Tag Archives: HMAC

The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

April 24, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

Coronet Park ribbon cutting

There’s been a lot of exciting news this week! Downtown Harrisburg saw the opening of its first “pocket park,” a local gym expanded its training space with a turf lawn, and high school eSports players from Harrisburg prepared for a statewide tournament. All that, and more, is compiled for you below:

Coronet Park, downtown Harrisburg’s first “pocket park,” opened this week with plans to host a flurry of pop-up events with Sara Bozich in the coming months.

CREDC offered a first look at responses from a downtown Harrisburg perception survey ahead of revitalization plans at an Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority meeting Wednesday.

Harrisburg High School eSports players prepared for a statewide tournament this week, seeding first and fourth.

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (HMAC) is facing $7.9 million in foreclosure claims from a mortgage lender who asked a court to pursue a sheriff’s sale of the property last week.

Harrisburg police proposed a union contract that would bump city officers’ salaries significantly in order to help with recruitment.

Latino Connection Foundation has announced its first executive director, Shalawn James.

Sara Bozich has compiled the best events of the weekend in her Weekend Roundup, including the Wetlands Festival at Wildwood Park. Check out the full list.

Susquehanna Art Museum’s current exhibit “American Identity: Restoring the Susquehanna River’s Artistic Legacy” encompasses 400 years of assembled artwork across a variety of mediums.

Triple P Fitness finished the installation of 3,300 square feet of turf along its riverfront North Front Street property and plans to use the new space for training and classes.

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Mortgage lender asks court for foreclosure, sheriff’s sale of HMAC

April 20, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center

A mortgage lender has filed a complaint to foreclose on the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (HMAC) and pursue a sheriff’s sale of the property.

According to Dauphin County court documents, filed last week, the owners of the entertainment venue, operating as 1110 HBG, have defaulted on a $3.72 million commercial property loan and now owe a mortgage lender $7.9 million.

According to the documents, the outstanding balance of the loan is due in full on June 1, 2026.

The out-of-state mortgage lender, HIF V Lender, signed an agreement with 1110 HBG in 2019, when the venue changed ownership following a bankruptcy filing. One of the new owners, Chris Werner signed, as an authorized member of 110 HBG LLC, the 2019 promissory note and mortgage attached to the complaint.

Per the agreement, 1110 HBG was to make $33,325/month mortgage payments for the property.

HIF V charged a 10.75% annual interest rate, the documents state, and could demand full payment of the loan, and its interest upfront at any time, upon default of the loan, through an acceleration clause.

However, 1110 HBG defaulted on the terms of the loan in October 2019, just a few months after the mortgage began in July, according to court documents. The lender then began charging a 14.75% default interest rate, bringing the monthly payment up to $45,725/month for the building.

Since October 2019, the complaint noted, “Borrower has remained in continuous default, having made only sporadic payments and failing to cure the arrearages, as reflected in the payment history.”

Between 2019 and 2021, the owners of HMAC paid the lender around $398,271, according to the filing.

The HMAC owners made semi-regular payments in 2019—underpaying some months and overpaying others. They then failed to make any payments between February of 2020 and September of 2021, a time period that overlapped with Pennsylvania’s pandemic-era business shutdowns.

In October 2021, HMAC made its last payment to the lender to date – a lump sum of $150,000, documents state, adding that the lender has not received a payment in the years since.

According to HIF V’s complaint, the HMAC owners’ unpaid loan principal sits at $3.72 million, and it owes an additional $3.32 million in late fees. An additional $864,249 in administrative fees, legal fees, pre-paid fees, and extension fees bring its total owed to HIF V up to $7.9 million.

HIF V took over HMAC’s mortgage in May 2019, taking over from the venue’s original lender, Hershiser Capital Finance.

The original owners of the venue, a company called Bartlett, Traynor & London, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019. However, one founder, John Traynor, has stayed on as an advisor for the current owning partnership.

HMAC announced its closure in February, after stating it couldn’t procure essential operating licenses from the city because it hadn’t paid its entertainment taxes. City Solicitor Neil Grover said, at the time, that he couldn’t disclose the amount of unpaid entertainment taxes HMAC owed.

