Any Time Soon set to release 5-song EP
Anytime Soon has transformed a bit since hitting the scene two years ago. What started as an ode to the pop-punk sound of the early 2000s has turned into a well-oiled outfit that is preparing to release their first five-song EP, Pandora Songs. Anytime Soon frontman Mitch Evans said releasing an EP was always the […]
River Street Jazz Cafe to mark 25th with Friday party
WILKES-BARRE — It was a Friday night. The club was new. The music was hot. The crowd was hopping. It was Nov. 5, 1993, and the River Street Jazz Cafe had just opened its doors to the public. “The band was Merchants of Groove,” club owner and founder Robert Friedman recalled. “They had a horn […]
Memories of Mercury
“Bohemian Rhapsody,” a full-length feature film depicting the life of the late Freddie Mercury, opens in theaters across America on Friday. It is expected to take viewers inside the complex life of the late Queen frontman, who died in 1991, at the age of 45, of AIDS. Bill Kelly and Jerry Hludzik, both natives of […]
Karl Hall to host series of spooky shows leading up to Halloween
WILKES-BARRE — With three highly anticipated shows coming up in the next week, it’ll be a busy couple of days at Karl Hall. The all-ages music venue, located at 57B N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, will be hosting two separate Halloween bashes, each featuring a handful of acts, along with an album release party for a […]
‘Herstory’ exhibit displays power of area women
SCRANTON — With her recent gallery exhibition, one Throop woman isn’t look to tell history. Instead, it’s all about “herstory.” Autumn Granza, 25, said she was inspired to use her photography skills to tell the story of local women who are doing great things in the area. The project is called NEPA Herstory, and Granza, […]
Tunkhannock Harvest and Wine Festival offers fall fun for grown-ups
TUNKHANNOCK — Fall fun isn’t just for the kids. What better way to celebrate the fall harvest season than with wine, music, charity and fellowship? The Tunkhannock Rotary Club is hosting their 11th annual Harvest and Wine Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday at Lazybrook Park in Tunkhannock. This event features over […]
Benefit concert will aid Harpo lead singner John ‘Lloyd’ Kistner
Rock doesn’t stop. And a benefit show Sunday at the River Street Jazz Cafe aims to make sure it doesn’t stop for one local music legend. John “Lloyd” Kistner, widely known as the lead vocalist and keyboard player of the Northumberland County hard rock band Harpo, is the focus of the upcoming benefit. Doors for […]
Entering its fifth year, Paint Pittston Pink still offers fresh ideas and new events
PITTSTON — In 2014, Barb Sciandra and Qiana Lehman organized the first-ever Paint Pittston Pink event. Five years later, the event has grown bigger and better than either of those women could have imagined. “It’s kind of amazing,” said Lehman. “I think when we started the idea, we thought it’d be something we could continue […]
Electric City Music Conference set to rock Scranton
By Hartt Lang | [email protected] Clear your schedules, ladies and gentleman, the Electric City Music Conference is in town. The 5th annual Electric City Music Conference is a three-day event with an awards show on Thursday night and live performances and panel discussions taking place at more than 15 venues this weekend in the Electric City. The event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with the Steamtown Music Awards at the V Spot in Scranton. A $5 cover gets you into the show. Nominees get in for free. A new award will be presented this year, Steward of the Scene, to Wilkes-Barre’s new all-age music venue, Karl Hall. “The health and success of a local music scene revolves around all-age venues like Karl Hall, without them the scene greatly suffers” said Joe Caviston, one of the organizers of the ECMC. “We’re stoked to be able to honor them. For the complete listing of Steamtown Music Award nominees and winners visit www.electriccitymusicconference.com. What can we expect from the three-day event? “Anyone who attends the Electric City Music Conference should first and foremost expect to see high level live performances,” said Caviston. “We put a ton of time into selecting the bands and crafting the room schedules. It’s important that the rooms work and make sense.” The live performances will take place in a number of venues across Scranton on Friday and Saturday, featuring musicians from all over the country. “We have bands performing from Michigan, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, New York, Missouri and even Canada,” Caviston said. “There are many signed bands performing and even an act from RCA records which will be the first major label artist to perform at the ECMC.” On top of having a beyond impressive line-up, the ECMC is easy on your wallets as well. “We strive to keep the event affordable,” said Caviston. “It’s only $5 to get into each room or $10 for a Hopper pass to get into every room.” Celebrating the local music community and giving back Five years strong, the Electric City Music Conference doesn’t show any sign of stopping. The event has grown immensely since 2013, now with more tha 150 acts. The conference wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for the dedication and determination of Joe Caviston and Ken Norton. “Our wives and family are all part of this team too,” Caviston said. “They help out at all turns and put up with the long hours and insanity that goes along with it.” New to the team this year is Steve Zampano from Paradise Audio, who will be overseeing all of the sound guys and sound systems for the performance rooms. “We also have an amazing crew of door workers, stage managers, sound guys, venue owners and bands that make this entire event happen,” said Caviston. Thanks to widespread community support, the Electric City Music Conference will be able to donate approximately $2,000 to the Four Diamonds Foundation, a program that assists childhood cancer patients that are being treated at the Penn State Children’s Hospital. An undeniable buzz “There’s an energy in the city that weekend that is hard to duplicate,” Caviston said. “This year, the level of national talent that we have attracted is outstanding.” There’s no doubt there’s an undeniable buzz that comes to NEPA when the Electric City Music Conference is in town. “I don’t know if we ever expected it to become something that people looked forward to so much,” said Caviston. “I knew it would be successful because I think that in order to have such a crazy idea succeed, you need to have confidence in your vision.” “We’ve truly become a part of the NEPA music community’s life,” Caviston said. “That means so much to us.” IF YOU GO What: Steamtown Music Awards and Electric City Music Conference When: Thursday, Sept. 13 through Saturday, Sept. 15 Where: Scranton Cover: Most venues have a $5 cover with a $10 Hopper pass. See www.electriccitymusicconference.com for performancetimes, venue locations and additional event information.
‘Mamma Mia’ brings ABBA tunes to Music Box
SWOYERSVILLE — “When I wake up in the morning,” Amanda Alfano said, “the first thing I do is sing.” Until a few weeks ago, it could have been any song. But recently, the 18-year-old vocalist from Scranton has been devoted to the music of ABBA, music she’ll be singing onstage when she portrays Sophie, the […]