Tag Archives: HMAC

Musical Notes: April Sings Forward

March 28, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

Local music lovers, open your windows and listen to the breeze. OK, maybe that’s just your neighbor dusting off their guitar with another inspired cover of “Wonderwall.” Close the window and, instead, download tickets to one of these local gigs happening throughout the month in the 717.

Smooth Grooves

Couch, 4/6, H*MAC

A few chords into “Easy to Love,” and I was smitten with Couch. There’s a rich nostalgic sound from the band and a honey-like quality to vocalist Tema Seigel’s voice that fans of Lake Street Dive or Postmodern Jukebox will appreciate. The band’s only released a few EPs, but don’t sleep on this. It’s only a matter of time before this funky group is going to be on every late night show.

Hip-Hop for a Throwback

The Pharcyde, 4/20, H*MAC

I had to do a double take when I saw that The Pharcyde is coming to H*MAC. The late ’80s/prominent ’90s Los Angeles-based hip-hop group behind hits like “Passin’ Me By,” “Drop” and “Runnin’” added H*MAC to its world tour this spring. Attendees can expect to see three of the original foursome—Imani, Slimkid3 and Fatlip (Bootie Brown is no longer touring with the group). From what I read in an October review of the group’s current tour, The Pharcyde’s still packing the action for the crowd to rock along from minute to minute.

New Wave Moment

Harrisburg University Presents Neon Trees, 4/23, XL Live

Neon Trees, hailing from the very insider-y music mecca of Provo, Utah, has been a fun band to watch over the last two decades, with frontperson Tyler Glenn delivering powerhouse performances every time I’ve caught the synthy pop/rock act when I lived in Philly. You may recognize hits such as the unfathomably catchy “Everybody Talks” and early favorite, “Animal,” but I’d also highly recommend checking out the band’s 2020 effort, “I Can Feel You Forgetting Me.” This is a show you’ll definitely want to add to your radar this month.

Retro Rockers

Harrisburg University Presents The Heavy Heavy, 4/27, XL Live

After hearing The Heavy Heavy on the radio a few times over the last year, I cannot and will not be missing this show. From having “Miles and Miles” stuck in my head on end (a perfect song for those runners/joggers/power walkers among us, even if a bit on the nose), or singing along to “Go Down River,” I’ve found myself daydreaming many a time while listening to their lyrics and dancing along. Their jangly melodies and sunny psych rock vibe really feels quite timeless, just as fresh now as it would have been if the band existed in the 1970s.

Honorable Mentions

4/11—Moon Hooch, H*MAC

4/12—Cumberland Honey, Tanjo & Crow, Shine Delphi, The Abbey Bar

4/12—Badfish, XL Live

4/18—Spafford w/Flux Capacitor, XL Live

4/21—Caña Dulce y Caña Brava, West Shore Theatre

4/24—The Hip Abduction w/Vana Liva, XL Live

4/26—Harrisburg University Presents Beach Fossils, XL Live

4/27—Dizgo w/Solar Circuit, The Abbey Bar

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Historically Speaking: In Harrisburg, much has been lost–but much has been saved, too

February 28, 2024 | by Lawrance Binda

Illustration by Rich Hauck.

Each winter, I get to cover one of my favorite annual news stories.

As an old building buff, I look forward to Historic Harrisburg Association’s “Preservation Priorities,” a list of endangered historic properties that the organization updates every year.

First, I watch the presentation then I write a story detailing what’s in, what’s out, what’s old, what’s new for the year.

For 2024, the William Penn building topped the list (natch!), followed by the former Harrisburg State Hospital grounds and then our beloved, if beaten down, Broad Street Market.

The rest of the list reads like a who’s who of our area’s blighted, beleaguered and broken. The 30 or so properties on the “priority” and “watch” lists include everything from 19th-century mansions to historic bridges to old churches, schools and fire houses.

The common thread: all need new love, new life and, often, a new owner—as well as tons of money and vision to go from forlorn to fixed.

As much as I enjoy the presentation, I’m often left feeling empty afterwards, given the tragedy inherent in broken-down buildings and in how many linger on the list from year to year.