He also said that the HMAC had not paid its trash bills. Later in February, Capital Region Water filed a municipal lien against the venue for $14,200.

The venue also owes more than $78,000 in unpaid property taxes to Dauphin County.

The property is located at 1110 N. 3rd St. in Midtown Harrisburg.

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

February 20, 2026 | by TheBurg Staff

HMAC announced its closure in a Facebook post Tuesday.

From local entertainment venue HMAC’s abrupt closure to Harrisburg Young Professionals’ appointment of a new executive director to the grand opening of a new Midtown warming shelter for local homeless youth, a lot happened in Harrisburg this week. Our weekly coverage is compiled for you below:

Craig Family Cemetery lies in a wooded area so remote that legal access is possible only through guided tours provided by the Country Club of Harrisburg. Freed slave Andrew Craig and his family are buried on the lot. For more, see our February magazine story.

Curryzone, a Nepalese, Indian and Indo-Chinese fusion restaurant, is now open in Camp Hill. Brothers Suman Shrestha and Prakash Kandel run the restaurant. Read more in our February magazine story.

“Ephraim Slaughter: Freedom’s Witness,” a poignant one-act play put on by Sankofa African American Theatre Company and Gamut Theatre, will be onstage at Gamut Theatre until Feb. 22. “The play’s dialogue is pure poetry,” our reviewer raves. Take a look at our February issue story for a behind-the-scenes look at how the show came together.

HACC student Stephanie Wallendjack began exploring art through the community college’s 65+ program and went on to win first place in “Ceramic Art” at one of the world’s most prestigious art exhibitions. Read more in our magazine story.

Harrisburg and CREDC asked residents, workers, business owners, and visitors of the city to take an online survey and share their perception of the downtown. Read more in our online story.

Harrisburg Young Professionals named its former communications coordinator Cody Goss as its new executive director on Wednesday, our online story reported.

HMAC announced its closure on Tuesday, stating it couldn’t procure essential operating licenses from the city after failing to pay its entertainment taxes, our online story reported. The venue’s employees and patrons pleaded with City Council members that night to help keep its doors open.

Hopkins House Museum is set to become Gettysburg’s first museum devoted entirely to Black history. Once home to Jack and Julia Hopkins, the 1840s log cabin is the town’s last surviving Civil War-era house that was owned by Black residents. Read more in our February magazine story.

Plants + Pints, a Strawberry Square-based event that combines plant-based food and craft beer, will return to downtown Harrisburg on Sunday, April 12, our online story reported.

Sara Bozich has compiled the best events of the weekend in her Weekend Roundup, including 3rd in the Burg and Sunday Night Trivia at McGrath’s Pub. Check out the full list.

Thrive Housing Services opened a warming shelter in Midtown for children, teens and young adults experiencing homelessness on Monday. Read more here.

SoMa Block Party series is coming back to downtown Harrisburg this spring and will kick off in May, our online story reported.

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HMAC employees, patrons speak in support of venue, ask City Council for help

February 17, 2026 | by Maddie Gittens

HMAC

Employees and patrons of a Harrisburg music venue on Tuesday asked for City Council’s help to keep its doors open.

Harrisburg Midtown Art Center (HMAC) earlier today announced that it would close, saying that it cannot get essential operating licenses after failing to pay entertainment taxes.

During council’s work session, over a dozen residents indicated that they were there in solidarity with HMAC and spoke on behalf of the venue during public comment.

“HMAC has approached the mayor and the city solicitor with a concrete plan to pay the taxes owed and despite HMAC’s attorney reaching out, neither the mayor nor the city solicitor have responded, I believe for two weeks,” said resident Julia Tilley. “The only comment that was made that was shared with me was that the administration really doesn’t care if HMAC closes. Now I really can’t believe that anybody would’ve said that, but if they did, if it is true, I think it is a pretty terrible position for a city that is hemorrhaging restaurants and other businesses.”

According to John Traynor, one of the concert venue’s co-founders, HMAC has been closed for two weeks, not being allowed to operate without essential licenses, like health and mercantile licenses.

