Scott Tady: Beaver concert series set; big NYE show in Moon; Beach Boys for $3
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Get ready for another exciting concert season at Beaver Station Cultural & Event Center.
The Cabin Fever Music Series, announced Tuesday, includes a top-flight mix of rock, pop, country and indie-folk, including three headlining acts that rarely play Beaver County.
British-born singer-songwriter Joel Lindsey kicks things off Jan. 28. I last saw Lindsey on stage a month ago in the Strip District, where his spontaneity, wit, impressive vocal range and mix of familiar covers and heartfelt originals made for a crowd-pleasing concert. Lindsey's band will include ace violinist Bob Banerjee. Lindsey, now an established Pittsburgh artist, gave a few of his first U.S. performances at Bridgewater open mics.
On Feb. 25, Holy Hers headlines. That's the stage name for the literal one-man band of Tucker Muetzel, an Ambridge-ite whose impassioned brand of indie-folk has made him a popular performer at craft breweries throughout the region. His ability to sing and strum guitar while simultaneously playing a kick drum with a foot pedal is a sight and sound to behold. He's got a way of making fans instantly.
On March 25, Beaver Station presents Tiny Wars, the thrilling New Wave rock band fronted by Switzerland native Sue Pedrazzi, alongside guitarist Abby Krizner, who brings a sizable fanbase from her previous band Fist Fight in The Parking Lot, and her deejay duties with Pittsburgh alt-rock station 105.9-The X. Releasing its rookie album this past September, Tiny Wars has just begun playing out, and were outstanding Oct. 15 at the Women Who Rock show at Stage AE. Journalists compare Tiny Wars to '80s rockers Scandal ("The Warrior"/"Goodbye to You"). Opening for Tiny Wars will be "America's Got Talent" contestant/recording artist Ashley Marina, a Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School student, who won the "Rising Star" contest in this year's Women Who Rock benefit.
Frank Viera, a modern country singer, closes the Cabin Fever music series April 28. The rugged-voiced, homespun-with-humor wordsmith's songs has landed him honkytonk and festival tour dates throughout the Eastern U.S.
Cabin Fever subscription tickets are available now at RSVP.BeaverStation.org
Reserve a seat at all four shows for $108, which includes complimentary craft beer and wine. Individual shows bought separately cost $34 each and go on sale in January.
New this year: The musicians will be on a raised stage for better viewing. Series subscribers will receive a gift.
They got around
Alright, who's the biggest band to ever play Beaver County?
I say the Beach Boys.
The legendary California pop-rock group that's sold over 100 million records, riding a wave of fame since songs like "Surfin' USA," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "I Get Around," "Help Me Rhonda," "California Girls," "Barbara Ann," "Sloop John B" and "Good Vibrations" ― all of which were established hits before the Beach Boys stepped foot on stage at Geneva College on April 17, 1967.
Sam Siple, a former public relations director at Geneva, sent me a photocopy of the original contract signed by officials of the Beaver Falls college on Dec. 13, 1966, setting the parameters for the Beach Boys' show four months later.
The band required Geneva to set up at least 4,000 seats with tickets set at $3-$4 dollars. (Yes, pre-Ticketmaster days.) The deal guaranteed the Beach Boys $7,000, or 70 percent of gross box office receipts.
The contract stipulated the concert would begin at 8 p.m. with an opening act supplied by the band. After an intermission, the five Beach Boys were obligated to perform for 50 minutes. The contract guaranteed the band two chauffeur-driven limousines and a security guard at their dressing room door.
I'd love to hear from anyone with memories of that show.
Meanwhile, how about those $3 tickets?
Tickets started at $49 for this weekend's Beach Boys show, fronted by co-founder Mike Love, at the Benedum Center, Pittsburgh.
More:Beach Boys' Mike Love promises fun, fun, fun (T-bird not necessary)
Moon blues
Local blues fans will welcome 2023 by watching The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling headlining the Doubletree Hilton in Moon Township.
Moss' powerhouse Chicago band was a great "get" for the New Year's Eve Blues Bash hosted by the Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania.
"Band of the year, song of year, CD of year, harp of the year several times..." touted BSWPA president Jonnye Weber, referring to the Moss band's five Blues Music Awards including Traditional Blues Male Artist (Moss) and Instrumentalist (Gruenling on harmonica). "This will be a smoking show. Cannot believe we got them."
The warmup act will be Pittsburgh's own Miss Freddye's Homecookin' Band.
The Dec. 31 show costs $130-$135 at bswpa.org/new-year-s-eve
Rock station sold
St. Barnabas Broadcasting purchased the Butler Radio Network, which includes popular rock station WLER-FM (97.7).
The Butler Eagle broke the news, reporting St. Barnabas officials said there were no immediate plans to change WLER's format or on-air talent.
St, Barnabas also owns Beaver County simulcast news-talk stations WBVP (99.3) and WMBA (95.7), and Pittsburgh's WJAS (1320 AM).
More:My Favorite Guitar: Rick Witkowski picks his go-to guitar
Beach was a blast
Beaver County-Pittsburgh band Jukebox literally shared the stage recently with one of Pittsburgh's all-time top guitarists, Reb Beach of Winger and Whitesnake.
Jukebox members first had met Beach after a recent gig and invited him to join them onstage Nov. 20 as a special guest at their headlining show at The Oaks Theater in Oakmont. Beach accepted, and collectively they rocked the joint.
"We learned a bunch of Winger tunes and let him pick what he wanted to do," Jukebox bassist Dave Charles said. "We did a bunch of Winger, Whitesnake, and some funk stuff and AC/DC. Total hoot. Super sweet guy and we had an absolute blast. He is an absolute gem. Wouldn't take any money and talked to a ton of people while he was there."
Jukebox includes Beaver County-ites Crash McCracken on drums and Albert Park, a resident artist at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, on guitar.
More:My Favorite Guitar: Rick Witkowski picks his go-to guitar
Bubien earns accolade
WYEP-FM proclaimed Aliquippa's Dan Bubien and his blues-infused soul band The Delta Struts as "Pittsburgh Artist of The Week".
Throughout Thanksgiving Week, Pittsburgh's adult album alternative radio station featured Bubien and The Delta Struts' lockdown-inspired, appreciate-the-love-of-family single “Times Like These.”
Visit wyep.org for a full interview with Bubien, where among other things he says Pearl Jam's "Ten" was a life-changer, and the regional artist he most wishes more people knew about is fellow Beaver Valley singer-songwriter T.C. Davis.
Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at stady@timesonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Tady: Beaver concert series set; big NYE show in Moon; Bubien honored
