Scott Tady: Joe Grushecky musical & albums arrive; ZanaFest returns; local morning shows debuts

Pittsburgh rocker Joe Grushecky has an exciting schedule.

On Friday, the newly renovated Bell Theater in Holmdel, N.J., launches a seven-night run of "East Carson Street," a 20-song musical inspired by Grushecky's same-named 2009 album. Former "American Idol" finalist-turned Broadway star Constantine Maroulis plays the lead role for a blue-collar story spanning four decades of a Pittsburgh family's life.

On May 24, Grushecky will release a 36-track, career-spanning album "Houserocker: A Joe Grushecky Anthology." Grushecky and his band The Houserockers celebrate the release with a May 25 concert at Bottlerocket Social Hall in Pittsburgh's Allentown neighborhood.

Then on July 12, Grushecky and The Houserockers release "Can’t Outrun a Memory," the first fresh Grushecky album in seven years, featuring 13 originals and a remake of The Animals' “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.” That album's release show takes place July 27 at City Winery Pittsburgh.

You got to figure the odds favor Grushecky and his bandmates getting called up on stage at some point when their Jersey buddy Bruce Springsteen headlines PPG Paints Arena on Aug. 15 and 18.

ZanaFest talent contest returns

Local music students can perform and compete for prizes June 2 in the ZanaFest Youth Talent Showcase at the Hard Rock Café, Pittsburgh.

Named for former Ambridge Area School District music teacher Richard Zana, the event is open to vocalists and instrumentalists from ages kindergarten to Grade 12.

Prizes will be awarded in four age groups: K-Grade 3, Grades 4-6, Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12. A winner from each age group will be selected by a panel of professional judges along with an audience “People’s Choice” ballot. Each winner earns $250, plus a professionally produced performance video, and multiple performance opportunities at local festivals.

Along with the ZanaFest awards, an Outstanding Instrumentalist Award will be gifted by Virtuoseaux.org.

To register, each performer must be recommended by their music instructor at school or private lesson instructor.A parent or guardian also will need to authorize participation.

Registration is at zanaFest.org, open now through May 20, with a $50 fee to participate. In the event of a financial hardship, the ZanaFest board will find a sponsor to cover the cost.

ZanaFest supports the Richard Zana Memorial Fund, which provides music scholarships for college-bound students and to benefit cancer organizations whenever possible.

Absent for several years, ZanaFest began in 2009 as a multi-day music festival and talent showcase at The Venue at Harmony Ridge in Harmony Township, inspired by Zana, who taught 38 years at all levels in the Ambridge school district.

Hopewell, Lincoln Park students sing with Pittsburgh Symphony

Hopewell High student Luke Ujhazy and Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School student Haley Hunt will perform this weekend with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

The two Beaver County students were among four Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh members invited to join the adult Mendelssohn Choir in singing the famous "Ode to Joy" as part of the symphony's Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 concerts at Heinz Hall.

Ujhazy, 17, also was among seven Beaver County high school students earning All-State honors from the Pennsylvania Educators Music Association. He performed in Erie last weekend with the All-State Chorus at the annual PEMA conference.

Beaver County radio show debuts

This Monday marks the debut of a new morning show on The Beaver 95.7 co-hosted by Beaver County Radio general manager Frank Sparks and Times Entertainment Editor Scott Tady.

Yes, me!

Sparks and I will spotlight the local music scene as well as spinning The Beaver's vast mix of rock and country; current and classic.

Sparks already added local artists to the station's playlist, such as Charles Wesley Godwin and his stadium-tested Beaver County backing band. We're also lining up musical guests and representatives from many of Pittsburgh's top concert venues.

Nothing changes here at The Times; I'll still be hard at work writing articles and columns focused on the local entertainment and dining/drinks scenes.

3 new local releases

One song you'll hear on Beaver 95.7 is “Stokin The Heat” by Pittsburgh area funk-rock band Giant's Causeway.

Powered by infectious rhythms led by the spry saxophone riffs from Mark Jackovic of Ambridge, "Stokin The Heat" captures the essence of a party atmosphere, where friends come together to let loose with joy and laughter. Available on major streaming platforms, “Stokin The Heat” was recorded at The Vault on Neville Island.

l'm also digging the sax work on the new Derek Woods Band single “Thank You For Being Here."

A melodic anthem championing the importance of embracing change in order to experience growth, ‘Thank You For Being Here” is streaming on top platforms worldwide, bringing a fresh pop-rock sound to the Westmoreland County rockers whose Americana undertones have earned them support gigs for artists like Allman Betts Band, Lisa Marie Presley and Rusted Root.

Fresh off a coast-to-coast tour of the U.S., with another North American jaunt planned later this year, the Derek Woods Band has played major gigs including Woodstock 50th Anniversary at Yasgur's Farm in Bethel, N.Y. and at The Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, Calif.

The band's next Western Pennsylvania show is May 31 at Bella Terra Winery in Mount Pleasant, Pa.

Another new song deserving attention is “Me For Me" by Allegheny Valley rock-alt-country band Noble Hops.

Noble Hops founding member Utah Burgess, co-host of the popular "The Grass Roots" local music show airing Sunday nights on Butler's 97.7-FM The Rock Station, wrote the song, debuting it at the inaugural Rock Done Right show in 2016 at The Strand in Zelienople.

“It is a reflective song, while maintaining a statement that, basically, things are what they are, and I’ve done the best I can”, Burgess said.

Powered by rugged electric guitar from Noble Hops' Tony Villella paired with Burgess' acoustic strumming and lay-it-on-the-line singing, the chorus says, "I'm just a man who at times has cut and ran/There have been times where I also took a stand/Ain't looking for a fight/I only want what's right."

Fresh off an April 25 Erie show, Noble Hops performs at the next Rock Done Right concert May 1 at Jergel's Rhythm Grille, joined by hALF wHEEL, and One Eye Daddys.

Burgess and his "Grassroots" radio co-host Bob Cupp have given countless radio spins to Beaver Valley bands, so I'm sure the scene will be supportive of his new release streaming on major sites.

Hollywood on The Beaver

Filming took place last Friday at Rochester Riverfront Park, next to the Flag Plaza, for Paramount+'s "Mayor of Kingstown" starring Jeremy Renner.

The Rochester-Beaver Bridge, as reported in advance, also closed temporarily last Saturday for the crime thriller to shoot a Season Three scene.

See 'Hundreds of Beavers'

Leave it to The Lindsay Theater in Sewickley to book "Hundreds of Beavers," the award-winning film racking up awards and selling out indie movie houses nationwide.

My column two weeks ago recommended "Hundreds of Beavers" after it began streaming on Prime and Apple TV.

It's one of the funniest, most creative films you'll see − slapstick at its wackiest − set in the 19th century frozen North Woods where furry, four-legged creatures (actors in whimsical costumes) square off against a stranded applejack salesman-turned-hunter fighting for survival.

Lindsay screening times: 2:15 and 7 p.m. April 26; noon and 4:45 p.m. April 27 and 5:15 p.m. April 28.

Scott Tady, entertainment editor at The Times, is at stady@timesonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Tady: Joe Grushecky musical debuts; ZanaFest returns at Hard Rock Pittsburgh