City Solicitor Neil Grover told TheBurg that HMAC owed a “substantial” amount of unpaid entertainment taxes and said that this is an “issue of their making.”

Traynor shared the same sentiments as Tilley, that HMAC has attempted to work out the issue with the city, but hasn’t received a response. Grover told TheBurg that HMAC’s offer, as of last week, constituted “pennies on the dollar” for what it owed.

Tilley urged council to look at the city’s amusement tax rate of 10% per ticket sold, which, she said, is higher than Philadelphia and New York City.

Amy Trout, co-founder of the Blacklisted Poets of Harrisburg, which hosts events at HMAC, said that her group found a home at the venue.

“It is the only venue in this city that has ever made us feel welcome and wanted and appreciated,” she said. “And I think it is so important to support the arts.”

Another man, who said he is a local promoter who hosts events at HMAC, said that Chris Werner, an HMAC principal, gave him a chance.

“I hope that there’s an answer because if there isn’t and HMAC closes down, I have to figure something out,” he said. “I started from the bottom there.”

Another woman who used to work for HMAC said that working at the venue gave her “purpose.”

“We want to stay working in the city, we want to stay living in the city, and a lot of us, it’s a very real possibility that we’ll have to leave the city both as residents and workers […] We want to stay and we love our city very much.”

Werner’s daughter even stepped up to the mic to share how her father’s business impacted her.

“HMAC has always been my safe place and where I felt the most protected,” she said. “It’s where I see my future. It’s where I learned everything. While most kids grow up trying to figure out their future, I’ve always known.”

Several council members expressed their support for city businesses and said that they would look into the situation with HMAC.

“I don’t want to see another Harrisburg business close. I really hope that we can all work together, we’re all adults in this room, and find a solution because I don’t think any of us can afford for another Harrisburg business to close,” said council member Jocelyn Rawls.

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HMAC announces closure, forced by dispute with city over unpaid entertainment taxes

February 17, 2026 | by Alexandra Jones

HMAC announced its closure in a Facebook post Tuesday.

Harrisburg Midtown Art Center announced its closure on Tuesday, stating it couldn’t procure essential operating licenses from the city after failing to pay its entertainment taxes.

“We acknowledge that entertainment tax is owed,” HMAC, which initially opened in 2009, wrote on Facebook.

The venue has already been effectively closed for the past two weeks, according to John Traynor, one of the concert venue’s co-founders, when reached by telephone. Without essential licenses, like health and mercantile licenses, it cannot legally operate, he said.

In Harrisburg, entertainment taxes constitute 10% of each ticket sold for any amusement, with the city and school district taking 5% each. While city Solicitor Neil Grover said that while he couldn’t disclose the amount of unpaid entertainment taxes HMAC owed, unless the city goes to court with the venue, “it’s substantial.”

Traynor meanwhile estimated the amount owed is somewhere around $250,000 or $300,000.

Grover said that the city was lenient with HMAC last year for “the exact same issue.”

“If they would pay their bills like most taxpayers do, most good corporate citizens do, then that would solve the issue,” Grover said. “This is their issue of their making.”

According to Grover, HMAC also owes the city for unpaid trash bills.

Traynor added that he and HMAC’s legal representatives have asked the city to negotiate payments for the outstanding entertainment tax balance, but received no response from the city.

Grover said this is because HMAC’s offer, as of last week, constituted “pennies on the dollar” for what it owed.

“And it’s money that the court already ordered be paid to us, so I don’t consider that working with us,” Grover said.

“The city has done everything it can within reason to work with HMAC,” he said. “HMAC has not worked with us.”

Traynor meanwhile said it is possible the venue could reopen if “we have a willing advocate and partner in the city.”

He added that, as a small, live entertainment venue coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic’s prolonged shutdowns, HMAC has struggled in recent years.

“HMAC’s closure during COVID caused significant financial harm to the company,” Traynor said, adding that he thinks that the venue, which includes a restaurant and bar, brings value to the Midtown community.

