Sunday, May 28, 2017

Book Review - 1967


As I gear up for the fast approaching 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love, I will be highlighting some very cool new books to add to your library.

For as long as I can remember, I've had a fascination with the year 1967. On June 18th, at the apex of the Summer of Love, Jimi Hendrix culturally 'defined' that year when he burned his guitar onstage at the Monterey Pop Festival in California. As far as I can calculate, adjusting for time zone, I came into this world at that exact moment. I could never prove this fact but I am going to run with it.

A new book, 1967: A Complete Rock Music History of the Summer of Love, via Sterling Publishing chronologically by month documents that famous festival and many other happenings, bands, and releases of one of the most pivotal years in music. Like it's equally excellent companion book Psychedelia, this coffee table sized offering is generously illustrated to help tell the narrative of 1967, where first hand accounts from the people who were actually there bring the events in focus.

What's the famous quote about the Sixties? "If you remember, you really weren't there?" This book goes a long way to help dispel that. Luckily for us who weren't there (well, technically I was), we can now 'remember.'


Order below:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble







Sunday, May 21, 2017

Book Review - Psychedelia


As I gear up for the fast approaching 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love, I will be highlighting some very cool new books to add to your library.

O.K., true story... I was hanging out one night in the mid-eighties when my brother called me up to ask if I wanted to catch a blues guitarist at The Decade. I snobbishly (and stupidly) said, "Blues? The only good music is psychedelic music!" You see, I was obviously going through a phase and was really into anything remotely psych and blues wasn't it. That musician was Stevie Ray Vaughan and I blew the chance to see him in a small club at the start of his career. I will never forget my brother's reaction, "You're an idiot."

As right as he was, I eventually calmed my passion for psychedelic music but still have an affection for it to this day. This new book by Sunbeam Records co-founder Richard Morton Jack via Sterling Publishing simply called Psychedelia, details 101 essential albums from the Sixties with background information and contemporary observations on how they fit into the times for each. By limiting one album for each artist, you get a wealth of material to explore by noting many obvious choices (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, and Anthem of the Sun) along with many more rarities (Begin, Ptooff!, and Autosalvage) that can be discovered thanks to  modern day technology (YouTube is your friend, as implied by the author.)

Along with a detailed timeline of all things Psychedelic in culture, notable singles from U.S., Britain and European bands, a list of notable rock festivals, and more, this lavishly illustrated coffee table sized tome is the perfect appetizer to get you ready for the next couple of months.

Order below:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble



Friday, May 5, 2017

Deutschtown Music Festival 2017 Full Band Lineup


Deutschtown Music Festival 2017 Band Lineup and Venue Set Times


This year marks the fifth year straight that music, food, and families take over the historic  Deutschtown section of the Northside of Pittsburgh for two days of free fun. Here is the entire band schedule with venue set times.


Saturday, July 15

MAIN STAGE – Middle and Foreland (Outside - All Ages)
2:00 PM     Shelf Life String Band
3:00 PM     Stone Cold Killers
4:00 PM     Chrome Moses
5:00 PM     Essential Machine
6:00 PM     Some Kind of Animal
7:00 PM     Emerson Jay
8:00 PM     Grand Piano
9:00 PM     Wreck Loose
10:00 PM  Nevada Color

THE BLACKSMITH STUDIO – Suismon & Middle St.
2:00 PM        Wordsmith
3:00 PM        Rachel Whitcomb
4:00 PM        Amir
5:00 PM        Zoob
6:00:00 PM  Dizzy Dynamite
7:00 PM        Victory at the Crossroads
8:00 PM        AE Honick

ARNOLD’S TEA - 502 E. Ohio St. (All Ages)
12:00 PM  Diviaped
1:00 PM     Douglas Lowell Blevins
2:00 PM     Norman Dean
3:00 PM     Lee Robinson & ISKA
4:00 PM     Delaney
5:00 PM     Scott & Rosanna
6:00 PM     Edon Jacobs
7:00 PM     Morgan Erina

PENN BREWERY -The Biergarten – 800 Vinial St. (Outside - All Ages)
2:00 PM  Vit DeBacco
3:00 PM  Paul Tabachnek
4:00 PM  Bitter Whiskers
5:00 PM  Uke & Tuba
6:00 PM  Hannah Jenkins

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB - SPEAKEASY – 422 Foreland St.
1:00 PM     Night Frog
2:00 PM     Nameless in August
3:00 PM     Solarburn
4:00 PM     The Hipsters
5:00 PM     Orange Mammoth
Misra/Wild Kindness Records presents The Backyard Brawl (WV vs. PGH)
7:00 PM     Qiet (WV)
8:00 PM     Emily Rodgers Band
9:00 PM     Ona (WV)
10:00 PM   Chet Vincent & The Big Bend
11:00 PM   William Matheny (WV)
12:00 AM  Honey

