Area 51 is back together and performing again, to the delight of their fans, for the fourth time in eleven years. You can catch them tonight (12/30) at Quench Bar & Grill, on New Years Eve at the Clark Bar, and on 1/27 at Cricket's. Better catch one or more of these shows because it's anyone's guess how long they'll last this time!

John McGreevey deserves a special "thank you" for his generous unsolicited donation to this website. John played in area bands in the 70's and has returned home from Toledo to take the stage at the Blues Benefit Reunion Concerts the past three years. In fact, you can listen to him play in videos from those concerts on this site. Although he no longer resides in the Valley, John appreciates this site's support of local live music and asked if he could help with a contribution, which was gratefully accepted. Thanks again, John.

It has been suggested that I put a "Donate" link button, or something similar, on this page to help with the expenses of maintaining this website and related travel costs. I don't use a tip jar when I play, and you probably won't ever see that button here, either. But, just as I don't turn down unsolicited customer tips, I won't refuse site donations. The Sponsors ads in the column to your right have always been my primary plan for offsetting expenses. Unfortunately I haven't made the effort to "pound the pavement" (the current sponsors have all approached me for ads), but I hope to change that situation soon. Meanwhile, if your business, or a friend's business, would like to be seen in 10,000+ page views/month in an ad on this site, please email so we can discuss it. It's cheaper than you can imagine. The details are at the bottom of the Sponsors page. And, dear readers, please tell my sponsors that you saw their ad here.

More original music by local musicians in the MVLiveMusic.com player, thanks to Modern Roots, LJ Fortier, Signature Event, and Frankie Hunkus...

Frankie sent in two songs that demonstrate his diverse talents - acoustic ballad "Shade Tree", and "The Chase", a rockin' instrumental.

Austintown's Signature Event describes their "Context" release, and tunes "6/8" and "The Question", as tracing "various genres and soundscapes; it is a multitextured collection that explores the meaning of existence, 21st century surveillance paranoia, the infinite chambers of the subconscious, and the last echoes of the death of that consciousness."

LJ Fortier submitted his CD collection of vintage recordings of his 70's band Freeman Sound, appropriately titled "LJ's Mix". I have included two tracks here - LJ's "Time Has No Sympathy", and "Wanting To Be Free", penned by bandmate John Harrow. You can also watch videos of John and LJ performing as Freeman Sound at the 2011 Breast Cancer Benefit Reunion.

Modern Roots also graciously mailed their CD "No Apologies". You can hear two cuts here, "Strike" by guitarist Ken Baker and "As If We Knew" by keyboardist Jeff Alviani. Jeff recorded five albums with "Mississippi Magic" Terry Evans, along with Ry Cooder and Jim Keltner, before returning to Ohio and joining Modern Roots. The band will be playing at Fernengels this Saturday, 1/21.

Scroll down through the music player list to hear the new additions without waiting for them in random play. Check out the artists' websites for additional music and information.

Did you notice the new "Link-back Friends" banner? This site has links to over 1,300 band/musician and venue pages. Many return the favor by linking back to MVLiveMusic.com. The banner pays recognition to those who honor us with a link. If you install a link to this site on your web page (or you already have one that I missed), please let me know and I will add your site to the banner.

Fifth Anniversay 2/2007 - 2/2012 ...  It's been fun so far, even considering the last five years have been a struggle for live music in the Valley. The scene is starting to improve and the next five years should be a gas! Mahoning Valley Live Music will continue to keep you informed about the local bands and where they're playing. Meanwhile, here's what we've accomplished so far:

• Over 700 local bands and musicians listed.
• 500+ live music venues listed.
• 1,300 links to band and venue websites.
• 60-120 live music events listed per week (that's 20,000 so far!)
• 89 original songs in the music player.
• 793 band videos uploaded since October 2008.
• Over 10,000 page views per month! (this site - YouTube and Photobucket pages not included in count)

Thanks to all my visitors, the bands, the sponsors, and the bars that have been supporting this site.

Bands wanted for Mustang’s Rockin’ Night Out...
Beth Glancy is seeking bands to perform at the fourth annual Mustang’s Rockin’ Night Out, May 12th, Yankee Lake Ballroom (Bootleggers Saloon). MVLiveMusic attended the last couple and this one will be another great show that you won't want to miss... click here to read more

Promo DVD and CD services: Since the time I started to include videos of band performances on this site I have received many requests for help with promotional discs. My video uploads are another free service I offer in support of local musicians, along with band and show listings, and I shoot a few songs at my leisure while I'm out on the nightclub circuit. Special video requests require extra effort and I have been charging a relatively small fee for those services. The number of requests has reached the point where I felt a need to establish standardized fees. Services and cost are now available on a new page - Promo DVD & CD Services, and include editing and creating a master disc, shooting sessions, and disc duplication with labels, cases, and inserts. I can also extract live performance audio from video clips for promotional audio CDs.

Packard Breast Cancer Benefit Reunion DVDs: DVDs of the 9/4 concert are available at the TMH Foundation for $15 each. All profits go into the fund for breast cancer patients. Call Peg at (330) 841-1900 for order and pick-up info. These are the professional DVD created by Clear Choice Creative, featuring performances by Tommy McCoy, the Deadbeat Poets, Mariano Longo & his orchestra, Roger Hatfield, Antoinette Manganas, Madam Weez, Poobah, Roger Lewis, Steve Acker, members of the Shaddows, the Holes in the Road, Sideshow, and MF Rattlesnake, and many others.

Videos revisited: I tried an experiment while uploading to the Videos page and clicked to sort the 647 current clips by "Most Viewed". I would have assumed that my Dave Grohl videos have received the most hits, obviously because more people would be searching YouTube for his name than for any of the local bands I support here. That is partially correct - the three Grohl videos all have over a thousand views, and the clip of Dave drumming with Love Turns Hate is ranked second on my page, with 3,485 hits. It was a surprise to discover the #1 video - Damian Knapp playing two SRV songs at Little Wing Cafe, with Katelin Deutsch on bass. What's really amazing is that the video is only eight months old and has over 5,200 views. That's 20+ hits a day! There's lots of surprises in the rest of the top 21 as well (all with over 1,000 views): one of my first videos, Blue Ash at Cedars, comes in at #3... the Blues Devils are #4 and #21... #5 and #8 slots belong to the Double Barrel Boys... and the Huckin Fillbillys, a couple of Breast Cancer Benefit jams (Tommy McCoy, the Fuzz, Steve Acker, etc.), Sideshow (with Katelin), Haymaker, Dennis Drummond (twice), Love Turns Hate again, Skull'rz Bane, Gary Pirrung, and Rick Hartley (also with Katelin) fill in the rest of the most popular clips. In case you weren't counting, that's three spots for Katelin (#s 1, 9, and 20), and she also claims #22 playing with Thunderstruck. Congratulations to all of you!

Here's an update on video uploads since the beginning of September: Dozens of clips of various performers from both days of the Breast Cancer Benefit Reunion @ Up a Creek and Packard Music Hall (with more to come!)... Northern Whale, SicKasMe, Hold No Grudge, and Belmont @ the Matt Seifert Benefit, Newton Falls Community Center... the Crossroad Blues Band @ Villa Madrid... Ginny & the Jettz @ Amvets 112... Doug Thomas & Gary McCoy at Christ Episcopal... Shovelhead @ Harmony Hill... Shiloh Hawkins & Courtney Waskin @ O'Donold's... Remains Of Jade @ the Clark Bar... LongShotz @ the Grandview... and 2 for the Road @ Rachel's.

Mom's Apple Pie: The previously unreleased third MAP album "The Suite" is now available on their revamped website - www.momsapplepiemusic.com. You can also hear a medley of two songs from the album, "Austin Avenue" and "Can't Get Used to That Feeling", in this site's music player.

" 'The Suite' flows from one congruent thought to the next in ordered sequence because it was written to be presented as a single piece of music in four parts. "The Suite" presented by Mom's Apple Pie brought the classic form of an instrumental work to an artistic form of incorporating instrumental and vocal in a structured and continuous manner. Hence, the original long playing vinyl was the perfect vehicle for "The Suite," a featured item on the band's 3rd, unreleased album in the early 1970s. Please enjoy the four "acts" of a play that looks at time, love and what could have been -- if only." (quote from momsapplepiemusic.com)

Lead guitar players wanted: Two bands are looking for lead guitar players - Shovelhead and Wet Lemon (click on each band name to contact through their websites). Here's a recent Facebook post by Wet Lemon -

Tommy McCoy's Breast Cancer Benefit Reunion Concert is a weekend event this year - Saturday Sept. 3rd at Up a Creek (1 p.m. to 9), and Sunday the 4th at Packard Music Hall (7 p.m. to midnight). Renowned bluesman McCoy came home two years ago for his high school class reunion and expanded it into a gathering of old friends and fellow musicians for the benefit of breast cancer patients at TMH. This third annual event promises to be bigger and better than ever with even more music over two days duration. Admission donation for each show is $10, or $15 for both days. The Deadbeat Poets, Madam Weez, and other current performers will be playing along with NE Ohio bands from the 60's and 70's. Click here to read the press release for more info, and visit the Shows page for the tentative schedule. You can also view 33 videos from the previous Benefits on this site. See you there!

Benefit for Gregg Snyder... Thursday, Sept. 8 at the Horseshoe. Gregg was injured in a bicycle accident and is in Cleveland Metro ICU. For more info see http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=209633179097316 This is also the last opportunity to hear the Dennis Drummond Group before Dennis heads back to Berklee.

Musicians wanted: The Secondary Strategy are looking for a bass player, a lead guitar player, and a screamer vocalist. Contact Kennedy Jon Conti if interested.

Reboot are looking for a lead guitar who can play Country, Classic Rock, and Blues, with good vocal abilities and no alcohol/drug issues. Email if interested.

Where in the World is Professor Steve? The last few months have been pretty hectic - I shot dozens of hours of video at several shows and benefits, and even played a few gigs of my own. There hasn't been much time left over to write on this page, much less edit and upload every video. I'll be tied up the next few days duplicating and packaging the Clear Choice video of the Breast Cancer Benefit at Packard Music Hall, to be sold at Doug Thomas' and Gary McCoy's show at Christ Episcopal Church this Saturday, 10/15. Please stay tuned. I'll have more to say soon, and, for those who are wondering about the Holes in the Road videos and others from the benefit at Up a Creek, I haven't forgotten about them. And be assured, I have continued to keep the Shows page schedule, the primary purpose of this site's existence, up-to-date.

I confess - I'm one of the few people who had not been to a River Rock at the Amp show. Though the concerts seemed interesting and I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the out-of-town tribute bands, they were, you know, not local, and that's what this site is all about. If I'm able to go out for live music on a Saturday night I have a multitude of Valley bands to choose from to visit. Fortunately, I found out what I was missing when my friends in Sideshow asked me to stop by when they opened for the KISS tribute Strutter. An open-air concert in a beautiful setting (the Warren Community Amphitheatre), with fantastic sound and lights, is a pleasant change-of-pace from the bar scene.

Both bands presented outstanding shows. There are numerous talented classic rock groups in the Valley but there's only one Sideshow. Bill Scudier always manages to pull enough exceptional musicians together, Sideshow alumni and others, to keep the longest-performing area band going for another gig. This event's incarnation featured Bill (of course) on lead vocals and sax, Bob "Rollo" Miller on guitar and vocals, Chuck Gisewhite on bass and vocals, Liz Yochman on flute and vocals, and - for the first time ever! - TWO drummers/vocalists, Steve Hreen and Randy Stan. Main act Strutter portrayed KISS to perfection in look, sound, and action. Videos of both bands' performances are available for viewing here. I made a poor shooting decision due to the rain that fell during two of Sideshow's songs, but the band sounded so good I had to include them.

Warren businessmen Ken Haidaris (Sunrise Inn) and Marty Cohn (Mickey's Army-Navy and "Ringo" in Beatles tribute band Revolution) took over management of the series at the Amphitheatre last year. River Rock at the Amp has put Warren back on the map as a live music destination for hundreds of travelers from surrounding counties and farther. I applaud Ken's and Marty's decision to use local bands as openers for many of their shows, and I apologize for missing the previous festivities. Marty commented a few times - "I was wondering when you would make it" and "I've been looking for you". Well, I still can't make every show, but I'll certainly be back often. Thanks, Ken and Marty, you rock!

Two-fourths make a whole (weekend, that is). This Saturday, August 20th, is the date of the fourth annual ROXfEST, and the fourth annual YRRH RockFest starts on Friday and ends Sunday.

ROXfEST started as a 20th-birthday party jam for ROX (-anne Johnson) of Skull'rz Bane, and has continued annually in different locations. I played at the first (I miscalculated ROX's age and gave her a bottle of liquor as a present - oops!), attended the second, and missed last year's party over a schedule conflict. This past winter ROX and I had a late-night Facebook IM discussion concerning her and her father Drew's plans for ROXfEST4, and she asked me for advice. There wasn't much I could offer because they had already put a lot of thought and work into the project. ROXfEST has matured into a full-blown event at a mini-Woodstock venue, beautiful Buffalo Hollow, and features 13 bands. Gates open at 10 a.m. and the music starts at noon and will last into the night. Beer and food will be available and camping is free. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the gate. Click here and visit the official website and Facebook page to see the band listing and additional info.