The closure has put bartenders, security, lighting and sound technicians, production crews, and administrative staff out of work, HMAC said.

“It’s been really hard,” said Traynor. “For all the staff, everyone has lost their jobs like that.”

He added that HMAC doesn’t just do music shows. It is open seven days a week.

“We do fundraisers all the time for free for people, we do poetry nights,” he said. “Those have been hugely successful in the courtyard outside during the summer. It brings a sense of community.”

Grover indicated that perhaps the venue could reopen if it paid off its balances, owed to the city, in full.

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Musical Notes: New Year, New Music

December 30, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

The year is starting off strong with a lot of great music in the area, and we’re here for it. And, if your venue or friends have a show coming up that you think I should check out, drop me a line at [email protected]. See you in the pit!

LET’S DANCE
1/11, MINKA Masquerade, H*MAC
If videos from the band’s last Masquerade are to be believed, MINKA has a vibrant, electric energy that will deliver a whole lotta funk into any moment. This particular dance party is a masquerade, so find your most ridiculous costume and get onto the dance floor. Still not sure? Check out tracks like “Conquistadors” and “Gemini Rising” for a better idea of what’s in store.

WORTH THE DRIVE
1/23, Langhorne Slim & Oliver Wood, Appell Center for the Performing Arts
It’s an Americana doubleheader at the Appell Center! We’ve got Bucks County via Nashville singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim, whose raw, smoky voice surely will be recognized by Philly music scene enthusiasts (also look for the delightful Philadelphia Easter eggs all over Slim’s most recent album, “Strawberry Mansion”). Oliver Wood, frontman of roots mainstays, The Wood Brothers, delivers a tangy warmth and is a real treat on songs like “Fine Line” and “Have You No Shame” (feat. Katie Pruitt).

DISCOVERY
1/25, John Rai & The Locals, H*MAC
Nepali singer-songwriter John Chamling Rai, who performs with his touring band as John Rai & The Locals, is bringing the current U.S. tour to the H*MAC stage at the end of the month. Shared widely on TikTok and Instagram over the last few years, Rai’s emotionally charged music seems to have smitten listeners. “Sadhana” and “K Garu” are both beautiful and arresting in their own ways, and from a cursory glance on Eventbrite and social media, this writer thinks the show might sell out.

HONORABLE MENTIONS
1/5, Awake At Last, Lovedrafts Brewing Co.
1/5, Charm City Junction, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of York
1/17, Escaper and Mono Means One, The Abbey Bar
1/17, The Dirty Nil, Lovedrafts Brewing Co.
1/18, HE$H, H*MAC
1/23, Lotus, XL Live
1/24, The Four Horsemen, XL Live
1/29, Platinum Moon, Lovedrafts Brewing Co.

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The Gift of HBG: Our writer digs deep to craft a hyper-local gift guide

November 26, 2024 | by M. Diane McCormick

ModSew Designs

Deck the Burg with boughs of holly. If you’re looking for holiday presents that are uniquely Harrisburg, our exclusive gift guide takes you on a culinary, artistic and heartwarming tour of the region.

Fa-la-la-la-la

Did someone say, “Give the gift of music”?

Timeless tradition: Hard to believe, but Stuart Malina has been music director of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra since 2000. So, it’s the perfect time to make 2025 concerts part of your giving. Celebrations for this 25th season include Malina Madness 2.0, when the maestro himself conducts and plays the ever-popular “Rhapsody in Blue,” May 17 and 18. Christmas stockings around town are already pre-stuffed with tickets for the dazzling acrobatics of “Cirque Goes Broadway!” on May 3 and 4. www.harrisburgsymphony.org

Bearing gifts: Give your clubbing friend tix to H*MAC’s lineup of electronic dance music masters, including Bear Grillz (early Christmas present, Dec. 6) and HE$H (Jan. 18), a rising star in dubstep (yeah, I had to look it up. It’s a type of EDM.) www.harrisburgarts.com

