We really enjoyed our stay in State College, what a place. We got to our Hampton around 4:30 and went downtown, to the campus around 6:30. The campus is beautiful this time of the year, and basically hugs the west side of College Street, for almost an mile. On the other side, are all the shops and restaurants, stores, coffee shops, diners, you name it they have it for almost a mile. The east side, where we walked, was packed with people, mostly students but townies and tourists as well, going to bars, resaturants, shops, or running, just hanging out, having a great time and enjoying the fall night. What a different feel from, let's say Jamestown, which is mostly empty, closed store fronts like most other towns in this part of the US. State College, however, is amazingly prosperous, no closed stores, crowded restaurants and bars, no place to park, just a great place to be, as a student or resident.
We got together with Mike Maimone, a former Reserve student, and his two band members, after something out of the Three Stooges, as we tried to hook up at the bar, but there were two entrances, us at one, them at the other. We then went to the Pickle Brew Pub for a burger and a beer, talked with them for a couple of hours, learning about their life as serious musicians. It ain't pretty. Mike and his band members, Chris on drums, Bob on bass, have been together since 2009. Like most bands, they are struggling to make a name, to get their music out there, thus the trips to bars and venues all over the US, which end up not hardly paying their expenses. In other words, they are not getting rich. All three have jobs, the kind they can leave if they are on the road, Chris teaching driving and substitute teaching, Mike designing websites. They played in Cincinnati two nights ago, Columbus last night, State College tonight, then Philadelphia, and on to NYC. When I asked them where they are staying, they were unsure. Chris talked about something called StayMyCouch, a website where you could sleep for free in some one's extra room. They have done it a couple of times. If that does not work out, they may have a friend's apartment where they can bunk, or they may have to go on Price Line to get a room as the last resort. Not a luxurious tour! But their love, their passion is music, not comfort, which is obvious when you watch them play. The venue, the Darkhorse Tavern, was not pretty, basically a brick basement, with about twenty five people, enthusiastic no doubt, but not a crowd. But it did not deter The Mutts in the least, as they gave it there all, blowing all of us out with there power and enthusiasm. This ain't a quiet little band. There energy, their passion, there power as musicians, their pounding sound, separates them from other bands. Chris on the drums, starts each number, in comes Bob on the base, then Mike literally hops up on the keyboards, banging them with his fist, as if his life depends on the music, as he screams the lyrics (written by him) into the mike. They knock it out of the park with there energy and the small group of music lovers were enthusiastic and appreciative. My only criticism would be they were so loud, that I found it difficult to hear Mike's lyrics, some quite interesting and current, often political. I would like to see him more like Bruce, full of power and sound, but also allowing the voice and lyrics to peak through the sound.
It was fun seeing them perform, getting to catch up with Mike and meet his friends. All three really seemed to appreciate our effort to come and see them. That was nice. And we came away with two of their CD's and Mike showed us there latest, a pale green (not black) old style 33 vinyl record album that they just put together. Cool.
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