Broken Fences on Friday May 30, 2014 in Pittsburgh, PA
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
First/Last-Vic and Gab
"Vic and Gab are a song writing sister duo who play mesmerizing, grooving
and powerfully catchy indie pop. The band took off in early 2011 with
an opportunity to have a song featured on MTV's fleeting teen series
Skins and have since made a momentous amount of headway in their career."
The sibling hit Pittsburgh tonight at The Smiling Moose for the all-ages early show, touring behind their latest effort. "Love of Mine". I want to thank Victoriah Gabriela (Electric Guitar/Keyboards/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
First album that I bought with my own money… “Room for Squares” John Mayer.
First album that I bought with my own money… “Room for Squares” John Mayer.
Your last album bought?
Alt-J.
Alt-J.
Favorite album of all time?
I can't decide pretty much any John Mayer album except “Born and Raised”.
I can't decide pretty much any John Mayer album except “Born and Raised”.
Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
“Born and Raised” John Mayer.
“Born and Raised” John Mayer.
First concert attended?
RUSH ‘Vapor Trails’ in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
RUSH ‘Vapor Trails’ in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Last concert?
Phoenix, Alt J and Grouplove in Milwaukee, WI.
Phoenix, Alt J and Grouplove in Milwaukee, WI.
Favorite concert ever?
RUSH ‘Snake and Arrows Tour’ at Summerfest.
RUSH ‘Snake and Arrows Tour’ at Summerfest.
Least favorite concert?
Phantogram I like the band! I guess I just had a headache that night.
Phantogram I like the band! I guess I just had a headache that night.
Any thoughts,
experiences about Pittsburgh?
I've never been to Pittsburgh so I don't know much about it. But for some reason a lot of friends from Texas love the Steelers which is weird considering its home to the Dallas Cowboys. I am really looking forward to our show at the Smiling Moose and meeting some Pittsburgh locals.
I've never been to Pittsburgh so I don't know much about it. But for some reason a lot of friends from Texas love the Steelers which is weird considering its home to the Dallas Cowboys. I am really looking forward to our show at the Smiling Moose and meeting some Pittsburgh locals.
Thanks, Vic. I am am really surprised there is any Steelers love whatsoever in Texas. You would be very hard pressed to find any Cowboys affinity here at all.
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affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I
receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The links helps to
support this site and will allow me to keep writing about local music.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
First/Last-The Semi-Supervillians
"This four-piece band from Duquesne University is made up of Vinnie, Ron,
Kyle and Jake.. However, the recordings also feature talented
musicians such as, John Pennacchio, Tony Marino, and Anthony Rankin.
Rick Witkowski at Studio L does the recordings and production.
The group actively plays shows and has held the stage at popular venues
in their hometown of Pittsburgh PA. The band's song "Black Letter" is
used by the Pittsburgh Pirates during home games."
The Pittsburgh based rock band is gaining momentum as they frequently play all around town. I want to thank Vinnie Longhi (Guitar/Vocals) and Ron Rekowski (Bass) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
Vinnie Longhi: The Black Keys “Attack & Release”.
I never needed to buy much. My dad has this monster CD collection that I would always pull things from.
Ron Rekowski: Buying too many albums over the years has made this one difficult to answer. Growing up, I listened to a lot of rock radio in the late 90s and early 2000s. Probably the first album I made a point to go out and buy was Nirvana's “In Utero”.
Vinnie Longhi: The Black Keys “Attack & Release”.
I never needed to buy much. My dad has this monster CD collection that I would always pull things from.
Ron Rekowski: Buying too many albums over the years has made this one difficult to answer. Growing up, I listened to a lot of rock radio in the late 90s and early 2000s. Probably the first album I made a point to go out and buy was Nirvana's “In Utero”.
Your last album bought?
Vinnie: Technically a free download… Foxy Shazam “Gonzo”.
Ron: “Splinter” by Gary Numan. It came out in October and it is, in my opinion, easily the best album to come out in the last few years.
Vinnie: Technically a free download… Foxy Shazam “Gonzo”.
Ron: “Splinter” by Gary Numan. It came out in October and it is, in my opinion, easily the best album to come out in the last few years.
Favorite album of all time?
Vinnie: “High Voltage” AC/DC.
Ron: Pink Floyd's “Dark Side of the Moon”. It might be a bit of a cliché answer, but there a few other albums that I can listen to all the way through and pick up on something different every time. It's hard not to get sucked into it for the entire length of the album. Others that I listen to all the way through are Radiohead's “Ok Computer”, Tool's “10,000 Days” and Queens of the Stone Age's “Songs for the Deaf”.
Vinnie: “High Voltage” AC/DC.