Joyful sounds: Since 2019, proceeds from sales of “Joy to the Burg” CDs have had a real impact in sheltering and supporting the homeless of Harrisburg. The 2024 compilation brims with local musicians delivering the sacred and the silly. No Last Call marches to “The Dreidel Song.” Stars in Sapphire sings a haunting “Coventry Carol.” And Rick Pawelski and the Flying Matlocks strike a very Burg-y note with Pawelski’s “Party with Santa,” as he sings, “From the north to the south, the 717 is ready to party with Santa. We’re gonna give it our best on the east and the west shores of the Susquehanna.” The song evokes seeing old friends for the holidays, Pawelski told me. Plus, he said, “Once I figured out that Santa sorta rhymes with Susquehanna, I had something to work with.” www.joytotheburg.com

Star bright: Sankofa African American Theatre Co. presents “Black Nativity,” Langston Hughes’ retelling of the Nativity story through gospel arrangements of traditional carols and spirituals. Directed by the remarkable Sharia Benn, with music directed and arranged by Brian McGrady, “Black Nativity” shines new light on an ancient story, Dec. 6, 7 and 8. www.sankofatheatrehbg.com

Bless the Poor

Honor a loved one with a gift that makes a difference in your community.

To market, to market: With support of the community, the fire-damaged Broad Street Market hasn’t broken its streak as the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market. Gift a loved one with a Friends of the Broad Street Market membership, for early-bird access, discounts for BSM events such as the popular Paint & Sip, and, of course, a tote for filling with market produce, pretzels, deli meats, candy and doggie treats. www.broadstreetmarket.org/friends

All is calm: A gift to the YWCA Greater Harrisburg transforms lives. Maybe it’s the 4,100 women, children and families who receive crisis services each year, or the 1,000 individuals and veterans who get residential support. For the holidays, generous donors fill the YW wish list with linens and activities for kids, while they step up with gift cards for gas and groceries that go directly to YWCA clients working their way out of domestic violence and homelessness. www.ywcahbg.org

Tzedakah: With its move to the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life, the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg reaffirmed its commitment to uplifting every member of the community. Donations, naming opportunities and legacy-giving help sustain the federation and its showcase campus as sources of learning, health and culture for children, adults and senior citizens. www.jewishharrisburg.org

Five Gold Rings

Help a loved one wear a bit of the Burg—and TheBurg.

Don we now our Stay Apparel: Here’s wearable Harrisburg history, with Stay Apparel’s USA-made T-shirts, hats and accessories adorned with logos and ads from the 20th-century bars, breweries and teams of Harrisburg and central PA. I like the art deco “Refresh with Graupner’s Silver Stock Lager Beer” tee, recalling the legendary Harrisburg brewery that was run, for a time, by the founder’s indomitable widow. www.stayapparel.com

Gear up: Show off your Burg-er pride with TheBurg’s black unisex sweatshirt, women’s white cropped sweatshirt and black or white Walnut Street Bridge tee. They’re the perfect gift for a post-feast walk along the river. www.theburgnews.com/burg-gear

O PA tree: Your hiker friend needs a bit of the trail to take along everywhere she goes. Richelle Dourte of Boiling Springs-based Metalledwith hikes the woods of Pennsylvania every spring and forages for new growth on native PA trees. Then she casts her minuscule, three-day-old leaves in resin and handcrafted metalwork to create delicate necklaces and earrings. www.metalledwith.com, www.villageartisansgallery.com

Deck the Halls

The holidays last a few weeks, but art abides.

Junkster’s paradise: From the Williams Grove flea market to summer yard sales, Jason Lyons finds trash that he turns into treasure. The Harrisburg-based repurposing sculptor transforms saddles into armadillos and typewriters into fish. www.jasonlyonsarts.com

The river rocks: From the Rockville Bridge at sunset to a morning glow on the water, the Susquehanna River inspires artists to capture its mystery. Find local scenes from local artists, including Jonathan Frazier, Carrie Wissler-Thomas and Susan Benigni Landis, at The Smith Gallery & Fine Custom Framing, New Cumberland www.fineart2u.com. Other places to nab art locally include the Art Association of Harrisburg (www.artassocofhbg.com), the Millworks (www.millworksharrisburg.com) and almost any other area gallery.

