October 26, 2007-Friday

Bill’s Place: Austintown, Ohio

Good mix of folks, older, younger, rockers, bluesers, and the dj was playing heavy, new rock stuff. We kicked our thang wit “Lazybones” then a strong take of “Rock n’ Roll City”. “White Trash Tragedy” was received well. “Somethin’s Cookin” gave me a chance to get one off. Whitey’s drums sounded large so I was having fun wit dat on “Nothin to Lose”. I struggled thru a new tune I been messing with called “Hoochie Mama”, the guys played it well but I wasn’t as prepared as I should be when I pull dat kinda stuff. We did “What the F*ck” just to see if they could take a joke. Harry brought a small speaker cabinet, I missed the big box. We did a mess a’ covers “Are You Lonesome Tonight”, “Help Me Make It Thru The Night”, “Like A Rollin Stone”, this was a fun night, we played for lots a folks that hadn’t seen us before.

October 20, 2007-Saturday

Excuses: Pittsburgh, Pa.

“Bulldog”, “Lazy Bones”, “White Trash Tragedy”, it’s always a good time playing at Excuses. I promised I’d play “Steeler Nation” but I never followed thru, sorry bout dat. “People Takin Care” came off real well. Harry sang “Pots n’ Pans” and really kicked it. The ole classic “Nothin to Lose” did not disappoint. Whitey got off on “Sick n’ Tired”. Terrible Tom was in the house so we sent a raging “Sidewalk Romeo” out to him. Set two jumped off wit “Hells Highway” and the ole Little Willy John tune “I like to See My Baby”. We then fired up a tune that we hadn’t done in a while “Two Story House”. “Yesterday’s Gone”, “I Seen Too Much”, “Weekend”, we ended the show with young Katie Ramone getting onstage to sing “Little Things” she did a nice job but as is often the case when trying something for the first time, we could have put the tune in a more friendly key for her.

 October 19, 2007-Friday

Moondogs: Blanox, Pa.

“Lazy Bones”, “Boilermaker”, “Pittsburgh, Pa”, “End of the Line”, this short opening set went well as we set the stage for our second set that would feature Jill Simmons. “That Ain’t Gonna Happen”, “I Seen Too Much”, “Ain’t It Amazin”, and a rocking “Shackin Up” closed out set one wit a bang. We kicked of set two wit the instrumental “Bulldog” then brought out Jill. She went right to work on “Million Tears” and “If I Had A Child”, things got to swinging wit “Look What You Done” before Jill just ripped up “You Go Your Way”. “Route 66” and “Chain of Fools” both got folks dancing in their chairs. “I’d Rather Be a Blind Girl” was the highlight of Jill’s set.  Everybody went to church on “Saved”. At this point Jill sat down while we did a soulful take on “Sick n’ Tired” that featured, as always, Whitey Clyde Cooper’s high and tight vocals. A fresh take on Patsy Cline’s “I Fall to Pieces” was a swinging thang. Big Momma Thorton’s “Hound Dog” gave Jill a chance to get off as we closed out the night.

October 13, 2007-Saturday

Wilberts: Cleveland, Ohio

The Cleveland Indians were playing the Boston Red Sox, because this playoff game ran well past 1:00 in the morning our whole evening was, well, different. Opening band, Holmberg, didn’t play at all. I’d like to thank them for being so gracious regarding the whole affair. We didn’t take the stage until 1:00, performing to only a handful of folks, we did what we could wit what we had. “Boilermaker”, “Somethin’s Cookin”, “Hightimes”,  “We Come A Long Way”, “Graceland”. Considering that we sat around waiting 5 hours for show time, I think we played pretty well. At least Whitey was banging it out with some conviction. “Mr. Right Now”, “Rock n’ Roll City”, “Amazin Grace”,  “You Go Your Way”, “Little Things”, “I Seen Too Much”. Our final tune was the always rockin “Smoke Two Joints”. It’s never nothing but a pleasure hangin wit ole friend and club owner Mike Miller. We’ve been doing shows together over twenty years, here’s to twenty more. MM, ole NN is feelin ya. By the way da Tribe won their playoff game in 11 innings…………….da tribe………….

October 5, 2007-Friday

Moondogs: Blawnox, Pa.

This show was so much fun, all we did was laugh. It’s hard to describe what happens between an audience and a knuckle head entertainer like me, let’s just say we related on a very high level. Oh, the music, that was strong all evening long. “Lazybones”, is a very cool opening tune because it gives us a chance to warm an audience up. “Yesterday’s Gone” felt just right. We sent “Bow Legged Woman” out to my sister. The first set lasted two hours but seemed to fly by in minutes. Whitey was busting my rocks the whole show, making us all howl. Set two featured a phenomenal take on “Son Of A Gun”. We shut da joint down wit “I Shall Be Released”. This was a night that was all about a good time, and I think everybody in da house felt da power and da glory of our special kind a’ rock n’ roll show.

October 6, 2007- Saturday

Hartwood Acres: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Playing on the big stage at Hartwood is a blast. This show gave us the opportunity to play for kids and their parents, folks that don’t get much of a chance to see a bar band like us.  “Lazybones”, “Rock n’ Roll City”, “We Come A Long Way”, “Graceland”, “Steeler Nation” was well received. I wanted to get some kids involved so I invited a gang of young girls to bark on “Lovedog”, one of the girls got down on her belly and did the worm. You should have seen the look on Harry’s face. “Sick n’ Tired” got folks shouting out Whitey’s name. “I Seen Too Much” smoked. “Shake Your Moneymaker” closed out our set. Backstage we met the next act up, a beautiful young lady named Vanessa Campagna. Ole friend Bob Corbin is working with her and I’ll bet you they have lots of success.