that features limited balcony seating,
private bar, private restrooms and appetizers. If you don’t
like getting crunched in the crowd you can pay a little
more to have these creature comforts. You do have to
buy tickets for the V.I.P. Package directly from The
Hummels Wharf Fire Company. They also have a
trolley service for parking as parking is limited at the
Firehouse. You can park at the Plaza House parking lot
and get a free ride to The Wharf for the show before and
after, that way there is plenty of free parking.
This month on October 5th Slaughter comes to The
Hummels Wharf Fire Company. You remember them
with their 1990’s hits, “Up All Night” and “Fly to the
Angels”. Original members Mark Slaughter on vocals
and bassist Dana Strum will be in the house. Their
drummer, Zoltan is a monster drummer and a must see
live performer. Local favorites to open the show are
Sunbury’s Kill Scheme and Harrisburg’s Gun Metal
Gray. Doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 7pm.
You can get tickets at The Hummels Wharf Fire
Company or at any of the three Surplus Outlets in the
area. Another great show by Fisher Promotions. See the
ad for further ticket details.
HUMMELS WHARF FIRE COMPANY READY TO ROCK!By Keith Hummel
SusquehannaValley NEWS
By Keith Hummel
October, no not Roctober—October, witches, ghosts,
vampires, goblins. Well, ghosts of rock and roll will
come to light in this piece I write.
What I would like to see this Halloween is a “Ghosts of
Rock Tour”. Let’s get a bus, a keg (or two) and load up
and visit the “Ghosts of Rock”.
Let’s start in my home base of the valley, Sunbury. The
Strand Theater is gone but memories of Kix shows live
on there. Whitey’s Hotel outside Sunbury has fallen
silent. This place rocked to local bands in the past. The
Brass Key in Sunbury burned out last year, same for
The Peppermint Lounge which was the home of Harpo
until it burned down a few years ago. The Log Cabin
outside Sunbury on Route 61 was a dancing hotspot for
over thirty years—now gone. Many a story about the
Logs, but the best is loud music complaints from the
neighbor who in real life owned a dynamite factory,
kaboom!
Let’s head northeast, Danville the home of Hybrid Ice
which had Al’s Café where one could go see local bands
weekly there also for years and years. It changed hands
and was called The Dirty Bird. It also burnt down. Up
to Berwick there was Annie’s an old room with a barrel
ceiling and a very small stage, closed down. Also there
was Peppers, a huge place to see a band, pro wrestling
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October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 19
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY continued...and bowling - closed down. Up in Shickshinny there was
a place bands played (can’t think of the name) but the
last time I was there rain water was running down the
wall. Jump over to Shamokin where the real bummer is
what happened to the Coal Hole, a Mecca in the area for
years of rock and roll. Closed down and neglected, it’s
falling down now. Conn’s Garden Club, downtown
Shamokin, I remember working there with Hybrid Ice,
and at 1:30 Conn would mop up the floor so it was wet
when we loaded out. Also there was the Salvation Army
lady who came in with a tambourine for collection of
money. The Inferno in Marion Heights, no joke, burnt
down.
Now straight north to Lewisburg, I can’t even
remember those two places names where bands played.
One was on Route 15 and was downstairs. The other was
a band/restaurant then a strip joint. Now it’s a car repair
place. Still going north we come to Milton. Two really
hotspots that are gone are The Rondevu/Steamers, this
club had music three nights a week (it burnt down).
Fiddlestyx, which started out as a teen club,
LaHacienda is now a flea market. Moving further north
to Montoursville where Shore Acres was washed away
by the sandy rains. Now a new restaurant has been built -
no music. Dink’s was a real rock room where White
Witch was the house band. Going into Williamsport, you
had a real dance club with Burbon Street in Newberry.
Then across the river you had rock at The Susquehanna
Hotel. The 218 Club in Billtown also had rock three
nights a week. Both places closed and are falling down.
Down my way Charades in Port Treverton became a
strip club and is falling down. And the Pig’s Ear in
Oriental burnt down years ago.
These are club, pubs and places I can remember
rocking through the years. I may have forgotten some,
but you get what I’m saying, if you’re “old school,” we
have a lot of good and bad memories of these past “rock
rooms” and a salute is due to all of them for bringing us
great live music through the years. Long live Rock ‘N’
Roll!
Music Notes: I will continue to write my article for a
time until we see what comes up for the future of the PA
Musician Magazine.
A big thank you, from me and all the Saxon warriors
who made it to Reverb in Reading this past month for
the show. Fozzy fronted by WWE wrestler Chris Jerico
was a hoot. Also, THANKS Reverb!
The Badlees new cd, “Epiphones and Empty Rooms”
will be released October 4th along with a big show at the
Whitaker Center in Harrisburg. Locally a bus will be
going down to the show. Contact 94 KX radio for the
info or check it out on The Badlees facebook page.
The band Beef got wet this past summer playing
outside events (just as I did). Now they are ready to rock
inside. Playing classic and 80’s rock they’ll be at Evan’s
Roadhouse in Drums on October 5th, Taylor’s Bar in
Unityville October 12th. Coming to Dan’s Den in
Sunbury on Route 61, Beef teams up with Holy Hannah
for a night of classic rock October 19th.
Hooter’s drummer David Uosikkinen has a project
with an all-star line up of musicians October 19th at the
Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, PA. “I Saw the
Light,” a Todd Rundgren song, is covered by David’s
band In The Pocket, showtime 8pm. Philadelphia’s best
musicians will back David including: Graham
Alexander, Ben Arnold, Richard Bush and Jeffrey
Gaines all on vocals, Steve Butler on guitar, Tommy
Conwell on vocals and guitar, Jay Davidson on sax,
Greg Davis on guitar and vocals, Cliff Hill on vocals
and bass, John Lilley on guitar, Fran Smith on bass and
vocals and Wally Smith, keyboards and of course Dave
will be on drums. A true “ALL STAR” line up.
See you next month. Send news and views to K.
Hummel, 2770 Klinger Hollow Rd, Liverpool, PA 17045.
Email: [email protected].
20 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
cont inued on next page . . .