Ron: Pink Floyd's “Dark Side of the Moon”. It might be a bit of a cliché answer, but there a few other albums that I can listen to all the way through and pick up on something different every time. It's hard not to get sucked into it for the entire length of the album. Others that I listen to all the way through are Radiohead's “Ok Computer”, Tool's “10,000 Days” and Queens of the Stone Age's “Songs for the Deaf”.
Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
Vinnie: “Creed”.
Ron: Incubus “If Not Now, When”. I am still a huge Incubus fan and I believe their live performances are better than ever, but the latest album had no real standout tracks and was just too slow for me. The album is missing the eclectic riffs and clever lyrics that make every other Incubus album fantastic.
Vinnie: “Creed”.
Ron: Incubus “If Not Now, When”. I am still a huge Incubus fan and I believe their live performances are better than ever, but the latest album had no real standout tracks and was just too slow for me. The album is missing the eclectic riffs and clever lyrics that make every other Incubus album fantastic.
First concert attended?
Vinnie: Aerosmith on the ‘Honkin on Bobo’ tour. I was twelve. Aerosmith is awesome when you're twelve.
Ron: Ozzfest 2006 with my dad. We got to see Ozzy play as soon as we arrived. System of a Down was headliner and they put on an exciting performance. It was their last tour before going on hiatus.
Vinnie: Aerosmith on the ‘Honkin on Bobo’ tour. I was twelve. Aerosmith is awesome when you're twelve.
Ron: Ozzfest 2006 with my dad. We got to see Ozzy play as soon as we arrived. System of a Down was headliner and they put on an exciting performance. It was their last tour before going on hiatus.
Last concert?
Vinnie: Bruce Springsteen at Consol. Tom Morello was crazy good.
Vinnie: Bruce Springsteen at Consol. Tom Morello was crazy good.
Favorite concert ever?
Vinnie: JJ Grey & Mofro, Virginia Beach 2010. Stumbled into this really cool hole in the wall club. Didn't know what to expect. Changed my life forever.
Ron: The Semi SuperVillains opened for Living Colour at the Altar Bar in November. My jaw was practically dropped to the floor for the entire show, I could not believe how each member of that band go up there on stage and played as hard as they could for over two hours without stopping. Doug Wimbish is one of my favorite bass players, and his bass solo sounded amazing. The musicianship of the rest of band, especially Vernon Reid, kind of goes without saying. Opening for them was a real honor for me because they are one of my favorite bands.
Vinnie: JJ Grey & Mofro, Virginia Beach 2010. Stumbled into this really cool hole in the wall club. Didn't know what to expect. Changed my life forever.
Ron: The Semi SuperVillains opened for Living Colour at the Altar Bar in November. My jaw was practically dropped to the floor for the entire show, I could not believe how each member of that band go up there on stage and played as hard as they could for over two hours without stopping. Doug Wimbish is one of my favorite bass players, and his bass solo sounded amazing. The musicianship of the rest of band, especially Vernon Reid, kind of goes without saying. Opening for them was a real honor for me because they are one of my favorite bands.
Least favorite concert?
Vinnie: The Black Keys at the Consol April 2013. Not an arena band. First and only time I've ever saw them. I brought my friend from the Akron area. She had already seen them on that tour and wasn't too thrilled to see them a second time. I went in with high hopes and came out disappointed. Also, I got free tickets to go see Creed once. Now I know why the tickets were free.
Ron: I saw Nickelback a long time ago when they came to Pittsburgh with Three Days Grace. The sound for Three Days Grace was very disappointing and Nickelback's performance felt so canned. Between every song, Chad Kroeger screamed at the audience to get everyone riled up but it just fell on deaf ears. When you're a rockstar living in a hilltop house and driving fifteen cars then I guess you've earned the right to do whatever you want.
Vinnie: The Black Keys at the Consol April 2013. Not an arena band. First and only time I've ever saw them. I brought my friend from the Akron area. She had already seen them on that tour and wasn't too thrilled to see them a second time. I went in with high hopes and came out disappointed. Also, I got free tickets to go see Creed once. Now I know why the tickets were free.
Ron: I saw Nickelback a long time ago when they came to Pittsburgh with Three Days Grace. The sound for Three Days Grace was very disappointing and Nickelback's performance felt so canned. Between every song, Chad Kroeger screamed at the audience to get everyone riled up but it just fell on deaf ears. When you're a rockstar living in a hilltop house and driving fifteen cars then I guess you've earned the right to do whatever you want.
Favorite thoughts, experiences about
Pittsburgh?
Vinnie: I've been living downtown for four years now. A lot of great music in the area. I keep hearing new local bands that are really cool. Probably too cool for us unfortunately. We keep playing nevertheless.