Jac Riblet created his Youngstown Rock & Roll History Yahoo group seven years ago out of his love for the 60's and 70's local music scene, and a desire to preserve the memories and offer a place for similar-minded people to share and communicate. YRRH has grown beyond his expectations, boasting gigabytes of music and photo files and several hundred members - musicians and fans. I discovered the group four years ago while researching historic area bands for a new page on this site. Jac and I, along with all the members, have become good friends, and we concur that our respective websites are perfect compliments - he works hard to cover the past and I concentrate on the present. The YRRH community has come together each of the past three years for a weekend of music, food, and camping. This year's Rockfest will again feature bands and open jams Friday through Sunday. Admission is by invitation only - YRRH members and approved guests. See the Yahoo group and the Facebook page for more details.

Ballyhoo Music Festival... For the second time this month Youngstown's Federal St. will be pulsating to the sounds of multiple bands. The Ballyhoo Music Festival, this Sunday Aug. 28th, will feature 30 bands and solo musicians donating their time for Christina's Garden, a local non-profit cancer organization. The event will occupy stages at four nearby venues - Barley's, Downtown 36, the Lemon Grove, and the Draught House. A $10 donation buys an all-day pass to every location. Music starts at 12:30 p.m. and continues until late evening. You can see the complete band listing and schedule on Ballyhoo's Facebook event page. While you're there, look for Scott Austalosh and thank him for conceiving and executing this fantastic day of music for a worthy cause.

July and August Videos update: Joe Fritz @ Newton Falls Gazebo... Mr. Lucky @ Faces... more Tongue in Groove jamming at Kountry Kupboard... John Michael Scott and Nelson Reep @ the Champion Beach House Bar... Mortisha's Secret @ the Holiday Bar... John Dante & the Inferno @ Villa Madrid... the One Forty Ones @ SOI 2850... the Classic Cruisers @ Churchill Park... Jigsaw Rodeo @ Leon's... and too many bands to mention individually @ ROXfEST at Buffalo Hollow (9 videos), the YRRH RockFest (5 videos), and downtown Youngstown's Ballyhoo Music Festival (23 videos). Thanks to all of the bands and musicians for rockin' my world!

The Mahoning Valley Live Music Videos page currently contains 537 clips - not bad considering I didn't start shooting and posting until this site was almost two years old!  If you don't remember back that far you will have to scroll way down to see the first video experiments - RumbleDaddy at Barley's on October 26, 2008 followed by the Blue Ash reunion at Cedars the next month. Of course, that "537" number doesn't include several videos deleted by request for various reasons: the bands didn't like their performance, or "so-and-so is out of the band and we don't want anything to do with him." Among the remainder (and I like each and every one) there are some real gems - bands who, like Blue Ash and RumbleDaddy, are rarely or no longer performing, and highlights of the Valley music scene. You can experience (or re-experience if you were there) the '09 Artists of the Rust Belt gathering at the B&O Station, Vexfest the same year, both Reunion Benefit BBQs at Up a Creek, the Paws for Peace benefit at the Ranch, WarrenStock 2010, the '09 and '10 YRRH RockFests, and 23 videos from the Music Is Art festival / Dave Grohl Alley Dedication, including the best (in my not-so-humble opinion) clips on the internet of Dave performing solo and with Love Turns Hate. You might also enjoy revisiting Magma (now the Magma Project) back when they were 12 years young and guitar wiz Dennis Drummond at only 6' short.

Remember, you don't necessarily have to scroll through all the videos on the YouTube page to see a particular band - most videos are embedded in individual Musicians and Venues pages on this site.

Here's the latest unannounced video uploads from the last couple months, starting with the oldest: Bad Granny @ Squirrellies... Mitrega Brothers, Nelson Reep, and Shotgun Willy @ Packard Music Hall... Triple Threat @ Little Wing Cafe... Night Moves, Conestoga, Bleeding SouL, and the Back Alley Band @ the Yankee Lake Ballroom... Davis & McKay @ Quinlan's... Mr. Lucky @ Tommy Dogg's and Up a Creek... Burkley, Bobby Fritz, and Rick Hartley & the GhettoBillyz (with my son Bill Putt on keyboard) @ the KSU Trumbull Campus... Kevin Ciambrone @ the Horseshoe... several videos of Open Mikey @ SOI 2850 featuring Mike Starkey, Rick Hartley, Chuck Gisewhite, Jesse James Allen, Kevin Ciambrone, yours truly Professor Steve, and my son... Jesse with Neil Hogue and others @ the Highland Ave. NAUS... the Bourbon Brothers @ Deuces Wild... Cherry Wine @ McMenamy's... the Dennis Drummond Group @ Little Wing... Wet Lemon @ Longboyz... the Whiskey River Band @ American Legion 737... Ginny & the Jetts @ Deuces Wild... No Xcuse @ Longboyz... Mortisha's Secret at the Holiday Bar (more videos to follow)... Frank Castellano & Dennis Drummond @ Metter's... and Fastlane in the Faces Lounge parking lot. Whew! That should take a while if you haven't been keeping up.

Announcing the newest Mahoning Valley Live Music sponsors - Mark Thomas Ford and Little Wing Cafe. "Mr. Low Payment" Mark Thomas has great deals on new and used cars, and Little Wing was voted "Best Wings in Trumbull County." I'm extremely grateful to all sponsors for helping with the expense of managing this site. Please be sure to tell them you saw their ad here. See the Sponsors page for more details.

A very belated birthday greeting goes out to George Stanfa, who turned 65 years young a couple weeks ago. The Berklee grad has played with numerous national recording artists and toured with the Dick Clark Caravan of Stars in the 60's and 70's. You can currently hear George's phenomenal blues vocals and great organ chops in Just Us (formerly the Just Us Trio).

Benefit notice from the Dispersers:

"We have a Benefit show, "HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS" for the Rescue Mission on July 16th... The benefit is at The Royal Oaks in Youngstown. It's an outdoor venue and they will be blocking off Oak St. for the event. The Royal Oaks will provide free food from 6 - 9, and will also have Chinese Auction, 50-50 and other prizes. Three bands for sure and maybe more into the evening. Tickets are $10.00 and all proceeds stay here in Youngstown! THE DiSPERSERS will start at 6:30 - 7:00 followed by Antler and The Trust Mission and maybe more TBA."

Obvious Culprit has been added to the show since I received the email. Sounds like a great time for a good cause, Love the Oaks! Help the Rescue Mission, and show up hungry.

More Video uploads: Glitter Pig @ the Clark Bar. I started shooting one more video, their last song of the night, when I realized they were about to play "Roadhouse Blues". I set the camera down, grabbed my A harmonica (conveniently in my pocket), showed it to Steve while pointing at an unused mic, and started playing after he gave me a nod. Fortunately they didn't boot me off the stage. In fact, they kept shaking my hand and patting me on the back. But I know what went through their minds initially - "Oh, no, another drunk that thinks his C harp will play every song!" Been there. Thanks, guys, you rocked, and I'll make up for shooting only one song as soon as I can.

"Center of Cosmic Rock 'n Roll in Center of the World" ... my words, but fitting the brand new Tongue in Groove Open Jam at Kountry Kupboard to a "T". Who on earth would expect to hear this band with the tongue-in-cheek name rattling the windows of a truck stop restaurant? Owner Carmen DeDonato showed me his patio-in-progress last fall and his plans came together this week (yes, there's beer). And he brought in the cream of the crop to run his jam - his former guitar instructor Jerry Centifanti (back in top form after four years of health problems), Butch McCracken, Gary DePasquale, and Dan Hullihen make up the band. Guest players included Carmen, Bill Henceroth, Dennis Ahlswede, Rocky Lattanzo, this webmaster, and others. Video uploads are available of Carmen and Dennis playing with the band and Rocky performing a cool solo original song. Jams will continue every Wednesday through the summer. Did I mention there's beer?

Stolen Guitar and Amp ... Jason Vadas of the RockHard Nuttins reports that his Fender Twin amp, burgundy Fender Strat with a burgundy strap in a freedom hard case, and two Peavey speaker cabs were stolen from his garage recently. Please keep a look out and help return to the owner.

Are you aware that there's more going on at the Warren Community Amphitheatre than the Saturday night "River Rock at the Amp" tribute bands? The Fine Arts Council of Trumbull County sponsors "Summer Night Specials" on Fridays. The Dennis Drummond Group is featured this Friday at 7 p.m. Admission is FREE. The council also sponsors a "Noon in the Park" concert every Friday in Courthouse Square. Rick Hartley performs this week.

Good friend Jesse James Allen has asked me a couple times in the last few weeks why I haven't been writing much on this homepage lately. It seems he actually reads this stuff - and enjoys it and looks forward to more! I try to keep my personality out of these musings (that's why I talk about "MVLiveMusic" going to hear this or that band). But I suppose that's an impossibility. This site is on my mind full-time, even the few hours I'm actually away from the computer and not in the bars. Mahoning Valley Live Music and "Professor" Steve are one entity, Ooooooommm, and it surely shows whenever I type a few words in this space. So let's get really personal for a few paragraphs - this is for Jesse, and anyone else who's been wondering what's up...

Yes, it's true, I haven't been getting out and about nearly as often. After four years of visiting a dozen bands five-to-seven nights weekly, this past winter's cold got to me physically and emotionally more than ever before. I hardly ventured out on weekdays, and I even missed some Fridays and Saturdays! On the plus side, it's allowed time for me to work on personal stuff including fixing things I screwed up when I built our log home 14 years ago. And now that spring has finally arrived I have a additional gazillion outside projects on my list. So, after the still-numerous hours I spend on maintaining the most complete and accurate live music show listing in the Valley, there's not much time left for writing, visiting bands, or - you might have also noticed - uploading videos and photos. I'm currently working on a batch of videos from the last month which I hope to have uploaded soon, so please stay tuned.

There's one gig I always make time for - Open "Mikey", Sundays at the SOI 2850. It's a personal thing more than for MVLiveMusic, a chance for me to enjoy making music with good friends - host Mike Starkey, Rick Hartley, Tommy Bumbico, Mike Gilliam and Spice, Matt Boser, the aforementioned Jesse James, Sgt. Joe O'Grady, many more occasional drop-by musicians, and the great people on both sides of the bar. It's been specially enjoyable the last couple months with the addition of my son Bill to the mix. He has more talent in one finger than I have in my whole body, and his keyboard work has elevated our jams to the stratosphere. Bill composes and sells rap beats from his home studio but his true music love has always been blues and rock. Check out his original composition "Flying High" in this site's music player.

While I'm rambling on I'll talk about a site-related issue that has been on my mind... I'm sure many of my readers have wondered why I don't write more than a few sentences, interview or critique-style, about the local bands and musicians, articles like you run across time-to-time in the newspapers and other websites. Well, that was in my initial plans but I pretty much gave up on the idea soon after I started this site because of the shear numbers of talented musicians in our Valley. In all fairness, I wouldn't know who to start with and I feel it would give the impression of favoritism. It would take me 50 years to get around to writing about every band performing this month (and 25 years just to write about all those I consider to be my friends), so who's first and who's last? By the way, though I have personal preferences of music styles and bands' presentations I would never assume that my opinion is any more relevant than anyone else's, so you'll never read anything on this page critical toward a performer. You can form your own personal opinions from watching my videos and by listening to the bands in person.

That's all for now, Jesse.

The cool people will be in Struthers this Wednesday 6/15 at the St. Nick's Festival to hear SexTon's live debut of their new songs "Make Believe" and "Lessons". The band starts playing at 7 p.m. ($2 admission), followed by a Rock Band contest to SexTon's tune "Burst into Fears". Contest entry is $1, all to be paid out in prizes. The festival address is St. Nicholas Struthers Roman Catholic Parish, 764 Fifth St. While waiting for the festival day to arrive you can listen to "Echo (My Only Regret)" and "Waves" in this site's player, and watch videos and hear more songs through the links in SexTon's page.

In the 1960's teens could dance to local bands almost every night of the week. Packard Music Hall was a regular stop on the circuit, showcasing renowned bands of the era such as the Human Beinz, the Shaddows, and the Holes in the Road. As the 60's youths matured the bands moved to bars. A new crop of teenagers had less opportunities to socialize and emerging underage garage bands found fewer places to perform on stage. The music hall will attempt to remedy that decades-long situation with a series of concerts geared toward local acts and a younger clientele. The first concert takes place this Saturday, April 2nd, with the Mitrega Brothers Band, Shotgun Willy, and Nelson Reep. Doors open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7, and admission is $5 - a portion going to the Packard Foundation.

For those of you who aren't subscribed to this site's video page, here's the latest batch of uploads... Fastlane at Harmony Hill (2/18), G-Force at the Wing Warehouse and Shotgun Willy at Little Wing Cafe (both on 2/26), Fetish at Leon's and Damian Knapp / Fester Presley / Testify with Katelin Deutsch on bass at Little Wing (3/5), the Gary Markasky Project at All Starz (3/19), Bobby Fritz at Captain Kelly's (3/25), and Crossover at Lake Tavern (3/26). Many more videos from this past weekend coming soon!

Mathews Little Mustangs Rockin’ Night Out (from Beth Glancy):

"Four Northeast Ohio bands are combining their talents to support a Trumbull County youth development program. Local artists, Bleeding SouL, The Back Alley Band, Conestoga, and Night Moves will provide an evening of entertainment, rich in abundance and diversity. The Yankee Lake Ballroom will play host to this event on Friday, April 8th. The proceeds from this musical blend will benefit The Mathews Little Mustangs, a youth sports program in the Vienna/Fowler area, which has been mentoring young people since 2001. These talented artists are out to prove that their hearts are as big as their sound.

While all four bands have dedicated followings, the combination will make for one outstanding show. The 3rd annual event, dubbed the “Mustang’s Rockin’ Night Out” is a 21 and over show. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the music kicks off at 7:30. The Yankee Lake Ballroom, with its ample capacity, full kitchen, and bar has proven to be a terrific musical venue, for this early spring spectacular.

