Tady: Aliquippa musician, Dan Bubien, perseveres; Orianthi rocked

Aliquippa soul-blues-rocker Dan Bubien can't wait to warm a Mr. Smalls Theatre crowd Nov. 2 for the famed Los Lobos.

"A gig that's been two years in the making," Bubien said about the Millvale concert, originally slated for April 19, 2020, then April 9, 2021 — twice postponed by COVID.

"Being able to play live music again in a band situation in a great venue opening for a legendary band feels great," Bubien said. "Obviously the past two years have been challenging, to say the least, for everyone. But for me, with close family members being immune-compromised and having every member of the band leave and move on, have made things really challenging."

One of Bubien's bandmates moved to Nashville, another to Florida, the third stepped down from music.

"Honestly, I’m still trying to figure things out. But I have been very fortunate to work with some amazing musicians and having them want to play with me and help me keep my music going is very inspiring," Bubien, a singer, guitarist and recording artist, said. 

For the Los Lobos show, the new-look Dan Bubien & The Delta Struts includes Steve Binsberger on keys.

"Steve is incredible. He currently plays with Bill Toms, and was the original keyboardist for Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band," Bubien said. "I have Jim Spears on bass. Jim is as solid as they come. He has played with everyone. He's like everyone around town's first call when they need someone."

On drums is The Commonheart’s original drummer and co-founding member, Shawn McGregor.

"This will be Shawn’s second gig with me and the band, and it’s really cool that he’s on this one because right before the shutdown, he toured with Los Lobos opening up for them in The Commonheart. So he personally knows those guys."

Los Lobos found fame in 1987, with its cover of Richie Valens' "La Bamba" zooming straight up the charts to No. 1. Los Lobos' blend of Mexican-American rock with rootsy Americana has garnered Grammy Awards, accolades and esteemed gigs ranging from The White House to The Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

For Bubien, who's notched airplay on Pittsburgh radio stations and played prestigious area venues like the Thunderbird Cafe, Palace Theatre and Pittsburgh Winery, finally getting to open for Los Lobos is a triumph of perseverance, plus a good opportunity to make new fans.  

Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $35, available at ticketweb.com  

Sonny shines on

Beaver Valley musicians David Granati, Hermie Granati, Drew Pinchotti and Charlie Barath share the stage with Pittsburgh counterparts Nov. 3 for the 18th annual “Rhythms of Life” concert now at Linden Grove Nightclub in Castle Shannon.

The top-flight musical lineup, starring the Granati Brothers band, also features Katie Simone, Soulful Femme, Shelley Duff, Joel Lindsey and Bastard Bearded Irishmen, with the house band including Matt Barranti, Jason Kendall, Ron Soltis and Ben Tryc.

Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 in advance at sonnypugar.org or emailing spugar@comcast.net.

The 7 p.m. concert raises money for Live Music in Caring Places, a program where local musicians perform at regional hospitals to boost the morale of patients and their families. The program launched and remains an integral part of the Sonny Pugar Memorial foundation, inspired by the late-Ambridge drummer. 

Pugar became a Beaver Valley legend at 16, when he set a Guinness Book of World Records mark for the longest drum solo. He played in B.E. Taylor's 1960s band The Redcoats, and would go on to a career drumming for notable musicians like The Coasters, The Skyliners, Dion & the Belmonts, the Four Tops, Jan & Dean, Bo Diddley and Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits.

Women did rock

Her guitar playing thrilled in "The Greatest Concert That Never Happened."

Virtually everyone who saw "This Is It," the 2009 documentary about Michael Jackson rehearsing for a London concert residency he didn't live long enough to perform, found themselves transfixed by The King of Pop's then 22-year-old Australian guitar slayer Orianthi Panagaris.

Going solely by her first name professionally, Orianthi went on to release a double-platinum pop-rock single "According to You," before shredding guitar in Alice Cooper's band from 2011-14.

She's been off the radar in recent years, so it was wonderful catching Orianthi demonstrating her guitar sorcery and hearty singing as part of the Women Who Rock show last weekend inside Stage AE.

Orianthi's full-throttle, bluesy rock lifted the energy level for the female-fronted concert that raises money and awareness for the Magee-Women’s Research Institute in Pittsburgh, the nation’s largest research entity dedicated entirely to life-saving women’s health research.

The Vindys, that great Youngstown band I keep gushing about, launched the fourth annual Women Who Rock concert in stellar fashion. The band's vocal dynamo, Jackie Popovec, was a riveting stage presence, as her soulful, rocking bandmates kept the pace brisk with a set of winsome originals and a blazing cover of Heart's "Crazy on You."

Lauren Monroe on hand percussion, acoustic guitar and vocals, joined by hubby Rick Allen (Def Leppard's drummer) brought an earthy vibe and a cool cover of '70s gem "Love is Alive" by Gary Wright.

"The Queen of Percussion" Sheila E. delivered an inspiring speech as she received the Women Who Rock Impact Award. A Gibson Guitar rep discussed their sponsorship of the concert, which also encourages young women to pursue musical interests.

Women Who Rock headliner Rita Wilson proved she's got a Nashville heart amid her Hollywood trappings, singing likable country-pop/rock originals including one she wrote that was sung by Connie Britton on ABC's primetime music soap opera "Nashville". 

With a silent auction that included a pink guitar autographed by Taylor Swift, and a trip for eight to Tuscany, Italy, Women Who Rock set the bar high for concert fundraisers.  

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Scott Tady is the local Entertainment Reporter for The Beaver County Times and Ellwood City Ledger. He's easy to reach at stady@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @scotttady