Reindeer Games

Time out! Take a play break.

Put me in, coach: During the winter solstice, we light candles to chase away the darkness. Or, we can conjure sunny summer days by putting a baseball under the tree, wrapped in Harrisburg Senators season tickets. www.milb.com/harrisburg

Ice, ice baby: The scrape of the skates. The swish of the sticks. The whirr of the Zamboni. Sounds like the AHL Hershey Bears are back with world-class hockey. I must check out the Dec. 22 Berks Holiday Ham Shoot. No, you don’t shoot hams. You shoot pucks for a chance to win a ham. www.hersheybears.com

Run, run Rudolph: Lace up the sneakers and fulfill your New Year’s resolution to train for 2025 YMCA-sponsored races, which will include a half marathon, the always-fun HBG Mile and, of course, the venerable HBG Marathon, among other races. In just a few months, you’ll be in good enough shape to compete with the field. www.hbgyrun.org

Cuddle up: ModSew Designs from New Cumberland’s Rebecca Adey offers stuffed toys with Midcentury Modern flair. Whimsical deer, elephants and octopi just beg to be loved. Millworks Studio #322, www.millworksharrisburg.com/artist/modsew-designs

Beautiful Sight

That Dr. Who TARDIS ornament isn’t an actual time machine. Give the gift of genuine time travel with a piece of Harrisburg history.

Snow scene: When I worked in the Pa. Capitol and had a window looking up at the dome, I felt like I was in a snow globe every time it flurried. The 2024 Capitol Preservation Committee ornament evokes that feeling with its depiction of the Capitol on a winter’s day. www.store.cpc.state.pa.us.

Laying the foundation: Every building in Harrisburg tells a story, and intrepid historian Ken Frew uncovers their tales, from 1719 to 1941, in “Building Harrisburg.” Frew’s monumental compendium brings to life Harrisburg’s architects and the landmark buildings they created amid controversies, confabs and clashes. www.Dauphincountyhistory.org/gift-shop

Traverse afar: “Along the Bethel Trail: The Journey of An African American Faith Community” focuses on the history of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church to distill the story of Harrisburg’s Black community in all its resilience, faith and fight. www.amazon.com, www.dauphincountyhistory.org/gift-shop

Local Flavor

I don’t know what figgy pudding is, either. Let’s try these Harrisburg tastes, instead.

Visions of sugarplums: The legacy of Matangos Candies founder Christoforos “Pop” Matangos lives on in the sweets he first learned to make in Istanbul. You’ll still find them, including the impossibly thin and irresistible Venetian mints, in the shop he founded in Harrisburg’s Allison Hill. www.Matangoscandies.com

Cookie monster: You know what’s better than a gift card? Cookies, especially if they come in a gift basket bursting with flavors of your choice, plus three gaily decorated sugar cookies and two gingerbread men. Cece’s Cake Shop has been delighting Harrisburg-area sweet tooths since 2020. Gift a holiday-themed cookie platter, cake pop bouquet, or gingerbread house kit, and grab a few limited-edition cakes and cookies in cranberry almond and eggnog flavors for yourself. www.cecescakeshop.com

Hopping mad: This elf doesn’t stay on the shelf for long. Mad Elf from Troegs Independent Brewing is a seasonal staple, in all its 11% ABV glory. Taste the holidays in every sip made with cherries, Pennsylvania wildflower honey and winter spices. www.troegs.com/bee/mad-elf

Yuletide spirits: Midstate Distillery is the hometown go-to for craft spirits and fun events. Gift an unexpected infusion (Fruity Pebbles, anyone?), meticulously crafted classic such as the nine-botanicals gin (my fave), or a Pennsyltucky bourbon made with PA grains. Crack open the Scratch Batch Cinnamon Vanilla Vodka, and stir up Midstate’s recipe for the winter’s apple cocktail. www.midstatedistillery.com

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Musical Notes: A November to Remember

October 30, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

Musical Notes

LOCAL LOVIN’

11/8, Babel Map & Public Disco Porch, Lovedrafts Brewing Co.