‘Tis the time of the year where we start to experience, to
quote area musician John Charney, that “autumn crisp” in the
air. The homestretch of the outdoor live music season still
features a few fall festivals and other events; enjoy the music
and fall colors while they last!
Since I referenced John Charney, he was part of last
month’s fourth annual Wang Dang Doodle Music Festival &
Car Cruise, which happened near Johnstown’s Roxbury Park
and raised money for the Roxbury Bandshell Alliance and
Dylan’s Heart Fund. The early portion of the show featured
performances by Todd Homan, Glenn Henry, The Crew of
the Half Moon and the Justin Garman Trio. I arrived during
the waning moments of the set by Dave D and friends;
accompanying singer/keyboardist Dave Distefano were John
on guitar and vocals, and Scott Jeffreys on bass. The trio
closed with an excellent read of Led Zeppelin’s “All My Love.”
Next was Pittsburgh-based ensemble the Old E Allstars, who
laid down some captivating funk-driven grooves. Seven
members strong this day including guest bassist Brian Bolton
(of Pittsburgh’s Fourth River) and guest Dave Distefano on
hand percussion, the Old E Allstars played their original blend
of ‘dirty soul’ and ‘funky blues,’ working in their own
arrangements on some favorites along the way; such as Sam &
Dave’s “Soul Man,” Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” Bill
Withers’ “Use Me” and Sly & the Family Stone’s “Thank You
(Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).” Northeast PA’s Cabinet ended
the day with their selection of folk, bluegrass and Americana
sounds. Mandolin player J.P. Biondo, banjo picker Pappy
Biondo and guitarist Mickey Coviello all sang; flanked by
upright bassist Dylan Skursky, fiddler Todd Kopec and
drummer Jami Novak. Cabinet engaged the audience with
arrangements that started out simple and rustic, before slowly
intensifying into heated acoustic jam interludes that triggered
vigorous dancing, grooving, hula hooping, and even a fire hoop
dancer/twirler.
Johnstown’s Cambria City neighborhood erupted with music
and fun times on Labor Day weekend, as the annual Cambria
City Ethnic Festival filled a multi-block stretch with two days
and three nights of song, dance and food. Having visited Labor
Day weekend celebrations in this neighborhood every year
since the National Folk Festival took up residence here in the
early 1990s, it was an honor for me to actually be part of the
performance slate at this year’s Ethnic Festival, as my
Backyard Rockers band mates and I played outside the Bottle
Works Ethnic Arts Center on Saturday afternoon. I then spent
the rest of the festival watching the rest of the performers. For
much of the remainder of Saturday, I headed to the nearby
Venue Of Merging Arts (VOMA) stage to enjoy a wide
variety of sounds. The first I saw was Tertium Quid,
performing a diverse, drum-based sound that incorporated
African and other worldbeat rhythms. Following them was
Painted By Millions with their indie retro pop/rock flavor.
Singer/guitarist Johnny Bayush, bassist Robbi Rummell and
drummer Shawn Willard - along with Tertium Quid’s Bryan
Fazio on congas - triggered street dancing with their mix of
original melodies and select covers, including Rusted Root’s
“Send Me on My Way” and Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the
Sun.” The Cash Review then celebrated the music of Johnny
Cash and June Carter Cash, with Bill Venet portraying the
‘Man in Black’ and Marianne Locher in the June Carter role.
Their voices sounded strong as they did such Johnny and June
favorites as “I Walk the Line,” “Cry Cry Cry,” “Folsom Prison
Blues,” “Jackson,” “Daddy Sang Bass” and more. The Crew
of the Half Moon continued with their unique and multi-
angled acoustic sounds. Singer/multi-instrumentalist Katie
Rhodes and guitarist/mandolinist Dan Oatman performed
several songs off their Automythography CD, along with select
covers from Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, White
Stripes and more. Katie displayed a clear, edgy and expressive
voice that grabbed attention, and the pair’s mix of
instrumentation kept the sound fresh. One Track Mynd then
proceeded with their brand of improvisational indie rock,
performing original compositions and a cover of Modest
Mouse’s “Float On.” Keeping with tradition, I then headed to
the St. Mary’s church pavilion to check out Yum’s annual
street party. A huge mass-of-humanity crowd looked on as
singer Dan Vavrek, guitarist Darren Buchko, bassist Shawn
Mock and drummer Brian Scaletta played favorites from
Michael Jackson, Ozzy Osbourne, Cheap Trick, Prince,
Bangles, the “Fat Albert Theme” and much more. Darren is
stepping away from Yum at the end of this month to pursue
other endeavors; his finale with Yum will be Oct. 26 during
Ace’s Lounge’s annual Halloween bash. I then ended the
evening back at VOMA as the Groove Gathering mesmerized
the crowd with their blend of jazz and funk grooves, executed
with precision musicianship. Ringleader/bassist Scott Jeffreys
and his assembled cast tackled song material from Herbie
Hancock, Jaco Pastorius, Rick Hirsch, original compositions
and more.
I returned to Cambria City Ethnic Festival on Sunday, and
encountered Irish pub music first, as The Irish Pretenders
entertained at the ACRP stage. Singer/guitarist John Skelley,
guitarist Dave Scott, bassist Bill Sheetz, drummer JP Skelley
and pennywhistler Jess Picklo played Irish folk and pub
favorites. Formerly Broken Spoke, Shiz’n’Giggles entertained
the Holy Cross stage with a mix of country, rock’n’roll
favorites and humor. Meanwhile at St. Mary’s, Cajun Norm
& the Jam Session Band, comprised mostly of members of
the Johnstown Classic Rockers, performed a mixture of rock
and pop hits. I then headed to the Resurrection Parish tent to
enjoy Full Kilt’s annual Irish pub party. Guinness pounders
were hoisted en masse as singer/guitarist Mike Zerbee, fiddler
Mandy Passmore-Ott, bassist/singer Chris Myers and
drummer/singer Pat Boland cut loose with Irish pub and folk
favorites, original songs, Celt-i-fied spins on popular rock and
roll songs and more. Thanks to Pat for inviting me up to help
out on hand percussion! And this year’s Ethnic Fest
experience ended inside Ace’s Lounge, where the Stone
Bridge Blues Band performed classic and original blues.