Last year, in this space, I expressed some of that frustration by emphasizing the negative—the loss of so many of downtown Harrisburg’s once-beautiful buildings, which has left, in its wake, an abstract jumble of structures, parking garages and empty lots. I did that to contrast our situation with that of Lancaster, a thriving small city whose historic core remains largely intact.

I stand by my opinion that Lancaster’s success can be credited, at least in part, to the retention and restoration of its federal and Victorian-era built environment.

However, this year, in this column, I want to flip that script.

When I arrived in Harrisburg in 2009, I remember my first walk through Midtown.

On a bitter, mid-winter day, I took a stroll up 3rd Street, starting at Forster and ending at Reily, before winding back, mostly to check out this new city I had landed in.

On that walk, I felt a bit like Gary Cooper in “High Noon.” In the climax to that 1952 film, Cooper’s character, Marshall Will Kane, walks down the main street alone, the dusty road deserted of townspeople, who have sealed themselves up inside their homes and businesses.

My walk felt just as forlorn. I wandered the street without encountering a soul, passing one boarded-up building after another. I wouldn’t have been surprised if a tumbleweed or two had come bouncing by.

Had I just waited 15 years, until 2024, I would have had an entirely different experience. Since that first walk, the boards have been ripped off and the buildings brought back, including for all of the landmark structures along that half-mile stretch.

Some of these restorations and adaptive reuses are truly remarkable.

Arguably, the new era dawned when GreenWorks Development turned the enormous Evangelical Press Building into beautiful classroom space. Down the street, Midtown Scholar then remade a forlorn retail strip into one of the best independent bookstores in the country. Two blocks away, H*MAC took on the daunting challenge of reviving the shuttered, sprawling PAL building, resulting in an extraordinary transformation into a live music venue, restaurant and bar.

The list continues: ModernRugs, Susquehanna Art Museum, Pursuit/Union Lofts, Carpets & Draperies, COBA, Millworks. On that day 15 years ago, I walked past all of these buildings, which, at the time, were unused, unloved and falling apart.

Even better—these have all been discrete projects, not done by some mega-developer or large corporation, but, one by one, by local people who have poured their time, dollars and souls into them.

So, yeah, sometimes I need to slap myself out of my funk. Am I upset that, for the nth straight year, the 200-year-old Balsley House downtown continues to deteriorate? I sure am. But we need to celebrate our wins, too—and those wins have been real and substantial.

As he introduced the 2024 version of “Preservation Priorities,” Historic Harrisburg Executive Director David Morrison explained why his organization undertakes this exercise each year.

“By compiling this list and publicizing it, it has played a very significant role in encouraging these important properties to be preserved,” he said. “When we publicize them, sometimes it spurs the owner into doing something about it. Sometimes, it spurs somebody to look into purchasing the property. So, it’s a very effective tool for promoting historic preservation.”
Agreed. Now, let’s take it from here, Harrisburg.

Lawrance Binda is publisher and editor of TheBurg.

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Musical Notes: Lucky month for music

February 28, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

Beach Weather

There were only one or two gigs on my radar for March when I started working on this column, and, boy, was I underestimating the absolute deluge of great live music coming to the region this month. Don’t just take it from me, though. If you’re unfamiliar with some of the names I’m about to share in this column, give ‘em a listen and maybe plan to catch a show if you want to shake off the winter freeze and joyfully thaw among other live music enthusiasts.

HOPE YOU ALREADY BOUGHT TIX
3/13, Silversun Pickups, H*MAC

The summer between my sophomore and junior years of college, I worked four jobs, and as a result, spent a crazy amount of time in my borrowed ‘04 Ford Escape, constantly blowing out the speakers while blasting “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)” from Silversun Pickups’ 2012 release “Neck of the Woods.” Of course, this was after spending a ton of time with their earlier albums like “Carnavas” and “Swoon,” which were usually peripheral noise on the soundtrack of my high school days. I’ve never seen the band live, and, unfortunately, for this girlie, the show is already sold out, but kudos to H*MAC for securing this tour stop. Those attending are sure to have an awesome experience.

