THE PROFESSOR continued...
Guest (and McGarvey’s doorman) Kevin Siegel stepped in behind the drum kit for Alice In Chains’ “Man in the Box.” The updated edition of The Zero Club sounded strong and steady through it all, and kept the dance floor busy throughout the night. Watch for this group as they perform on Cambria, Indiana and Blair County stages. McGarvey’s also hosted a benefit last month, as bands, musicians and friends showed their support for cancer patient Jen Johnstonbaugh during the “Heaviest Fundraiser Ever” benefit. Jen, the wife of area drummer Darl Johnstonbaugh, is undergoing treatments for marginal zone B cell lymphoma. I wasn’t able to arrive early enough to see show openers Roadkill, but they got the show off to a rousing start with their brand of “rot and roll.” I did arrive in time to see the next performers, the Donny Burns Duo, pairing namesake Donny Burns with his 3rd Degree collaborator Nick Stahlman. Singing and slinging guitars, the duo mixed original songs with classic rock favorites from Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Guns N’Roses and more. Next was my first look at Tyrone-based foursome E.N.D., who stepped up the musical aggression with their early thrash metal-rooted sound. Lead vocalist and guitarist Will Zimmerman, guitarist Eamonn Sweeney, lead vocalist and bassist Erik Schlosser and drummer Alec Plumley generated thrash metal brutality with fierce rhythms and guitarwork, go-for-broke velocity and scathing vocals. Some of E.N.D.’s songs included “Suffocate,” “Drink ‘Til You Punk,” “Suicide Warriors” and a torrid take on Rob Zombie’s “Dragula.” Caleb Bernstein then briefly performed some instrumental guitar passages, before Black Sun closed out the benefit. Singer Todd McKeone, guitarist Jason Feathers, bassist David Mollica and drummer Nate Woods churned out powerful, surging original assaults that blended the dynamics and ferocity of power metal with complex time signatures and rhythms, angular melodies and intensifying levels of angst. Black Sun took each number and rode it to leviathan, pummeling crescendos, enveloping audience members in the raw emotion as each song progressed. The benefit also featured door prizes, and raffled off a large drum set donated by Darl. The benefit was successful and raised money toward Jen’s medical costs; hats off to Darl, Brian Coho, Todd McKeone, McGarvey’s and all who supported this afternoon of music for a great cause! The PennSOULvanians introduced their expanded roster in late January at McGarvey’s, headlining a triple-bill that included opening performers Chill Bundlez and Kai. Joining the core duo if singer/guitarist Chet Denny and rap artist Michael Thomas are
guitarist Nate Nagle, keyboardist Brett Fanelli, sax player Lyndsey Reilly and drummer Todd Harshbarger. The new-look PennSOULvanians brought an even brighter presentation to the stage, with livelier grooves and a funkier presence. Chet’s voice was smooth and soulful, and Michael’s raps and cadences rode the group’s rhythmic backdrops well. The PennSOULvanians showcased many of their original songs, including “Anxious,” the slower and soulful “Make It,” the funky “”Girl You Deserve to Be” and more. The PennSOULvanians have taken yet another step forward with this new incarnation, and this group is well worth checking out in the months to come. Another rapidly rising force on this area’s music scene is Faded Flowers. In the process of recording their first release and quickly winning fans with their rousing live shows and upbeat brand of infectious rock, Faded Flowers has built much forward momentum since their arrival on stages last year. With Randy Servello behind the drum kit, Faded Flowers fired up the party last month at McGarvey’s. Randy, singer Mike Kensinger, lead guitarist Jarrett Bickel, bassist Hunter Karns and rhythm guitarist Mike Wertz mixed catchy, rocking original songs with a wide-ranging variety of cover material. Among their original tunes this night were the harder-rocking “Souls,” the slow-builder “Shoot the Moon,” the uptempo “Out of My Head,” “Imagination,” “Unkind” and “Back in Your Arms.” Their songs provided a blend of hooks and melodies, driving rhythms and Mike Kensinger’s clear, upfront vocals and presence. The group also did great work on their cover material, integrating tunes from Queen, Collective Soul, Elvis Costello, Led Zeppelin, Stone Temple Pilots, Depeche Mode, Foo Fighters, Prince, David Bowie and Tom Petty into their own style and flavor. With Mike Wertz singing and rapping lead, and Hunter and Jarrett swapping instruments, Faded Flowers broke out a fresh take on Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice,” and they saved their most popular cover until last, finishing with The Darkness’ “I Believe in a Thing Called Love.” Faded Flowers inspired hearty cheers, and drew increasing numbers of audience members onto the dance floor as the night progressed. These Faded Flowers are blooming brightly on area stages; catch a show and discover them soon! Black Cat Moan is also a rising band name well worth checking out. During their latest performance at McGarvey’s last month, Black Cat Moan captivated audience members with their uplifting brand of blues-based music. With blues as their foundation, Black Cat Moan explores funk, jazz and rock flavors, blending them into an enthralling, original style and sound. “Saint” George
Byich on guitar, Ron Bonsell on drums and Brad Jamison on bass bring sharp musicianship to the stage, setting the groove-driven launching pad for singer TK Mundok’s freewheeling performances. This man seizes the moment during each song and rides the vibe to maximum heights, connecting to audiences with his blend of voice, nonstop stage movements and personality. Black Cat Moan mixed new original songs with numbers from their latest album, “Symbols.” One of the new numbers this night was “Socontinued on next page...
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