Singer/guitarist Mike Borstnar, singer/bassist Brian Moore,
harmonica player Rick Rhodes, drummer John Mundy,
keyboardist Harold Hayford and guest sax player Gene
Peterson celebrated the blues with classics from B.B. King,
Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Stevie Ray Vaughan and more.
The Cresson Sportsmen’s Club was alive with music during
the last full weekend in August, with two benefit concerts
happening back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday
benefit, Pickin’ for Wishes, spotlighted bluegrass music to
help out the Make A Wish Foundation of Western Pennsylvania.
As I arrived, the Blue Shades were on the stage and mixing
THEPROFESSOR’S“LIVE REVIEWS”
By Jim Price
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 21
cont inued on next page . . .
The Professor continued...
bluegrass, folk and country sounds. Guitarists/ mandolinists
Brad Foust and Don Fronk, banjo player John Dively and
upright bassist Troy Wigfield all sang; lending their voices and
harmonies to original and traditional folk and bluegrass
numbers. They also threw in a few surprises, such as rural-
flavored renditions of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” and the
Supremes’ “Stop in the Name of Love.” Morgantown, WV
favorites The Hillbilly Gypsies introduced their fast-firing
brand of folk and bluegrass sounds, demonstrating amazing
precision musicianship along the way. Singer Jamie Lynn
Buckner, guitarist/banjo player/singer Trae Buckner,
fiddler/singer Ty Jaquay, banjo player Dave Asti and upright
bassist Ryan Cramer introduced songs from their forthcoming
new CD, ‘The West Virginia Line;’ including the title song and
“Deep Dark Mine.” Guest Chuck Cox from Mama Corn
joined the group on mandolin during the latter half of their set.
Finishing out the event was Mountain Therapy, who
celebrated traditional bluegrass sounds. Guitarist Lonnie
Wellman, banjo player Tim Custer, mandolinist Ron Dick
and bassist Mike Ash mixed vocal and instrumental numbers,
displaying amazing instrumental skills and cohesiveness.
Mountain Therapy did songs from their Focused CD such as
“Cry Cry Darlin,’” the Boxcars’ “I’ve Been Waiting,” and they
closed their set with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” The
inaugural Pickin’ for Wishes was a major success with a huge
audience turnout; it will be back in 2014.
Then on Sunday, the annual Kids Come First Benefit: 22nd
End Of Summer Jam again raised money for Children’s
Hospital of Pittsburgh, as it featured a wide variety of area rock
and acoustic performers. With guest Jim Ricotta sitting in on
bass and with “Harmonica Dave” Baird unavailable this day,
The Backyard Rockers started the afternoon with their blend
of acoustic rock, folk and country favorites. Western PA classic
metal rockers Iron Wolf then awakened the arriving audience
with their stunning display of soaring vocals, harmony guitar
leads and monster riffs as they did original songs plus their
spins on Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” and Judas Priest’s
“Metal Gods.” Former Lost Ledny member Ryan Long then
introduced his solo acoustic presentation, mixing original songs
with select covers from Philip Phillips. Playing their swan song
performance this day as members embark on new projects, the
Rhythm Sharks one more time celebrated electric blues and
rock. Singer/ guitarist Kayla Feaster, bassist/ singer Bethany
Helsel and drummer Dave Mollica performed numbers by
Gary Moore, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and the
Animals, and also broke out a version of the Clarks’ “Shimmy
Low” before ending with their original song “Bluesberry
Muffins.” After a brief solo acoustic set by the Backyard
Rockers’ Rich Dasch, Untyed brought high-octane rock to the
stage; triggering dance and even backflip action on the stage
front lawn as they did favorites by Ace Frehley, Judas Priest,
CCR, AC/DC, Wild Cherry and more. Introducing new
addition Damien Falatak on bass, Punk Fiction mixed old
and new acoustic sounds, performing numbers from Crosby
Stills Nash & Young, Mumford & Sons, the Lumineers, Rusted
Root, the Beatles and more. Introducing their new guitarist,
former Retroactive member Keith Little, Emberstitch kicked
up the high-powered rock. Keith, singer Tyler Hull, bassist
Russ Patterson, keyboardist Nate Smouse and drummer Ed
Murvine pulled out a number of surprises during their set;
including a rocking take on Lady GaGa’s “Edge of Glory,” Tal
Bachman’s “High Above Me,” songs from the Ramones, Greg
Kihn Band, Kenny Loggins, Chuck Berry and more. Ghostown
Revelry then then celebrated ‘60s and ‘70s rock in their own
distinctive way. Guitarist Adam Gerycz, drummer Pat
Bowman, keyboardist Kevin McKenrick, bassist Allen
Hostetler and rhythm guitarist Craig Pablic offered their own
distinctive spins to classics by the Guess Who, the Band, Three
Dog Night, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Spencer Davis Group and
more. As the sun set over the Cresson Sportsmen’s Club
grounds, Lies, Inc. lit up the stage with their explosive brand of
female-fronted heavy rock. Singer Lily Taylor’s voice was
fearless and forceful as she belted on Lies, Inc. originals such
as “Waking the Misery,” “Invertigo,” “Plaster Apparent” and
the new song “The Reaper”; but she and the group also
brought the crowd to full attention with their intense version of
Rush’s “Temples of Syrinx.” Locked and Loaded then drove
the show home with their jubilant and rowdy set, leading off
with a swaggering and bluesy take on Humble Pie’s “30 Days
in the Hole.” This kicked off a forceful set of hard-driving
classics from Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Van Halen, Thin
Lizzy, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix and more. Locked and Loaded
kept the crowd excited through it all, with calls for an encore
resounding well after the last song of the night. Around $1,200
was raised for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and talks are
already under way for making next year’s Kids Come First
Benefit bigger and better yet.
