In Harrisburg, the music scene starts out strong this month with three days of bands on three stages at the annual Kipona Festival, Sept. 1 to 3–then only picks up steam with the Dauphin County Jazz Festival the following weekend.
However, it’s not until closer to the end of the month that things really reach a peak.
On Sept. 21, Harrisburg’s own Jet City Vega touches down in HMAC’s Stage on Herr, delivering its style of finely polished guitar-and-vocals rock.
Jet City Vega deftly combines influences both old and new, as can be clearly heard on such tracks as “This One Kid” and “Only Human.” From song to song, one can detect more than 30 years of evolving sounds that range from arena rock to metal to grunge.
In fact, it’s that respect for the history of rock, in addition to rhythm and blues, that propels the quartet, formed just last year from members of other local bands. These guys are clearly students, as well as masters of the genre, something often difficult to find on today’s scene.
If nothing else, one should attend a Jet City Vega show to check out the guitar-playing of Brandon Reece, whose style and skill recall some of the legends of the instrument from the 1970s.
Across town, on Sept. 26, Arrested Development makes a stop into the Abbey Bar at Appalachian Brewing Co., bringing their brand of socially conscious hip-hop and R&B that today seems so lost–and is so needed.
Yes, my young friends, there was a time when rap meant more than scoring bling, bucks and booty–and exacting revenge on those who prevented the acquisition.
Two decades ago, Arrested Development arrived on the scene in dramatic fashion, winning a Grammy Award for Best New Artist and being named Band of the Year by Rolling Stone.
Since then, the group has seen its ups and downs, even breaking up for a time. However, these serious musicians could never leave the world of composing songs and performing together. Experience beloved oldies such as “Mr. Wendal,” “People Everyday” and “Tennessee,” as well as the band’s newer material.
Just two days later, on Sept. 28, the local scene switches course with the alt-folk duo, Over the Rhine, which checks in at Midtown Scholar Bookstore.
The husband-and-wife team of Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist has opened for such folk giants as Bob Dylan, Ani DiFranco and John Prine, but the couple’s 20+-year career in music is best appreciated in longer form and in an intimate venue like Midtown Scholar.
Over the Rhine is not your typical folk group, with deeply felt, finely composed songs based just as often on Detweiler’s piano as Bergquist’s guitar, as heard in a song such as “I Want You to Be My Love.” Bergquist’s sweet soprano adds a measure of beauty even to difficult compositions and dark subjects, like in the song “She.”
Does your musical taste lean to the strong vocal-and-piano style of Sarah McLachlen, sometimes mixed with the lighter touch of Cowboy Junkies? Then buy your ticket immediately.
