Saturday's 'Setlist': 10/18/14 Super-Dave's Super-Jam

Jammin'...

Our drummer hosted a massive jam session this weekend in his rehearsal space. It was glorious. 

One thing about jam sessions: there's always too many guitar players. So I strummed for the first 45 minutes or so, then took the opportunity to jump behind the second drum kit and proceed to go all Rhythm-Devils-crazy with Dave the remainder of the night. It was a blast. Besides, too many of the songs I wanna play on guitar have some little tricky part that no one wants to take the time to learn (for evidence, see the "There's Actually a Third Part Jam," which goes nowhere fast!).

Taki the Mad Keyboardist was our leader for the most part, subtly guiding us through changes in the shape and feel of the jams. There are plenty of influences at work, and what comes out is a heady blend of hard-driving funk, R&B and blues, with just a touch of psychedelic madness courtesy of some well-timed guitar effects, Taki's insane Moog acumen and our double-drumming pushing and pulling the jams back and forth.

What a gas. Enjoy!

Click here to stream/download, courtesy of Archive.org.

Setlist (bearing in mind that I'm randomly naming most of the jams):

Jam

Let Him Go (Wailers)

Jam*

Sweet Jane (L. Reed)

All Along the Watchtower (Dylan) > Whipping Post (false start)

Whipping Post Shuffle Jam

Lil' Red Rooster (C. Burnett)

Soul Jam

Taki's Spacey Jam

Phishy Funk Jam

Free Your Mind Jam* >

Second Line Jam** >

Breakdown Jam >

Superstitious-ish Jam** >

Jam

Blues Jam >

Monster Moog Jam >

Get On Up Jam** > Fame tease

Kyle's Low-End Warm-Up Jam >

Groovin'

Stretchy Funk Jam >

Kyle's Jam I** >

Hurricane Funk Jam

There's Actually a Third Part Jam

Just Pick Four Chords Jam

Chunky Funk Jam

*Billy T., improvised vocals

**Kyle Lawson, improvised vocals

From Charlie Hustle:

Dave Varasse, drums

Patrick Varine, guitar/vocals (through 'Soul Jam'), drums (rest of set)

Other players:

Kyle Lawson, guitar/vocals/bass

Taki Batis, keys/Moog

Billy T., vocals/congas

Will the Bass Player, bass

Several Other Fine Gentleman Whose Names Escape Me at the Moment, guitar/bass

Today's Setlist: 2013/06/02 Verona Park, Verona, Pa.

'When it rains and shines/It's just a state of mind..."

We have some sort of mystical effect on the weather forecast. Twice we've played Verona Park, and it was supposed to rain both times. Does it have anything to do with the fact that we played the Beatles' "Rain" both times? I'd like to think so. 

Click here to stream/download the set, courtesy of Archive.org.

Early set:

Lil' Red Rooster (C. Burnett)

New Mexican Shuffle*

Althea (Dead)

Gentleman of Leisure (J. Winchester)

Feelin' Alright (S. Winwood)

Floating Bridge (J. Estes)

Rain (Lennon-McCartney) >

Stealin' (Trad.)

Dock of the Bay (O. Redding)

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Dylan)

Late set:

Soul Serenade (C. Ousley)

Deep Elem Blues (Trad.)

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Dylan)

Kiss and Tell (G. Love)

Big River (J. Cash)

China Cat Sunflower (Dead) >

I Know You Rider (Dead)

*Original

FREE SHOW! — Charlie Hustle & the Grifters, June 2, Verona Park!

We're heading back to the park! We had such a blast last time — and so did the organizers — that we're goin' back down to Verona to boogie in the sunshine at the Verona Creative Arts Marketplace, an afternoon of art, food and live music. It's an all-ages show, so bring the kids and make they sure have their dancin' shoes on!

Tonight's Setlist: 5/17/13, Penn Hebron Garden Club, Penn Hills, Pa.

"You keep foolin' around on me,

You're gonna walk on down that gravel road..." — Magic Slim

It was a bumpy evening, what with us having to go head-to-head against Pens-Sens Game 2 in the NHL's best media market (thanks, Gary Bettman and the GD-mother-f'n NHL Scheduling Committee). But the folks who turned out got a real treat. We were in high form tonight, kicking things off with a tune we'd never even rehearsed (G. Love's "Kiss and Tell"), adding a brand new improvised verse to the ever-evolving "Stone Soup," and generally speaking, shaking the walls at the 180-year old National Historic Landmark that is the Morrow Barn, home of the Penn Hebron Garden Club. Hopefully we gave Miss Emma Morrow a good night of music.

Click here to stream/download the set, courtesy of Archive.org.

Early set:

Kiss and Tell (G. Love)

Not Fade Away (B. Holly)

Meet Me in the Morning (Dylan)

Gravel Road (Magic Slim)

Dock of the Bay (O. Redding)

Big River (J. Cash)

Stealin' (Trad.)

