Bill Deasy to perform at SouthSide Works 'Music on the Mon'

Jun. 25—Bill Deasy prefers not to have a predetermined set list.

"I love playing live music and feeding off the crowd to determine what song is next," said Deasy, who will be performing at 7 p.m. July 2 with three friends at "Music on the Mon" at SouthSide Works. "I read the crowd. With live music, you can never know what's going to happen. I love the spontaneous aspect of live music."

That in-the-moment feeling is one Deasy said he missed during the pandemic. Deasy, a Penn Hills native who lives in Oakmont, performed his first live show in more than a year June 5 with his band The Gathering Field at the Pittsburgh Shrine Center in Harmar.

"It felt amazing," he said. "It was a perfect night, and it felt like no time had passed. It was so nice to see smiling faces live. Live music is one of those things that can never really be automated."

Also onstage July 2 will be Ferdinand the Bull, an indie-folk band. The location is an outdoor venue named The North Lot. It's a green space that overlooks the Monongahela River and is next to the Hyatt House on South Water Street.

Guests are invited to bring blankets.

The evening will serve as the launch of the SouthSide Works Vintage Airstream "Bar Car," a mobile bar. Pennsylvania-made brews, wines, liquors and cocktails will be available. Rotating vendors and food trucks will be onsite starting with Yovi's, known for its hot dogs and Italian sausages.

The location will be utilized for "Movies on the Mon" beginning July 7 through September.

Deasy has been playing music since the 1980s. He spent time during the pandemic writing songs he expects to play at the event. He said he often gets ideas for songs based on life experiences.

"I love performing at SouthSide Works because it's like a street gathering," said Deasy, who also is the special events manager for Allegheny County. "There's always a great mix of people."

The performance will be the first together with drummer Dave Throckmorton, guitarist Chris Parker and bassist Jerry McDonald in more than 10 years.

"We might have to have a set list since we haven't been onstage together for a long time," Deasy said. "We will rehearse a little bit. These guys are so talented, we will be just fine selecting songs as we go."

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact JoAnne at 724-853-5062, jharrop@triblive.com or via Twitter .