Last month’s 82nd annual Sinking Valley Farm Show near
Altoona provided my first opportunity to see The Steinbeisers
and friends. Lead guitarist Leo Steinbeiser, keyboardist/
accordionist/ singer Skip Steinbeiser and harmonica player
Cletus Steinbeiser have performed together since childhood;
and were joined this day by rhythm guitarists/ singers John
Catish and Paul Shaw, singer/guitarist Mary Busko and
fiddler Linda Littleton (of Simple Gifts). During their two-
hour performance, The Steinbeisers performed a mixture of
old-timey folk, pop and country standards, and even a polka or
two. Each musician was given the spotlight to shine and
showcase their individual talents as the audience politely
cheered them on. The Steinbeiser brothers were last year
recognized as Pennsylvania Heritage musicians by the
Huntingdon County Arts Council, an acknowledgement of
the contributions the brothers have made to preserving
traditional music heritage in Pennsylvania. The Steinbeisers
entertain on the second Saturday of every month at the
Armed & Ready by Jim Price
22 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
The Professor continued...
Tipton/Antis Firehall, with proceeds each month helping out
community members in need.
The Dreaming returned to Aldo’s early last month, one of
several national recording acts to grace this stage lately.
Featuring former Stabbing Westward singer/guitarist Chris
Hall and drummer Johnny Haro, former Static X bassist
Brent Ashley and former Orgy guitarist Carlton Bost. The
Dreaming performed a cyber-tinged, melody-geared heavy
modern rock sound not far removed from any of the members’
well-known former projects. They introduced a number of their
own original assaults such as “Sometimes It Hurts” and
“Echo,” and they also reprised three well-known songs from
Chris’ and Johnny’s Stabbing Westward past; performing
“What Do I Have to Do” and “Shame,” and “Save Yourself”
for the night’s encore. Left for Dead and Hate Grenade
opened.
The Supersuckers also visited Aldo’s stage last month.
After Railroad City Murder Machines opened with their
bristling, punk-driven rock set, Hellbound Glory cut loose
with jagged rural-toned sounds. Lead singer/guitarist Leroy
Virgil displayed rugged, gritty vocals as he sung country-
driven odes to alcohol, decadence and sleazy women. The
Supersuckers then took Aldo’s on an action-packed joyride.
Billing themselves as the “Greatest rock’n’roll band in the
world,” singer/bassist Eddie Spaghetti, guitarists Dan
“Thunder” Bolton and “Metal” Marty Chandler, and
drummer Chris VonStreicher performed high-octane rockers
from throughout their career; including “Rock and Roll
Records,” “Fisticuffs” and “Pretty F***ed Up” to end the
night, as well as a new new number called “F*** It.” The
Aldo’s crowd gave a big and uproarious response to the
Supersuckers’ performance.
As reported last month, longtime Altoona area drummer Clint
Carothers has relocated to Nashville to pursue new music
career opportunities. Clint closed out his Altoona tenure in late
August during the swan song performance of one of his bands,
A.X.E. at Family Pizza & Pub. I only caught the last three
songs of the night, arriving as guitarist/ singer John McKelvey
gave his Jimmy Page bow-on-strings display on Led Zeppelin’s
“Whole Lotta Love.” Guest singer Bob Gates flexed his voice
on a version of Angel City’s “Marseilles” (which Clint, Bob,
John and Randy Rutherford recorded on Clint’s 2008 EP, ‘4
On the Floor’), before A.X.E. with Bob closed out the night
and their story with Jackie DeShannon’s “Put a Little Love in
Your Heart.” Clint’s career on the Altoona music scene dates
back to the 1970s and his early years with Black Diamond. He,
John McKelvey and bassist/singer Denny Frank formed the
original A.X.E. following Black Diamond’s split in 1979;
A.X.E. subsequently went their separate ways as John and
Clint joined The Front in the early 1980s. Clint has always
been known for his professionalism and steadying presence
behind the drum kit, and I always have enjoyed the “war
stories” he shared from his early years on the music scene. We
wish Clint the best luck on his new endeavors in Nashville;
John and Denny will continue to work together in Flight 19.
Armed and Ready made their first visit to Glenn’s Place in
Claysburg last month, and met with an enthusiastic, good-sized
crowd. Singer Terrie C, guitarist/singer Dusty Kramers,
bassist Robby Bastian and drummer Jayme Rowles mixed up
hard modern and classic rock favorites, with an emphasis on
the ‘80s and ‘90s. Armed and Ready kept dance floor action
steady with tunes from AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Candlebox,
Three Days Grace, Tonic, Theory of a Deadman, Nickelback,
Seether, Velvet Revolver and more. Their instrumental
execution was energetic and tight, and Terrie’s vocals
displayed the balance of range, melody and grit. Armed and
Ready delivered their rock with swagger and confidence, and
easily won over a room of new fans this night. They will be
back.
Ganister keeps rocking the region while going through a
revolving door of personnel moves lately. Their latest inception
visited Magoo’s in Cresson last month. The lineup this night
included singer Tony Irvine, new guitarist Matt Markham
(replacing Rob Sottile, currently on hiatus), former Bad Daze
guitarist Kenny Murdick, bassist Dan Lukens and
drummer/singer Randy Wilson. Ganister mixed up a variety
of rock and country favorites, with a few surprises thrown in
along the way. Some highlights included the group’s
improvised take on Big & Rich’s “Save a Horse Ride a
Cowboy,” Prong’s “Snap Your Fingers Snap Your Neck,”
Monster Magnet’s “Space Lord,” and their crunchy night-
cont inued on next page . .
THE STANDING CINEMA - MODERN ESCAPE (no
label) Philadelphia-based singer/songwriter Donovan Rice
formed The Standing Cinema in 2011 with bassist Dave
DeHart and drummer Bill Rose. Their six-song EP, Modern
Escape, introduces listeners to a bright and catchy brand of
British-rooted modern pop-rock. The melodies and
arrangements recall the classic British pop sounds of the
Beatles, but driven with a modern
pop/rock gusto more consistent with
the Foo Fighters or Goo Goo Dolls.