GROOVE INTO WARMER VIBES
3/15, Harrisburg University Presents Beach Weather, XL Live

Admittedly, I only knew Beach Weather from a feature the band has on “My Body ft. Your Lips” by the band Beaches (who, side note, have been on constant rotation in my playlists recently, but that’s a different story). Beach Weather’s 2023 album, “Pineapple Sunrise,” is a smooth collection of milky pop/rock songs in the vein of The Neighborhood or Glass Animals. And, from a glimpse at the group’s social media, their shows look really fun, especially the live versions of “Unlovable” and “Sex Drugs Etc.

OMG—OH MY GUSTER!!
3/27, Harrisburg University Presents Guster, XL Live

1991 was a great year—it brought the world your favorite local music writer. But, more importantly, it delivered us the sheer wonder that is Guster (though at that time, they were going by “Gus”). I have unabashed love for this Boston rock outfit, who are the brains behind hits such as “Satellite,” “One Man Wrecking Machine,” “Fa Fa,” “Amsterdam” and so many others. They’re also among the funniest bands you could see. They have really great stage presence and banter, and their encore cover songs are something of a legend among fans. See you in the front row?

Honorable Mentions

3/2 — Joan Osborne, The Englewood
3/2 — Diana Krall, Hershey Theatre
3/6 — Ledisi, Appell Center for the Performing Arts
3/8 — Dead by April, H*MAC
3/11 — KMFDM, H*MAC
3/12 — Brit Floyd, Hershey Theatre
3/16 — The Bad Toupees, The Hershey Italian Lodge
3/16 — Kilmaine Saints, XL Live
3/17 — Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Appell Center for the Performing Arts
3/17 — Seasons, West Shore Theatre
3/20 — Dark Star Orchestra, XL Live
3/21 — Everclear, XL Live
3/23 — Jeffrey Gaines with Meaghan Farrell, West Shore Theatre

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Musical Notes: Leap into Live Music

January 30, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

This month, there’s a whole extra day to appreciate music. While there aren’t any shows on my radar for Feb. 29, hit me up if you’ve got a solid Leap Day/bonus tracks playlist. Happy listening!

SO METAL
2/10, Veil Of Maya, H*MAC
The Chicago metalcore/djent outfit, Veil Of Maya, now in their 20th(!) year as a band, is supporting the release of their 2023 album “[m]other.” The band’s sound has evolved a lot over the last decade, notably incorporating Lukas Magyar’s signature cleaner vocal sound after he officially joined the band in 2015. While attendees are sure to hear songs from “[m]other,” I’d recommend also checking out “Overthrow” or “Outrun” for a sampling of the band’s other works to get a taste of what you’re going to experience at the show.

MORTALITY IN ALL ITS GLORY
2/21, Harrisburg University Presents Indigo De Souza, XL LIVE
Arguably coming off a breakout year with the release of her third LP, “All of This Will End,” Asheville singer-songwriter Indigo De Souza hits the stage at XL Live this month. Her song, “You Can Be Mean,” was one of my favorite 2023 releases (and is stuck in my head quite often), and the album as a whole is a beautiful compilation of songs that really feel like De Souza is coming into her own and choosing joy despite the pain and odds stacked against her, which listeners might hear on her other releases. This’ll be a good one to catch.

CALLING ALL DEADHEADS
2/24, Splintered Sunlight, XL Live
I grew up in a house filled with music, and one of the bands usually gracing our speakers was the Grateful Dead. It’s safe to say that I have been to my fair share of Dead & Co. and tribute band shows. Splintered Sunlight is among the best bringing something unique to the live experience of appreciating the Dead’s music. So, if you or a loved one have an appreciation for this legendary band, or just love to jam out, this is for you!

