Local Music Friday: Big Blue North Recording Studio
This week’s Local Music spotlight changes lanes, focusing not on the local musicians but the people behind the scenes who make the local and national musicians sound great. This week, we feature Big Blue North Recording Studio in Utica. Big Blue North’s origin story begins as a church in Utica’s south end. The South Church […]
Local Music Friday: Just Joe
Many may know Joe Altier as one of the co-hosts of The Show, the morning drive time show on 94.9 KROCK in Central New York. Others may know Altier as the guy who delivers Love-o-Grams to unsuspecting recipients. Still others may know him as the frontman for the hard rock/metal bands Brand New Sin and […]
Local Music Friday: Cait Devin
At the age of 19, Cait Devin is already a seasoned local scene veteran. She began playing in coffee houses and smaller venues at 16 and has collaborated with many of Central New York’s highest-profile musicians. Now seen as a peer to those on the local scene, Devin stretches her wings further on Friday, July […]
Local Music Friday: J. Schnitt
315 Music introduces a new series focusing on the music available in Central New York and surrounding areas. We’re calling this Local Music Friday and will be featuring a different artist each week. Kicking off the series is Utica-based singer-songwriter J. Schnitt. This highly prolific musician wears his heart on his sleeve — he has […]
Into the Night – A Farewell to My Friend Benny Mardones
I first met Benny Mardones at a show in Rome at the Capitol Theatre in 2010. I was star struck to say the very least. I grew up singing his music and watching him on American Bandstand. Never in a million years would I ever have told my 16 year old self that I would […]
When the Stage Goes Dark
Guest Editorial by Diana Ladio – The Moxie Strings/Drriift Editor’s note: Diana Ladio is a member of the duo The Moxie Strings. While now based in Nashville, the Moxie Strings have a strong connection to Central New York, having performed at the Great American Irish Festival in Frankfort, the Syracuse Irish Festival and conducting several […]
Album Review: Maybe Sunday – ‘Above the Trees’
By Sean Nevison, Staff Writer Maybe Sunday declares themselves a “psychedelic, alternative, blues, pop, jelly” band. It’s easy to see why after listening to their new four song EP Above The Trees. Based in the Central New York regions of Rome and Syracuse, the band is composed of Bruce Flanders (guitar, vocals), Jim Grogan (drums, vocals), Julie Grogan (keys […]
The CNY Music Community Mourns John Prine
It has been two weeks since the world lost iconic singer-songwriter, John Prine. But his loss is still being felt around the music world. He was diagnosed with the coronavirus in mid-March and lost his battle on April 7. He was 73 years old. Following his death, musicians across the spectrum have expressed their sorrow […]
Looking Back on Leap Day 2020: Dustin Lynch at Turning Stone
Looking back on Leap Day 2020 at the Turning Stone Casino, we were lucky to have Dustin Lynch give Verona “one hell of a night” of country music. Dustin made the extra day of 2020 that much more special for all of those in attendance that night. Opening the show was county newcomer Travis Denning. […]
Hearing Aide – Roomful of Blues, In A Roomful Of Blues
Roomful of Blues, in over five decades of playing, have established themselves as one of the most accomplished blues bands in existence. Their latest release, In A Roomful Of Blues, released March 13, is their sixth recording on the iconic Alligator Records label and is available here. Roomful is an apt word to describe the […]