The vocals and harmonies are crisp
and catchy; and the presence of piano,
accordion and horns flesh out the
arrangments and give the sound color
and depth. Quarky asides during the
melodies aren’t out of the question,
and lend to occasional unpredictability during the songs; such
as the ragtime piano edge during the playful question-and-
answer “Quite an Event” and the closer “Property Owners”
with its tempo and intensity shifts, capped with a psychedelic
reverb ending. Pop hooks create captivating ear candy on songs
like the opener “High Praise” and “Maple Shade,” and the
group rocks at a brisker tempo on the title track “Modern
Escape.” (A seventh song, “Stay, Stand, Stare,” is available on
the digital version of the EP.) The Standing Cinema’s
performances are airtight and tasteful, and Rice’s voice
demonstrates consistently solid range and personality.
Produced by the band and engineered by Rice, Modern Escape
sounds clear and balanced, with the instruments and voices
carrying the day, and just the right touch of studio reverb and
effects to lend a late ‘60s flavor. The Standing Cinema merges
modern and nostalgia on Modern Escape, offering listeners a
pleasant escape through its retro-flavored sonic journey. (The
EP can be obtained through the group’s website,
www.thestandingcinema.com.) —Reviewed by Jim Price
XANDER DEMOS - GUITARCADIA (no label) Currently
performing with his own self-named band, plus tribute group
JOHN HAHN- DARKNESS FALLS (no label) Written,
performed, produced, recorded and mastered by John Hahn
This ten song CD of guitar wizardry by John Hahn brings you
up to date to where John has been as of his last release, “Out of
the Shadows” in 1992.
John is well known locally for his
guitar work with the band Harpo in
the late 80’s when they released
“Armed to Deliver” on Atlas Records
and later “Fire Your Fire” with ex-
Rod’s singer Shmoulik Avigal. John
played and traveled the upper east
coast and Canada with Harpo opening
for the likes of Ted Nugent, Foghat,
Night Ranger and Winger for eight years.
John’s guitar work was heard by Mike Varney of Shrapnel
Records and spotlighted John in a column in “Guitar Player
Magazine. It was David Chastain of Leviathan Records who
would sign John to release his debut CD, “Out of the
Shadows”.
2013 brings John to his studio to record a new musical
instrumental CD. Playing all instruments, John has hit that
“high note” with “Darkness Falls”.
First song, “Next Day Air” fires off the CD with soaring riffs,
heavy rhythms and breaks, giving the dye, which Hahn has cast
for this CD. “Journey from Within,” song two, has a heavy bass
line, usually not heard on, “shredders” CD’s. “Darkness Falls,”
song three, highlights this CD as it should. Complex weaving
and layering of riffs make this the anthem song. “Flight of the
Phoenix” shows off John’s piano playing which is something I
did not know John could do. There is great keyboard work on
this CD from John. “Storm Runner,” song five, follows with
riffing and keyboards moving in and out. These last two songs
are my favorites. The five other songs on this CD are also a
tribute to John’s guitar prowess. If you like Dream Theater or
Riverside without vocals, you’ll dig the new John Hahn CD
“Darkness Falls.” The best work by him I’ve heard today.
(www.johnhahn.com)
—Reviewed by Suzanne & Keith Hummel
James Rivera’s Sabbath Judas Sabbath, Pittsburgh’s Xander
Demos has emerged into prominence for his immense guitar-
shredding talents; earning awards and recognition from Steve
Vai’s GuitarTV.com, A.J. Pero of Twisted Sister’s The Real
Radio Show, endorsements from Suhr, McNaught and Conklin
Guitars, and more. Mixed by C.J. Snare of Firehouse, Demos’
full-length CD, Guitarcadia, offers a guitar-shredding sonic
paradise, ten tracks of full-force guitar fireworks. His amazing
guitar shred displays speak for themselves, as Demos exhibits a
melody-based style informed and influenced by such masters as
Steve Vai, Vinnie Moore, John Sykes,
Neal Schon, Eric Johnson and others.
But besides Demos’ fast-firing
arpeggios and fingerwork, melodies
and arrangements also stand out
through Guitarcadia’s journey.
Compositions like the cruise-speed
“Nothing Major” and the driving
“Chase the Sun” establish jubilant
melodies for Demos to work his guitar strings to, and his skills
support the journey of each song. The disc-opener “Right
Angles,” the title track “Guitarcadia” and “Metagalactic”
enable Demos to explore more complex arrangements and
melody lines. He cuts loose and burns the fretboards on the
speedy assaults “White Knuckle Driving” and the more playful
“Woodshed Sonata.” The disc contains two vocal numbers
performed by the Xander Demos Band; “Under a Darkened
Sky,” first created a decade ago when Demos played guitar in
the Pittsburgh-based band Stronghold, and a guitar virtuoso
update of Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer,” one of two
cover songs on the album. The other remake, an instrumental
rendering of Chris DeBurgh’s hit “The Lady in Red,” closes
out the album. Demos’ guitar skills are front and center
throughout the album, and his fluid execution gives its own
polish and smoothness to the compositions. The overall sound
is big and broad, showing listeners that this artist and his band
are easily suited to rocking arenas and colosseums. Fans of
guitar fireworks will easily salivate over what Xander Demos
has to offer on Guitarcadia, while fans of melody, arrangements
and virtuosity should find plenty to celebrate here as well. (To
obtain the CD, visit Xander Demos’s website,
www.xanderdemos.com.) —Reviewed by Jim Price
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 25
Send your CDs for Review to : PA Musician Magazine,
PO Box 362, Millerstown, PA 17062
PA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE REVIEWS
26 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
TEDD HAZARD’S CARTOON WORLD.... www.tedd_hazard.livejournal.com
I remember it clear as day, my mother and I left the hotel later
than what we should have to go see Cody Simpson in concert, I
wanted to get an interview with him for the PA Musician
Magazine. We were running roughly about two hours late,
causing us to be in tears, not sure if we would end up making it
in time to interview Cody, and even if they would let us, but we
go to so many of his concerts and they always treat us nice so I
knew my chances were good that they would allow us to do the
interview.
“We’re here representing the PA Musician Magazine,” My
mother and I spoke to one of the security guards. “Wait one
moment please,” a lady said, walking back calmly. About five
minutes later she came back to us, telling us to follow her.
Walking into Cody Simpson’s ‘Meet ‘N’ Greet’ I laid my eyes
on Justin Stirling, Cody’s faithful friend and assistant.