Tickets are available now, but are going fast. For tickets call: Jim (330) 469-1156, Joe (330) 301-4596, Steve (330) 647-3101, Or Beth (330) 240-3729." (2/16/2011)

“Mom’s Apple Pie” (tm) seems to be a favorite of music PIRATES since there’s a resurgence of the big band sound from the 70s. Since “Mom’s” music is registered at ASCAP by Moms Apple Pie Music, Inc., their website is the place to buy downloads legally. Songs from the band’s third, unreleased album are available at the site, as well as tracks from the first two LPs. and also the RARE " LIVE " CONCERT in NY. Check out www.momsapplepiemusic.com for available downloads. CDs of the third album will be available soon, featuring the BANNED, ORIGINAL LP COVER ART. (tm)

Love the band’s infamous logo of a woman holding a fresh-baked pie with a “special” slice removed? It will be featured on merchandise in the near future and available at the website. The logo on that album cover has made the top three positions in most notable album covers of all time. For more information, contact the company’s CEO, Larry Patterson " (quote by Larry Patterson)

You can hear a compilation of Mom's Apple Pie songs - "Rockin' to the Music" and "Dont Say You Love Me" in this site's music player.

Stolen guitar alert:

Click for larger view

"My custom MillerTime Telecaster was stolen from the Lisbon area last weekend...Any info would be greatly appreciated. I just want it back, no questions asked, I Just Want It Back!!" Mike Miller

New songs in the MVLiveMusic player... "Black Sheep", "Hard Life", "Listen to the Funk", and "Mona Lisa" by Steel City Groove (complete songs), and compilations by the Deadbeat Poets and Mom's Apple Pie - "The Green Man / No Mind Like an Island, No Ship Like Beer" and "Austin Avenue / Can't Get Used to That", respectively. Purchase the full tracks or albums at the Mom's Apple Pie and Deadbeat Poets web sites.

Steel City Groove was Howard Howell: keyboard/vocals, Scott Detchon: guitar/vocals, Jim Pinti: guitar, Butch McCracken: bass, Gary D: drums, Jill Carmichael: backing vocals. Scott is currently performing with Dave Morgan in Cool Change. Jill sings with the Gary Markasky Project. And, of course, Butch and Gary play in Triple Threat. Thanks to Scott for sending the songs. Here's what he has to say about the band:

"This is the project I did about 6 years ago with some very recognizable local musicians (listed on CD cover). All original songs written by myself and Jim Pinti, who has since moved to Florida. This was one of those one time deals. It's purpose was to create something original, and to experience studio recording. I think for spending one day in the studio the finished product was pretty good. All songs were recorded live with only 1-2 takes."

Lots of catching up to do, starting with the end of January and a fine rock and dance show by the Groove Clinic at the Wing Warehouse, as captured in two songs in a video. By the way, I believe these guys set a MVLiveMusic record for the large number of video hits they received within the first couple days after upload!

MVLiveMusic kicked off this month with a 2-day, and long overdue, return to Mahoning County: videos of Katianne Timko at Mojo's, accompanied by her brother for these two original songs and one cover, testaments to her vocal and songwriting abilities ... also a video of Geo C & Tha Storm at Lemon Grove, a short clip of the end of their last song, but cool enough to post for your scrutiny ... final Friday stop at Cedars, and three videos featuring the Guilty Pleasures' excellent harmonies ... Hangin' close to Midlothian on Saturday - videos of two classic rockin' bands, Silencer at the Brickhouse and the Rolling Rockers at Coach's.

Back in Trumbull County - starting at Up a Creek to hear Little A's sultry pipes and Jeff Tallman's accompaniment in 2 For the Road (two videos) ... Then on to the Wing Warehouse for Mr. Lucky, a newer trio with about 70 years of collective experience rockin' the Valley (three videos) ... finally, something totally different, traditional Irish duo the Rogues of Rafferty at the Nick Rizzi SOI - check out the three videos ... Saturday - back at the Wing Warehouse for the Mitrega Brothers Band (classic rock with a twist, two videos), and on to Leon's for Probable Cause, another recently-formed band with plenty of individual classic rock experience between the members (two videos). (2/16/2011)

Nice surprise - my old friend (and extraordinary musician) Rick Hartley handed me a bag of assorted "MVLiveMusic.com" shirts. Rick donated the shirts and Tim Drummond, another good friend, musician, and proprietor of Artistics Silk Screen & Design, donated the printing. Thanks, guys! I handed most of them out that day and only have a few odd sizes left. More may be available in the future if I can find funding. By the way, ask Rick about his cool "No Suck Zone" shirts.

Congratulations to the Deadbeat Poets for claiming the #5 spot on Little Steven's "Coolest Song in the World for 2010"! I listened to the competition and, though I like the other songs, in my opinion "The Staircase Stomp" should have come in first. http://littlestevensundergroundgarage.com/cswinners/

And kudos to Poobah for a mention in the Rolling Stone! "Let Me In", the band's first album, is one of "Fricke's Picks: Top 2010 Reissues from Under the Radar". You can read the article here. I have the vinyl and it's so pretty I'm afraid to play it. Guess I'll have to get a CD version, too.

As the fourth anniversary of Mahoning Valley Live Music approaches I can't help but reflect on what I've experienced and learned in those years (besides, I screwed up my back last week and have plenty of time stuck at home to spend on random thoughts)...

The original reason for creating this site is no longer valid. Four years ago there were no other online sources of consolidated live music info in the Valley other than the local newspapers' web versions of their limited listings. Since then several other websites have followed my lead, and they all do a wonderful job within their self-defined niches. Some offer total local entertainment news including recorded music events, coupons for dining specials, and articles about poetry readings along with their live music info (if that's of interest you can find their links on this home page). Meanwhile, I haven't been persuaded to expand this site's coverage beyond my original intent - and that which MVLiveMusic continues to do better than anyone else - providing a comprehensive and accurate listing of local nightclub musicians and their scheduled performances.

Like any other live music fan, I favor certain styles of music and some bands' presentations over others. But I try my best to cover the Valley music scene in an unbiased, impartial manner. I believe that anyone who performs on a stage deserves an open-minded audience, and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every single one of the countless live music performances I've attended. Bands and musicians, if I haven't shown up at one of your events, please don't take it personal. It's simply a matter of time, distance, and the large number of local performers, and I'll try to hear you soon. By the way, a personal invitation sometimes helps speed things up.

And for those of you who I've met once or twice, I have a request. Next time I see you please help jog my memory. Something like "Hi, Professor. Oh, I'm Joe Blow - you know, with the Beatles." I've met a thousand musicians, bar managers, and fans in the last four years and this old brain has trouble keeping everything straight. I've been personally embarrassed way too often when someone approaches me like I should know who they are (and I should!), and I have to wait for a clue in the conversation or desperately ask "Sorry, but where do I know you from?"

My back is feeling much better as I get ready to post this, so, barring a relapse, I might see some of you out and about later this week. And I should have new videos and updates by next week.

A same-day update from Steve Vuich... he's hosting an Acoustic Open Stage at Coach's tonight, 1/14, starting at 8pm. Many years ago Steve originated the "open mic" concept in the Valley and currently also hosts on Thursdays at Vintage Estate and co-hosts in the River Riders on Wednesdays at Chippers, along with solo and band gigs. His River Saints band has been rockin' local bars for decades, and often he pieces a new band together from his network of friends, with a cool spur-of-the-moment band name, for a last-minute show. As an example, he's playing with the "Availables" tomorrow, 1/15, at Nick's Inn 62. It will be interesting to see who was "available" for this gig! UPDATE: The Coach's Acoustic Open Stage is on Tuesday this coming week (1/25). Looks like it might be an ongoing Tuesday event. (1/14/2011)

Latest video upload - the John Reese Project at Avalon Gardens. It was a pleasure to finally meet John and the band and hear their mix of progressive and traditional jazz. JRP plays the Gardens every other Thursday, and John, with Jim Gerlach, will be entertaining at the Greene Eagle Winery this Saturday, 1/22. By the way, the Avalon Gardens recently reopened under new ownership. It looks like they essentially kept the same menu, including their renowned pizza. Personally, I had one of the best Reuben sandwiches I've ever eaten. And I'm pleased to know that they will continue to present live music for their customers' enjoyment. (1/17/2011)

"Mom's Apple Pie (tm),.. is an American ten-member horn rock band from Warren, Ohio. They were best known for the X-rated artwork on their first album cover that received more media attention than their music.
Band members include: Dave Mazzochi – band leader/Hammond B3/vocals; Bob Fiorino - vocals; Anthony Gigliotti - vocals; Bob Miller - lead guitar; Joe Ahladis - guitar; Greg Yochman - bass;; Roger Force - saxophone, flute; Bob Pinti - trumpet, vocals; Fred Marzulla - trombone; and Pat Aulizia - drums.
The band's manager, Larry Patterson, from Hermitage, Pa., is responsible for Mom's Apple Pie being recorded on the label, Brown Bag Records, owned by Terry Knight.
Mom’s Apple Pie released two albums in 1971 and 1973, with a third one recorded but never released until now.
The music is great horn rock with brilliant vocal harmonies, band arrangements and musical skills and composition that has stood the test of time. It’s the same excellent music in the new millennium that their audiences heard decades ago, but eluded millions of potential fans because of poor publicity about the first album cover.
“The Pie’s” music often spoke of their massive brass-arrangements along with organ, guitar, and overall solid musicianship. Dave Mazzochi, band leader on Hammond B3 and vocals, composed and wrote a number of the band’s more popular tunes like ‘Lay Your Money Down” and “Dawn of a New Day.” Bob Fiorino was the recognizable voice of the band, lead singer and composer of many songs to include, “Secret of Life.”
Both albums have become favorites among collectors, due in part to the first album's risqué cover artwork... The cover was banned shortly upon the album's release and an alternate cover was released, making both versions highly sought-after among collectors.
Rockin’ to the Music, a single from Album #3, will soon be released on Mom’s Apple Pie Records, and will be available for download at: www.momsapplepiemusic.com
www.blastmymusic.com/momsapplepie

Other songs from the band’s last album, as well as tracks from the first two LPs will also be available on the website in the near future.

All songs published by Mom's Apple Pie Music, Inc. are registered with ASCAP worldwide.
MOM'S APPLE PIE is a registered trademark of MOM'S APPLE PIE MUSIC Inc." (from an email from Larry Patterson)

I was involved with family and work at the time and missed out on Mom's Apple Pie, though I've since come to know several of the band members. Their sound and musicianship were outstanding, and Larry's and publicist Connie Smalls' effort to reintroduce the band is well deserved. I'm pleased and honored to be allowed to add a medley of Mom's Apple Pie songs ("Rockin' to the Music" and "Don't Say You Love Me") to this site's music player and to post images in the "Time Capsule" here. Enjoy the music and photos, watch a song video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=GycvDo9TA2o, and visit the links above for an opportunity to add this remarkable and locally-historic band to your music collection.

New videos: Last Friday's benefit concert at the Ice House Inn, where three bands donated their time, effort, and rockin' skills - SmokeHouse (two videos / three songs), the Hern Brothers (one song), and Tongue in Groove (w/ guest musicians, in two videos/songs). SmokeHouse's next show is on 1/29 at the Fireplace. The Hern Brothers can be found at Double A's on the same date ... Saturday's Valley premier of a cool new classic and modern rock band, Mr. Lucky (their first show was in Orwell the previous week) at Leon's, in three videos. The band is a reunion for Chuck Gisewhite and Randy Stan, who played together in Traitor years ago. Chuck has recently been playing in Sideshow and the Jeff Welsh Band along with solo gigs. Rick Seidle, of Ke-Nip-Shen, completes the talented trio. Mr. Lucky is already heavily booked, and can be heard next at the Paradise on Feb. 5th ... I intended to stop and hear Wet Lemon on my way to Leon's but, despite the bitter cold, Longboyz Tavern was packed, the large parking lot was full, and I was sure I wouldn't be able to find a seat inside to rest my aching back. They are obviously a Champion hometown favorite, and I was pleased for both the band and the venue to see the largest crowd ever since it reopened. We all have another opportunity to see Wet Lemon at the Ice House this Saturday, 1/29. (1/23/2011)

Mahoning Valley music scene odds and ends:

The Kellys are one of ten finalists in the "Maurices Small Town Sound Band Search" and they need your vote to win the Grand Prize - the chance to play with the Bangles and Sick of Sarah. Click here to hear their submission "Victory"  and to vote once a day through 11:59pm EST on December 15th.

The Deadbeat Poets' song "The Staircase Stomp!" from their CD "Circustown" has been nominated for "The Coolest Song In The World For 2010" on Little Steven's Underground Garage. Click here to vote once daily until December 20th. Scroll about halfway down the page to find the Deadbeat Poets, and take a look at who they're competing with - pretty awesome company!

Cody Skeen hosts an open mic at the Champion Beach House Bar on Wednesdays. He's organizing a Battle of the Bands to be held at the same venue on Dec. 17th at 6 p.m. If interested in competing, contact Cody through his Facebook page, his email, or phone 330.883.7750.

Here's a note of interest to any rockers/community theater-related readers: Jack Fitzpatrick sent me an email about his new Rock musical, "Riff-Raff Galaxies". He's offering to share a copy of the script and score with any interested parties. Click here to read more and to contact Jack.

Not too much to report from last week... Tuesday I picked up my friend Ronnie T for a trip to downtown Y-Town and open mics at Barley's and the Lemon Grove. This was my first visit to Barleys since the Young Stonians took over the Tuesday jams and several of the same musicians were rockin' the bar like in my last visit, including Dave Rowe. A block away, Ronnie impressed the Lemon Grove crowd with his cool original tunes. I only brought my 12-string, so thanks to the lovely and talented Katianne Timko for loaning her guitar to Ronnie.