Honorable Mentions
2/3 — KC & The Sunshine Band, Hershey Theatre
2/10 — Go Up Records Baddies Bash, XL Live
2/15 — Alash Ensemble, H*MAC
2/16 — Papadosio & Tauk, XL Live
2/16 — The Maxwell Project, West Shore Theatre
2/22 — Blake Shelton & Dustin Lynch, Giant Center
2/23 — Almost Honest Album Release Show, West Shore Theatre
2/24 — Harrisburg University Presents “Our American Songbook” featuring Bria Skonberg & Benny Benack III, The Forum

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Prime Time for The After Hours: This month, the Harrisburg-based band releases its first full-length album

September 28, 2023 | by Skye Leppo

Photo courtesy of The After Hours.

The timing was right for The After Hours to embrace a reality that was a long time coming.

The four-piece, who have been playing together under the moniker since September 2021, have been making a name for themselves regionally over the last two years, though their relationships as musicians go back much further than that.

Vocalist Jordan Trevino, 34, who also joins the band on drums, bass and guitar, and guitarist Sean Saman, 37 (who you’ll also hear on keyboards and bass) were both longtime members of the former Harrisburg band, Hot Jam Factory. Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Elena Rossetto was briefly a member of Hot Jam Factory in 2020, but, as many musicians felt the pangs of the global pandemic, touring—and Hot Jam Factory’s time as a band—came to a grinding halt.

This clean slate opened up a new world of opportunity, though. Trevino, Saman and Rossetto were excited about another sound that they’d started exploring and felt committed to a “singular direction and vision of what this vision and project could be,” thus beginning a new era as The After Hours, Trevino said. Gordon Lauffer, 25, has since started working with the band on drums.

When listening to a few of the band’s dreamier, synth-heavy melodies, one can appreciate the different members’ shared efforts to create emotional, vibe-y moments. Combined, their individual talents create a rich, atmospheric sound that feels very current, with a hint of New Wave nostalgia.

The group’s first full-length album, “Late Night Social,” comes out Friday, Oct.13, and includes 11 original tracks. If you want to catch the band performing songs from the album live, you’ll have two chances to do so that weekend.

The After Hours’ Album Release Party hits the Stage on Herr at H*MAC at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 13, and the band will play at Choctoberfest at ChocolateTown Square Park in downtown Hershey on Oct. 14, sometime between 4 and 6 p.m.

I caught up with the band one evening in August at Trevino’s house while members were having an “art night,” adding the finishing touches to some album artwork as well as conceptualizing some props and storylines for upcoming music videos.

TheBurg: How did the band come to be?

Jordan Trevino: We had Hot Jam Factory for so long… This [The After Hours] is a jumping-off point to do more centered works. We released two songs, “Back Here Again” and “Anytime,” and then retouched them up, this time as The After Hours, and released them under this name as our first two singles.

TheBurg: How long have you been working on “Late Night Social?” Can you talk about the recording process?

Trevino: It’s a lot of themes. Lyrically, moving into this album, we as The After Hours really wanted to get back to emotionally based writing. We were getting really intrigued by concept—bigger, grander ideas. … We just kept talking about chasing a lot of vibes with it, setting atmospheres, and after the fact, there are a lot of themes of change and time, and connecting, whether it’s people reconnecting or slowly growing apart, pursuing romantically or whatever. It’s kind of, at least for me, these different snapshots of different stories in a night.

Sean Saman: We record with Jason Shaffer at Full Tilt Recording in Mechanicsburg… he’s sort of our unspoken sixth member.

Trevino: This is the first album [where] we’ve really recorded most of the base tracks ourselves and took everything to Jason, for mixing, mastering and overlaying. We’ve worked with him for about 10 years. … We recorded all the basic stuff at our place, and then we recorded some violin and saxophone stuff at Jason’s studio.

TheBurg: Who does most of the songwriting for the band?

Trevino: Elena joined (Hot Jam Factory) to mostly sing and do some auxiliary, and then got really good at bass during COVID and started writing bass lines. Sean’s been leading the soundscape in most of the songs, written the drum parts, guitar parts and everything.

Elena Rossetto: We’re all multi-instrumentalists; we all do a lot. And Gordon’s on drums! Though it’s a matter of time before I’m hopping on your drum kit.

Gordon Lauffer: Please do!