“Hey guys!” Justin said, a smile blooming on each of our
faces. “Hey!” The Aussie singer, Cody Simpson grinned at us
while talking to a fan. We felt welcome. “If you guys would
just go wait by the sound booth,” Justin said, giving us a smile.
I looked back to Cody and waved. My mom and I, giggling
from excitement, walked to where we were told to and waited
patiently. I was greeted by my friend Karina, who was nervous
that we weren’t going to make it, which luckily, we did. Then
suddenly, Cody Simpson’s father, Brad comes to greet us,
opening his arms for a very welcoming hug. Brad is somebody
who has always been there for my mom and I, along with the
rest of Cody’s team and family. We fell easily into a
conversation with him, as we always do, making small talk.
Brad went back stage to check on something whilst Justin and
Cody passed by, heading backstage. Justin looked back at my
mom and I and waved us to follow, so we did. As we walked
in, I noticed Cody sitting down on a staircase. He smiled once
he noticed me, standing up and offering a hug, which I
obviously accepted. Whilst Justin and my mom spoke, I made
small talk with Cody. Something I love about Cody is that, he’s
so easy to talk to. He’s always been a very relaxed guy and he’s
a sweetheart to top it off. I mean, you’d expect him to be nice
but you can tell the difference between a person who is nice
because they should be and a just genuinely kind person and
Cody is one of the latter. His musical style goes along with his
personality. He isn’t really a pop artist, he has a beachy kind of
vibe to his music, the kind of music you’d play while sitting
down at a campfire with your friends. He isn’t only a singer but
he’s a gifted guitar player, songwriter, dancer and an amazing
performer with the charisma that enables him to do what he
does.
“Hey Justin, I have about 5 questions to ask Cody, I
mentioned, looking up at him. “That’s cool, I can give you
about 5 minutes with him.”
“When do you want to do it, where do you want to do it?”
An excited Cody asked, taking a step down the stairs closer to
me with a beautiful grin spread across his face. I couldn’t help
but smile. “Let’s do it over there,” Justin said, pointing to a
door with a sign that said “Stage” with an arrow pointing to it.
“By the door?” I asked, walking over with Cody.
As I was preparing for the interview, I saw Cody, putting his
hand up to a blonde lady about to come through, “Stay right
there,” he joked. “I’m joking, you can come through if you
want. You want to come through here?” he asked, giving her a
few seconds.
I was incredibly nervous to interview him and he really did
help ease the nervousness by cracking jokes and playing
around. I was questioning my questions, wondering if Cody
would find any of them completely stupid but I knew that I was
over-thinking. I didn’t really know how to start it so I looked
over at him and kind of shrugged. Then I just decided to look at
the camera and say, “So hey, I’m Maddie.” “I’m Cody,” Cody
smiled slightly, after I waited for him to introduce himself.
“What was the toughest dance routine or move for this tour
or any tour that you have had to learn? Was there any move
that kept you stuck or that you couldn’t get down?”
“Uh,” Cody started, rubbing his forehead slightly. “Uh,
there’s a couple like every now and then that take longer to
learn than others but eventually, I get them all.”
“What were some of the best gifts that you have received
from fans?”
“I don’t know, I get a lot of cool homemade stuff. I got a
turtle once (Cody really likes turtles!), a fan gave me an iPad
once,” he smiled, making a face as if he didn’t understand why
while I did the same. “That was random but really cool.”
“How does it make you feel when girls look at you and say to
you things like ‘Cody, you’ve saved my life’?”
“It’s tough to sort of process that. I’m just honored that I can
help someone that much.”
“So like ‘wow, I can’t believe I have that impact on
somebody?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He smiled at me.
“This is so stupid,” I
mumbled as he smiled more at
me. “How do you get on
sleeping schedules when you
go from place to place?”
“It’s tough, I don’t have
much of a sleeping schedule
anymore. This past week I’ve
been getting like three-four
hours of sleep every night. I
just struggled through the
days.”
“Who is your biggest musical/singer wise influence, dance
influence and all around life influence?”
“Singing wise, Timberlake (Justin Timberlake), Jack
Johnson. Dancing wise, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown. All
around life, my dad.”
I looked over to Justin, “Justin, do you have a timer on your
phone?”
“Sure.” Justin said while Cody smiled slightly at me being
unprepared. “Go!” He said once the timer was going.
“Would you rather live in Harry Potters world or continue
living the life of rich and fame?”
“Harry Potter’s world, for sure!” He said, as all four of us
laughed at him.
“If you had the chance would you rather duet Michael
Jackson or Justin Timberlake (he looks up to both of them)?”
“Oh Jesus. That’s too hard for me to answer, go to the next
one, “ he said, while I laughed at him.
“Would you rather be a dog named Killer or a cat named
Fluffy?”
“A dog. I don’t like cats.”
“Would you rather be the sand castle or the wave?”
“Uh,” He thought for a moment. “The wave.”
“Would you rather have a zombie apocalypse or world war
3?”
“Zombie Apocalypse, I guess.” He said, laughing.
“Those were good questions,” Justin complimented as Cody
reached over to hug me.
“I liked those,” Cody said in the middle of the hug.
After we finished up, Cody and I took some pictures
together. We talked for a few minutes longer, I hugged Cody
again, told him good luck and that he’d ‘kill’ the show.
Eventually we got a picture of us holding up the PA Musician
shirt, leaning over a pile of gifts, Cody started to put the shirt in
before looking at me and saying, “Can I keep it?” “If you want
to.” I said as he smiled and continued to let the shirt drop into
the pile. Then we said our goodbyes and we parted our ways.
Soon before long it was time for the show, a band of
brothers, Connor, Toby and Riley who were named Before You
Exit opened up the show. Their smiles lit up the entire club and
put everyone in a good mood. Next came on Ryan Beatty, a 17
year old boy with an incredible voice and a very good sense of
music and humor. Then came on some special commercials on
screen including the shoe brand Pastry, which his little sister
Alli models for alongside their friends, Madison Pettis of
Disney Channel and Jessica Jarrell, another singer. Alli’s music
video for her bubbly pop hit, ‘Why I’m Single’ began to play,
making all of Cody’s fans scream the lyrics and dance around.