After Chuck Gisewhite and I practiced a few songs on Wednesday for his upcoming gig we dropped by the Champion Beach House Bar open mic, with host Cody Skeen, to tighten our chops. Then we joined up at his Friday Cafe 83 gig along with my brother Terry, who Chuck convinced to play his bass on several songs. Terry proceeded to amaze us, and probably himself! Just like riding a bike - you never really forget, I guess. My apologies to Chuck - after finishing my Philly Cheesesteak sandwich I spent the rest of the show on stage and I never got around to shooting any videos or photos. Next time, my friend... I've been promising to film SHAKEDOWN's revised lineup, so I started out Saturday at their Longboyz Tavern gig and you can now view the three videos from their rockin' show. Then I met up with Chuck Gisewhite for the second day in a row, this time at Captain Kelly's. Rick Seidle (of Ke-Nip-Shen) replaced an ailing Jeff Welsh with Chuck and Curt Lenyo. As a bonus I experienced a cool sneak preview of the new band Mr. Lucky - Rick, Chuck, and Randy Stan. Watch for them coming to a bar near you soon. (12/6/2010)

Last year composer John Schmidt graciously sent his "The Only Wish, a Christmas List" to be included in this site's music player. Though it's a seasonal song I kept it all year because of the song's artistry and message. Now you can view a movie of the tune - click here. This Christmas and always, remember those who are far away from home in our armed forces and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

In its 1-1/2 year existence the Lemon Grove Cafe & Lounge has ruled the Valley as far as live music is concerned, with over a dozen local and visiting bands/musicians (not counting open mic) performing in shows up to five days a week. The Grove also hosts numerous civic and social events and serves fine food and drink. That said, MVLiveMusic hereby announces that the Lemon Grove Cafe has received the first annual award in the category "Outstanding Mahoning Valley Live Music Venue 2010"! Thanks for your commitment to, and support of, live music.

In case you missed them, here's the latest video uploads: the Jeff Welsh Band in four videos at the Highland Ave. NAUS from a couple of weeks ago. Lots of guest players, including Jesse James Allen, Kevin Ciambrone, and yours truly blowin' some harmonica ... Madam Weez & the Breeze featuring Katelin Deutsch, three songs in one video, at the Art Outreach Gallery's Youth Fine and Performing Arts Fest at the Eastwood Expo Center ... the Heywoods full band G-Force performing two songs at the Holiday Bar ... Fastlane (also two songs) at Longboyz Tavern ... Not Yet (Bill Henceroth and Richard Boston) performing Bill's original song "All I Want" at the Manor ... I know you'll enjoy these rockin' shows as much as I did. (12/23/2010)

Drew "Drewcifer" Johnson and his daughter Roxanne "ROX" of Skull'rz Bane returned home from a gig a couple months ago to find an intruder in their home. Drew was stabbed six times before he convinced the attacker to stop. While he was recovering in the hospital part of ROX's drum set was stolen from their van. And on an unrelated note, Drew's father passed away a week ago. A benefit for Drew will be held at the Dash Inn on Saturday 11/6 at 3 p.m. The event will feature several bands - acoustic acts Bill Seiffert and Freddie, No1 Special, Obsydyan, Six Shots Left, Azmith, and Fastlane. Sound is being provided by Bob Davis from Fastlane. Raffles include two guitars c/o New York Music and Guitar Slinger Music, and donations from the Drum Shop, Illusion Ink, Unique Biker Apparel, B&R Wholesale Tire, M P Creations, Frame House Gallery, Hawaiian Joe's Tattoos, The Grub Club and many more, along with a huge Chinese Auction and 50/50 Raffles. Food will be provided by Westside Sparkle Market. Tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door. All printing is being donated by Minuteman Press. Contact Roxanne at 234-855-0823 or Roxm14@aol.com for tickets or donations. It's our understanding that another benefit will be held the following day at the Iron Saddle in Akron. Please contact ROX for information on the Akron show. (11/1/2010)

The aforementioned benefit for Drew Johnson at the Dash Inn was a huge success. MVLiveMusic shot videos of Ronnie T (w/ Fred Watson), Magma Project (substituting for Six Shots Left), No 1 Special, Obsydyan, Azmith, and Skull'rz Bane. Most of the videos are of the performers' cool original songs - enjoy!... Sorry, no video, but Bill Seiffert also played a cool acoustic solo set... Yeah, that's Magma's new extended name. Those guys are getting even better with age - they're like, what, 14 now? Check out Elliott's violin bow action in a Zep cover... The party's recipient, Drewcifer himself, took to the stage like he didn't have six holes in his body and a mending lung and stomach. He probably felt it the next day, though... My apologies to the Fastlane guys, who  played last after running sound all day, for bailing too early to catch their show. I'll see you again soon, I promise. It was a long day, and I had been planning to catch a little bit of First Degree's show at Faces before driving the last mile home.

We started the past week, and the month of November, at Tully's for the Rosewood Vintage Guitars Jam Night hosted by Steve Vuich. MVLiveMusic enjoyed hearing the talents of, and sharing the stage with, Steve, Tom Sed of Rosewood VG, Mike Kovach (Larry Shankman & the Foreskins, the Hellbenders),  Bob Malaniak (Pipe Dreams), Dan Smith, Greg LaDonne, Kevin Vallely, and others. Check out the video of the gang supporting Kevin on his original song "Edges and Angles". The jam will return to Tully's another Monday soon - watch for it in the Shows page... We visited the Reef for Todd Cutshaw's open mic on Tuesday. Todd's an amazing entertainer, and many talented musicians jump at the chance to join him on stage. The gig might soon become a solo show for Todd, but it will still be a crowd-pleaser, nonetheless. After the Reef there was still time to play a couple songs at Joe Fritz's open mic at Clancy's... You never know who will show up at the Champion Beach House Bar's open mic hosted by Zero.Set.Memory. This past Wednesday I met up with Bobby Fritz for the first time in many months. Bobby's the front man in Smack Alice along with solo gigs. In fact, he'll be playing the Beach House on 11/20 and other shows. See his schedule in his Musicians page... I met my good friend Chuck Gisewhite at Cafe 83 a couple years ago, and we returned to the bar to join him on stage at his gig on Friday, along with Randy Stan (and Jen, former proprietors of the Boom Room), and Andy Arch. Chuck will return to the Cafe in a month - I'll keep you posted. Afterward we just had to catch the last hour of Rick Hartley's show at Clancy's. I've been calling Rick "the harmony master" for his vocal backups when I play Beatles and Byrds tunes. Lately I had to add "loop master" for the exciting layers he adds to his solo songs. (11/8/2010)

Falling a little behind due to a computer rebuild and a problem on this site's server... If you tried to view the Shows page schedule within a 16-hour window Thursday through Friday, be assured everything is back to normal. So, where was I. Oh, yeah, shows from last week!

A head cold slowed me down, but despite (or in spite), we visited two new open jams on Wednesday. Varg Freeborn and his wife recently opened Guitar Slinger Music in Girard. Because they have a stage and sponsor a jam on Wednesdays, the store qualifies as a "venue" and is listed as such on this site. This past week we were entertained by Varg, PJ McLaughlin (formerly of Miapollo), and the amazing Kianna Cameron (SicKasMe), among others. Two videos of the jam are available for your enjoyment ... The open mic at Chippers is back after a summer-long break. The hosts have been experimenting with band names and seem to be settled on "the River Riders" - appropriate for a combination of members of the River Saints and Sunshine Rider Band.

We stayed close to home and SR 534 on Friday ... Jim Moran showcased his keyboard and vocal talents at Mastropietro Winery (two videos). Besides his excellent Billy Joel covers (of course), Jim does a fantastic job translating guitar-oriented songs to the keys. I particularly liked his "Fire and Rain"...  Johnny Cee called the American Legion 737 boot-kickers to the dance floor with his new band Premium Country.

Six hours on-the-road Saturday, starting with the Bridge at the Wagon Wheel. Check out the video for Rollo's, Al's, and Liz's excellent harmonies and her haunting flute in a Mamas & Papas standard ... The Jeff Welsh Band rocked the Highland Ave NAUS, captured on two videos that highlight Curt's powerful drumming, Jeff's cool guitar licks, and his and Chuck Gisewhite's vocal abilities ... Bill Scudier again managed to piece together another version of Sideshow for his gig at Little Wing Cafe. He must have a voluminous book of musician references to draw from, and he always comes through with a talented group to back him up ... Due to lack of seating we didn't stick around a packed Leon's very long, but enough to realize we need to try to catch some quality listening time with the Side Effects ... Fortunately, we could sit and relax to hear Shaken not Stirred at Shevie's. They do a great job in the two videos, but I wish I had captured Tom's cool harp playing, too. (11/15/2010)

This past week, circumstances pointed us back in the directions of open Mikey (Michael Starkey) at the Nick Rizzi SOI Sunday and Monday, and  Joe Fritz's open mics at Shevie's (Monday) and Clancy's (Tuesday). Computer problems and a lingering head cold kept me off the road until the weekend.

Professional guitar slinger and good friend Jerry Centifanti requested MVLiveMusic's presence at Dom Tocco & the New Brotherhood's show on Friday. Dom, Jerry, Peter Pylypiw, and Steve Lawrence attracted most of a crowded McMenamy's to the dance floor, but I managed to shoot around the revelers for a couple decent videos, if I say so myself... I always have my most sing-along fun with Davis & McKay (Denny and Mike, respectively). The duo's songlist is a really cool mix of 60s-70s pop that you don't hear very often anymore but strikes a chord of pleasant familiarity in my and other fans' hearts. Guess who answered their trivia question "Who first recorded 'You Showed Me'?" I guess I'm a walking storehouse of useless knowledge. Check out their harmony blend in the videos from their Quinlan's show, two of which are D&M original songs.

Damian Knapp dresses in Texas garb to transform his band Fester Presley into the Stevie Ray Vaughn tribute Testify. In the years that I've known him Damian has experimented with many forms of music but always falls back to his forte and first love, the blues. After his Saturday show at the Reef I told him he has found his niche, in my humble opinion. Watch the videos and see if you don't agree... What's in a name? Tyler Jenkins & the Skank Spankers simply translates into a good old Rock & Roll experience. I only shot one video of their Shevie's show, but I got lucky and caught three songs in one, a cool medley of the Eagles, the Oakridge Boys, and the Marshall Tucker Band... I exited the Warren bypass on the way home to say "hi" to the Jeff Welsh Band at Longboyz Tavern and wound up on stage for a few songs, along with other guests: Neil Hogue (Double Barrel Boys), and Joey Percun and Bob Davis of Fastlane. (11/22/2010)

Thanks to Skyler Monroe and Mike of Mike & Spice for relieving me on the Shevie's stage the Monday before Thanksgiving when I hosted Joe Fritz's open mic. You guys were fantastic! Wednesday found me back at the Nick Rizzi SOI for Rick Hartley's pre-Thanksgiving show. Rick performed his acoustic and loop box magic, and again invited me to join him for his harmony accompaniment on some of our favorite songs.

Mahoning Valley Live Music spent most of the weekend after Turkey Day in Boardman. Katianne Timko opened for the Robbie Jay Band at Jillian's on Friday. Her beautiful tremolo voice brought Mary Hopkins to my mind. You can hear Katianne performing a couple of her well-crafted original songs in the new videos on this site. You can also check out the new Robbie Jay Band video... Warren's Comfort Inn has reopened its basement bar, this time as Downtown Lounge, appropriately because it's right across from Courthouse Square. On my first visit I enjoyed listening to the rockin' Sound Bite band, and captured a couple videos for your viewing pleasure. Also be sure to check out Sound Bite at Jillian's on 12/4... After a cold one-block stroll, I caught the Dennis Drummond Trio's last song at the Horseshoe. In retrospect I wish I had the camera turned on. Soulful Hoss Jarman relieved Dennis' sore voicebox and Larry Nell added his cool flute. Dennis is back at Berklee by now, but you can catch the band at several shows around Christmas.

Back to Boardman Saturday, starting at Vintage Estate for my friend Jim Golen's show. VE's bar room doesn't allow much space for the entertainment, so Jim's band-in-a-box accent for his amazing solo guitar work and vocals perfectly presents wall-to-wall sound at the venue... Bustin' Loose is one of the first bands I met after I started this site, but time, distance, and circumstances have kept me away for several years until I finally made it back to the Fireplace this past weekend. They're still putting on a great show for the dance crowd, as you can see in the two videos... Back to Jillian's to experience, for the first time, Fetish. With the band's ladies outnumbering the guys, Fetish presents a refreshing take on their cover of Rock & Roll standards. I'm sure you'll enjoy watching Sharon, Dina, Christi, Tod, and Brian in the three videos... Another version of Sideshow, this time rockin' Tommy Dogg's (video). I was pleased and honored to join the talented musicians on stage for the last song of the night.

