Waxing Nostalgic

There’s something special about putting a vinyl record on the turntable, letting it spin and listening to the tunes from start to finish. It’s the way the artists wanted it to be heard, even with those crackles and pops in between. Musicians from around Central New York will attempt to replicate those experiences during an event titled “Vinyl—Albums Live: The Second” on Saturday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m., at Lost Horizon, 5863 Thompson Road.

Three ad hoc bands will bring a trio of classic albums to life. The Doors’ L.A. Woman will be represented by musicians John Kapusniak, Mark Westers, Andy Comstock and Peter Szymanski. Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours features good vibrations from Michael Featherstone, Ashley Cox, Tim Robinson, Lisa Romano, Kristopher Heels and Matthew Houghtaling. And the song list to The Who’s epic LP Who’s Next will be blasted by Rick Mulvihill, Joseph Porto, Steve Schad, Jimmy Puma and the event’s co-founders Robyn Stockdale and Bob Kane.

Admission is $10 with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the VH-1 Save the Music Foundation. And while the first edition of “Vinyl—Albums Live” took place more than a year ago in January 2010, the next show may take place as soon as spring 2012. For Lost lowdown, call 446-1934.

Murphy’s Law

You can tell by the tone of his voice that longtime local harmonica player Skip Murphy is excited about  his show at the Fayetteville Free Library, 300 Orchard St., Fayetteville, on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2 p.m..

The free concert will reunite Murphy with a few of his other local favorites, including Big D and the now-healthy Mark Hoffmann on guitar, Michael Davis on Hammond B3 organ and drummer Eric Cappotto. The icing on the cake, however, is that Spencer Murphy, Skip’s own son, will also be playing on upright and electric bass.

“It’s the biggest thrill having him home,” proud papa Murphy says about his musical offspring, who currently lives in New York City and plays with several bands. “It’s much more fun watching your child play. I’m pumped for this. It’s in our blood.”

Murphy was entrenched in the local music scene for much of his life before taking a 15-year break to raise three children. Murphy’s resume included running the former Firebarn Tavern when it was located next to downtown’s City Hall. He was also a charter member of Out of the Blue. “We were the only band to play Bob Marley, Paul Butterfield and Glenn Miller in the same set,” he fondly recalls. “It was always dance music, but never what you would expect.”

The music on Sunday should likewise offer a solid mix of swing and blues aimed to highlight the songs Murphy loves playing. And as the date approaches, more musicians keep offering their talents.

“Playing over the years I’ve built a network and been really blessed that people want me to sit in with them,” Murphy says. “It’s getting wild, throwing in a few more horn players, singers. It’s really gathering some steam, but I don’t mind because all the players are really good.”

Gift of Fab

Oct. 17, 2009, marked the last stand for The Fab Five, as the well-known and well-traveled Beatles tribute band retired with a final show at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. It was the end of an era for a local covers group that had been praised by Pete Best, former Beatle from 1960 to 1962, and played everywhere from the historic Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, to the Abbey Road on the River Festival in Louisville, Ky. They had been recognized as one of the best tribute bands in the nation by CBS Sunday Morning and shared stages with Joey Molland of Badfinger, The Hollies, The Rascals and Gerry & the Pacemakers.

 

Two years later, however, the Beatlesloving band has announced they’ll “come together” for a reunion show next month. “We realized that we had a really good thing,” says Fab founder and bassist Paul Davie. “We all miss playing in front of those crowds. And I still get a kick out of how an actual Beatle {Pete Best} called us his favorite band in America. Last year we still weren’t ready. But now, I think we are.”

The Fab Five will bring back the lineup that performed from 2006 to 2009 with Davie, guitarist-keyboardist Joe Donelan, 12-string guitarist Charlie Kraebel, lead guitarist Pat Hodson and drummer Tim Breezee. The show is set for Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m., at Meghan McMurphy’s, 7990 Oswego Rd., Liverpool.

The reunion date came together haphazardly, having to consider family and work commitments of the busy band members. When the date Nov. 19 was settled on, however, Davie realized it was also the one-year anniversary of the death of Jenni-Lyn Watson, the 20-yearold college student who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend. After discovering through Watson’s parents that she was a Beatles fan, the concert date seemed even more fitting, with money from the event going toward the Jenni-Lyn Watson Memorial Fund. (Davie helped raise $7,000 for the fund during a January benefit concert at Liverpool venue Sharkey’s that featured local bands including Brand New Sin, Capricorn Black, Born Again Rebels and Catastrophe Me.)

The Fab Five are perhaps known best for their signature three and four-part harmonies, which help distinguish them from other tribute bands. Although the band does not have full-time plans in their future, Davie is hopeful they’ll reunite again.

“When The Beatles broke up in April 1970, I was in kindergarten,” Davie says. “Life magazine was on the coffee table and it said, “Paul says, ‘The Beatles have broken up.” And I cried and cried. I wore out {the LP} Meet the Beatles when I was 4 years old. My mom bought me The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles Hits and I said, ‘This is crap.’ I would take the speed down a notch on the dial so that the Chipmunks were singing regular speed. I was hardcore then.”

The cover charge for the reunion is $5, with raffles and auctions also taking place. For more information, call 382-7285.

—Compiled by Jessica Novak