A busy week of concerts in the ‘Burgh continued with Aldo Nova at Jergel’s last night. In anticipation of the band’s performance at the M3 Rock Festival in Baltimore, MD this weekend, we were excited to see the show in a club atmosphere first.
Local support from XDB (Xander Demos Band), began the evening before the Canadian hard rock musician and producer Aldo Nova took the stage and informed us that this was the band’s first 2024 show in the states, and I’m honestly not sure if he has performed in Pittsburgh since the “Blood on the Bricks” era show at Station Square! So, this was definitely a special experience for fans.
He was joined by Jack Frost (guitar), Dario Sexias (bass), Michael T. Ross (keyboards), and Ange E. Curcio (drums). For those who are not familiar with Aldo Nova, he is a guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist that gained recognition with self-titled debut album back in 1982 when it peaked at Billboard‘s number 8 position with the single “Fantasy.”
He later won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year as co-producer of Celine Dion’s 1996 album Falling into You. He also co-wrote four songs on Uno by La Ley, which won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album following its release in 2000. His song-writing credits also include Clay Aiken’s “This is the Night” and other co-writing credit on Dion’s Taking Chances album.
Aldo Nova came on our radar during the end of the “hair metal” era. He was known in the genre for writing the main guitar riff used in the Jon Bon Jovi song, “Blaze of Glory” from the Young Guns II movie soundtrack, and continued that momentum by working with Bon Jovi on his album Blood on the Bricks on Bon Jovi’s record label Jambco Records. That album brought us three singles, the title track along with “Medicine Man” (my personal favorite, which we thankfully got to hear last night) and “Someday.” Additionally, longtime Aldo Nova drummer Ange E. Curcio tells us that back in 1992, Aldo produced the Saints & Sinners album by the Canadian glam metal band of the same name.
To this day, Aldo Nova continues to cross boundaries with his latest work being a Rock Opera entitled The Bitch in Black, which produced the single “The Life and Times of Eddie Gage” last year. He introduced us to the title track last night, and apparently this is one chick that you don’t want to mess with. In 2024, he can be found touring and making several festival stops along with way including this week’s M3 Festival and The Mountain Festival (Formerly Monsters on the Mountain) in Gatlinburg, TN this August.
Last night at Jergel’s his set included more than a dozen cuts kicking off with “Modern World” and “Monkey on your Back” and ending with “Fantasy” and an encore of “Medicine Man.” We look forward to seeing these guys at M3 Rock Festival on Saturday following the Rock Academy, Fan Halen and local favorite’s Child’s Play.
Aldo Nova will be performing on Saturday, May 4th at 2:25 pm at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. They will be followed by German metal goddess Doro, Lynch Mob, Quiet Riot, Last in Line, Stephen Pearcy and Queensryche. And that’s just day one of the festival. Check out the details here on day two which will be headlined by Bret Michaels and special guest Dee Snider.
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Watch for continued coverage of local shows and regional shows with Faster Pussycat, Saxon and Uriah Heep, Judas Priest and Sabaton, Queensryche and Armored Saint, and more now live. You’ll find us at the M3 Rock Festival in Baltimore this weekend.
We’ll be kicking off the weekend with a the official pre-party with Pete Evick and Dean Cramer from the Bret Michaels band tonight at The Collective Encore in Columbia, MD and perhaps even some coverage from the “M-Pre Party” with emerging bands and a few special guests at Reckless Shepherd Brewery tonight as well.
Coverage by Editor and founder Kara Marie Uhrlen posted on 5/3/2024. All event photos by photographer Kara Uhrlen and The Pure Rock Shop.
