Apples in Stereo
[02.12.2007]
Assembly of Dust
[02.04.2007]
The Hackensaw Boys
[01.27.2007]
Paul Luc
[01.20.2007]
Local Honey / Slim Cessna
[01.13.2007]
Bob Seger
[12.14.2006]
Skinks / Rahim / Transcontinental Booze Hounds
[11.25.2006]
The Big Sleep
[11.18.2006]
Local Honey / The Izzys
[11.10.2006]
Cloud Cult
[11.07.2006]
Grand Buffet / Magnolia Electric Co
[10.31.2006]
Norman Nardini
[10.28.2006]
Wilco
[10.20.2006]
Wilco
[10.18.2006]
Kid Congo Powers
[10.12.2006]
Dave Alvin
[09.23.2006]
Wolfmother
[09.22.2006]
Mountain Goats
[09.20.2006]
World Party
[08.27.2006]
Gil Mantera's Party Dream
[08.16.2006]
Whiskey Daredevils / Local Honey
[08.11.2006]
The Silver Jews
[07.28.2006]
The Bottle Rockets / Marah
[07.27.2006]
Slim Cessna's Auto Club
[07.15.2006]
Alejandro Escovedo
[07.10.2006]
Cat Power
[07.09.2006]
Life In Bed / The Transcontinental Booze Hounds
[07.07.2006]
Violent Femmes
[07.01.2006]
Guitar Zack Wiesinger / Pittsburgh Pirates Loss # 54
[06.30.2006]
The Black Crowes \ Robert Randolph \ The Drive-By Truckers
[06.25.2006]
Pearl Jam
[06.23.2006]
The Octopus Project \ Black Moth Super Rainbow \ Amoeba Knievel
[06.19.2006]
The Bottle Rockets
[06.14.2006]
Govt.
Mule / Local Honey / Wil E. Tri
[06.08.2006]
Tehran Iran
[06.03.2006]
Astronautalis
[05.25.2006]
Grand Buffet / Cobalt Black
[05.19.2006]
Phil
Boyd w/Manny Theiner & Weird Paul / The Codetalkers feat. Col. Bruce
Hampton
[05.15.2006]
The
Four Seasons Boys
[05.11.2006]
The
Supersuckers
[05.02.2006]
The Breakup Society
[04.28.2006]
The Four Seasons Boys / The
Gris Gris
[04.19.2006]
Rhett Miller & The Believers
[04.14.2006]
Good Brother Earl
[04.08.2006]
Slim Cessna's Auto Club
[04.03.2006]
"Guitar" Zack Wiesinger
[03.25.2006]
The Minus 5 / The Silos
[03.24.2006]
The Mendoza Line / Great Lake Swimmers
[03.12.2006]
Dave Alvin
[03.10.2006]
Apollo Sunshine
[03.07.2006]
Lyle Lovett / John Hiatt / Joe Ely
/ Guy Clark
[02.14.2006]
Marah
[02.12.2006]
Marah / Slim Cessna's Auto
Club
[11.12.2005]
Ted Leo + Pharmacists / Sharon
Jones and the Dap-Kings
[11.08.2005]
The National
[11.02.2005]
Modey Lemon
[10.07.2005]
Gang of Four
[10.04.2005]
Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers
[09.24.2005]
Thunderbirds Are Now!
[09.22.2005]
The Walkmen
[09.17.05]
Circle
[09.15.05]
Akron/Family, Great Lake Swimmers
[09.05.05]
Los Lobos
[08.21.05]
Grand Buffet, Magnolia Electric
Co.
[08.20.05]
Joe Ely
[08.19.05]
Solomon Burke
[08.14.05]
Billie Joe Shaver
[08.11.05]
Robert
Randolph & The Family Band
[08.07.05]
Oneida
[08.06.05]
Richard
Buckner
[07.13.05]
NYC Road Trip
[07.08.05]
Stars
[06.23.05]
Aimee
Mann
[06.19.05]
Bobbie
"Blue" Bland, Michael Penn, Erin McKeown, OPEK, The Mavens
[06.18.05]
The
Holmes Brothers
[06.15.05]
Drive-By
Truckers, Deep Purple
[06.11.05]
Los
Lonely Boys, Martin Sexton
[06.10.05]
Marah
[06.08.05]
Brant Bjork & The Bros.