HUSZAR - 627 E North Ave.
(Outside)
1:00 PM     13 Saints
2:00 PM     The Danzas
3:00 PM     Fangs of the Panda
4:00 PM     Dead River
5:00 PM     goo
6:00 PM     Father Flamethrower
(Inside)
8:00 PM     Shannon Arianna
9:00 PM     Mighty Kasey
10:00 PM     Aaron the Uke Slinger
11:00 PM     Erik Popek ft. Calvin Cavalier


ST. MARY’S LYCEUM – 910 Chestnut St.
6:00 PM     BLVD. Shakedown
7:00 PM     Benefits
8:00 PM     The Long Knives
9:00 PM     Kid Durango
10:00 PM  Bad Custer
11:00 PM  The Semi-Supervillians

ALLEGHENY ELKS LODGE #339 – 400 Cedar Avenue
7:00 PM     Black Ridge
8:00 PM     Mystic Seers
9:00 PM     The Black Six
10:00 PM  Byron Nash & Plan B
11:00 PM  Daily Grind

ALLEGHENY CITY BREWING - 507 Foreland Ave.
3:00 PM     Swampwalk
4:00 PM     Sun Hound
5:00 PM     Weird Paul Rock Band
6:00 PM     Dumplings
7:00 PM     Bat Zuppel
8:00 PM     Dinosoul
9:00 PM     Murder for Girls
10:00 PM  Sikes & The New Violence
11:00 PM  Rat Tits

PENN BREWERY -The Terrace – 800 Vinial St. (Outside - All Ages)
7:00 PM     Thirty Years Later
8:00 PM     honeyriders
9:00 PM  Bikini Islands
10:00 PM  The Velcro Shoes
11:00PM Bastard Bearded Irishmen


WIGLE WHISKEY BARRELHOUSE and WHISKEY GARDEN – 1055 Spring Garden Ave. (Outside - All Ages)
12:00 PM  Elkhound
1:00 PM     Wine & Spirit
2:00 PM     Zach Wade & the Good Grief
3:00 PM     Lonesome Bob
4:00 PM     The Bees Trees
5:00 PM     Brewer's Row
6:00 PM     Jacob Klein Band
7:00 PM     Jeff Perigo & Friends
8:00 PM     The Telephone Line
9:00 PM     Working Breed

PITTSBURGH WINERY at AIR - 518 Foreland St.
3:00 PM        The Neverweres
4:00 PM        Paul Labrise
5:00 PM        The Dovewires
6:00 PM  Turnpike Gardens
7:00 PM        There You Are
8:00 PM        John Wayne Gretzky
9:00 PM        Paddy the Wanderer
10:00 PM      Strange Monsters
11:00 PM      The Red Western

YMR CLUB - 631 Suismon St.
7:00 PM     Standard Broadcast
8:00 PM     YJJ's
9:00 PM     Andre Costello and the Cool Minors
10:00 PM   Lofi Delphi
11:00 PM   A.T.S.
12:00 AM  HughShows Mystery Band

SCRATCH FOOD & BEVERAGE – 1720 Lowrie St - Troy Hill (All Ages)
5:00 PM     Charm + Chain
6:00 PM     New Moons
7:00 PM     David Dickinson
8:00 PM     Soft Girls
9:00 PM     Walker & The Rebellion
10:00 PM  Avi Diamond

PARK STAGE – Allegheny Commons East (Outside - All Ages)
11:00 AM  Ben Valasek & The Growlers
12:00 PM   The Mixus Brothers
1:00 PM     Arlo Aldo
2:00 PM     Molly Alphabet
3:00 PM     The Crew of the Half Moon
4:00 PM     Brett Staggs & The Daylight Moon
5:00 PM     Pet Clinic

CITY OF ASYLUM – 40 W North Ave (All Ages)
4:00 PM  FingerFingerrr
5:00 PM  The Baggios
6:00 PM  Ishtar Vintage Band
7:00 PM  Timbeleza
8:00 PM  The Turbosonics

MAX’S ALLEGHENY TAVERN RATHSKELLER – 537 Suismon St.
5:00 PM     Blue Clutch
6:00 PM     Rainbow Machine
7:00 PM     Street Pigeons
8:00 PM     Old Game
9:00 PM     God's Green Apples
10:00 PM  The Me Toos
11:00 PM  String Machine

PENN BREWERY - Restaurant - 800 Vinial St. (All Ages)
2:00 PM  Dennis Malley
3:00 PM  Nick M.
4:00 PM  Lem 
5:00 PM  Ben Alper
6:00 PM  J. Trafford
7:00 PM 
Jordan Auth Music
8:00 PM  noots