Trevino: I do most of the lyrics, but it’s a big bouncing off of each other process, a lot of, ‘what do you think?’ I come up with a starting point for the melody, and Elena will help steer the melody a lot, harmonize—it’s a playful process. … I’ll be asking everyone: are you sure about this line? Do you like it more if it’s phrased this way?”

Saman: Then I come through and fix the typos. (Whole group laughs.)

Trevino: I feel like it started when Sean and I lived together. Most of the time, we played together so we’d be writing, heavily collaborative. Elena came in and fit that so well because she’s naturally gifted at picking up instruments and very creative, talented with melody. It’s made this really nice structure where we chime in on what everyone is doing.

Rossetto: When we are live, we perform what we know best and tend to switch instruments depending on what we’re playing live.

Saman: We do it strategically—what’s the energy of the songs, and who has what instruments, and what makes it flow the best?

TheBurg: What songs did you have the most fun recording?

Saman: To be fair, I had a lot of fun recording all of the parts and all of the songs.

Rossetto: We used a theremin in the song, “My Type,” and Jordan had a lot of fun playing that.

Trevino: It was super fun.

Saman: During COVID I bought a marimba, so I put that in “Back Here Again.”

Trevino: “Me & My Girl” is pretty special. They all were special, but we recorded vibraphone, cello and violins while working on that song, and [from the song’s] finished written [form] and then in the studio, it was such a different song. That one still surprises me, just hearing some of the fun orchestration stuff we did. “In A Little While” is a song where a lot of things that were just played in the recording process ended up sticking. We used some extreme effects and had fun with a lot of sounds, but I remember thinking, “This will never make it to the album,” and it’s definitely making it to the album.

Saman: That’s one that I really enjoy playing live.

For more information on The After Hours, visit the band’s page on Spotify.

You can catch the band live at their “Late Night Social” album release party at Stage on Herr at H*MAC at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13. For more details for that show, visit www.harrisburgarts.com

The Q&A has been edited for brevity and clarity.

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Local Italian restaurant to open location in H*MAC, serving authentic pizza, desserts

September 18, 2023 | by Maddie Gittens

Nonna Ilva pizza

It’s pizza time!

H*MAC announced that patrons will be able to grab a slice or a whole pie from the restaurant soon opening inside its Midtown music venue.

Nonna Ilva Authentic Italian is slated to open in H*MAC at the end of September, replacing Zachary’s BBQ, which operated there since 2021.

Nonna Ilva currently runs a location in Carlisle and was a vendor in the Broad Street Market for a year, before a devastating fire in July closed the building temporarily.

According to Mattia Cappella, who owns the business with his wife Hannah Houtz, he decided not to reopen as a vendor in the market’s temporary market structure, but rather move operations to H*MAC, after venue officials reached out to them about the opportunity.

“When the fire happened, I thought maybe the vendors needed some help,” said John Traynor, founder and spokesperson for H*MAC. “I thought pizza would be a good fit for H*MAC. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

H*MAC struggled to operate Zachary’s after the restaurant’s owner, Keith Taylor, was severely injured due to a car accident, Traynor said. With Nonna Ilva on board, Traynor views this as a new chapter for the venue’s restaurant.

Nonna Ilva will offer authentic Italian pizza, appetizers and desserts. The pizza will be thin crust, made with ingredients imported from Italy. One of the restaurant’s most popular pizzas is the salsiccia, topped with homemade sausage, sweet peppers, saffron sauce and stracciatella cheese, Capella said.

Nonna Ilva cannoli

They also plan to offer desserts, such as cannoli and tiramisu, along with vegan and gluten-free menu options.

“You will be able to drink a beer and eat pizza,” Cappella said. “I think H*MAC is a good location for us.”

Capella is from Italy, near Rome, where he also attended culinary school. He opened his Carlisle Nonna Ilva location in May.

When asked why he was interested in bringing the Italian restaurant in-house, Traynor said, “Honestly, it’s because I love pizza. He makes a really great pizza and makes everything by hand.”

According to Traynor, the restaurant will provide food for H*MAC’s large events and concerts, as well as its patrons during regular lunch and dinner hours.