Sunday - open Mikey again, of course, but first a stop at the Horseshoe for Dan Drummond's open mic. Rick Hartley again helped me in my set with background harmonies, guitar, and bass, and this time we shared a unique experience - Dennis Drummond's accompaniment on drums! (11/29/2010)

I've mentioned the Deadbeat Poets in several previous articles because of the worldwide press they're receiving for their latest CD "Circustown". MVLiveMusic, along with many other fortunate Valley partiers, had the pleasure of hearing the band perform in person locally at Cedars this past Saturday. Their set covered most of the tracks from the new CD and from their previous release "Notes From The Underground". I never before posted videos of five songs from a band's single show, and it was tough to decide which of my favorite songs to shoot, but I couldn't pass up this rare opportunity to capture the band's live performance. Check out the Deadbeat Poets videos here. (10/17/2010)

MVLiveMusic heard some great bands for the first time this past weekend, and revisited with old friends ... Friday started off as a cool "Country/Rock" night, with Rough Edges (new video) and a break-time Southern Justice reunion at American Legion 737, followed by Crows Run Band (new video) at Captain Kelly's. After saying "Hi" to the Gary Markasky Project, but unfortunately just missing the end of their show at Up a Creek, we enjoyed listening to Madam Weez, and played a few songs, at the Nick Rizzi SOI. Madam Weez sets the stage at her club performances with a crystal ball and other mystic apparati, which may account for her ability to channel the vocal powers of Stevie Nicks, Pat Benetar, Janis Joplin, Sheryl Crow, Patsy Cline, and other blues and rock greats. She's at her best, however, when she's just Weez performing her own enjoyable, well-crafted songs. Last stop - Metter's, for French Blue, where we were pleasantly surprised to find the rest of their band Seven Saturdays supporting Jen and Steve ... Saturday: classic rock with Teez (new video) burnin' down the house at LongBoyz, and Wet Lemon's rockin' show and amazing mix and lights at Leon's ... You can also watch previous videos of the other bands listed above.

We haven't been staying home much the rest of the week, either. Here's some recent visits: We had to miss our usual Sunday "Open Mikey" at the Nick Rizzi SOI, so we made up for it on Monday. Michael Starkey also hosts on Thursdays (yes, that's three days a week), and regular guests include Mike & Spice, Ronnie T, and that singin' Sergeant Joe O'Grady ... This Sunday we joined up with Ray Huber at Killin' Time, jammin' with friends Larry Bondy, Dennis Ahlswede, Robert Johnson, and Dave Rowe. Ray hosts open mic every Wednesday and alternate Sundays ... This past Thursday we revisited the cool Rock City Tavern, where a bunch of excellent musicians hang out - Jason Farcas, Mike Miller, Rick Hill, and others. And my new friends, and recent Valley arrivals, Jim and Angela Nelson tore up the stage - sorry, Michigan, your loss is Ohio's gain! ... On a previous Thursday I visited my bud Steve Vuich at his popular and rockin' open mic at Vintage Estate ... Joe Fritz moved his Tuesday open mic to the new Clancy's, and you will find MVLiveMusic there and/or at his Monday jam at Shevie's, along with Rick Hartley, Matt Boser, Spider Web Music's Matthew Owen Dreher, Jeff Goodman, Terry Wajda, Skyler Monroe, Mike & Spice, Gary Jones, and many others ... Another cool hangout on Mondays - the Manor jam with hosts Bill Henceroth and Richard Boston, the duo also known as Not Yet. And it's the only place I can find musicians to back me up on the Byrds' "Mr. Spaceman" ... Musicians, please don't feel left out if I didn't mention your gig here and haven't been by lately. There's just not enough hours in the week to visit everyone, and I'll stop by again soon and write about you next time. (10/24/2010)

It's been a fun week, with a Halloween grand finale:

MVLiveMusic stopped by the Sail Inn to hear Ginger's fav local band, the Double Barrel Boys. She's a country girl, and Neil, Eugene, Buster, and Mike cover her radio preferences to perfection, along with their own great tunes (from her favorite local-artist CD, of course - a couple songs are in this site's music player). The DBBs are in Lake Milton every Wednesday among other gigs ... I caught Skyler Monroe two days in a row, playing at his open mic at the Rig on Thursday, and then his Clancy's gig Friday. Skyler has great vocals, and he blows an amazing harp while simultaneously pickin' his guitar. Check out his cool and unique take on Dylan in the video ... I met Mark White at my Bushwackers open mic four years ago and we became good friends. He hadn't played in ten years, and he often thanked me for the incentive to get back into music. Now he's fronting the band Jigsaw, and I shot a video at their rockin' Captain Kelly's show Friday ... I was on the road again as Willie this weekend (pun intended), and this year I was accompanied by Lady Gaga-meets-Jennifer Lopez (the foam insert was very popular with the guys!) One confused young lady asked if I was "ZZ Top" - no, that's a long gray beard, not braids. The Nick Rizzi SOI Facebook page has photos, if you're interested ... Anyway, this strange pair started out Saturday at Wilma Flintstone's (Madam Weez's) show and Katelin Deutsch's birthday party at Margherita's, where we were treated to the restaurant's famous pizza. I also love their steak, salmon, and the rest of the menu, and the fact that they host live music 3-4 nights a week. Check their schedule. Someday I might find time to book another gig there, myself ... Next stop - back to Captain Kelly's for the semi-acoustic trio Trilogy (that was almost redundant!) Previously I've had bad luck trying to catch Brian, Jeff, and Jim away from their winery circuit, but it finally worked out and was worth the wait. Check out the two songs in the video ... On to the Nick Rizzi SOI for Mike & Spice's regular Saturday gig, with a Halloween twist. Sorry, it was too dark to shoot video of the soulful duo - hopefully next time. Thanks, Spice, for calling Willie and Gaga/Lopez to the mic for a couple songs, along with Wilma, who was not ready to end the partying after her gig ... It was pretty dark at the Champion Beach House Bar, too, but I managed to capture the essence of 2 For the Road's show in a video of two songs. Andrea and Jeff haven't played locally often this year, but they've been 2-hittin'-the-road, treating partiers in Geneva-on-the-Lake and other non-Valley music hotspots ... Again, there's just too little time to see everyone. I know I missed some great shows in Youngstown, and my friends in Mortisha's Secret (at the University at Larchmont) and Fastlane (at Longboyz Tavern). Hope to catch you soon.

Well, time to put the braids and headband away for another year. On second thought - maybe gray polyester covers up this bald spot better than a ball cap. (10/31/2010)

I reconnected with many old friends (from 40 years ago!) at last year's Benefit BBQ at Up A Creek, including Dave Pack and Gary Sloas, both from the popular 1960's band, the Holes in the Road. The circle of friendship became complete when Gary McCoy and Doug Thomas came to town for the band's reunion set at the 2nd annual benefit a few weeks ago. Proceeds help breast cancer patients at Forum Health's Ireland Cancer Center. Again this year, the Music Center donated a guitar for raffle. Host Tommy McCoy intends to repeat the event next year. 'Til then you can watch the Holes' performance, and much more by locally-renowned musicians past and present, in videos of 20+ songs on this site. (9/6/2010)

Clancy's was Warren's acoustic live music and open mic showcase until a double-whammy from the poor economy and the smoking ban snuffed it out. The bar recently re-opened, and the new owners hope to reclaim the distinction. Musician / vocalist / songwriter Rick Hartley will be performing this Friday 9/24. (9/20/2010)

More cool new videos: Fastlane @ Longboyz Tavern, Damian Knapp @ the Champion Beach House Bar, the Earth Band @ Little Wing Cafe, Following June @ the Highland Ave NAUS, Rick Hartley @ Clancy's, and Four Lane Highway @ Blue Magoo's. (9/27/2010)

MVLiveMusic played a few songs Friday night at Nick Rizzi SOI and Steve Vuich's Birthday Bash, and enjoyed listening to many talented musicians - Honeyboy himself, Art Bain, Kevin Vallely, Rick Seidle of Ke-Nip-Shen, Tommy Bumbico of the Earth Band, Kevin Ciambrone, and, of course, I had to prod proprietor Michele into joining me on a couple songs. You can view Michele's photos and videos of the festivities in the SOI's Facebook page. Vooch and the River Saints will also be celebrating at his tenth annual Birthday Bash at Tully's on Monday, 8/9, and he'll be at the SOI every Thursday hosting an open mic. Speaking of the Nick Rizzi SOI and open mics, you will find MVLiveMusic's Professor Steve playing every Sunday along with host (and incredible musician) Michael Starkey.

Up early the next morning for my 9 a.m. gig at the Howland Farmers Market... Good friend Joe Fritz stopped by and graciously relieved me for several songs, and Matt Dreher of Spider Web Music accompanied me on a few tunes. I almost fell off my seat with surprise while performing the Byrds' rendition of Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom" when old friend Dave Pack appeared out of the crowd of patrons to harmonize with me! Dave was the bass player and a vocalist in the popular and infamous local band, the Holes In the Road. I reconnected with Dave, and HITR drummer Gary Sloas, for the first time in forty years at last year's Tommy McCoy's Benefit BBQ Reunion at Up A Creek. In fact, Dave told me the Holes In the Road will be performing the same song when Gary McCoy and Doug Thomas come home to Howland for the second annual benefit, coming up next month. By the way, Joe Fritz is one of the busiest musicians around, sharing his soulful vocals at many solo gigs and hosting open mics at Shevie's and Blue Magoo's (where you will almost always find MVLiveMusic hangin' out). Check out his page on this site for his schedule and stop by for a listen, and join in on stage at the open mics.

Later Saturday evening, LJ Fortier brought his "Oldies and Blues" show to Quinlan's. You can check out his amazing harmonica expertise in two songs in the new video... Then on to Metter's for French Blue, Jen Lamb and Steve Pownell, accompanied by Seven Saturdays bandmate and bassist Sam Petillo, which prompted a chuckle over French Blue's alias, "3-1/2 Saturdays". Two new videos demonstrate the duo's (plus one) talents, particularly in their own cool tune "Come To Me, Boy"... Sorry, no videos of Rick Hartley at the Champion Beach House Bar, but an enjoyable visit to a pleasant venue to hear a good friend and amazing performer, nonetheless. Photos from Rick's and French Blue's shows are also available, in the slideshow above. (8/9/2010)

Mahoning Valley bands in national and world media:

Tune in to internet station Wild Nite Radio, August 14,  5 p.m. to 9, to hear Alton Cooley & Friends' live songs and interview. Alton is also currently in Shades of Gray and previously played in the DJ Magg Band. Meanwhile, you can enjoy videos of Shades of Gray on this site.

I tuned in to Viking Jim's Homegrown Show on Sunday to hear the Deadbeat Poets, among other fine local bands. Later, on the way to open mic, I caught the Poets again on Little Stevens Underground Garage, also on 93.3. Van Zandt (if you're confused, think Bruce Springsteen and the Sopranos) has been playing the Poets' "Staircase Stomp", from their latest CD "Circus Town", in several consecutive shows. In fact, the song was his "Coolest Song in the World" pick on July 11th! Van Zandt also talked about Frank Secich's history with Stiv Bators. Little Steven features the coolest songs that you don't usually hear on the radio, and if I have time I make a point of catching the Underground Garage. You can hear missed shows on his website... The Deadbeat Poets will be heard in Europe and the U.S. this weekend on John Cavanaugh's Soundwave show on Radio Six International. The Poets are getting additional airplay and press attention from around the world. Just a few examples - punkturns30.blogspot.com, sugarbuzzmagazine.com, radio923fm.radio.com (aired "Staircase Stomp" on 7/18), Colorado Free Radio, and Radio New York International... Read the MVLiveMusic review of "Circus Town" here and stay tuned for Deadbeat Poets songs in this site's jukebox.

Jim Gustafson's Poobah has been making news for most of its almost-forty years. Previous accolades for the band, which holds the record for the most Rock & Roll Hall of Fame appearances and the claim to "the most collectable psych-rock band", have appeared in Guitar World and Goldmine Magazines. Poobah recently re-received notice in GW's online edition with a link to a must-read blog at The Ripple Effect (click here to start at Guitar World). You will also enjoy a previous Ripple Effect review of the band - enter "poobah" in the search box at the site. Although Jim currently resides in West Virginia, he is proud to be a native son of the Valley and returns often to perform. In fact, several Poobah songs are featured in Boom Boom Mancini's film "Youngstown: Still Standing", and the band played at the Butler Institute film preview earlier this year. Jim will next appear locally at the YRRH Rockfest. And, of course, you can watch several Poobah videos here on this site. (8/12/2010)

Valley music festival news...

Who isn't aware of Vexfest yet? The Valley's #1 showcase of local (and visiting) music talent is in its 7th, and largest, iteration this Sunday 8/15. This year's fest features 44 bands on four stages - Barley's, Downtown 36, and at each end of a closed-to-traffic block of Federal St. The complete schedule is in the Shows page.

UPDATE: The Dennis Drummond Trio have been added to the Vexfest lineup, at Barleys 1:20-2AM.

The third annual Roxfest takes place next Saturday 8/21, in a new location - 5320 Jimtown Rd, East Palestine (click here for map). Roxfest began as a metalfest birthday party for ROX, Skull'rz Bane drummer and daughter of frontman Drewcifer, and again features food (BYOB), a bonfire, camping, tattoos, and raffles. This year the event has expanded to a full-fledged music festival with nine bands - Skull'rz Bane, of course, with Obsydyan, Six Shots Left, Metalourd, Hollow Sanctuary, And The Weak Lie Frail, Joe (Acoustics), Disgraced, and Klutch.

Another "3rd Annual" event next weekend - three days of peace, love, and music at the Youngstown Rock 'n Roll History Rockfest 2010 isn't just for us aging hippies, it's open to partiers and rockers of all ages as long as they have an invitation from the Yahoo group moderators. So, the sands of time are falling quickly, and you have less than a week to join YRRH before you'll miss out on the music, food, camping, and camaraderie. Friday and Sunday are open mic featuring many of the Valley's most renowned and gifted musicians, and the beautiful private grounds will start rockin' on Saturday at 1 p.m. with six bands -  Poobah, Tongue In Groove, the Electracons, the Blues Devils, Blind Lemon Band, and Blurok.