JAMES STREET GASTROPUB – BALLROOM – 422 Foreland St. (the red door on side of building)
1:00 PM     For Dizzier Heights
2:00 PM     Spacefish
3:15 PM     Decaffeinated Grapefruit
4:30 PM     Shaq Nicholson
5:45 PM     Sean Howard Orchestra
6:45 PM     You Bred Raptors?
8:00 PM     Mo Lowda & Humble
9:30 PM     Sweet Earth
11:00 PM  Starship Mantis
112:30 AM  Chalk Dinosaur

PITTSBURGH WINERY Pop Up – 522 East Ohio St.
4:00 PM     Manic Soul
5:00 PM     The Weathered Road
6:00 PM     Bindley Hardware Co.
7:00 PM     Portrait People
8:00 PM     Northern Gold
9:00 PM    Absolution Key
10:00 PM   Wolves in Sheep Clothing
11:00 PM   Venus in Furs
12:00 AM  The Flow Band

VERDETTO’S – 814 Madison Ave.
5:00 PM     Pop Thief
6:00 PM     Tim Vitullo
7:00 PM     Good Ship Gibraltar
8:00 PM     The Moat Rats
9:00 PM     Nightly Standard
10:00 PM  Heavy Chest (formerly Lone Wolf Club)
11:00 PM  Cledus & The Cadillacs

Friday, July 14

PARK STAGE – Allegheny Commons East (Outside - All Ages)
5:00 PM  The Long Hunt
6:00 PM  JD Rau
7:00 PM  Endless Mike and the Beagle Club
8:00 PM  The Clock Reads

ALLEGHENY CITY BREWING - 507 Foreland Ave     
6:00 PM  Upon Rocket
7:00 PM     The Struggle Bus
8:00 PM     Smokey Bellows
9:00 PM     Mickey & the Snake Oil Boys
10:00 PM  Ugly Blondes

PITTSBURGH WINERY Pop Up - 522 East Ohio St.
5:00 PM     Ryan Hoffman
6:00 PM     Buffalo Rose
7:00 PM     The Incandescents
8:00 PM     The Rents
9:00 PM     Anjroy
10:00 PM  Devin Moses & The Saved

VERDETTO’S – 814 Madison Ave.
5:00 PM     BlitheHound
6:00 PM     The Dirty Charms
7:00 PM     The Vics
8:00 PM     Vertical 48
9:00 PM     Brahctopus
10:00 PM  Kaelber


JAMES STREET GASTROPUB (SPEAKEASY) – 422 Foreland St.
5:00 PM Clay McLeod
6:00 PM
School of Rock
7:00 PM
We Go Gone
8:00 PM
Cape Cod
9:00 PM
The Lone Pines
10:00 PM   Love Dumpster
11:00 PM   Diego
12:00 AM  PLAY


SCRATCH FOOD & BEVERAGE – 1720 Lowrie St - Troy Hill (All Ages)
5:00 PM
Ellie Lee
6:00 PM
Brother from Another Mother
7:00 PM
Ikea Damone ft. Blaquestone
8:00 PM
Rainsleep
9:00 PM
Angela Autumn
10:00 PM  Aris Paul & The Blastfurnace


CITY OF ASYLUM – 40 W North Ave (All Ages)
5:00 PM  Abafasi
6:00 PM  Employees of Funk
7:00 PM  SoundProof Genie
8:00 PM  Neon Swing X-perience


YMR CLUB - 631 Suismon St.
8:00 PM
George Morris & The Gypsy Chorus
9:00 PM
Threesound
10:00 PM  
Stone Clover
11:00 PM  Flounder Warehouse


HUSZAR - 627 E North Ave.
5:00 PM
Samantha Sears
6:00 PM
Bay Allen
7:00 PM
Alex Mendenall
8:00 PM
Jordan McLaughlin
9:00 PM
Mara Yaffee
10:00 PM  TJ Locklear


Please note: Schedule subject to change

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Deutschtown Music Festival 2017 Band Lineup


Deutschtown Music Festival 2017 Band Lineup and Venue Set Times

This year marks the fifth year straight that music, food, and families take over the historic  Deutschtown section of the Northside of Pittsburgh for two days of free fun. I will exclusively be rolling out the festival band schedule every day this week.


Saturday, July 15

ALLEGHENY ELKS LODGE #339 – 400 Cedar Avenue
7:00 PM     Black Ridge
8:00 PM     Mystic Seers
9:00 PM     The Black Six
10:00 PM  Byron Nash & Plan B
11:00 PM  Daily Grind

ALLEGHENY CITY BREWING - 507 Foreland Ave.
3:00 PM     Swampwalk
4:00 PM     Sun Hound
5:00 PM     Weird Paul Rock Band
6:00 PM     Dumplings
7:00 PM     Bat Zuppel
8:00 PM     Dinosoul
9:00 PM     Murder for Girls
10:00 PM  Sikes & The New Violence
11:00 PM  Rat Tits