Two of the best local acts I’ve had the privilege of seeing in the last few years are Babel Map and Public Disco Porch, which are both performing at Babel Map’s album release show at Lovedrafts Brewing Co. this month. After a brief hiatus, the synthy/goth Harrisburg band Babel Map recorded its latest record, “Teeth” earlier this year. The single, “Not This Time,” goes so hard, and I’m so pumped for the rest of the record, which you can hear beginning on Halloween. York County experimental rockers Public Disco Porch are also opening the evening, a real treat considering the band’s definitely got star power in its own right. PDP’s latest album, “Benediction,” is a spiritual, indie rock ode to the sacred lands of the Susquehanna.

NOSTALGIC AMERICANA

11/20, Harrisburg University Presents Dawes, XL Live

Dawes has been a mainstay of adult contemporary radio for the past 15 years or so and for good reason. The folk-rock band’s songwriting talent and raw, somewhat nihilistic, perspective of life in the modern age can’t help but take you back to different stages of life when everything was happy and sad at the same time. This year, the band is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its seminal release, “Stories Don’t End,” but also dropped three new singles in recent months, signaling that they’re probably working on something bigger to greet our airwaves in 2025. I would definitely add this show to your calendar for November—it’s going to be great.

PARODY ROCK

11/29, Wolves of Glendale, H*MAC

Calling all fans of comedy-driven bands like The Lonely Island, Tenacious D, Flight of the Conchords, et al. I am 100% biased because I went to college with Tom McGovern of The Wolves of Glendale and find this project absolutely hilarious. But the band shows true songwriting craftsmanship and talent in their extremely upbeat, catchy parody works that often derive influence from ‘80s power pop, a la Hall & Oates or present-day pop/rock outfit Jukebox the Ghost. I highly recommend getting familiar with their talents via tunes like “Olivia,” “Vapin’ in Vegas,” and “The Gym.” See you there!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

11/2, Cumberland Honey, Uncle Jake & The 18 Wheel Gang, The Abbey Bar

11/3, Sebastian Bach, H*MAC

11/9, 20 Years of Say Anything is a Real Boy, H*MAC

11/15, Martha Redbone, Kulkarni Theatre, Penn State HBG

11/16, Kidd G, H*MAC

11/18, Yoke Lore, XL Live

11/19, The Wood Brothers, XL Live

11/27, Treesap ft. Members of Cabinet, The Abbey Bar

If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!

Musical Notes: Fall into Music

September 27, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

As a certified Spooky Girlie, I am delighted every autumn when the leaves start to crunch and the air begins to carry traces of campfires, with the sounds of my favorite horror movies wailing in the background. Luckily for us, there’s a lot of other great music to experience live this October that involves zero chainsaws or extremely tense jump-scare moments. Take a look at the lineups below to see which fun live acts you can catch locally this month.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
10/6, Galactic Empire, Lovedrafts Brewing Co.
PSA: Calling all Star Wars fans—you’ll want to add Galactic Empire’s show at Lovedrafts to your radar in October. The extremely nerdy heavy metal group, touring all the way from Coruscant, is so fun to watch (I caught the act in 2023 at the West Shore Theatre and was thinking about it for months afterwards). Dressed up in intergalactic apparel worthy of Darth Vader and the Mandalorian, the group plays Cantina classics and other beloved John Williams compositions in a heavy metal treatment. It’s a unique show that is best experienced live.

TRANSCENDENT FOLK
10/26, WXPN Welcomes The Lone Bellow, XL Live
Indie Americana darlings The Lone Bellow are touring in support of their 2022 album, “Love Songs for Losers,” though I suspect the band has a forthcoming project up its sleeves with the recent release of a few new tracks. Having seen the band quite a few times in the early 2010s, particularly around the “Then Came the Morning” tour, I’ll vouch for the trio’s gorgeous harmonies and majestic arrangements. Their beautifully produced albums really don’t capture the swell of beauty and emotion one might feel at their live shows. I wouldn’t miss this one if you have the time to spare when they roll through town.