It might only be a "2nd Annual" show, but Tommy McCoy's Blues Benefit BBQ Reunion and Ohio Musician Gathering (whew!) at Up A Creek will be THE place to be on September 5th. World-touring bluesman McCoy came home to Howland last year at this time and, within a one-week visit, turned his high school reunion into an all-day bash for the benefit of breast cancer patients at THM's Ireland Center, in memory of his wife, Vickie Taylor McCoy, RN. Many, many musicians from Valley bands of the 60's and 70's answered Tommy's call last year, and this event will be even larger. There's way too many bands and members to mention in this article, so please click here to read the press release. You can watch 18 videos from last year's event on this site. (8/12/2010)

New video uploads, from the YRRH Rockfest: Blurok (2 original songs), Paul Scott, the Electracons (2 original songs), and the Blues Devils (one original song). Photos only of Poobah and LJ Fortier, but several previous videos are available. You can hear songs by the Electracons, the Blues Devils, Poobah, and LJ in this site's player... Additional performers at the Rockfest jam were Dave Rowe, Ken Adams, Rocky Lattanzo, Lee Stone, Chris Frederick, Dennis Ahlswede, Dick Scullin, Larry Bondi, Ron Eckenrode, and many others... Unfortunately, Saturday's rain brought a quick halt to Tongue In Groove's (Jerry Centifanti, Butch McCracken, Gary DePasquale) turn on stage. The festivities picked up anew in the covered pavilion a short while later with Poobah's rockin' show, where Jim Gustafson showed off the band's new vinyl "re-unleash" of their 1972 "Let Me In" album with bonus tracks, a two-record set in psychedelic swirl (all disc patterns are unique), available at Ripple Music (also on CD).

(8/23/2010)

More videos ... cool classic rock with This That & the Others at the Holiday Bar, the Bourbon Brothers at Shevie's, and photos only of Sideshow (w/ Rick Seidle) at Longboyz Tavern and the Dennis Drummond Trio's last show of the Summer at the Horseshoe Bar. (8/30/2010)

New videos from Saturday at Buffalo Hollow: the Road Dogs (one video / three songs), the Blind Lemon Band (one song), the Blues Devils (three videos including two original songs), Continued Confusion (two videos / three songs), and headliner Poobah (three videos / original songs). Thanks to Buffalo Hollow for a fantastic day of live music at a beautiful park! Poobah is returning to Ohio this weekend, Saturday 7/17 at the Patio in Middlefield. (7/12/2010)

The Pig Iron Literary & Art Works is sponsoring an outdoor Community Street Concert, Saturday 7/17, at North Phelps St. and Federal St., Youngstown. The multi-talent show starts at 3 p.m. See the full schedule in the Shows page.

Videos and photos of more great live music shows: Tori & Greg with a couple cool original songs at Steve Vuich's open mic at the Nick Rizzi SOI, with Greg LeDonne and Steve... Jackie Popovec & the Figure9s burning up the outdoor stage at Metter's... Michael Austin Project's jazz/dance music for a full house at Blue Magoo's... classic Ozzie and more, Shadows of the Fallen style, also at Blue Magoo's... Royal Oaks was too dark, so photo only of Centrifuge. (7/24/2010)

New videos: Steve Vuich performing with Kevin Vallely at the Nick Rizzi SOI, and an impromptu jingle for MVLiveMusic by Steve... On The Border at Sammy's... the Guilty Pleasures at Royal Oaks.

And new songs in the music player, by the Blues Devils - "Cut You Loose" and "Evil". The BDs put on a great show at Buffalo Hollow earlier this month (you can watch them perform "Evil" live in the video) and they'll be playing next at the YRRH Rockfest on 8/20. (7/31/2010)

Salem natives Roy and Jesse Henceroth's band BreezeWay is competing for a commercial spot and their father, musician Bill Henceroth, sent this request:

"Please vote for “The BreezeWay” at www.freecreditscoreband.com beginning June 7, 2010 for a band finalist for the new band search. Go to www.freecreditscoreband.com. At the top of the page click the vote tab. Scroll down to Online and click on The BreezeWay. You can vote once each day. Thanks for your support!"

You can hear two BreezeWay songs in the music player - "A Perfect Life" from their CD "Halcyon Surgery", and a new song, "The Great Flood", about the recent catastrophe in Nashville. Additional recent additions to the playlist - "Ohio Song" and "Cokeburg Blues" by In A Circle. Enjoy!

More news from Jim Gustafson...

MVLiveMusic joined friends Poobah, who played before and after the premier of Ray Mancini's movie "Youngstown - Still Standing", at the Butler Institute. Jim Gustafson was pleased to hear five of his Poobah songs in the movie soundtrack. Ken Adams (the Great Pretenders, Chords of Christmas) joined the band on drums for this show. The Zou were also featured in the movie soundtrack and were present at the showing. It was a pleasure and an honor to meet and talk with producer "Boom Boom" and his director, Austintown native John Chechitelli. You can see photos (in the slide show above) of Poobah and Mancini, and a video of Ray's introduction, on this site.

Mahoning Valley Live Music is officially on FaceBook, after many experimental false starts and wasted email addresses. Thanks to FB's new alias capability, my "Steve Mahoning" account can be accessed at www.facebook.com/mvlivemusic. There won't be any content beyond what you will find on this site - the primary purpose of the ID is to keep in touch with local musicians. I'll start filling in bands' missing FaceBook URLs in their Musicians page listings soon.

Did you notice the new slideshow? MVLiveMusic is running out of host server space so all photos are being moved to Photobucket. With over 450 pics, it will be a long process. In the meantime, if you click on a link in the Photos page and can't view the picture, it's already been moved. You can find it with the Photobucket link at the top of that page.

February 1st - almost Groundhog day, but more importantly, the return of the Tongue In Groove open jam. Jerry Centifani and crew have been searching for another home venue ever since Frank Constantini left Bill's Place. Both the club manager and the band found an accommodating venue at the Ice House Inn. This Monday's jam attracted most of the previous crowd of accomplished rockers, including Jerry, Frank (what, he plays amazing keyboard too?), Steve Marenkovic of the Hern Brothers, Butch McCracken and Gary DePasquele of Triple Threat, Bobby C of Chasin' the Blues, Sonny Boy Hopchek of too-many-bands-to-mention, Ray Guitierez, Eric Linebaugh, Dennis Ahlswede, Larry Bondy, and Chris Frederick. Emcee and special guest vocalist Fast Freddy must have been taking singing lessons! Sorry if I missed any names, and please let me know. MVLiveMusic arrived late after playing a few songs with Not Yet (Henceroth / Boston) at the Manor. Looks like Monday nights are getting busy again. (2/2/2010)

Stuff to report: Not too many posts in the Forum yet but plenty of people checking them out. Stop by and leave a message. Current posts include requests for these band members - a vocalist, a drummer, and a bass player, and PA equipment for sale... The MVLiveMusic player was updated sometime last year, and is finally reloaded with previous songs from the old player. Your favorite original songs by local musicians are back for your listening pleasure, along with recently-added samples.

Mahoning Valley Live Music has been supporting area musicians for THREE YEARS - the oldest site of its kind in the Valley and proudly continuing with the most complete and most accurate LIVE music shows listing of any local media. And the content - that's 500+ Valley bands/musicians listed, 321 local venues (only those offering live music are included here), over 450 band photos, 205 band videos, and 600+ band and venue website links (which I visit monthly to add their gigs to the Shows page database). Speaking of gigs, let's do some quick math... 36 months X 600 shows/month = 21,600 total shows listed - no wonder my fingers are tired from typing! And MVLiveMusic has visited at least 1,500 local band gigs after those long hours on the computer. Hey, it's all a labor of love for our Valley. Sometimes it seems there's not too much to brag about around here - except for the most talented musicians and best live music in the country!

Professor Steve celebrated this site's 3rd birthday with a gig at Blue Magoo's. Thanks go out to those hardy souls who braved last Friday's snow storm - the appreciative audience and the musician friends who let me take an occasional break without having to plug in the mp3 player - Rick Hartley, Matt Boser, Kevin Ciambrone, and particularly Chuck Gisewhite, Sideshow bass/vocalist extraordinaire, whose PA system and accompaniment made me sound almost like a real musician! And thanks to Joe Fritz for selecting me as his replacement while he was handing out beads on Bourbon Street... After my happy hour gig I stuck around to enjoy Wet Lemon's thundering classic rock and dazzling light show. Kirk, thanks so much for the several MVLiveMusic mentions over the mic! Check out the new (and previous) videos of this cool band... Back to Warren the next day (on plowed roads, thank you, Lord) for the longest-lived band in the Valley, Sideshow, at the Holiday Bar. Sure, longest in name only, but Bill Scudier has always surrounded himself with amazing band members and this latest lineup is no different - Chuck on bass, Keith B. on guitar, Mark on the PA and backup vocals, and, of course, the esteemed and infamous Steve Hreen on drums. I'm honored to join in on a little harmonica and vocals whenever I make it to a gig. Maybe Bill won't agree, but now I get to brag that I played in Sideshow, too! ... Rick Hartley also had a birthday (he's a little older than MVLiveMusic, though), and he celebrated with a show on the Blue Magoo's stage with guest performers Doc, Mike & Spice, Kat, Michael Starkey, Matt Boser, and yours truly... It was pretty much the same gang of players the next night at the Horseshoe for a new open mic hosted by Dan Drummond and assisted by his cousin Tim Drummond. Dan's brother Dennis will be back in town on spring break from Berklee, so the Dennis Drummond Trio is already booking gigs - you can find when and where in the Shows page and in the band's listing in the Musicians page... The weather might have adversely affected the turnout at Joe Fritz's and Matt Dreher's second Mahoning Valley Songwriter's Association meeting, but participants found the music theory discussion to be well worth the hardship. Next gathering is on 3/9, at Blue Magoo's... Let's pray to the snow gods for a clear day next Wednesday, 2/17. We don't want to miss the introductory appearance of GSK - Jim Golen, John Sferra, and Bill Kennedy - at Up a Creek! And Jim's open mic is restarting the following Sunday at the same venue now that football season is ended. (2/10/2010)

New videos of Poobah and Magma are uploaded, from a great show at Ace's Wild Wings. There's more of Magma to come as soon as they report back with song titles. The amazing almost-13-year-olds fired up the audience with cool originals and perfectly executed rockin' classics - songs older than some of their parents! Many in the crowd were Youngstown Rock & Roll History members anticipating fellow YRRHer Jim Gustafson's headlining band, and they appreciated that Magma were playing some of their all-time favorites.

Poobah performed songs from throughout Jim's 40-year span of songwriting, in celebration of the near-future release of a two disc set with "Peace Farmers" and "Let Me In" - the newest and oldest Poobah albums. The LP version will be on psychedelic-colored vinyl. The new release should cement the band's claim-to-fame as "the most collectable psych-rock band in the world" (Goldmine magazine). Poobah also holds the record for most shows at the Cleveland Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. MVLiveMusic's videos include the band's performance of their most-requested song on ITunes and Amazon mp3, "Mushroom Man", and paste-up of "5 Minutes" (Jim has a tendency of taking off on a stroll through the audience while I'm shooting and he lost me in the crowd during the song). The show was emceed by Thomas John, an original Poobah fan and one of the DJs who promoted the band into local stardom. Check out the photos of Poobah in "Blast From the Past" below.

Update: three more videos are available of Magma's opener for Poobah at Ace's Wild Wings, including their own "Only One Awake". Also look for a new video from the Tongue In Groove jam at the Ice House Inn featuring John Lomax, Larry Bondy, and Kurt Sunderman. Enjoy!

More news about Poobah, in an email from Jim Gustafson - "The new movie 'Youngstown, Still Standing' will be one of the featured movies at the Cleveland Film Festival, March 18-28. There are 3 Poobah songs in the movie, all written by me. I am proud boxing legend Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini chose my songs for his film about Youngstown, my home town. The songs are '6 String', 'Long Way Back Home', and 'Bowleen.'" (2/16/2010)

Todd Cutshaw

As we entered the Reef last Wednesday Todd Cutshaw greeted us over the microphone with "Look who just walked in!" The bar crowd responded in unison with a loud "No S***!" Talk about a setup - we almost fell to the floor laughing! Along with his keyboard and vocal skills Todd's a master entertainer, a bona fide lounge-piano-man who plays the audience as well as he plays his instrument. Everyone enjoyed participating in his "Margaritaville" men-against-women contest while willingly filling his tip jar. Todd also has an exceptional talent of injecting unexpected bawdy lyrics into popular songs, so pay close attention. Todd performs every Wednesday and also hosts an open mic at the venue every Tuesday.

GSK

Just before our Reef visit we had the pleasure of witnessing the introductory performance of GSK - Jim Golen, John Sferra, and Bill Kennedy - at Up a Creek. Jim has often told me over the last few years how much he misses playing in a band, but of course, in his case it couldn't just be any band. He needed to surround himself with musicians who are similarly skilled and dedicated. He finally teamed up with John and Bill - need I say more? As they played I noticed Jim's ear-to-ear grin, then the same expression on John, and another satisfied look from Bill - kind of like "it doesn't get any better than this." My sentiments exactly. Among other outstanding song renditions, one of my favorites was the Glass Harp tune (penned by Sferra) "Changes". I'm sure Phil Keaggy and Dan Pecchio would have enjoyed hearing this presentation, too. Point of interest - a few years ago Jeff Welsh was telling me about when he and Golen met as up-and-coming young musicians, and how Jim amazed him by playing guitar and keyboard simultaneously. Well, I finally got to see it for myself - oh, and he was singing and fiddling with the PA at the same time! You can catch GSK back at the Creek on Wednesday, March 3rd. A band photo is available here, with the possibility of a video after their next show... And don't miss the Youngstown return of Glass Harp in March!

