Saturday, November 25-2006

Billy's Road House: Wexford, Pa.

The joint was packed when we arrived, cool. We kicked things off kinda casually, as we usually do at this north hills watering hole. "Million Tears" came down real strong. "Burnin Up" also felt good. Lots of cover tunes, "Slow Down" played on slide guitar was fun. "You Really Got A Hold On Me" is such a cool song to sing with Whitey. "Round n' Round" closed out the first set. "Here Comes The Weekend" was the high point of set two. We brought ole friend Bud, bass player of 8th Street Rox, up to sing a couple in the third set. Bud slapped "Honkey Tonk Woman" around and did a good job when I got him to sing a song he didn't know the words to, "Folsum Prison Blues". Bud said he felt naked on stage without a guitar, I think I'm gonna take my guitar off more often. I kinda like the idea of feeling naked. "Rock n' Roll City" got a few folks on the floor. Whitey really got some positive support for his impressive soul shoutin on "Ready Freddy" and "Sham A Lamma Ding Dong". We closed the show singing WHITEY to the melody of the Sue Thompson classic song, "Norman". There is life on da planet Wexford.

Friday, November 24-2006

Moondogs: Blanox, Pa.

The Offenders opened the show and did a kick a** job. Drummer Brian is starting to sound real good, as is guitar player Ray Ray. Bass player Shades, was his usual insane self. These guys did a killer version of the Stones "Can't Ya Hear Me Knockin"."Who Wants It" gave Shades a chance to close their set properly. Enter the dork. "Boilermaker", "Rockin Roll City", "Somethins Cookin", "We Come A Long Way". We got Shades back up on stage to sing "Dead Flowers" and "Tossin And Turnin". Long time Moondogs regular Gary, was celebrating his birthday, so we sang "Happy Birthday". Then Moondog himself jumped up and sang the polish happy birthday song. We did a strong "Heat Of The Night", right into "That Ain't Gonna Happen" and "I Seen Too Much". Harry sang "Pots n' Pans", Whitey kept folks dancing with "Shama Lama Ding Dong". Ray Ray got on stage to play the last few tunes. "I Hate A Nickel" sounded way cool with Ray Ray banging this souful rhythm guitar. I wouldn't a missed it for da world, Huge Hunks a Fun.

Saturday, November 18-2006

Excuses: Southside, Pittsburgh, Pa.

"Nightclub", "Last Night I Had A Dream" and this, too much fun show was off and running. All that happened on this evening cannot be explained. Sometimes, ya just gotta be there. We did a hot version of "Shackin Up" and I got a chance to rip some huge hunks of slide guitar outta the smokey air. And it was good. Whitey and Harry were both all over the groove. And it was good. The clown prince of was spewin, chewin, and doin. And it was good. "Yesterdays Gone" came down like falling rain. And it was good. We did "Rockin Roll City" and "High Times" for Betty who we hadn't seen in a while. Set two "Lazy Bones", "Hells Highway" then, "Son of a Gun" which came down real strong. "In These Dreams" is starting to hold it's own. I don't think anyone set a foot on the dance floor, yet I felt that everybody rocked strong. Weird, huh? It all came tumbling down on this Pittsfield, Pennsyltuckey evening. Ask anybody. One of our hero's Mike Lange, was sittin at the bar having a cocktail. Nice........

Friday, November 17-2006

P. D.'s Pub: Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Pa.

The first set was all Nornan songs, old and new. By the end of the three set evening we had played the ole Jerry Butler tune "He Don't Love You" and a pretty decent version of Doby Grey's "Drift Away". The dance floor was a place of action the whole way thru. We sent "Poor Little Rich Kid" out to ole friend and club owner, Frankie. We also sang "Bobby Jo's Wedding Day" for the queen of the joint. "Smoke Two Joints" always goes over well at this club, and tonight was no exception. Playing at P.D.'s always gives us a chance to play for people that wouldn't be at one of our other shows. Spread the word, "Norman, will touch you, in a manful way."

Saturday, November 11-2006

Burgi's Roundhouse: Altoona, Pa.

The joint was packed. Took me an hour to find a parking place. Three local acts warmed the place up. Radio station Q-94 gave this show ton's of support. Thanks to rock n' roll angels like Jim Price. We jumped outta the box with "Boilermaker", "Rockin n' Roll City", "Somethins Cookin", the dance floor was popping strong. "We Come A Long Way", "Send You Back", "Heat Of The Night", "End Of The Line", "You Go Your Way". We got some old and some new friends up to jam. Guitar man Felix of the Hurricanes and Perry banged on the box while Tony Mollick and his boy Freddy sang bg vocals on "Shake Your Moneymaker" and "Work Togather". We cooled everybody off with the slow burning blues "Bow Legged Woman". "Walkin To My Baby" got folks on the floor with the latin blues. Tony sang "Shake Rattle And Roll" and kept the dancers rocking. A local girl put a bottle of beer between her boobs, took her hands away and the beer stood there, proud. Cool, huh? We closed the evening out with "Smoke Two Joints". Dis was one good rockin affair.

Friday, November 10-2006

Ricks Sports Bar: Export, Pa.

This is not the ideal music room. We did the best we could with what we had. Birthday boy-Ron and his better half-Lynn, had their gang out, so we had some rockers in the house. This gave us a reason to press on. Press on, we did.

Saturday, November 4-2006

Mogies: Lower Burrell, Pa.

A nice mix of younger and older folks. Lots of girls on the dance floor. How could that be wrong? The first, two hour set flew by. "High Times", "That Girl" and "Burnin Up" all hit home with the ole New Kensington gang. Everybody got off when Harry sang "Pots n' Pans". "Lazy Bones" and "T- Bird" opened set two, which ran an hour and a half. Whitey sang well on a couple of soul classics. I had a blast at Mogies. Can't wait for summer to play outside on the deck. "Ready Freddy" rang out loud n' clear as the encore. The ole Buddy Holly tune, "Not Fade Away", shut down a strong rockin affair. Loved it!