BRITISH INVASION
10/29, Harrisburg University Presents The Struts, XL Live
Glam rockers The Struts are a must-see for concertgoers who love the modern rock age we’re seeing come to life with the likes of Måneskin and Greta Van Fleet, though I’d rank The Struts as a true standout in this class. Vocalist Luke Spiller really knows how to work the stage and will bring any crowd to its feet with the band’s anthemic, catchy songs. They’ve blown away crowds at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury and Governor’s Ball, so you can rest assured that this’ll be a hell of a great concert.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

10/1, P!nk, Hersheypark Stadium
10/2, Harrisburg University Presents Mat Kearney, XL Live
10/3, The Elovators with Cisco Adler & Bikini Trill, H*MAC
10/4, The Glorious Sons, XL Live
10/10, Eric Hutchinson, H*MAC
10/11, WXPN Welcomes Trampled by Turtles, XL Live
10/17, WXPN Welcomes Dispatch, XL Live
10/26, Hershey Symphony Presents “Tony Bennett: The Official Musical Celebration,” Hershey Theatre

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Musical Notes: Hot Picks for August

July 30, 2024 | by Skye Leppo

This summer’s been too dang hot to leave the house much (at least we have a new season of “The Bear” to binge, right? Send me a DM to let me know what your favorite track from the season three soundtrack is). I will put in a humble plug for the Susquehanna Folk Festival, though, as I was honored to be a part of the selection panel for contestants performing at the Emerging Artist Showcase on Aug. 10 at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts. The event is going to feature some truly amazing talent on the stage, and being a part of this committee was a great reminder to get the heck out there and support your local music scene. Here are some shows worth abandoning your air conditioner for.

DELIGHTFUL DISCOVERY

8/3, Harrisburg University Presents Arlo Parks, XL Live

If you want to have a lovely evening and leave with a very cool “I knew her when” story, you should plan to see singer-songwriter Arlo Parks when she plays XL Live (I would 10,000% be there if it weren’t the same weekend as my best girl’s wedding). Parks’ 2021 debut album, “Collapsed in Sunbeams,” is a joy to listen to. There is a brightness in her delivery, even through sometimes heady and melancholic lyrics, and a real unpredictability to her melodies that create such a beautiful surprise in every song. Highly recommend starting with “Black Dog” and “Eugene” from “Collapsed” or “Weightless” and “Devotion” from 2023’s “My Soft Machine.” Please give her a shot. I promise you won’t regret it.

DANCE FLOOR THERAPY

8/24, Pitbull, Hersheypark Stadium

Mr. Worldwide, Mr. 305—Pitbull’s got a lot of nicknames, but, after catching his 2022 concert in Hershey, I’d also like to add motivational speaker to the mix. His setlist was nothing but bangers, with club hits from “Timber,” “On The Floor,” “Fireball,” “Give Me Everything,” “Hotel Room Service” and so much more. The entire time was a blast, transporting the tens of thousands of fans in attendance right back to their favorite memories on the dance floor. Pitbull has an excellent way with words and a production script that segues his thumping hits from song to song with encouragement and positive vibes the whole way through. It makes for a night as energetic and fun as it is uplifting.

ALBUM RELEASE

8/24, YAM YAM with Muscle Tough, The Abbey Bar

Harrisburg’s sauciest live act, YAM YAM, is celebrating its third album, “slurp slurp,” with an album release show at The Abbey Bar this month with support from Muscle Tough. The jammy jazz/funk group has been inviting audiences all over the midstate to get down and groove with them for nearly a decade, and this communion between local live music lovers and the ‘Yams is sure to be a great night.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

8/3, New Kids on the Block, Hersheypark Stadium

8/9-8/11, Susquehanna Folk Festival, Appell Center for the Performing Arts

8/10, Green Day, Hersheypark Stadium

8/16, Tophouse, The Abbey Bar

8/18, Harrisburg University Presents Brothers Osborne, Riverfront Park

8/21, Joe Bonamassa, Hershey Theatre

8/23, Boys Of Fall, H*MAC

8/29, Daniel Donato, XL Live

8/30, Coheed and Cambria, XL Live

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