Third Street Woman (J. Reynolds, Varine arr.)

Magnolia (J.J. Cale) >

All Along the Watchtower (Dylan)

Late set:

Cumberland Blues (Dead)

Mystery Train (J. Parker)

Gentleman of Leisure (J. Winchester)

Rain (Lennon-McCartney)

Deep Elem Blues (Trad.)

Feelin' Alright (S. Winwood)

Mother's Meth Head Blues*

I Like It* >

Soul Serenade (King Curtis) >

Good Morning Lil' Schoolgirl (J. Williamson) >

Jam >

Stone Soup* > Jam >

Cold Rain and Snow (Trad., Dead arr.)

*Original

Tonight's Setlist: Charlie Hustle & the Grifters, 5/9/13, Verona Park, Verona, Pa.

Photo by Patch.com

Our third guitarist got sucked into the madness of municipal politics, so we were man down on short notice, but it worked out alright. 

Click here to stream/download the set courtesy of Archive.org.

One set:

Gentleman of Leisure (J. Winchester)

Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning (D. Van Ronk)

Feelin' Alright (S. Winwood)

Rain (Lennon-McCartney)

Big River (J. Cash) >

New Mexican Shuffle*

Lil' Red Rooster (C. Burnett)

Gravel Road (Magic Slim)

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Dylan)

Magnolia (J.J. Cale) >

Jam >

Stone Soup* >

Not Fade Away (B. Holly)

*Original

CHARLIE HUSTLE LIVE DATES! May 9 (FREE!) and May 17

Charlie Hustle & the Grifters have two gigs coming up, for those of you down with the Hustlin'. We're playing a free all-ages show in Verona Park on May 9. But the humdinger is coming the following Friday, when we shake the walls at the historic Penn Hebron Garden Club in Penn Hills. Built in 1834, the club is actually an old barn, outfitted with an old-school wooden dance floor and an open ceiling that shows off the gigantic oak beams that run the full length of the building. It's a $10/BYOB/21+ show, so leave the kiddies at home and bring yer dancin' shoes!

Last Night's Setlist: 3/22/13, Blind Pig Saloon, New Kensington, Pa.

The view from up top at the Blind Pig...

Tried out plenty of new tunes tonight, and they all went well. Thanks to everyone who came out. "Mother, apple pie and methamphetamine... I think that's gonna replace 'Show Me' as the Missouri state motto" ... line of the night, courtesy of Pete.

Click here to stream/download both sets, courtesy of Archive.org:

Early set:

Feelin' Alright (S. Winwood)

Gentleman of Leisure (J. Winchester)

Dock of the Bay (O. Redding)

Gravel Road (M. Slim)

I Like It* >

Soul Serenade (C. Ousley) >

Good Morning Lil' Schoolgirl (J. Lee Williamson)

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Dylan)

Althea (Dead)

Cumberland Blues (Dead)

Cold Rain and Snow (Dead)

Late set:

Mystery Train (J. Parker)

New Mexican Shuffle*

Garden of Eden (New Riders of the Purple Sage)

Stealin' (W. Shade)

Deep Elem Blues (Trad.)

Mother's Meth-Head Blues*

Magnolia (J.J. Cale) >

All Along the Watchtower (Dylan) >

Jam > Stone Soup* >

Craney Crow (M. Rebennack) >

Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning (L. Armstrong) >

Big Bad Blues (Further)

*Original

COMING UP! — CHARLIE HUSTLE & THE GRIFTERS, 3/22/13 at the Blind Pig Saloon

Two of us spent several of our formative guitar years at the Pig. I spent many a Thursday honing my chops at the open stage that is still going on today. This time we're gonna light it up on a Friday night with an opening set from The Grifters, then it's time to get our Hustle on. Hope you'll join us — $5/21+

Check out the Blind Pig Saloon here.

VIDEO: 'Meet Me in the Morning'

Here's some more stills from our 12/7 show, with our cover of Dylan's "Meet Me in the Morning," from the Blood on the Tracks album, performed at our 1/12/13 late set at St. James Place in Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood.

Tonight's Setlist: Charlie Hustle & the Grifters, 1/12/13, St. James Place, Pittsburgh, Pa.

"Meet me in the morning, 56th and Wabasha..."

We had to play the game down a man tonight, but we made due. Our third guitarist and vocalist couldn't make it, but we still managed the shake the walls a little at The James. Thanks to everyone who came out to help us celebrate our boy Shady's birthday in fine style — particularly to Tim Bruno from Erie's North Town Station, who opened with a typically excellent acoustic set. Be sure to like North Town Station (and Charlie Hustle & the Grifters!) on Facebook and catch a set if you're in northwest PA.

Click here to download/stream the set, courtesy of Archive.org.