They played some funny videos of Cody’s French camera man
Florent Déchard running around backstage along with Justin,
looking for Cody before it was time for him to hit the stage
whilst Cody hid and ‘shh’ed the camera, making the room of
teenage girls scream at the sight or sound of the Australian
singer or his and his little sister’s youngest sibling Tom.
Before you knew it, the lights were turned down low and the
girls were screaming like never before as a countdown popped
up on the screen playing ‘Eye of The Tiger’. Suddenly after a
little video, Cody ran on stage opening with his song, ‘Be The
One’. The boy dances so well, every time he made a move or
looked in a certain direction the girls in the crowd would
scream. Cody’s charisma on stage along with his dancing
reminded me of a cross between Michael Jackson and Justin
Timberlake. From feel good dance grooves, slow and heartfelt
songs, to a special serenade to a lucky fan, Cody Simpson of
Gold Coast, Australia always gives his 110% and puts on a
must see concert. Keep an eye out for Cody’s shows in PA, he
comes quite frequently and keeps the tickets at an affordable
price, so be sure to bring the whole family!
MY FIRST “LIVE” INTERVIEW WITH CODY SIMPSON By Maddie Strunge —a devoted fan
Maddie & Cody
Cody & his band on stage photos by Danielle & Maddie
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 27
cont inued on next page . . .CLASSIFIED NOTES
BUSINESSCLASSIFIEDS
HAIR STYLIST WANTED:
Famous Cuts “rock n’ roll hair
salon” is looking for a stylist.
Must have experience and
f o l l o w i n g . G e n e r o u s
commission. Fun work
atmosphere, flexible hours.
Call Jerry 717-761-5050.
FOR RENT: Indoor spaces
availabel for bands seeking
places to practice. Located in
Marysville. Call Earl at 717-
379-2168.
WANTED: WE PAY CASH
for used guitars, amps,
effects, etc!!! Call Matt at
Cre te r Gu i t a 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
YOUR RECORDING
DOLLAR: Celebrating our
28th 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.
RIGHT C O A S T
RECORDING: State of the
ar t vintage recording
environment with years of
experience and a long list of
s a t i s f i e d c u s t o m e r s .
www.rightcoastrecording.com
. Phone 717-560-1530.
WANTED TO BUY: Piano
sheet music. Call 717-250-
4798.
DRUM LESSONS: Former
Green Eggs band drummer
now accepting students for
lessons at Camp Hill home.
20 years live and studio
professional , , pract ical
experience. Beginner on up.
Stand out from the crowd, be
your best for your band, the
music and you! Call Doug
Black at 717-571-8896.
FAMOUS CUTS “ROCK
N’ ROLL HAIR SALON” is
looking for a stylist. Must
have exper ience and
f o l l o w i n g . G e n e r o u s
commission. Fun work
28 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
tmosphere, flexible hours.
Call Jerry 717-761-5050.
S O U T H S O U N D
PRODUCTIONS Currently
Seeking Bands needing
Representation. Serious
inquires only please. Call
Vickie at 717-832-6154 or
Email:
vickiesouthsoundprod@comc
ast.net
EQUIPMENTFOR SALE
FOR SALE: Tascam 380 24
tract recording board with
V.O. meters, $500. 717-627-
4800.
FOR SALE: Mastering
cassette recorders like new,
$25 to $35 each. 717-627-
4800.
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
controled lights with gels, 2
bars with 4 lights each. work
great $250 Ph. 717-248-8739
email : superstarr@hot-
shot.com
FOR SALE: Ensoniq TS-12
Performance/ Composition
Synthesizer. 7 6 - n o t e
weighted-action keyboard.
Includes Musician’s Manual,
Tutorial, & Service Manual.
$950. 717-827-3140.
FOR SALE: Kawai K1
Digital Multi-Dimensional
61-key digital synthesizer.
Includes 3 Kawai Expansion
Cards. $275. 717-827-3140.
FOR SALE: KAWAI PHm
Pop Synth Module. 250 PCM
voices (200 single plus 50
combinations). 1/2 rack space
midi module. $95. 717-827-
3140.
FOR SALE: Compressor/
l imi te r s . Aphex 720
Dominator II, DBX 266XL,
Drawmer 1960 tube. Leave
message. 610-488-0914.
FOR SALE: Microphones.
(2) AKG C-391’s. (2) AKG
D112’s. Mics include clips
and cables. Leave message.
610-488-0914.
FOR SALE: Multitrack
recorders. Tascam. (3) DA-
88’s, (1) DA-38 and (1) RC-
848. Includes sync cables
w/balanced snakes, rack cases
and remote control stand.
Leave message. 610-488-
0914.
FOR SALE: Multi effects
processors: t.c.electronics
M5000 w/digital options.
Ensoniq DP/4. Lexicon LXP-
5. Leave message 610-488-
0914
FOR SALE: Atlas heavy
duty boom mic stand with 2-
lb. counterweight, triangular
base and casters. Excellent
condition. 610-488-0914
FOR SALE: High end mic
pre. Drawmer 1960 2-
channel mic pre/ tube
compressor. DI boxes .
Countryman Type 85 and
Classified Notes continued...
cont inued on next pg. .
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 29
Classified Notes continued...
ProCo CB-1. Leave message
610-488-0914
FOR SALE: Record video of
your band from the stage or
Front of House sound board.
Attach any camera to these
unique CAMERA MOUNTS.
610-488-0914
FOR SALE: M a p e x
doublebass pedal $75 call
570-898-5076.
FOR SALE: 1972 Gibson
SG II $1300, No cracks very
few dings, Best one I have
seen out there. Mesa Boogie
Simul Class 2:90 $750;
Digitech 2101 Artist with
floor board $375. Tom 814-
386-223.
FOR SALE: Hartke 4x12 cab
with Celestions on wheels,
mono stereo also Marshall
2x12 cab, use together or
seperately. 4x12 $225. 2x12
$175, or both for $350. 717-
939-1383
FOR SALE: Marshall 300W
Bass set consisting of 210
with Tweeter amp combo with
ext. cab consisting of 15” bass
speaker with Tweeter and
lower ports, 4800. 717-939-
1383.