[06.03.05]
Railroad
Earth
[05.20.05]
Andrew
Bird
[05.17.05]
Ryan
Adams & The Cardinals
[05.13.05]
Rosavelt
[05.12.05]
Green
Day
[04.23.05]
The
Shins
[04.15.05]
Bonnie
"Prince" Billy and Matt Sweeney
[04.14.05]
The
Beakup Society, Whiskey Daredevils
[03.25.05]
Apollo
Sunshine
[03.12.05]
From The Jayhawks: Gary Louris
and Mark Olson
[03.11.05]
Clem Snide, Archer Prewitt
[03.07.05]
Norman
Nardini
[03.04.05]
The SPUDS, Norman Nardini
[02.18.05]
The Comas
[02.15.05]
Tarbox Ramblers
[02.12.05]
Black Tie Revue
[01.28.05]
Elvismas, Shade
[01.08.2005]
Chalk Outline Party, Comrad
[12.18.2004]
One Star Hotel
[12.10.2004]
Ted Leo + Pharmacists
[12.03.2004]
Thanksgiving Eve / The Italian
Club / Blairsville, Pa
Sue Foley
[11.20.2004]
The Whiskey Daredevils
[11.19.2004]
The Arcade Fire, The Cynics
[11.15.2004]
Steelers v. Patriots
[10.31.2004]
Mike Watt
[10.21.2004]
Magnolia Electric
Co.
[10.14.2004]
The Mendoza
Line
[10.09.2004]
The Black Keys
[10.07.2004]
The Secret Machines
[10.06.2004]
The Fiery
Furnaces, Charles Bissell (The Wrens)
[09.23.2004] |
Sue Foley
/ 11.20.2004
Moondogs / Blawnox
 When
you get around a lot by riding a bike any drive beyond 10 minutes seems
like a pain in the ass. That’s about all I can come up with for
not having been to Moondogs
for over a year. It’s a cool little joint up the Allegheny River
on Route 28 in Blawnox. Another reason is that I kinda lost touch with
the blues scene, favoring the new rock movement in the last few years.
Moondogs consistently hosts great touring blues as well as local bands
in a room that probably maxes out at 200 or so.
My buddy Aaron recently moved
back in town and had been pushing to go to this show that I probably would
have blown off myself. We’d seen Sue Foley play there many years
back and he swears he was on mushrooms or something and doesn’t
remember much of it. I remember wanting to go only because I was familiar
with her as I just moved from Austin, TX where she lived and for getting
bitched at for taking the long way there, not knowing about a bridge or
something that would have made for a lesser drive. The biggest sin among
men being not knowing the shortest way to wherever you’re going.
I still have a signed copy from that show of “Walk In The Sun”
which is a fine album.
Wifey and I picked Aaron up
along the way and we got there just as the band had started their set.
The thing about Moondogs is that I always seem to gravitate to this spot
near the bar right behind this huge support beam that completely blocks
out half the band. I’ve never been the early type to get seats but
it wouldn’t have hurt here. We managed to wedge ourselves behind
some people sitting at the bar and the back wall because in all honesty
your $15 bucks is for Sue and not whatever guys she happens to have in
her band that night.
Unfortunately I don’t
have much to report about the show other than not only were the band members
all capable musicians but Sue really is a premiere female guitarist. She
has a raw vocal style that complements her guitar playing and a brand
of blues that meshes all these ingredients together quite nicely. She
reminds me of a more bluesy Lucinda Williams, which itself is unique and
coming from a girl from Canada no less.
As soon as this show finished
we headed out in search of a bar named Bob’s
Garage that I’ve read about because of its insane Christmas
lights and the fact that they donate a bunch of money each year towards
toys for needy kids. I was never able to find it but must not have looked
at Christmas time because the place looks like a garage completely draped
in lights. Approaching, we heard music and upon opening the door the sounds
of football fans chanting, “Here we go Steelers, Here we go”
filled the air. Now, Aaron is a big Pittsburgh sports fan and, considering
the current Steelers’ record, pretty happy to be back in the region
this time of year. I think he said something like, “I never would
have dared to dream this possible” as we surveyed the multiple Steelers
jerseys and participated in the “Pittsburgh’s goin’
to the Super Bowl” song in between karaoke performances. Speaking
of which, the prize either going to the bartender’s version of “Roadhouse
Blues” or the dude with the mullet and Bettis jersey doing the whole
10 minutes of "Rapper's Delight.”
The interesting part of the
night came as we got home and ran into my neighbor who I had really spoken
to for only the first time the previous night at a Hilltoppers Pub. He
was half passed out in his car with Judas Priest blaring so loud you could
make out the lyrics from down the street. I invited him over and we had
a beer or two and it denigrated to the point where we were in his living
room at 3:25 and he was playing along on his guitar and amp to some Dio
song. I doubt he’s always this bad but at this point I figured it
was time to call it a night.
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