• From: City of Champions
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 734

Topic: Pittsburgh Blues festival and Frank Marino

Good morning all. This weekend is the 13th anual Pgh blues fest to benefit the local food bank. Friday was Devon Allmans Honeytribe and Walter Trout, free with a nice bag of groceries. Saturday was the day I could go due to work schedules. Got there about 3ish in time for Larry Mckray. Excellent guitarist and solid 90 minute set. Next up Bernard Allison. My first time seeing him. Boy was I impressed. Real showman and monster player.  Dedicated some tunes to "Daddy" and that really brought the crowd to a roar. Cordless and all thru the crowd. Real crowd favorite. But the man I went to see was coming on at 8:45. Frank Marino.
   Caught Frank watching Bernards set and couldn't help myself. Had to go over and say HI.
Didn't want to bother him but also couldn't resist the chance to talk to the legend. He graciously posed for a few pics with me and signed my ticket stubb. I'll post the pics sometime Monday. I asked him how much time he had tonight because I know his shows are in the 3 + hour range. He said dissapointed, 90 minutes.   Oh well, 90 minutes of Frank Marino is better than nothing.  He was introduced by the PGH rock station WDVE's Sean McDowell which I thought was funny because there's no way in the world they would ever play anything from Frank.
     He opened with Voodoo Child (slow version) and the crowd went nuts. Then came the popular rocker, Somethings coming our way. Poppy, She's not there, He's Calling (freakin unreal) johnny B goode, Red House slowed down and jazzed up. Can't remember exactly what else but was totally blown away and left with a memory of a lifetime oh yeah and the lovely ringing in my ears from his Gibson SG. A beautifull thing. 
     Forgot one thing, inbetween Bernard and Frank the sound guy played You and Me. Too bad Joe wasn't there to make this afternoon complete.

Take care everyone. And if I don't meet you no more in this world
Then ill, I'll meet you in the next one and don't be late, don't be late

Pittsburgh Jeff's Website

  • From: Benicia, Ca.
  • Registered: 2006-05-08
  • Posts: 5,828

Re: Pittsburgh Blues festival and Frank Marino

Hi Jeff, I guess you're right, 90 min. of Frank is better than nothin'. At 90 min. though Frank is just gettin' limbered up. I have Frank's Real Live 2 disc set, sounds like from what you heard it was basically most of disc 1. I play that disc more than the other. Glad you had fun.

                                                                                             Think Green,

                                                                                             J Dawg

What is success? Is it do yo' own thang, or is it to join the rest?   -Allen Toussaint
  • From: Upper Yukon, Alaska
  • Registered: 2006-12-05
  • Posts: 128

Re: Pittsburgh Blues festival and Frank Marino

Wife & I grew up 60 miles east of burgh and if I couldn't live in Alaska, Pittsburgh is where we'd be.  Big Sports and R&B town; remember the summer jazz festivals and the Syria Mosque (before they tore her down).  We miss the ethnic neighborhoods, good eats, and rich musical fabric, so to speak.    Where was it held, down the Point?   Billy Price still play the Burgh?

Haven't been back for visit, almost 10 years; sure many changes; still good memories.   Ya know, I've run into Pittsburghers out and about in the boat along the yukon too; I've never been able to lose that awful Pittsburgh slang; they recognize it quick.  Nowadays, I can only watch Steelers & Pens & Savran & local West Pa high school sports over the dish but guess I shouldn't complain; HD is ok over no sports at all.   All I ever see from Burgh is sports thru Direct Tv though. 

Good Deal to hear about Pittsburgh Blues festival, thanks.

  • et88b
  • Silver Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-04-27
  • Posts: 53

Re: Pittsburgh Blues festival and Frank Marino

Jeff,
Sounds like a great event. I would have liked to see Frank Marino play. A friend of mine saw him play at the Galaxy theater in Santa Ana Ca last year. He said he took the stage and played for about three and a half hours straight! He does about the best live version of johnny b. goode I have ever heard.

  • From: City of Champions
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 734

Re: Pittsburgh Blues festival and Frank Marino

Zhurh wrote:

Wife & I grew up 60 miles east of burgh and if I couldn't live in Alaska, Pittsburgh is where we'd be.  Big Sports and R&B town; remember the summer jazz festivals and the Syria Mosque (before they tore her down).  We miss the ethnic neighborhoods, good eats, and rich musical fabric, so to speak.    Where was it held, down the Point?   Billy Price still play the Burgh?

Haven't been back for visit, almost 10 years; sure many changes; still good memories.   Ya know, I've run into Pittsburghers out and about in the boat along the yukon too; I've never been able to lose that awful Pittsburgh slang; they recognize it quick.  Nowadays, I can only watch Steelers & Pens & Savran & local West Pa high school sports over the dish but guess I shouldn't complain; HD is ok over no sports at all.   All I ever see from Burgh is sports thru Direct Tv though. 

Good Deal to hear about Pittsburgh Blues festival, thanks.

The past 3 years have been held at Hartwood acres. Up rt 8 near North Park. Beautifull venue. Yes Billy Price is still kicking it here. He headlined Friday night after Walter Trout!
I keep telling my wife "we need to get out of Pittsburgh" The property tax is so high, but all things considered, it's not such a bad place.

Take care everyone. And if I don't meet you no more in this world
Then ill, I'll meet you in the next one and don't be late, don't be late

Pittsburgh Jeff's Website