A Wee Bit O' Live Music!

With St. Patrick’s Day happening on a Sunday this year, this weekend will be filled with lots of the color green, Irish music, Irish cuisine, and plenty of Irish-themed live music parties and events.

Three major area St. Patrick’s-rooted celebrations return this year. On Friday night, the 10th annual Mac’s Irish Bash – a fundraiser for the Richard L. McEldowney Academic Scholarship Fund – will take place at Altoona’s Jaffa Shrine. The festivities start at 6 p.m., with dinner and live music from the Michael O’Brian Band and Flight 19. Advance tickets are sold for this event.

Punk rock, rockabilly and psychobilly music take the spotlight for another annual St. Patty’s tradition on Saturday night. The 14th annual 814 Riot returns to the Castle Pub in Ebensburg starting at 8 p.m. The 814 Riot will feature live bands on two stages, highlighted by a reunion of former Altoona punk rock favorites Ten Sent Wings. Also performing will be Nobody’s Heroes, Ben Dumm & the Deviants, The Legendary Hucklebucks, The Barons, World’s Scariest Police Chases and Sloover.

And the Oriental Ballroom in Gallitzin will again be the setting for a huge St. Patrick’s Day party on Sunday evening. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Party will kick off at 4 p.m., and feature dinner plus music from Full Kilt, the Michael O’Brian Band and Hot Wax. Advance tickets are sold for this event, and proceeds help out the Gallitzin American Legion.

Zach’s in Altoona is always a busy place around St. Patrick’s Day, and this year they will feature entertainment throughout the weekend. The Michael O’Brian Band will lead the crowds in Irish pub sing-alongs on Friday night, The Syrins will bring vintage and classic rock to Zach’s stage on Saturday night, and Zach’s frequent-flyer solo performer Conner Gilbert wraps up the celebration on Sunday afternoon and evening.

For some belated Irish music later in the week directly from the homeland, female Irish pop-rock quartet the Screaming Orphans will visit Penn State Altoona on Thursday night, taking the stage at the Slep Student Center at 9 p.m. Compared to the Bangles and Cranberries, the Screaming Orphans are touring Penn State branch campuses this week as part of their ongoing tour of the eastern United States. Admission to this performance is free. (And if you arrive early, stop at the Misciagna Family Arts Center to see and meet my good friend, photographer and author Meredith Kaminek, who gives a free presentation about her career and art at 7 p.m.!)

There are plenty of other noteworthy live music events happening this weekend as well. For fans of the music of new Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductees Rush, Pittsburgh-based Rush tribute band Distant Signals returns to Pellegrine’s this Saturday night. This group impressed the audience on their first visit, as they demonstrated instrumental precision and chops on a variety of Rush favorites and deep cuts. The show begins at 9:30 p.m.

A new area band featuring former members of the popular groups Bad Daze, Stept On and Green Eggs will make its debut on two area stages this weekend. Brand New Wings features former Bad Daze singer Tim Howsare, former Bad Daze and Stept On drummer Jim Bagrosky, former Stept On and Green Eggs guitarist Matt Day, and former Teenage Girls bassist Matt Buhler. The group officially debuted earlier this month, and brings their mixture of rock/pop covers and originals to the Osceola Hotel in Osceola Mills on Friday night, and Pellegrine’s on Sunday night.

Support live music this and every weekend! And if mass quantities of green beer, Guinness or Jameson are part of your celebration while doing so, please designate a driver or call a cab!

Here is a full listing for live music on area stages this weekend and the coming week:

FRIDAY NIGHT:

10th annual Mac’s Irish Bash at Jaffa Shrine, Altoona; featuring Michael O’Brian Band and Flight 19 (starts 6 p.m.; proceeds benefit Richard L. McEldowney Academic Scholarship Fund)

Randy Jackson, Stephen Johnopolos and Joe Carlin at Raphael’s Steakhouse, Altoona (starts 6:30 p.m.)

Michael O’Brian Band at Zach’s, Altoona (starts 9 p.m.)

