The Fabulous "Someplace Else Rock & Roll Bar" Pittsburgh (Baldwin), PA
written by Big Paul Sapienza. Well where to start, Someplace Else was in business long before I became the Doorman, talent scout and eventually a damn good looking bartender (haha)....It was the preeminent rock and roll bar in the South Hills. Danny (The Chief) and Linda Tiedi (sp) owned the place and did a great job of promot
ion, having a fun atmosphere to party in and ran it just like a local bar and really it was, but with the rock and roll that came out of this place, it was much, much more than that. There were a few clubs in town that were like this, you had the Decade in Oakland, Graffiti, the Electric Banana, the Upstage/Club Laga also in Oakland, so we were the only one pretty much in the South Hills. These were the bars people wanted to go to and see rock acts local and national. And before the DUI laws took effect you could drive anywhere get a little looped up and drive home without recourse. At our end of the spectrum we had booked the Iron City Houserockers (Joe Grushecky), Norm Nardini and the Tigers (original version) (anyone remember Norm playing to way after 2am....? Sometimes til 3am) The Gunnslingers, Eviction (Todd Porter), G-force, Red Hot and Blue, The Silencers, Torn and Frayed, Trash Vegas, Stiletto, Brick Mistress, Societies Pliers......Then we had of course Triple X (Fred Nelson Too Tall Jones, now also with United States with Paul Gilbert - Racer X, MR. Big)), Raquel, Dr. No, 18 Names, Whiskey High, Dofka, NME (Chuck, now with Trouble out of Chicago), Tung Bandits (DC Cooper, Royal Hunt), New Disasters, Vahalla (Dave Fefolt (Masi) Ed Horgan), Black Sunday, Truth and Soul, Vibro Kings, High Voltage (w/Nick Cantanese (Black Label Society), Slit Skirt, Dangerous Man, Torrid Desire, Nick Danger (Mark, nice seeing you again!), Black Rose, Avant Garde (Mark Petrocelli) Lize (Terry Nick).....Also a bunch of cover bands top 40 such as Streetheart, Network .......We also once in a while had the dance band Gi**lo, Modern Man (both with Sputzy)(there were at first 2 versions of MM one rock, one dance but eventually became a combo of Gi**lo and MM). We had ZAZA, Warrant (when somebody not naming names, Shades!, pulled down Janie Lanes pants when he was on the bar singing), parts of Skid Row, I also believe we had Talas w/ Billy Sheehan, too.....Danny Stag (Kingdom Come). Band people who knew or were friends with people in bigger bands, National and local, would ask them stop by or come in and sit in. Bon Jovi showed up before they were big...they had just opened for Donnie Iris at the Syria Mosque that night...they were friends of Norman. This was a good night for all, the bus, the girls, Linda swooning over JBJ. (for some reason I turned down a job with them...idiot I was)
Also I do remember we had the loudest bar ever. We had the Sound Engineers to thanks for that one...they include Chuckie Gilchrist, Ron Beltz, Randy w/3X, Joe Amusso...Randy Mueller (Victory, Alice Cooper, still) damn did they keep the sound pumping, I remember the Baldwin Police outside with a meter to measure the sound, we were way over the limit most nights, that is why we built the outside cover, didn't work though.....even outside of 50 ft, just think how loud it was inside....and really I can still hear fine.....most times. This was/is Rock n Roll my friends. (If I forgot any band I am sorry...just send me the name and I will put it in here for the memories. I know there was a band or two from the North Hills...) We had one of the first Jam Nights in Pittsburgh on Tuesday nights...every one who played would show up get drunk and play a few songs. Almost anyone that was anyone in this scene of Pittsburgh R&R was there and wanted, or was forced to play a song or two, wanted to introduce/try out a new song that they might be writing, but let me tell you it was a way into playing for the club, getting exposure, gaining friends and fans alike. (And the people that was there...big hair, tight jeans, makeup.....wait they was just the guys...lol)
There were lots and lots of good looking woman coming to the bar to listen to best of the rock n roll Pittsburgh had to offer....hey great music brought out the girls who in return brought out the guys who spent to keep us in business for a long time....
Now the bartenders and sometimes waitresses, Gloria, Karen, Carrie, Kathy and of course we cannot forget the boss, Linda at the back bar...were a few of the many including myself at the end)...Waitresses Shelly, Cindy B. Chrissy, Amy and many more...So much fun, so many drunken nights...there were only 4 doorman/bouncers since 1984 to the end, myself, big Mark L. There are so many stories and tall tales that could be told from the band dressing room to the hotel/motel in the rear of the bar or even just in the parking lot or our men's room...so many ghosts, I think they still haunt the place....
Will be adding more in this section when I get a chance...paul
12/29/19: This was written by Paul many years ago. Sadly, Paul lost his battle with cancer last night. So many of our old friends from this era are now deceased. Cherish the memories.