Now that I'm caught up with the latest videos and photos and keeping the Shows page updated, here's the rundown: Lots of cool classic rock with Alter Ego at Julie's Down the Street (photo), Pvt. Partz at Highland Ave. NAUS (video, photo), and SHAKEDOWN (video, photo) at Tommy Dogg's - thanks to all the bands for the mention over the microphone!... I've been listening to some old-time C/W, too, with Sara Warner & Friends, who play at Knights of Columbus Warren Council 620 every Friday, and then I met up with Sara and Bob Nutter again, along with Eugene Rutan, Buster Greathouse, and Neil Hogue, at Deuces Wild on Saturday (photo). I even got to play a little "twang" myself at an open mic with Neil, Eugene, and Bob at the same venue the following day... Speaking of open mics, along with my usual rounds I checked out some new ones - Bermuda Triangle at the Firehouse on Wednesday, the return of Jim Golen's hosting at Up a Creek on Sundays, and with Dave "Azzphalt" Hollingsworth at Papa Nick's on Monday (photo). Michael Starkey often accompanies me and always amazes the different audiences with his playing skills. Mikey is performing this Friday 2/26 and hosting Sunday's open mic, both at Nick Rizzi SOI. (2/23/2010)

Finishing up a snowy February on a busy Saturday night: First stop, Deuces Wild for the Double Barrel Boys - Neil Hogue, Eugene Rutan, Buster Greathouse, and Mike Frey, for a photo, and a video of their PG-13 original song. It would have chart-topper potential if they could get airplay, beyond, possibly, the Bob & Tom Show! Thanks for the stage mention and the cool t-shirt, guys... I just had to visit friends in the band and on the barstools, and join in on a song, at the Highland Ave. NAUS with the Jeff Welsh Band... Checked out the smooth funk of Just Us Trio at Metter's, and shot a photo... And I took a photo of the hard-driving classic rock band Tyler Jenkins & the Skank Spankers, at Shevie's... We finished up the night at the Rig, listening to newer, high-energy rock covers with the RockHard Nuttins, with guest vocalist Stine Novicky (photos). (3/1/2010)

Wow, has it been ten years since the Y2K scare already!? Starting the new month, the New Year, and the new decade with a bang:

Mahoning Valley Live Music braved Saturday's cold and snow for a drive to downtown Youngstown in the backup 4WD MVLM-mobile (and almost got stranded on Hazel, but that's another story). We just couldn't miss the four fantastic shows / five bands, all within a couple city blocks... Rhythm Nation was lighting up the stage in the city's #1 live music dance club, the Rosetta Stone Cafe, where gorgeous women held their escorts captive on the floor for each and every booty-shakin' song. Check out the band's wall-of-sound and mind-boggling light show in the video... Matt Palka was recently honored with a Best Independent Motion Picture award at the Hollywood FAME ceremony for his "VW Bus Tour: Americana Bohemia". The filmmaker is also an accomplished singer/songwriter, as noted by the enthusiastic audience (including MVLiveMusic) at his Cedars show. The club's brand-new stage lighting certainly made a difference in the two videos of Matt...  The Lemon Grove Cafe was rockin' to the original sounds of New Castle's ZooLieu Tree, as you can see in their "Lungs" video... The Young Stonians opened up Jones For Revival's CD Release Party at Barley's. Check out YS's original song "Disco Pizza" in the video... Jones for Revival inspired "halleluiahs" in 16 states last year, and Y-town's best-known jam band will travel throughout the western USA in 2010. With all that touring in mind they named their new CD (and the title track), appropriately, "Leaving Ohio" - which might be okay with local fans, as long as they keep coming back home! You can hear the CD's "Fake It Til You Make It" in this site's music player and watch them perform "New Revolution" in one of two new videos. A feedback problem is evident in the middle of the clip, but the song and the rest of the video deserve your attention (this has nothing to do with Jimmy D's MVLiveMusic promo at the end, honest!)...  YOUNGSTOWN ROCKS!

Photos of all performers are also available, in the Photos page and the slide show above.

RumbleDaddy kindly handed MVLiveMusic their new CD "Phantom 224" at their Faces show last month. I'm pleased to announce that two songs from the disc have finally been loaded into this site's music player, along with three songs by Damian Knapp from his "Will You Cry When I Die?" and "Hellhounds and Hot Foot Powder" CDs. I owed Damian a little extra because he's been neglected ever since I installed a new player early last year. Mahoning Valley Live Music is always looking for original songs by local bands, so please keep 'em coming. And let me know if you want me to swap out your current songs for new ones.

An MVLiveMusic welcome goes out to Dina Lynn, who is new to the area and will be teaching guitar at the Music Center. Dina is looking for musicians with the possibility of starting a band. Stop by and say "Hi".

Justin Joseph Edwards of Lyrical.Shake.Down will be introducing his new solo project CD "Peace.Love.Music" at Hot Topic, Eastwood Mall, on January 20th. Go and give a listen! UPDATE - Justin's title track is now available for listening in the music player! (1/4)

Highlights from the past couple of weeks... MVLiveMusic drove many snowy miles for a return to Slammin' Sam's and the Mark Scheuring Band jam. Has it been that long? It took four trips up and down Market St. before I realized the sign out front still says "Stagecoach" - a good  thing to remember if you plan to listen to all those talented musicians some Tuesday night... Another great show by First Degree at the Grist Mill. The band's upcoming gig at the Wonder Bar is cancelled, but you can check out the video while you're waiting for another chance to hear this outstanding group (update - show is rescheduled)... Speaking of videos, I finally recorded the Earth Band's amazing renditions of "Little Wing" and "Red House" at their show at Kracker Jacks... After another cool YRRH jam, with a first-time special visit by Steve Hreen of Sideshow, we joined Sam Papa at his Camelot Lanes open mic where we enjoyed listening to On The Border, and took a photo of their new lineup. If you're in Boardman tonight check out the band at the Mocha House... A decent turnout made the first Mahoning Valley Songwriters' Association meeting a success for originators Joe Fritz and Spiderweb Music's Matt Dreher. This meeting's topic of discussion was "How to pick the right songs to play". Aspiring (or accomplished!) songwriters can join in the roundtable on the second Tuesday each month at Blue Magoo's, then perform for critique at the start of the open mic... A first MVLiveMusic visit to Lanai Lounge for a new Thursday open mic, hosted by Randy Bass, Jim of Sunshine Rider, and others. MVLiveMusic has it listed as "Sunshine Rider" in the Shows page schedule until the group comes up with a name. Guest performers Silencer surprised everyone, including themselves, with their cool acoustic performance of hard rock standards. The open mic's hosts will be starting up another weekly jam this Wednesday at Chipper's. (1/18)

Okay, I'm back ... where was I? Oh, yeah, all over the Valley! Lots of Blue Magoo's visits, not just because it's closer to home than most venues, but they also have great shows - Joe Fritz acoustic followed by bands on Fridays and Tuesday's open mic, and great food from the Fusion Grill (and absolutely nothing to do with the MVLiveMusic.com banner by the stage or the fact Professor Steve is subbing for Joe this Friday 2/5 from 6-9 :-)  Recent shows include Wicked (with Tommy Duke's soaring vocals), and a multi-band event featuring Drewcifer's screaming guitar and Rox's good looks (oh, AND earth-shaking drumming, too!) in Skull'rz Bane, with more cool original songs by SicKasMe and Red Chasing Black. Don't take my word for it, check out the videos. Red Chasing Black will be performing with other bands this Friday, 2/5, and Skull'rz Bane, When All Else Fails, Modern Life, Makayla Dawn, and others on Saturday at the Cove, Geneva-on-the-Lake at Mistress Juliya's Slave to the Metal Festival. Contact Skull'rz Bane for tickets... Speaking of videos, I stopped by Kracker Jacks to shoot more of First Degree. Due to technical difficulties I wound up with three clips, so I posted all of them... Michael Starkey accompanied me to a couple open mics one Wednesday night. Mikey is one of several friends who add so much guitar and vocal talent that they make me sound waaaay better, and it's a pleasure to have him beside me on the stage. Together we generated some attention and gracious comments at the Asleep open mic at Ace's Wild Wings and at Chipper's, where the same Thursday Lanai hosts, Jim, Randy, Eddie, and Russ, started up a new open mic on Wednesdays. We also got to enjoy hearing a couple musicians for the first time at Chippers - Joe Medina and Buddy D. The latest news is that Steve Vuich is joining the gang of hosts at both Chipper's and Lanai. (1/31)

Justin Joseph Edwards

The most interesting highlight of MVLiveMusic's January listening experience was Justin Joseph Edwards' show at the Niles Hot Topic. We're used to hanging out in nightclubs (and contributing to brewery profits and bartenders' kids' educational funds) to hear live music. Who could have imagined a clothing and accessory store as a performance venue? A very cool concept, even though it was a little cramped in between racks of shirts and jeans (and no opportunity to quench a thirst). But the "interesting" part wasn't limited only to the environment, it included the performer and his music. Justin is an eighteen-year-old college graduate (you read that right - he finished high school at fifteen!), with YSU music-instructor parents. So he's not just smart and talented, he also carries a double-helix of music genes. I previously met Justin as a member of Lyrical.Shake.Down at the Boom Room and Music Is Art. He's been writing music for four years, and he recently recorded his first solo, self-titled CD in his basement studio. Must be quite a basement and studio - this isn't a lo-fi, muddled "basement tapes" production, but a professional-quality endeavor that showcases Justin's lyrical and composition abilities. Even these old classic-rock-oriented ears appreciate and enjoy Justin's blend of electronica and rap lyric presentation with snippets of jazz horns, rock guitar, classical piano, and - surprise! - a tribute to 1930's crooner/uke tunes. If you missed Justin's Eastwood Mall gig you can still catch a clip from "Peace.Love.Music" in this site's player and watch the "Slow Down" video, see his show schedule, and find links to his websites in his Musicians page listing.

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Bands / musicians - please keep the fliers coming for "Upcoming Events", on the left. Email your full-size graphic file to professor@mvlivemusic.com. You might have noticed a poster for a show occurring hundreds of miles from the Valley. Neither Madam Weez nor MVLiveMusic is expecting many site visitors to drive to Mount Airy (though she would certainly appreciate it!), but this display is a confirmation of our core purpose. Many changes in appearance and, even, policy have occurred over the past three years, but our basic reason for existence is set in stone - support of LIVE MUSIC by LOCAL MUSICIANS - no matter where they're playing.

The MVLiveMusic.com Forum is back, after several unsuccessful attempts to defeat spammers on previous message boards. Currently any visitor can post without logging in, but that might change in the future if necessary. Please note that the "Bands / Musicians Wanted" section on this page has been moved to the forum to allow all visitors to post their needs themselves without having to email the info for inclusion on this site. Check out the forum and leave your 2-cents worth!

Oops... I forgot to mention a November show in a previous article - the Niles O'Donold's and On the Fly, a cool keyboard, guitar, and drums instrumental trio. I'll supply more info on the band when I hear back from them.

Mahoning Valley Live Music kicked off the month of December with an evening in downtown Youngstown, visiting Teddy Pantelas for his jazz jam night at the Lemon Grove, just missing (unfortunately) Sonny Boy Hopchek's window show at Cedars, and playing a few songs at one of my favorite open stages, Jimmie D's at Barley's, where I met up with a musician I haven't seen since last spring - Matthew Zelina. Good to see you again, Matt! By the way, I once asked Sonny how to spell "Hopchek" and he replied "I don't know - it's made up!" Of course it is, but I'm not sure if I know how to spell "Ronnie Hrovchek", either.

The next night I dropped by the Reef to shoot a photo of Dueling Pianos. I just met Todd Cutshaw a week before at his open mic at the same venue. His and Andy Paczak's keyboard and vocal skills are amazing compliments... Then a visit to another favorite open mic, at Metter's, hosted by Tim Drummond, to witness outstanding performances by Tim, Rick Hartley, Gary DeFrance, and others (including a few songs by Professor Steve). Check out Tim's cool songs, "Hey" and "Hands of the Devil" in the MVLiveMusic player.

Thursday, and another favorite open mic (are you counting?), with Mr. Kyle at U-Pie. I was looking forward to hearing SicKasMe play and they didn't disappoint. I previously heard frontwoman Kianna Cameron jam with Tongue In Groove, and her guitar chops kick you-know-what! Watch the videos in her Musicians page listing and see if you don't agree. I also met, and added on this site, another cool solo performer - Jason Robert Miller. And, of course, Kyle fired up the customers with some of their favorite songs.

MVLiveMusic stayed off the road on Friday, but made up for it the next day with four stops... Little Wing Cafe, for a new version of Blast Furnace (see the November article below), where old friend and musician Sam Marino hopped in the MVLM-mobile, first for a drive to the Creekside Golf Dome and a Toys for Tots benefit featuring John Dante & the Inferno. Young John's a helluva guitar player and a cool showman, as can be seen in the Christmas video... Area 51 must have been abducted for a year or so, but the aliens brought them back in time for a gig at Leon's where I got to hear their cool classic rock show for the first time... final stop for Sam and MVLiveMusic, and another introduction and first listening - Rebel Country Band inspiriting the dancers at the Holiday Bar with popular C/W tunes.

