Rich Howells

NEPA SCENE PODCAST: Introductions and starting fresh in Wilkes-Barre

NEPA SCENE PODCAST: Introductions and starting fresh in Wilkes-Barre
Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This Page

All good things must come to an end, but that doesn’t mean those things can’t spring into new opportunities. After producing 62 episodes of the NEPA Scene Podcast at The Stude in TwentyFiveEight Studios in Scranton, schedules became too hectic and co-hosts moved out of the area, so now, almost eight months later, the podcast has finally found a new home with new co-hosts and a fresh format.

The podcast will now be presented as a live, multi-camera show that streams in high definition on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. Every episode, which will run about an hour long, is then converted into a free audio podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher, while the video version will be available to watch on Facebook and YouTube. Viewers are encouraged to tune in and interact during the Facebook Live stream so that the hosts can address comments and answer questions as they come in.

Recorded and produced every week by Internet marketing company Coal Creative in their production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, the first show streamed live on Wednesday, March 22 with NEPA Scene editor Rich Howells and new co-hosts Johnny Popko and Brittany Boote. Popko is the senior marketing consultant at local radio stations Alt 92.1, Rock 107, and ESPN Radio. Boote in the owner of Boote Photography Studio in Forty Fort and organizes and promotes concert events in NEPA.

In Episode 1, the new crew introduces ourselves and discusses what we do and why we do it. We talk about the interesting ways we met, how we became involved and invested in the arts and entertainment scene in Northeastern Pennsylvania, what NEPA Scene’s purpose and place is in all of it, the “Valley with a heart” versus the hard-boiled cynicism of the area, the impressive talent in NEPA and why people need to go out and support it, following your own passions, and what our future plans are for the show. We also respond to a few live viewers.

In The Last Word segment and in other parts of the show, we discuss the NEPA Scene Scene Stage Time open mic, the unintended consequences of streaming it live (like dealing with armchair critics), and the importance of open mics in helping people develop and grow as artists.

Watch the live video version on YouTube:

Listen on iTunes.

Listen on SoundCloud:

Listen on Stitcher.

Watch the original Facebook Live stream:

The views and opinions expressed during this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts, NEPA Scene, Coal Creative, or our sponsors.