Nonna Ilva is slated to hold a soft opening on Sept. 28 and open fully in early October.

Nonna Ilva’s Harrisburg restaurant will be located inside H*MAC, 1110 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit H*MAC’s website or Nonna Ilva’s website.

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Musical Notes: Show Me September

August 29, 2023 | by Skye Leppo

For me, there’s a little feeling of magic whenever September rolls around.

I don’t know if it’s the hint of pumpkin spice in the air, the nostalgia of Lisa Frank-adorned school supplies in clearance bins, or an absolutely stacked lineup of concerts to catch when the weather is exactly right. Need further evidence? Please continue reading. Happy show bouncing!

DON’T MISS

Mt. Joy, 9/16, HU Presents Summer Series, Riverfront Park

It is an indie rock lover’s paradise in Harrisburg this month, with the pinnacle being Philly’s own Mt. Joy delivering their special blend of jaunty yet slightly melancholy rock’n’roll to the main stage at Riverfront Park. The band’s beautiful lyrics, anthemic Americana-infused rhythms and visual psychedelic influences are going to make for a great live experience. (If you don’t believe me, check out the band’s shows at Red Rocks and Lollapalooza for more support).

Tash Sultana, HU Presents, 9/19, The Forum

Aussie Tash Sultana has been on my concert bucket list for a looong time, and I’m so pumped they’re making a tour stop in Harrisburg (at a venue with some of the best acoustics in the region, no less). Sultana is a masterful multi-instrumentalist, bringing together their talents on guitar, vocals, piano and keys, percussion, beatmaking, harmonica, bass… the list literally goes on and on, and on… and on. Their moody hit, “Jungle,” is a good intro track, but be sure to check out “Pretty Lady,” “Notion,” and “Bitter Lovers.” By the time this column is published, Sultana’s latest EP, “Sugar,” will be out, which we’ll likely hear performed live at the Forum.

FOR NOSTALGIA’S SAKE

Broken Social Scene, HU Presents, 9/26, XL Live

If you lived for the post-rock indie scene in the early aughts, this is for you. The Canadian rock supergroup Broken Social Scene’s iconic “You Forgot It In People” album turned 20 last year, and the band is bringing their anniversary tour here for a special show at the end of the month. The band’s been known to have as few as six musicians on stage, or as many as 19—feel free to DM me with your best guess on how many will join them on this tour stop, and, if you’re right, maybe I’ll buy you a drink. To redeem, you’ll find me softly weeping along in the crowd.

FOR CONSIDERATION

Son Little, 9/16, H*MAC

What an amazing time to be living in Harrisburg when there are at least two awesome shows scheduled for the same night, just miles apart (and on more than one night this month, might I add!). I caught Son Little as an opening act for Leon Bridges in 2016, and was absolutely blown away by his talent. He’s currently touring to support his 2022 LP, “Like Neptune.” If you want to hear some truly excellent R&B, I highly recommend checking him out.

Honorable Mentions

Lynyrd Skynyrd & ZZ Top, 9/9, Hersheypark Stadium

Dinosaur Jr., 9/11, XL Live

HU Presents ZZ Ward, 9/13, XL Live

New Cumberland Music + Film Festival Opening Show ft. Le Ghast, 9/15, SOURCE Creative House

The Why’re Reunion Show, 9/16, West Shore Senior Center (yes, really)

Shawan Rice w/West & Ward, 9/17, West Shore Theatre

HU Presents Summer Series Trey Anastasio and Classic Tab, 9/17, Riverfront Park

The Happy Fits, 9/19, H*MAC

Joan Osborne, 9/20, The Englewood

Further Seems Forever & The Juliana Theory, 9/22, H*MAC

Red Hot Chili Peppers w/St. Vincent, 9/27, Hersheypark Stadium

HU Presents Margo Price, 9/28, XL Live

WXPN Welcomes Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, 9/29, Appell Center for the Performing Arts

WXPN Welcomes Grace Potter, 9/30, XL Live

Borgore, 9/30, H*MAC

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Musical Notes: August Is Hear

July 28, 2023 | by Skye Leppo

Let’s skip the small talk and dig into the music, because there’s a lot of good stuff happening in the 717 this month!