PENN BREWERY -The Terrace – 800 Vinial St. (Outside - All Ages)
8:00 PM     Thirty Years Later
9:00 PM     honeyriders
10:00 PM  Bikini Islands
11:00 PM  The Velcro Shoes

WIGLE WHISKEY BARRELHOUSE and WHISKEY GARDEN – 1055 Spring Garden Ave. (Outside - All Ages)
12:00 PM  Elkhound
1:00 PM     Wine & Spirit
2:00 PM     Zach Wade & the Good Grief
3:00 PM     Lonesome Bob
4:00 PM     The Bees Trees
5:00 PM     Brewer's Row
6:00 PM     Jacob Klein Band
7:00 PM     Jeff Perigo & Friends
8:00 PM     The Telephone Line
9:00 PM     Working Breed

PITTSBURGH WINERY at AIR - 518 Foreland St.
3:00 PM        The Neverweres
4:00 PM        Paul Labrise
5:00 PM        The Dovewires
6:00 PM  Turnpike Gardens
7:00 PM        There You Are
8:00 PM        John Wayne Gretzky
9:00 PM        Paddy the Wanderer
10:00 PM      Strange Monsters
11:00 PM      The Red Western

YMR CLUB - 631 Suismon St.
7:00 PM     Standard Broadcast
8:00 PM     YJJ's
9:00 PM     Andre Costello and the Cool Minors
10:00 PM   Lofi Delphi
11:00 PM   A.T.S.
12:00 AM  HughShows Mystery Band

SCRATCH FOOD & BEVERAGE – 1720 Lowrie St - Troy Hill (All Ages)
5:00 PM     Charm + Chain
6:00 PM     New Moons
7:00 PM     David Dickinson
8:00 PM     Soft Girls
9:00 PM     Walker & The Rebellion
10:00 PM  Avi Diamond 

Please note: Schedule subject to change

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Deutschtown Music Festival 2017 Band Lineup


Deutschtown Music Festival 2017 Band Lineup and Venue Set Times


This year marks the fifth year straight that music, food, and families take over the historic  Deutschtown section of the Northside of Pittsburgh for two days of free fun. I will exclusively be rolling out the festival band schedule every day this week.


Saturday, July 15

PARK STAGE – Allegheny Commons East (Outside - All Ages)
11:00 AM  Ben Valasek & The Growlers
12:00 PM   The Mixus Brothers
1:00 PM     Arlo Aldo
2:00 PM     Molly Alphabet
3:00 PM     The Crew of the Half Moon
4:00 PM     Brett Staggs & The Daylight Moon
5:00 PM     Pet Clinic

CITY OF ASYLUM – 40 W North Ave (All Ages)
4:00 PM  FingerFingerrr
5:00 PM  The Baggios
6:00 PM  Ishtar Vintage Band
7:00 PM  Timbeleza
8:00 PM  The Turbosonics

MAX’S ALLEGHENY TAVERN RATHSKELLER – 537 Suismon St.
5:00 PM     Blue Clutch
6:00 PM     Rainbow Machine
7:00 PM     Street Pigeons
8:00 PM     Old Game
9:00 PM     God's Green Apples
10:00 PM  The Me Toos
11:00 PM  String Machine

PENN BREWERY - Restaurant - 800 Vinial St. (All Ages)
2:00 PM  Dennis Malley
3:00 PM  Nick M.
4:00 PM  Lem 
5:00 PM  Ben Alper
6:00 PM  J. Trafford
7:00 PM  Jordan Auth Music
8:00 PM  noots

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB – BALLROOM – 422 Foreland St. (the red door on side of building)
1:00 PM     For Dizzier Heights
2:00 PM     Spacefish
3:15 PM     Decaffeinated Grapefruit
4:30 PM     Shaq Nicholson
5:45 PM     Sean Howard Orchestra
6:45 PM     You Bred Raptors?
8:00 PM     Mo Lowda & Humble
9:30 PM     Sweet Earth
11:00 PM  Starship Mantis
112:30 AM  Chalk Dinosaur

PITTSBURGH WINERY SATELLITE SPACE #1 – (ADDRESS TBD)
4:00 PM     Manic Soul
5:00 PM     The Weathered Road
6:00 PM     Bindley Hardware Co.
7:00 PM     Portrait People
8:00 PM     Northern Gold
9:00 PM     Absolution Key
10:00 PM   Wolves in Sheep Clothing
11:00 PM   Venus in Furs
12:00 AM  The Flow Band

VERDETTO’S – 814 Madison Ave.
5:00 PM     Pop Thief
6:00 PM     Tim Vitullo
7:00 PM     Good Ship Gibraltar
8:00 PM     The Moat Rats
9:00 PM     Nightly Standard
10:00 PM  Heavy Chest (formerly Lone Wolf Club)
11:00 PM  Cledus & The Cadillacs

Please note: Schedule subject to change