Ron: I've lived in the Pittsburgh area all my life. I grew up in the North Hills but now live with friends at Mt. Washington. My favorite thing about Pittsburgh is all of the city's distinct neighborhoods. A lot of people who come to Pittsburgh to visit or go to school here usually only see the South Side, Station Square or Oakland, but miss out on all the cool stuff in Pittsburgh's other areas like Bloomfield, Polish Hill, Garfield, Highland Park, East Liberty or Squirrel Hill.
Vinnie: I've been living downtown for four years now. A lot of great music in the area. I keep hearing new local bands that are really cool. Probably too cool for us unfortunately. We keep playing nevertheless.
Ron: I've lived in the Pittsburgh area all my life. I grew up in the North Hills but now live with friends at Mt. Washington. My favorite thing about Pittsburgh is all of the city's distinct neighborhoods. A lot of people who come to Pittsburgh to visit or go to school here usually only see the South Side, Station Square or Oakland, but miss out on all the cool stuff in Pittsburgh's other areas like Bloomfield, Polish Hill, Garfield, Highland Park, East Liberty or Squirrel Hill.
Thanks, fellas. You are so right, Ron. The diverse culture in our lesser known neighborhoods is really what makes this city special.
FTC Disclosure: This post contains
affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I
receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The links helps to
support this site and will allow me to keep writing about local music.
First/Last-1974
"Hailing from Newington, Connecticut, 1974 is a 5 piece original rock
band that conjures up the memories and sounds of classic stadium rock
bands from the 70’s such as Yes, Kansas, Rush, Deep Purple, and Pink
Floyd. Since 2007, the band has been awing audiences with powerful
guitar driven riffs, Beach Boy-style vocal harmonies, catchy melodies,
and high energy stage shows."
The band was recently featured on the Paste 50 States Project and Connecticut on the strength of their debut album, "1974 & The Death of the Herald". I want to thank Gary Dionne (Bass/Vocals), Adam Clymer (Guitar), Mike 'Forgy' Forgette (Guitar/Vocals), Angela Rhea Piccoli (Keys/Vocals) and Tim Moore (Drums/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
Gary Dionne: Nirvana “Nevermind”.
Adam Clymer: The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
Mike Forgette: The Offspring “Ixnay on the Hombre”.
Angela Rhea Piccoli: The Soundtrack to 'The Lion King', the musical.
Tim Moore: Gloria Estefan “Greatest Hits”.
Gary Dionne: Nirvana “Nevermind”.
Adam Clymer: The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”.
Mike Forgette: The Offspring “Ixnay on the Hombre”.
Angela Rhea Piccoli: The Soundtrack to 'The Lion King', the musical.
Tim Moore: Gloria Estefan “Greatest Hits”.
Your last album bought?
Gary: Fatgrip “Wake Up”.
Clymer: Ben Folds Five “Sound of the Life of the Mind”.
Forgy: Friend Roulette “I'm Sorry You Hit Your Head”.
Angela: The soundtrack from 'Frozen'.
Tim: Yes “Fly From Here”.
Gary: Fatgrip “Wake Up”.
Clymer: Ben Folds Five “Sound of the Life of the Mind”.
Forgy: Friend Roulette “I'm Sorry You Hit Your Head”.
Angela: The soundtrack from 'Frozen'.
Tim: Yes “Fly From Here”.
Favorite album of all time?
Gary: The Postal Service “Give Up”.
Clymer: (Tie) Ben Folds “Rockin' the Suburbs” & Pink Floyd “Dark Side of The Moon”.
Forgy: The New Pornographers “Twin Cinema”.
Angela: The Front Bottoms “Talon of The Hawk”.
Tim: Yes “Live at Montreaux”.
Gary: The Postal Service “Give Up”.
Clymer: (Tie) Ben Folds “Rockin' the Suburbs” & Pink Floyd “Dark Side of The Moon”.
Forgy: The New Pornographers “Twin Cinema”.
Angela: The Front Bottoms “Talon of The Hawk”.
Tim: Yes “Live at Montreaux”.
Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
Gary: Hootie and The Blowfish “Fairweatrher Johnson”.
Clymer: Ben Folds Five “Sound of the Life of the Mind”.
Forgy: Jethro Tull “Under Wraps”.
Angela: Spice Girls “Goodbye”.
Tim: Live “V”.
Gary: Hootie and The Blowfish “Fairweatrher Johnson”.
Clymer: Ben Folds Five “Sound of the Life of the Mind”.
Forgy: Jethro Tull “Under Wraps”.
Angela: Spice Girls “Goodbye”.
Tim: Live “V”.
First concert attended?
Gary: ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic.
Clymer: Steve Miller Band.
Forgy: Jethro Tull.
Angela: Patent Pending.
Tim: Live.
Gary: ‘Weird’ Al Yankovic.