DON’T MISS

The Head And The Heart, 8/26, HU Presents Summer Series, Riverfront Park

In the fall of 2011, a very cool friend of mine, who is responsible for much of my early music discovery, invited me to a small music festival at the Ukie Club in Philly, and last-minute tickets were about $12. The lineup? An incredible snapshot of time in indie music—Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, Jukebox the Ghost, Good Old War, and an amazing folksy band called The Head And The Heart that absolutely blew me away. My friend threw the band’s song, “Rivers and Roads,” on a CD mix for me and I was hooked. This Seattle folk rock outfit has been a mainstay on the indie scene for the better part of the last 12 years and has seen peaks and valleys of stellar successes and criticism. While they’ve taken on a much more polished sound in recent releases, including 2022’s LP “Every Shade of Blue,” I can vouch for the band’s live performance skills.

GET ON YOUR FEET

CupcakKe, 8/24, XL Live

Rapper CupcakKe writes what are possibly the funniest lyrics I’ve ever heard. CupcakKe mostly, if not entirely, raps about sex with euphemisms and comparisons that are second to none. At 26 years old, she’s had an impressive rapping career for 13 years and nearly retired from music altogether in 2019 after concerns that her music was “corrupting youth,” but emerged from her hiatus 40 days later with new music. While none of her music is appropriate to print on the pages of this magazine, this show is likely going to be a great time. For a slightly more accessible intro to her music, check out the track “Squidward Nose.”

GROOVIN’

Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, 8/18, H*MAC

Duane Betts is an astounding talent in his own right for his phenomenal guitar playing and singing in the Allman Betts Band, of which he is a co-founding member, not to mention the years he spent playing on tour with his father, Dickey Betts & The Great Southern. This time around, he’s putting forth his first solo effort, “Wild & Precious Life,” released in July via Royal Potato Family Records. I’d plan to arrive to this show early to catch opening act Cordovas, too. I’ve been especially digging their song “High Feeling.”

FOR CONSIDERATION

Windborne, 8/12, Unitarian Church of Harrisburg

As seen on #FolkTok (that’s the folk music section of TikTok, for those of you scratching your heads,) an insanely talented vocal group called Windborne will perform at the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg as part of Susquehanna Folk Music Society’s 2023 Susquehanna Folk Weekend. The quartet, comprised of Jeremy Gordon-Carter, Lynn Rowan, Lauren Breunig and Will Rowan, released a beautiful album in 2022 called “Recollections|Revolutions.”

Honorable Mentions

Outlaw Music Festival, 8/4, Hersheypark Stadium
The Smithereens w/Marshall Crenshaw, 8/4, The Englewood
Pantera, 8/5, Hersheypark Stadium
Beres Hammond, 8/9, H*MAC
The Chicks, 8/10, Hersheypark Stadium
Splintered Sunlight, 8/11, XL Live
Guns N’Roses, 8/11, Hersheypark Stadium
Shakey Graves, 8/16, XL Live
Samantha Fish, 8/17, XL Live
Southern Rockfest: A Brothers Revival, 8/19, H*MAC
Black Flag, 8/21, XL Live
Quinn Sullivan, 8/25, H*MAC
RalphReal & The Family Jam, 8/27, West Shore Theatre
Rival Sons, 8/29, XL Live

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Jovial June: Starting off a summer to remember

May 31, 2023 | by Belle Frank

It’s six months into the year, and Harrisburg has welcomed so many spectacular artists to the area. Likewise, this summer is going to be filled with classics and newcomers of all different genres. I think I’ve been to at least five concerts this year so far, and I’m not planning to stop any time soon. There is just something energizing about seeing artists in person. Listening to live music is an experience you don’t want to miss.

