ASSORTED DECLARATIONS BY STAFF WRITER TOM GRAHAM
A Storm a Brewin’
A few weeks back, we had the pleasure of meeting up with the brains behind 3 Guys & A Beer’d Brewing Company in Carbondale. Well, the boys are back in the spotlight and will be throwing a grand opening party at The Backyard Ale House in Scranton on Saturday, Feb. 11 starting at 7 p.m. You’ll be able to meet the Brewers of 3 Guys & A Beer’d and drink their kick-ass brews, plus sample a test batch of their “Irish Red” weeks before its release in March. Nothing says “Happy Valentine’s Day” like sampling some big, tasty beers underneath a big tent in the Electric City while rubbing elbows with like-minded beer enthusiasts from across the area.
You Wreck Me
On Thanksgiving Eve of 2011, a low-life thief stole bassist Mark Kiesinger’s guitar while members of The Tom Petty Appreciation Band were loading their gear after a show at The Bog in Scranton (Don’t Do Me Like That). The left-handed, custom bass guitar built by Northeast Music Center’s owner Jack Gretz is still missing, but that isn’t stopping the boys from bringing their arsenal of Petty tunes back to The River Street Jazz Café this Friday, Feb. 10 (I Won’t Back Down). The Tom Petty Appreciation Band is (Breakdown) Pat Finnerty (Guitars / Vocals), Pat Flynn (Guitars / Vocals), Mark Kiesinger (Bass), Doug Hawk (Keyboard / Organ / Vocals) and Bill Orner (Drums). Don’t miss (You Don’t Know How It Feels) their triumphant return to the Jazz Café this Friday night and the debut of Lefty’s new bass.
The Bird is the Word
NBC has apologized for airing footage of rapper M.I.A. displaying the middle finger to the cameras while performing alongside Madonna during the Super Bowl halftime show last Sunday. The network was quick to point out that the NFL hired the performers — not the network — and produced the show, but they admit they were too slow in censoring the obscene gesture and were unable to protect their vulnerable and defenseless wing devouring audience from the hell-raising single digit. The incident occurred during the performance of Madonna’s new single “Give Me All Your Luvin” right about the time M.I.A. was delivering the line “I don’t give a shit.” The rapper, not a stranger of controversy, avoided a hefty inappropriate language FCC fine by not fully enunciating the verse. The NFL also issued an apology for the incident claiming that the gesture was completely “inappropriate” and “very disappointing” and they apologized to their fans, reassuring them that the flipping off segment wasn’t included in any dress rehearsals for the show.
T-Minus 30 Days
The St. Patrick’s Parade in Scranton is right around the corner and that means people all over northeastern Pennsylvania will be searching high and low for all things Irish as well as looking to see when and where their favorite local acts will perform this year. The parade is Saturday, March 10 and kicks off at 11:45 a.m. If you can’t remember your past parade adventures, or you’re looking to relive some memories, look no further than the570.com for extensive Parade Day galleries. See if you can spot yourself and your partners in crime and get ready to do it all over again in 30 days!
Here’s what’s in my headphones this week: The Sword Age of Winters (2006 Kemado Records)
Send email to tgraham@timesshamrock