Seas We Fear to Sail at Aldo’s, Altoona

Mike Willz at Heidelberg Club, Altoona (9 p.m., members and guests)

The AM Band at the Bellwood Eagles, Bellwood

Ty Ayers at Underdogs, Bellwood

Born & the Beanstalk at Celtic Knot, Bellwood

The Jam at Bullpen Lounge, Tyrone

Brand New Wings at Osceola Hotel, Osceola Mills

White Shadow at Philipsburg Hotel, Philipsburg

Ganister at Blue Knob Clubhouse, Blue Knob Ski Resort

Felix & the Hurricanes at Steele’s Tavern, Hopewell

The Backyard Rockers at the Thirsty Dawg Taverne, Patton

Saving Jake at Magoo’s, Cresson

G’Street at Sokol’s Club, Lilly

One Adam 12 at Yesterday’s Party, Ebensburg

Raggedy Hobo at City Hotel, Northern Cambria

SATURDAY NIGHT:

Randy Jackson, Stephen Johnopolos and Joe Carlin at Raphael’s Steakhouse, Altoona (starts 6:30 p.m.)

The Hope Fallacy at Aldo’s, Altoona

Felix & the Hurricanes at Family Pizza, Altoona

Distant Signals (Rush tribute) at Pellegrine’s, Altoona

Giants Of Science at 4D’s Lounge, Altoona

Flight 19 at Belmar Hotel, Altoona

The Conniptions at Heidelberg Country Club, Altoona

Chillz and 3 High Crew at 30 Something, Altoona

Born & the Beanstalk at Shaw’s, Altoona

The Syrins at Zach’s, Altoona

Inside Out (Kyx members) at Teriz Place, Altoona

NailDriver, Up Your Arsenal, Assault Method and Black Sun at Williamsburg Community Center, Williamsburg

Emberstitch at Glenn’s Place, Claysburg

Fueled By Ignorance (F.B.I.) at Bedford American Legion, Bedford

LeVel at Penn West, Bedford

Ganister at County Line Inn, Mount Union

814 Riot at Castle Pub, Ebensburg; featuring Ten Sent Wings, Nobody’s Heroes, Ben Dumm & the Deviants, the Legendary Hucklebucks, The Barons, World’s Scariest Police Chases and Sloover (starts 8 p.m.)

Untyed at Magoo’s, Cresson

Ruff Tymes at Sankertown VFW, Sankertown

Punk Fiction at Mad Hatters, St. Boniface

On A Roll at City Hotel, Northern Cambria

SUNDAY AFTERNOON:

St. Patty’s Day Bash at Oriental Ballroom, Gallitzin; featuring Full Kilt, Michael O’Brian Band and Hot Wax (starts 4 p.m.)

Conner Gilbert at Zach’s, Altoona (starts 4 p.m.)

The House Band at Molly Maguire’s, Altoona (starts 5 p.m.)

Born & the Beanstalk at Mad Hatters, St. Boniface (starts 4 p.m.)

The Beatlemaniacs at Thirsty Dawg Taverne, Patton (starts 4 p.m.)

SUNDAY NIGHT:

Shallow 9 at Belmar Hotel, Altoona

Sleepy Saint and Rich Edmundson (7 p.m.), Brand New Wings (10 p.m.) at Pellegrine’s, Altoona

Felix & the Hurricanes at Shaw’s Bar, Altoona

Ty & Pletcher at 4D’s Lounge, Altoona (upstairs)

Disorganized Crime at Castle Pub, Ebensburg

TUESDAY NIGHT:

Ty Ayers (acoustic) at 4D’s Lounge, Altoona

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:

The Country Gentlemen at Clair’s Ashville Inn, Ashville (starts 6 p.m.)

“Battle of the Acoustics” (Round 3) at City Hotel, Northern Cambria (starts 7 p.m.)

Wertz & Pletcher at 4D’s Lounge (upstairs), Altoona

Open Mic/Jam Night at Pellegrine’s, Altoona (starts 9 p.m.)

Open Mic/Jam Night at Mug Shots, Gallitzin (starts 8 p.m.)

THURSDAY NIGHT:

Steve Summerhill at Jethro’s, Altoona (starts 7 p.m.)

Michael O’Brian Band at Molly Maguire’s, Altoona (starts 8 p.m.)

The Screaming Orphans at Slep Student Center, Penn State Altoona (starts 9 p.m.)

Triple Threat at Pellegrine’s, Altoona (starts 9 p.m.)

Phil Baskin at Thirsty Dawg Taverne, Patton

(More shows may be added to this list as information becomes available. Feel free to check back.)

To report additional shows or corrections to this listing, email information to jptheprofessor@gmail.com.