Milky Chance, 6/12, XL Live (Harrisburg University Presents)

Milky Chance’s origin is any kid’s dream—two friends from high school making amazing music together. Clemens Rehbein and Philip Dausch formed the group in 2012 and now are joined by Antonio Greger and Sebastian Schmidt. Originating from Germany, they are classified under a few genres, such as reggae, alternative rock, indie and electronic. In 2014, the band played its first show in the United States at the Bowery Ballroom, releasing their music in the U.S. market. Milky Chance’s specific sound aesthetic can be picked out of a crowd, which is why they were added to the music app, Shazam, “Hall of Fame” in 2015. The group’s sound has been described as a cross between the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bob Marley. This is definitely a band I don’t want to miss. I’ve been following them since their U.S. debut.

Best of the Eagles, 6/17, H*MAC

For some music fans, a “tribute band” may sound like dirty words, conjuring thoughts of second-rate musicians in dingy basement bars. News alert—today, many tribute bands are magnificently talented, not trying to imitate the object of their affection as much as honor their music, their legacy and their devoted fan base. Enter Best of the Eagles, which authentically re-creates the sound and spirit of the beloved 1970s and ‘80s rock band without attempting to impersonate them. These six middle-aged musicians all had long careers in numerous regional and touring bands before joining forces to share the legendary music of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Joe Walsh and the rest of the fractious, oft-changing gang. How about spending an evening singing along with such hits as “Take It Easy,” “One of These Nights” and “Hotel California?” Yes, please.

Lovelytheband, 6/27, XL Live (Harrisburg University Presents)

Friends Mitchy Collins, Jordan Greenwald and Sam Price started Lovelytheband in California in 2016. Their first single, “Broken,” hit the Billboard charts in 2017 and stayed on top for seven straight weeks. The group formed in Los Angeles, which perfectly captures their west coast sound. They are definitely modern pop artists, but their release, “Heartbreak of America,” combines traditional pop music with social commentary. Their music is reminiscent of the late 2010s style of pop music that reminds me of college. I think anyone in high school or college around that time has a memory with their friends of the song, “Sail Away,” playing on the radio in the car or in the background somewhere. It will be a great band to see to relive those years of my life.

Mentionables

The Record Company, XL Live, June 2
Bridge City Sinners, June 2, Lovedraft’s Brewing Co.
Puddle of Mud, June 3, XL Live
Maroon 5, June 9, Hersheypark Stadium
The Swemo Experience, June 10, H*MAC
Corinna Joy, June 24, Spring Gate Vineyard
Diana Ross, June 27, Hershey Theatre

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It’s His Party: Puddles brings his “Pity Party” to Harrisburg (crying optional)

May 2, 2023 | by Lawrance Binda

Puddles (photo courtesy H*MAC)

There’s just something about a sad clown.

The melancholy man behind the mask long has been a cultural staple, seen in everything from opera to “Seinfeld.”

This weekend, one of the nation’s best-known sad clowns makes a stop in Harrisburg, as singer and musician Mike Geier brings his “Puddles Pity Party” to H*MAC.

“Puddles gives an emotive performance that resonates with all kinds of folks,” says Geier on the Puddles website, speaking on behalf of his often silent, deeply talented alter ego, a 7-foot-tall crooning clown.

There’s a good chance you’ve already seen and heard Puddles, as he’s been hard at work entertaining audiences for over a decade.

Puddles first hit the national stage during the 2010 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live tour and began to play in clubs around the country. In 2013, he recorded a version of the Lorde hit, “Royals” with Postmodern Jukebox, a video that went viral.

However, for much of the country, Puddles became an absurdist phenomenon during season 12 of “America’s Got Talent,” when he reached the quarter finals and then returned for AGT’s “The Champions 2020.”

More recently, he’s produced more than dozen episodes of the online musical variety series, the “Still Sequestered Show,” which ran during the pandemic and featured such major guest star as Jack Black, Weird Al Yankovic and Penn Jillette.

“There’s something about a giant sad singing clown that comforts us, let’s us know it’s OK to feel, to show our feelings,” Geier says.

Puddles Pity Party takes place May 7, beginning at 7 p.m., at H*MAC, 1110 N. 3^rd St., Harrisburg. For event information and tickets, visit their website. Click here to visit the Puddles Pity Party website.

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