Sunday of rest? Fugedaboutit. We couldn't miss the Youngstown Rock & Roll History 5th Birthday Party, where Professor Steve got to listen to, and jam with, many of the area's finest musicians, including a special visit by Poobah's Jim Gustafson (listen to Jim's song "Ripped" from the new Poobah album "Peace Farmers" in the player). YRRH founder Jac Riblet joined in to sing several Beatles songs. Special thanks to Rocky Lattanzo for the venue, the steaks and chow, and for being the most charitable guy and best host in the Valley, and to Jade, the official YRRH videographer, for documenting all of the group's festivities... I've been meaning to check out the open mic at Camelot Lanes and since I was in the neighborhood I finally got my chance. I met Sam Papa before but didn't realize he was hosting this gig. A gang of great musicians jammed with the Professor on Hotel California, and (what else?) Mary Jane's Last Dance. I'll have to add this to my "favorite open mics" list... I guess I need a phone with internet access. After typing a thousand gigs into the Shows page, I couldn't remember the hours for Aunt Esther's show at Avalon Gardens. We got there in time to say goodbye. My loss, and I'm sure I'll remember next time!... Why go home now? One of my favorite open mics (?!) was still going on, Rick Hartley at Nick Rizzi SOI, and Michael Starkey was back, too - cool!

So how many "favorites" was that? Well, I have to add four more from Monday through Wednesday: First, Not Yet (Bill Henceroth and Richard Boston) at the Manor. I forgot (oops again) to mention last month's visit in the previous article, when Bill was in Nashville but I got to jam with Richard and Mark Scheuring. Bill's back, and Joe Fritz stopped by to play some songs. The Manor open mic is scheduled twice-weekly, Mondays and Wednesdays and features some great Austintown-area talent... Speaking of Joe Fritz, you'll find the Professor at Joe's Blue Magoo's open mic almost every Tuesday (if you hang around long enough - I'm usually a late arrival) Stop by, check out the MVLiveMusic.com banner on the wall, and try out the new Fusion Grill menu... I put some miles on the yellow SS on Wednesday - Braceville to Hubbard to Boardman and home again: Ray Huber and the cool folks at the Killin' Time open mic (Ray and Larry Bondy had performed at the YRRH party), and Asleep's jam at Ace's Wild Wings. Todd Kaden sang lead for me on "Mary Jane's Last Dance" the previous Thursday at U-Pie, but the band had performed that song already so I had to come up with some new stuff. Nice appreciative crowd and great, friendly bartenders.

Short drive Saturday - Deuces Wild in Newton Falls for Jed Zeppelin, and a wonderful surprise to find my friend LJ Fortier was called out from Youngstown to sub on lead guitar... Back to Little Wing Cafe for Tommy Bumbico's Earth Band. Frank Castellano's guitar playing brought the customers to their feet with the final song of the night, appropriately, "Little Wing". Yes, the cafe was named after Jimi's song.

***

The previous article mentions "favorite" open mics, which ultimately became every one that MVLiveMusic visited within a week's span. I've come to realize that this minor attempt at humor could be misunderstood to be a complete list. So, to avoid hurting anyone's feelings, here's a few more of my favorites: The Salem Wing Warehouse, with Jason Farcas and Mike Miller, and the Mark Scheuring Band jam at Slammin' Sam's, both of which are great shows but long drives for MVLiveMusic and, therefore, not visited quite as often... a C/W oriented jam at Deuces Wild, scheduled (inconsistently) on Sundays and Wednesdays... And I'll bet any of the Steve Vuich / River Saints open mics will join the list as soon as I get the time to cross the state line.

"Are you ready for Christmas?" No! So not much time to write. Here's a short and sweet synopsis of the latest videos and photos: Jason Farcas and Mike Miller at their Salem Wing Warehouse open mic, Shadows of the Fallen and RumbleDaddy at Faces, Eastwind at the Wagon Wheel, Tighten Your Tie at Rendezvous 2, Mad Dog Mike Adams, Kevin Ciambrone, and "Doc" at the Margherita's Christmas party, and Aunt Esther at Avalon Gardens. Enjoy!

Another busy week's-worth of great shows: Mahoning Valley Live Music took time out from Christmas shopping Tuesday to revisit Joe Fritz's (Blue Magoo's) and Todd Cutshaw's (the Reef) open mics, and, in between, to hear Teddy Pantelas at the Lemon Grove with special guests Katie Ferrall and Damian Knapp (video available), and the Shedrick Hobbs Experience with Sonny Boy Hopchek and a stagefull of others at Cedars... With shopping done on Wednesday, back to Ray Huber's open mic at Killin' Time for a chance to meet and hear the Blues Devils, reconnect with Ron Taylor, and play a couple songs with Larry Bondy's drum accompaniment.

With presents exchanged and family visitors safely back home: MVLiveMusic's Professor Steve played some songs Saturday with Jeff Welsh at the Warren Mocha House, blew harmonica with Sideshow at Amvets 106, crossed Niles-Warren Road to Cleary's for the Earth Band, then back to Warren and Blue Magoo's for a benefit for the Harding HS band and choir, hosted by former Warrenite and current Denver-based musician Chris Koltak... Winter weather kept the MVLM-mobile from traveling too far for the next few days, but we managed to join in with musicians friends at Joe Fritz's and Tim Drummond's (Metter's) open mics... Did you see the Shows page schedule of events for New Year's Eve? 70+ local bands played at events all around the Valley! MVLiveMusic made it to three - the Jeff Welsh Band at the Highland Ave. NAUS, Joe Best and Madam Weez in their first duo appearance at Metter's, and Damian Knapp's Fester Presley at Kracker Jacks with guests Frank Castellano and Tommy Bumbico of the Earth Band.

Need I say it? Look for videos and photos from many of these shows.

It's been a busy but exciting November for Mahoning Valley Live Music - lots of revisits with old friends, a gig at Margherita's, and new band experiences...

Though Terry Barrett has moved back to the area his band plays mostly in Cleveland, so it was a real treat to catch their World Music, Afropop, Reggae, Tropical stylings at Kracker Jacks. Hopefully it won't be long before we have another chance to hear the Terry Barrett Band locally, but just in case, you'll soon be able to listen to a couple songs in the MVLiveMusic player. Keep watching here for an announcement.

Chip Byers and Jim Meese have always impressed in the Tongue In Groove open jams, and they continue to play perfect Steely Dan along with other covers and original songs in Aunt Esther, with bandmates Larry Paoletta and Bill Kennedy, every other Sunday at Avalon Gardens. As a special treat last week, musician guests included Shedrick Hobbs, Mike Gismondi, and the Nobodys. Chip, of course, also plays in the Sensations, and you can listen to Jim's cool "Stone Unturned" in the MVLiveMusic player.

Since L.A.W.'s Steve Acker returned to the Valley several months ago he's been searching for a defining musical style and the perfect rhythm section to showcase his talents. He found his focus after Greg Frederick's suggestion at this year's YRRH RockFest - "Steve, you're a blues man. Play the blues!" And last week's version of Blast Furnace at Ace's Wild Wings might not be the final lineup, but the band demonstrated Steve's exceptional capabilities when surrounded by competent musicians.

What can be said about the incredibly unique Larry Shankman & the ForeSkins playing at the infamous Royal Oaks? Way too much, actually! So, please check back here for a follow-up article in the near future.

As promised, new songs are uploaded to the music player - Jones For Revival's "Fake It Till You Make It", and Terry Barrett's "Come Into My Harbor" and "Kissing the Tomb" (with Billy Beck from the Ohio Players). You can scroll down in the player and select each song if you don't want to wait for random play. Remember, these are samples, and you can usually find the full songs from the website links in each performer's Musicians page listing.

Finishing up the month on-the-road: Mahoning Valley Live Music visited the new open mic at the Reef on Tuesday. Todd Cutshaw hosted the packed bar with lots of cool musician and comedian guest performances. Todd also appears on the same stage on Wednesdays with his Dueling Pianos partner Andy Paczak... A ten-mile drive to Cedars followed, joining many musician friends in the audience for jazz night with Jeff Bremer and the Blue Rays... Then, back to Warren for an MVLiveMusic mainstay, Joe Fritz' open mic at Blue Magoo's, featuring outstanding performances by Joe and his many talented guests.

Wednesday, the busiest bar night of the year - starting at the Tongue In Groove jam at the Dash Inn, where Jerry Centifani attracts the most-recognized and most talented working musicians in the Valley to his stage... A short trip to Austintown brought MVLiveMusic to Jeremiah Bullfrog's for the cool classic rock of Sound Bite... Then, the Champion Beach House Bar for Zachary Ryan and friends Joe Barbutes and Tony T, and an invitation for the Professor to play a couple songs to finish up the night... Final stop at the Jamm-Inn for Shallow, featuring Sherrie K's amazing vocals punctuated by Leif Damstoft's screamin' guitar licks.

Thanksgiving Day - way too much turkey, and had to miss Liquor Box at Cedars. I'm sure it was a great show!... Black Friday's musical evening began at Knights of Columbus 620 and Sara Warner & Friends - and she certainly counts many of the best C/W musicians in the Valley among her friends! I recognized Nathan Scott and Neil Hogue and met Bob Nutter, and I'll update with more names as soon as someone fills me in... Youngstown Road in Warren must have been the epicenter of cosmic rock Karma that evening - the Earth Band, featuring Tommy Bumbico and, now, Frank Castellano on guitar, rocked a packed Kracker Jacks, and the Dennis Drummond Trio worked their musical magic down the road at Metter's, along with special guest Rajma.

MVLiveMusic mostly stayed on Warren's Mahoning Avenue Saturday - that night's rockin' performance by Haymaker will be the last live show at Victory Lane Lounge for at least several months, or possibly forever (see below). MVLiveMusic enjoyed a second appearance of the week by Neil Hogue, at his show at the Champion Beach House Bar. Drivin' Wheel has disbanded so Neil is concentrating on his solo act... Then, Fester Presley, featuring Damian Knapp on delta-style guitar in his original song "Decay In Our Cities", at Little Wing Cafe... Finally, just had to catch the Dennis Drummond Trio again at Blue Magoo's.

Mahoning Valley Live Music could use an occasional day of rest, but most Sundays we can't resist the impulse to join Rick Hartley at his Nick Rizzi SOI open mic. Often it's just a small party with Rick and Doc accompanying the Professor's songs, and regular visits from Sgt. Joe O'Grady and Michelle. This past Sunday held a special surprise for us - Michael Starkey came out of his self-imposed exile to join us, along with ex-Back Alley Bandmate Nick Pawcio. It was an honor and a pleasure to share the stage with both Rick and Mikey, two of the best all-around musicians in the Valley.

Legendary Northeast Ohio Band LAW Releases “Best Of” CD Online

Youngstown, OH—One of the most dynamic and popular bands ever to emerge from Youngstown’s prolific 1970s rocks scene has released a 16-track compilation of its best recordings for online sale. LAW, founded in 1971, released three albums during its seven years together, two of those for record company giant MCA Records, under the auspices of Roger Daltrey and the Who. None of these recordings have been commercially available for more than thirty years.

From the 1950s through the late 1970s few areas of the country boasted a more dynamic or more exciting popular music scene than Northeast Ohio and Southwest Pennsylvania. The entire Steel Valley between Cleveland and Pittsburgh teemed with brilliant talent, great bands, and hundreds of clubs and concert venues for music fans of all ages. Many of the rock era’s most celebrated musicians spent their formative years in this area.

One of most popular area bands throughout the 70s was Youngstown, Ohio’s LAW. Formed in February 1971 by Steve Lawrence, Steve Acker and Mickey Williamson, the name was derived from their initials. From the band’s first rehearsals it was clear that LAW had a special chemistry and magic which very quickly garnered them a regional reputation as an exciting and original club and concert attraction. At the outset the band was determined to perform original material with the goal of securing a record contract. Even the cover songs they did were performed in their own original style.

LAW was known as a “boogie band.” A three piece power trio, they were quite similar to Z.Z. Top in performing blues-based hard driving rock, although they did not know it at the time. Within a year of their formation LAW was opening for national acts like Bob Seger, Edgar Winter’s White Trash and Alice Cooper. One notable performance took place outdoors at Lake Milton, Ohio before 5,000 fans. LAW not only opened the star-studded program, but also later performed as Chuck Berry’s backup band.

Eventually the band evolved into a five-piece unit performing what it called “Rock ‘n Soul” music. In 1975 the expanded LAW signed with Atlanta’s GRC Records and recorded its first album at the label’s studio. Produced by Miami’s famed Albert Brothers, the album was sweetened by the Memphis Horns and contained several fine tracks. One song—“Wake Up”--caught the attention of the Who’s Roger Daltrey. Daltrey and his manager Bill Curbishly signed LAW to their production company, put the band on tour with the Who, and in turn signed the band to MCA Records.

For the next three years LAW opened for many of the era’s major acts, from Boston to Jethro Tull to Earth, Wind and Fire to Bob Seger and Alice Cooper, all across the country. The band also developed several areas of strong regional popularity of its own, including Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Detroit, and New York City. The band broke up in 1978 after disappointing sales of its third album.

Many people remain in these areas who still fondly remember LAW as an important part of their youth in a more innocent era, when great regional rock bands reigned and their shows were regarded as Events.

Now, for the first time since their original release, 16 of the best LAW recordings are available in an online-only “Best of LAW 1971-1977” collection for only $9.95. Fans can also download individual tracks for 99 cents and listen to free audio samples of each track. The website address is www.steveacker.com/law

Several videos from the Blues Benefit are available, with more to follow - keep checking back. Pictures have also been uploaded, in the Photos page and the slide show.

You can hear Jones For Revival performing their songs live this Friday on Youngstown's Federal Plaza. Jim Meese and Jerry Centifani are core members of Tongue In Groove, hosting an open jam at Bill's Place every Monday. LJ Fortier will bring his solo act to Margherita's Grill on 7/30 and 8/13.

Pictures of the event's bands can be viewed in the slideshow and in the Photos page, along with a snapshot of Steve Acker at his Bill's Place acoustic gig last Sunday. You can also watch new clips of Steve from the Videos link, performing his songs "What's Left of Me" and "Hold On to Your Dreams".