Clymer: Steve Miller Band.
Forgy: Jethro Tull.
Angela: Patent Pending.
Tim: Live.
Last concert?
Gary: Ian Anderson.
Clymer: Paul McCartney.
Forgy: Ian Anderson.
Angela: The Sound of Animals Fighting.
Tim: Yes.
Gary: Ian Anderson.
Clymer: Paul McCartney.
Forgy: Ian Anderson.
Angela: The Sound of Animals Fighting.
Tim: Yes.
Favorite concert ever?
Gary: Andrew WK.
Clymer: Roger Waters ‘Wall Tour’.
Forgy: Roger Waters ‘Wall Tour’.
Angela: Modest Mouse.
Tim: Yes.
Gary: Andrew WK.
Clymer: Roger Waters ‘Wall Tour’.
Forgy: Roger Waters ‘Wall Tour’.
Angela: Modest Mouse.
Tim: Yes.
Least favorite concert?
Gary: Seether and Ra.
Clymer: Dave Mathews Band.
Forgy: Everclear.
Angela: Arctic Monkeys.
Tim: Staind.
Gary: Seether and Ra.
Clymer: Dave Mathews Band.
Forgy: Everclear.
Angela: Arctic Monkeys.
Tim: Staind.
Any thoughts,
experiences about Pittsburgh?
Forgy is the only one that has been out there. However, we want to get out there to play as soon as we can. His fiancé went to grad school at Carnegie Mellon. They loved the fact that even though it is a city it has a college town feel to it. Clymer has passed through Pittsburgh
once or twice in his travels. Great city. The band is truly excited to get out there and play.
Forgy is the only one that has been out there. However, we want to get out there to play as soon as we can. His fiancé went to grad school at Carnegie Mellon. They loved the fact that even though it is a city it has a college town feel to it. Clymer has passed through Pittsburgh
once or twice in his travels. Great city. The band is truly excited to get out there and play.
Thanks, guys. Would love to have you play here. Please let me know if this is a possibility.
FTC Disclosure: This post contains
affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I
receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The links helps to
support this site and will allow me to keep writing about local music.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
First/Last-Lowly, The Tree Ghost
"When Andrew Arbogast decided he wanted to make music, a seed was
planted. Try as he might to nourish it alone, a pursuit of a
singer-songwriter career was too solitary and left him unfulfilled. The
roots had begun to grow, the seed had sprouted, but something was
missing. He needed a band. Thankfully, long-time friend Emily McKitrick and Andrew's then-roommate, Joseph Piedmonte, joined him in a quest to nurture the fledgling music project that would become Lowly the Tree Ghost."
The indie folk band travels down I-76 from Cleveland to play at Howler's this upcoming Saturday night. I want to thank Emily McKitrick (Keys/Vocals) and Andrew Arbogast (Guitar/Vocals) for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
Emily McKitrick: Michael Jackson “Dangerous”.
Emily McKitrick: Michael Jackson “Dangerous”.
Your last album bought?
Andrew Arbogast: “Ten Stories” mewithoutYou.
Andrew Arbogast: “Ten Stories” mewithoutYou.
Favorite album of all time?
Andrew: “Catch for Us the Foxes” mewithoutYou.
Andrew: “Catch for Us the Foxes” mewithoutYou.
Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
Andrew: Everything after MUTEMATH's self-titled album.
Andrew: Everything after MUTEMATH's self-titled album.
First concert attended?
Emily: The Beach Boys.
Andrew: KISS.
Emily: The Beach Boys.
Andrew: KISS.
Last concert?
Emily: Tobacco.
Emily: Tobacco.
Favorite concert ever?
Emily: When I saw WHY? in Pittsburgh.
Andrew: Any mewithoutYou concert.
Emily: When I saw WHY? in Pittsburgh.
Andrew: Any mewithoutYou concert.
Least favorite concert?
Emily: Probably when I saw the Mars Volta and Cedric was sick and spitting a lot of gunk out, so they had to end it after about 20 minutes.
Emily: Probably when I saw the Mars Volta and Cedric was sick and spitting a lot of gunk out, so they had to end it after about 20 minutes.
Any thoughts,
experiences about Pittsburgh?
Emily: Lots of good shows played and seen in Pittsburgh – it reminds me of Cleveland until I hear the Pittsburghese.
Andrew: Primanti Brothers... and why not?
Emily: Lots of good shows played and seen in Pittsburgh – it reminds me of Cleveland until I hear the Pittsburghese.
Andrew: Primanti Brothers... and why not?
Thanks, guys. That Mars Volta show sounds gross, Emily. What a bummer.
FTC Disclosure: This post contains
affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link, I
receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The links helps to
support this site and will allow me to keep writing about local music.