PITTSBURGH — Beaver County memories swirl within the mind of Randee McKnight as his Denver-based punkabilly duo, the Living Deads, steers towards Pittsburgh for a headlining show Friday.
"I remember driving by Hawkins Music Store in downtown New Brighton and seeing a set of Ludwig drums every time we would drive by ... it sparked my interest in playing drums," McKnight said. "I remember playing in the stream when my family and I would go camping at Bradys Run Park and going to the Beaver County River Regatta. My grandma would give my siblings and me 50 cents each for a pop and a candy bar from Triangle News Stand in Rochester."
McKnight's parents, Keith and Janet McKnight, hail from Beaver County — Keith played football for Beaver Falls. The couple got married at the Beaver County Courthouse before moving to Akron, Ohio, to raise a family. They regularly returned home to visit family, which left an indelible impression on son, Randee, whose band will perform Friday at Cattivo in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville section.
"I was always blown away by the Pittsburgh skyline when we would make trips into the city," McKnight said. "It still stops me in my tracks."
And that's coming from a guy whose band has played in Spain, the U.K., Japan and all across America.
McKnight and singer-guitarist Symphony Tidwell strum up, bash and twang some fun and brash music, sticking to essentials like romance ("Everything is Broke But Our Love"), poseurs in audacious cars ("P.O.N.T.I.A.C.") and life on the road ("Truck Stop Snacks.")
They've tapped Pittsburgh-Beaver County rock-punk band Murder For Girls to open their Cattivo show. The Chokers also are on the bill. Showtime is 9 p.m. with a $5 cover charge.
McKnight can't wait to see Pittsburgh again.
"Even our band name is a tip of the hat to the famous film 'Night of the Living Dead' by George Romero, which of course was filmed in the area."