Opening set (Tim Bruno):

Setlist forthcoming

Early set:

New Mexican Shuffle*

Stealin' (A. Guthrie)

Cold Rain & Snow (Trad., Dead arr.)

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Dylan)

Cumberland Blues (Dead)

Third Street Woman (J. Reynolds)

Nobody Knows (L. Armstrong)

Althea (Dead)

Deep Elem Blues (Dead)

Feelin' Alright (S. Winwood)

Late set:

Meet Me in the Morning (Dylan)

Gentleman of Leisure (J. Winchester)

Franklin's Tower (Dead) >

Rosin the Bow (Trad., Varine arr.) > Franklin's Tower

Big River (J. Cash)

Magnolia (J.J. Cale) >

Jam >

Garden of Eden (New Riders of the Purple Sage)

Lil' Red Rooster (C. Burnett)

Junco Partner (Professor Longhair) >

Not Fade Away (B. Holly) > Junco Partner

Fire on the Mountain# (Dead)

*Original

#Tim Bruno on lead vocals, Pat on electric guitar

VIDEO: 'Jam > Stone Soup > Jam'

Just a quick few stills from the 12/7 show overtop the jam in and out of "Stone Soup," an original made up on the spot by guitarist/vocalist Kyle Lawson.

Tonight's Setlist: Charlie Hustle & the Grifters, 12/7/12, Club Café, Pittsburgh, Pa.

"Always bet on Charlie Hustle..."

The first Charlie Hustle show was a gas. This one was a BLAST. We were having so much fun that Kyle straight made up a song in the middle of the late-set jam!

Click here to stream/download the set, courtesy of Archive.org — I also recorded the Grifters' opening set, it will be up soon as well!

One set (Grifters opened):

Floating Bridge (J. Estes)

Nobody Knows (the Way I Feel This Morning) (L. Armstrong)

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Dylan)

New Mexican Shuffle*

Don't Look No Further (B.B. King)

Dock of the Bay (O. Redding)

Gentleman of Leisure (J. Winchester)

Shoot Me Down#

Third Street Woman (J. Reynolds)

Warrior with a Bottle#

Mystery Train (J. Parker)

Magnolia (J.J. Cale) >

All Along the Watchtower (Dylan) >

Jam > Stone Soup# > Jam >

Soul Serenade Jam >

Good Morning Lil' Schoolgirl (J. Williamson)

*P. Varine

#K. Lawson

Charlie Hustle & the Grifters are:

Kyle Lawson, electric guitar, vocals

Peter Flynn, electric guitar, vocals

Trish Imbrogno, bass

Dave Varasse, drums

Patrick Varine, acoustic/slide guitar, vocals

Tonight's Setlist: 2/25/12, The Hideout, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Man, is it great to be part of a full-on band.

Tonight was the debut of Charlie Hustle, and it was a blast. It's fun to play solo acoustic shows, and you have some more flexibility in your song selection, but the give-and-take of four musicians onstage, even when it gets a little awkward, is a totally different and tremendous beast.

We had our hiccups, but considering this was only the fourth time we've played including rehearsals — and the first time we'd played with our bassist! — I feel like it went smashingly well. Click here to download/stream the show, courtesy of Archive.org!

Early set:

Feelin' Alright (S. Winwood)

Quite a Night* >

Floating Bridge (J. Estes)

Dock of the Bay (O. Redding)

It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Dylan)

Rosin the Bow (Trad., original arr.) >

Franklin's Tower (Dead)

Late set:

Jimmy Olsen's Blues (G. Schenkman)

New Mexican Shuffle*

All Along the Watchtower (Dylan)

Good Morning Lil' Schoolgirl# (J. Williamson)

Warrior with a Bottle# (Old E Allstars)

Ain't No Sunshine# (B. Withers)

Mystery Train (J. Parker)

I Ain't Supersitious (C. Burnett)

*Original

#Feat. Langston Kelly, saxophone

Charlie Hustle is:

Kyle Lawson, electric guitar/vocals

Patrick Varine, acoustic guitar/vocals

Dave Varasse, drums

Tony Thomas, bass guitar

Come check out the debut of CHARLIE HUSTLE!

So we were the Varine/Lawson Project for all of about 72 hours before we settled on an actual band name... so come check out the debut of CHARLIE HUSTLE, Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. at The Hideout, 45 Bates St., in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood.

Come check out the debut of a band soon-to-not-be-called The Varine/Lawson Project!

Soooo the club owner was pressing us for a band name so he could get his fliers together, aaaaand the best that we could come up with was The Varine/Lawson Project. Rest assured, it won't be that for long. HOWEVA, you should still come check out our debut gig, Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. at The Hideout, 45 Bates St., in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood (it's right off the Bates Street exit on the Parkway West).

Right now we're working on originals and covering everything from Bill Withers to Howlin' Wolf to the Dead, Dylan, Traffic and more!