FOR SALE: Sold 5 of 18
Epiphone guitars. Nice prices
all with cases and leather
straps and strap locks. Mint
condition. all shapes and
finishes. Package deals. 717-
939-1383.
FOR SALE: Keyboards,
Casio WK-6500, new stand
along with Marshall Bass amp
consisting of 210 combo with
15 inch bass cabinet sounds
extremly great loud and clear
717-939-1383.
FOR SALE: Rogers drum
set, 1977, white all hardware
cymbals, stands, pedals, seat.
Bonus Beeline Rotos. Top
bottom heads ond rums. All
drummers approve of this set.
717-939-1383.
MUSICIANSWANTED
WANTED: Lead guitar and
vocals for heavy modern rock
cover/ original band. Central
Pennsy lvan ia . Ser ious
inquiries only. 570-412-7614
WANTED: Bass player for
a laid-back band (in our
30’s). Covers, some
originals, mostly 90’s rock
and other songs. Practice in
Yo r k . E - m a i l :
WANTED: Shippensburg
Drummer and Bassist with
practice space seek Guitarist
male or female for Hard
Heavy Rock bar band. Alice
In Chains to Zombie. Contact
adam at 717-300-0148 or
email: dogthegod2112@gmail
.com
WANTED: S e a s o n e d
Guitarist/ Vocalist - All genres
considered - prefer Acoustic /
Electric ok. Based Lebanon
County - Contact Rick:
WANTED: Backup Vocalists
for Theatrical rock band in
Columbia County. Auditions
by appointment All vocal
ranges desired. Looks are
unimportant, your voice is the
key, 18+ Call 570- 394-2019.
WANTED: L a n c a s t e r /
Reading area rock/metal band
Circle of Sanity seeks
guitarist. Vocal ability is a
huge plus. Email us at
m”
WANTED: Drummer for
StarChild. Hard hitter, good
memory, good timing all
essential. Willing to travel.
Full drum kit available. Paid
rehearsals. Working band.
Call Jerry 717-761-5050.
www.facebook.com/StarChild
Band.
WANTED: P R O -
Keyboardist for Female
Fronted Blues Band ,
complete our line up , 3/4 of
our set list worked out doing
Meaty eclectic Blues..
Looking to go out soon..We
practice on Sundays 2-5 in
U n i o n D e p o s i t .
or call / TEXT 717-364 5660.
WANTED:Lead Singer /
Front Man for established
country band in Schuylkill
County. New and classic
country covers. We have gigs,
PA and practice space.
Rhythm guitar ability a plus.
cont inuedon next pg. .
30 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE October, 2013
Call: 570-449-8583 or
WANTED: Musicians. Singer
& guitar player seeking
professional musicians for
HEART TRIBUTE BAND;
need female acoustic, bass
and keyboard players. Must
be willing to travel.
814-380-1617
WANTED: Singer and
guitarist wanted for all
original band. We play rock/
hard rock. Must have
equipment, transportation, and
experience.
www.tukurpa.com 717-712-
2008 or 717-418-0020.
WANTED: Lebanon based
Modern/Classic Rock band
looking for drummer. Have a
real nice pearl drum set to use
for rehearsal. Call LJ 717-
273-1739.
WA N T E D : Professional
Bassist and Drummer looking
for Vocalist and Guitarist or
combination of both. We are a
solid rhythm section with
backing vocals. Would like to
do a mix of originals and
covers, have some originals
and covers ready to go. please
email [email protected]
or Call 717-713-4491.
WANTED: PRO-Keyboardist
for Female Fronted Blues
Band, complete our line up,
3/4 of our set list worked out
doing Meaty eclectic Blues.
Looking to go out soon..We
practice on Sundays 2-5 in
U n i o n D e p o s i t .
or call / TEXT 717-364-5660
or 814-380-1617.
WANTED: Experienced lead
vocals, guitar and bass for
classic and modern rock.
Rehearsal studio availabe in
bloomsburg. 570-380-9043 -
Dave or 570-486-8287 - Ron.
WA N T E D : Musicians.
Writer, singer, guitarist,
keyboardist with home studio
and stage gear wants to
connect to creative, fun loving
people for combined original
cover / classic rock type act.
Call Dave in York 717-650-
6696.
WANTED: Guitarist, bassist,
drummer rehearsing in
Ephrata on weekends
exclusively looking for male /
femal vocalist to do covers
also solid guitarist to cover
leads etc. Call 717-939-1383.
MUSICIANSAVAILABLE
AVAILABLE: Very
experienced Metal /Hard
Rock drummer seeks to join
or form giging band.
Mansfield area. Contact
AVAILABLE: 51 year old
Guitar is t looking for
Harrisburg area musicians.
Rehearsals at my location or
yours. I’m welle quppied with
several amps,d rums, keys,
PA. Weekend time only 717-
939-1383.
AVAILABLE: Keyboardist.
Hi my name is Jack I have
over 45 years of playing
experience in all genres of
music. Pro gear no attitude
own transportation. Contact
for more info 570-579-4377
o r e m a i l
AVAILABLE: M e t a l
drummer available from
Harrisburg erea. 40 years old.
Looking to fill some free time
playing in a decent hard rock
to Metal band. Not looking to
travel too far. Interested? Give
me a call Victor 717-903-
3 1 5 5 o r
Classified Notes continued...
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...
ARE YOU A SELF STARTER AND LIKE TO WORK?
ARE YOU BORED OR UNDERPAID IN YOUR
CURRENT JOB? DO YOU ENJOY LIVE MUSIC AND
CAN YOU SELL SNOW TO AN ESKIMO...The Pennsylvania Musician Magazine is now taking bids. We
will teach you all we have learned or not, it’s up to you. Send
your sealed written bid to: PA Musician Magazine,
PO Box 362, Millerstown, PA 17062
DEADLINEfor the November
Anniversary issue...
Monday,
October 21st
October, 2013 PENNSYLVANIA MUSICIAN MAGAZINE 31