The Rubber Soul Farewell Concert DVD

Another Great Christmas Gift Idea for Fans of Local Arts

The Rubber Soul Farewell Concert DVD is available in Williamsport at the Uptown Music Collective (848 W. Fourth Street), Yoas Services (509 W. Fourth Street) or through Mind's Eye Studios (570-326-1892).

Arts & Entertainment News Release 12/15/08

RUBBER SOUL, BEATLES TRIBUTE BAND, RELEASES DVD

Rubber Soul, Williamsport's premier Beatles' tribute band, may have called it quits, but like The Beatles, the product keeps coming even when the band is no more. Rubber Soul just released a DVD of their August 2008 Farewell Performance at the Community Theatre League.

"The CTL is a very intimate setting, and I enjoyed the instantaneous feedback we got from the audience when we played there," said former band member Dave Brumbaugh. "The band had a blast."

"The camera work is great, and you can hear all the great guitar tones, rhythm section bits and horn parts like you were really there," said one local fan.

The former members of Rubber Soul are Brumbaugh (guitar, vocals), Scott Francis (bass, guitar, vocals), Joel Vincent (drums, vocals) and Bob Yoas (bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals). For the Farewell Concert, the band was joined by The Helter Skelter Horns: Dave "Sweet Tone" Sorgen (trumpet, piccolo trumpet), Gordon "Salty Dog" Taylor (clarinet, alto and tenor saxophones), and Neil Whyman (trombone).

Rubber Soul was just one project of many for the busy musicians. Brumbaugh directs the Uptown Music Collective music school; Francis operates Mind's Eye Audio-Video Studio (which produced the DVD), and Joel Vincent, editor and creator of BilltownLive.com, works with a number of jazz and rock acts.

Yoas, who owns Yoas Services Incorporated, said, "Between work and other projects, there isn't nearly enough time to do all of the things you love or need to do. Something had to be sacrificed, and sadly, this band was one of those things to be let go. We did this for 12-plus years, and it was a good time to say goodbye.

"Francis said he was always a fan of The Beatles, but he didn't have a true appreciation for their craftsmanship in their music until he joined Rubber Soul. Yoas was a late-blooming "Beatlemaniac." He was too young in the 1960s to be a Beatlemaniac, but he became hooked in 1976 when he got the "Red and Blue" album. Around that time, Yoas said, "Beatlemania" was playing on Broadway, which he described as incredible. Yoas said, "Flash forward to 1996. It hit me; there were no Beatle tribute bands in the central PA region, and so why not start one?"

Vincent said they knew they wanted to perform the music, but wanted to put their own twists on things, such as the reggae version of "Twist & Shout." "We wanted to have some musical fun, and that's what we've had," Vincent said. "Chances are that Bob, Dave and I will play together again some day."

"We're a pretty silly bunch when we get together," Yoas said. "It really is like a band of brothers - that's probably what I'll miss the most."

"Onstage, we have an almost telepathic connection between us, we always know what each of us is going to do before we do it," Brumbaugh added.

"That only comes from playing together for a very long time, and it's really special," Vincent said, who says he'll always remember people singing along and dancing, and hearing a crowd cheer for a special version of a certain song. "Beatles fans are die-hards, and it's challenging to entertain them with their favorite music while doing our thing with the songs. Fortunately, everyone's been incredibly appreciative of what we've done."

With the DVD, the band wanted the audience and fans to take away good memories of the performance. The DVD also has bonus features such as a parody film called "Rubbersoul the Movie," a send-up similar to the famed Rutles/Monty Python parody of The Beatles. "Rubbersoul the Movie" features city-based guitarist Alex Callenberger as "Ono Yoko."

"I hope that they will take away a need for more of The Beatles. Maybe there are some young musicians in the audience who will be willing to step up to the plate and keep the music going after we're done," Yoas said. "It has been our pleasure escorting everyone down this long and winding road we've been on, and I hope we passed our audition."

The History of Silent Night

Enjoy local talent Matt Hoppes' YouTube video detailing the history of Silent Night:




Click here to see the video. Or visit Matt's Facebook page or website.

Cassin Diggs Supports Bulldogs Win

Williamsport's Cassie Diggs, a junior at Bowie State University in MD, assisted his team the Bulldogs in a win against the previously undefeated Shepherd University.

Cassie, a former Williamsport High School student, was rated the nation's Number One Junior College center by JUCO Junction in 2006, and plays center for the Bulldogs.

R.S. Alberts Using Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer

Jason Francis of R.S. Alberts in Montoursville is quoted in a press release by Datacolor regarding their new product, the "Check II" Portable Sphere Spectrophotometer.

The Alberts Company, located on Choate Circle, is one of America’s most resourceful, full service, multifaceted custom molders using epoxy, urethane and silicone as mold making compounds. Since 1963, the Alberts Company has been manufacturing tooling, molds and custom-molded parts using techniques developed and refined year by year.

Williamsport School Closings and Delays by Text

With just a little powder on the ground this morning, I doubted school would be affected but flakes were still falling so I thought I'd check. I'm glad I did! Although Cochran was up, running and on time today, I won't have to wonder when it really snows.



WNEP let's you sign up to get school closings sent to you via e-mail or text messaging. Just plug in your county and school district and you can get personalized alerts delivered to your e-mail, pager or phone!

Practical "Local" Christmas Gifts

(by guest blogger Chris Brass)

With the US (and world) economy taking a turn for the worse, people may not be as willing to spend big bucks on luxury Christmas gifts this year. This may be the year to start to think about giving practical gifts, instead of that overpriced kitchen gadget that won't get used more than twice.

A practical gift may not be very sexy, but it may be very much appreciated. You could get someone a gift certificate for some heating oil, for their phone service or Internet, or even to get their car washed.

Gift certificates to Wegmans, Giant, or Weis may also be very much appreciated. Although, I know if I got a gift card to Wegmans, I'd waste it on one of their great caramel lattés.

Montoursville Biodiesel Company Awarded $462,000

Biodiesel Magazine published this news on their website.

"Susquehanna Smart Fuel LLC in Montoursville, Pa., was awarded $462,000 to increase canola oil production by 120,000 gallons per year for use as a biodiesel feedstock."

Read the rest here.

Frostbite Run, Faltering Gas Contracts, High Concrete and Homage to Mussina

Williamsport, PA News on the Net

Frostbite 5-Miler and 5K Walk
ithacajournal.com lists this Williamsport event on it's December Running Calendar:

• Dec. 14
• The 28th Frostbite 5-Miler and 5K Walk
• Duboistown, Pa.
• Contact Patty Loner at (570) 322-1577
  or Anne Pratt at (570) 435-3229

Dubious Natural Gas Contracts
Lancaster Farming features an article written by Chris Torres entitled "Natural Gas Fever May Cool With the Economy" which details the uncertain nature of yet unpaid natural gas & oil lease contracts.

High Concrete Group Predicts Job Losses
pressofAtlanticCity.com's Eric Ortiz shares news about a High Concrete plant in New Jersey of which he says, "Operations and positions at its other four facilities - in Denver and Williamsport, Pa., Springboro, Ohio, and Paxton, Ill. - are similarly affected."

Mussina extolled as "Steadfast"
Joshua Cooley's blog, BP Sports describes Mike Mussina as a character example of a steadfast heart.