John Solinski - JP's Corner Weekend Recap 07/21/08

The Solinski brothers, Redawg and John.

John "facingwest" Solinski.

Sadly, John Solinski has been spending too much time down South. He’s starting to suffer from toothless redneck syndrome.

John’s flare-up gets worse.

Redawg and redneck.

John’s redneck symptoms subside.

Redawg headbangs with his zendrum.

Again, Redawg and John.

Redawg lets a young lady give his zendrum a spin.

"Mama Buttcheek" gives the zendrum a test-fitting as well.

John and Redawg, with Hitching Post main man Butch looking on.

Redawg gives Butch and his father a zendrum demonstration.

WEEK/WEEKEND RECAP 7/21/08

JOHN SOLINSKI & REDAWG
@ THE HITCHING POST, ALTOONA 7/16/08
You know you’re living the dream life as a musician when you need to take a vacation from your day job, entertaining tourists in Key West, Florida! Former RetroActive party animals John and Redawg Solinski faced this situation, and returned northward to Pennsylvania this week to get away from their workplace, Irish Kevin’s in Key West, for a while. And while home in Pennsylvania, they booked a few shows to earn a few bucks and show the folks back at home what their Key West party was all about. This night, they brought the party to the Hitching Post, and I stopped by to see what was up.

Debauchery, that was what was up! John and Red lit it up at the Post with a wild and freewheeling acoustic-geared party! John sang and played guitar, while Redawg sang and provided percussion on his zendrum (a MIDI percussion device, where rhythms can be pounded out by tapping various pads and sensors with your hands). As the pair performed a variety of favorites, there were chills, thrills and spills around every corner!

As I arrived, the duo was performing the Doobie Brothers’ "Long Train Runnin.’" Then John introduced an Irish number, starting into the "Drunken Sailor" song; somehow making the transition into a super-redneck rendition of Charlie Daniels Band’s "Devil Went Down to Georgia," with appropriate headgear and teeth to match! This led into the pair’s twisted take on Willie Nelson’s "On the Road Again," before they started into the Eagles’ "Hotel California." During this song, John broke a guitar string; but rather than result in a delay in the musical action, the pair turned it into a "Final Jeopardy" interlude with the game show music playing while the broken string was replaced. The party continued with tunes from Bob Seger, Golden Earring, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Three Dog Night and the Beatles; before Red sang lead on Metallica’s "Enter Sandman." This led into the pair’s rendition of Denis Leary’s "A**hole Song," with Red declaring during the spoken word midsection "Because we got Jager Bombs!" Puddle of Mudd’s "She Hates Me," a twisted take on the Monkees’ I’m a Believer" and Carl Dougles’ "Kung Fu Fighting" closed out the show.

This show was pure insanity start to end, as John and Redawg constantly kept the music and highjinks coming. There was never a dull moment for the duration of the show, and the pair continually kept the audience involved; including Hitching Post staff, management and family, and matching wits with a good-natured heckler along the way.

Lots of laughs were had, and lots of Jagermeister was consumed. John and Redawg provided an exhaustive good time; and based on this display, it’s easy to understand how this duo stays as busy as they do in Key West.