Penguins’ anthem singer brings band to Peters Township
Jeff Jimerson and his band, Airborne, played a variety of music from the 1960s through the current decade during their show at the Peterswood Park Amphitheater.
Drummer Dave Marion took a turn as lead vocalist on several selections.
On the Fender Stratocaster is Dave Scopa.
From left are Dave Marion, drums; Dave Scopa, lead guitar; Jeff Jimerson, bass guitar; and Herb Schweitzer, keyboards.
Herb Schweitzer belts out some lead vocals.
Dave Scopa and Jeff Jimerson get into a groove.
Jeff Jimerson plays his Taylor acoustic guitar.
From left are Dave Scopa, Dave Marion and Jeff Jimerson.
Dave Scopa accompanies Jeff Jimerson.
Dave Marion doubles on drums and vocals.
Jeff Jimerson checks out Dave Scopa’s work on his Fender Stratoscaster.
Jeff Jimerson and Herb Schweitzer harmonize.
Jeff Jimerson greets the Peterswood Park audience.
Dave Marion doubles on drums and vocals.
Jeff Jimerson displays his rock ‘n’ roll side.
Jeff Jimerson, left, and Herb Schweitzer
The performance of Jeff Jimerson and Airborne drew a substantial crowd to the Peterswood Park Amphitheater.
Dave Scopa and Dave Marion
Jeff Jimerson provides the low notes for Airborne.
Harry Funk / The Almanac Jeff Jimerson takes a breather onstage.
In a change of pace as far as the crowd was concerned, Jeff Jimerson closed the proceedings with the national anthem.
Fresh off singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” prior to Pittsburgh Penguins games throughout another stellar season, Jimerson and his band, Airborne, performed July 5 for a substantial, enthusiastic audience at Peterswood Park Amphitheater.
He acknowledged the Penguins’ final playoff foe, Nashville, while introducing a country number: “They have the Grammys. We have the Stanley Cup.”
The audience greeted that comment with hearty applause and continued to do so during a two-hour show that featured a suitably eclectic mix of music for the age range present, from “I Saw Her Standing There,” the opening track on the Beatles’ first album in 1963, to something far more recent that the younger folks might recognize as “UpTown Funk!”
While Penguins fans know him for his voice, Jimerson put his bass-playing abilities on display while occasionally switching to acoustic guitar, such as on Gregg Allman’s “Melissa,” a tribute to the late rock singer.
The other Airborne members also showed off their chops, with guitarist Dave Scopa playing a pair of his prized Fender Stratocasters, wowing the crowd on songs like Free’s “All Right Now” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps.” Keyboard player Herb Schweitzer shared lead vocal duties with Jimerson, as did drummer Dave Marion, whose high-energy percussion solo provided one of the night’s highlights.
Audience favorites also included Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name” and Styx’s “Renegade,” the theme song of the Steelers’ defense, which the band played just before the patriotic closing number.
Jeff Jimerson and Airbone kicked off a series of Wednesday concerts at the amphitheater, presented by the Peters Township Parks and Recreation Department, continuing on July 19 with Totally ’80s and Aug. 2 with Bruce in the USA, a tribute to Mr. Springsteen.
Visit jeffjimersonmusic.com.