Umbriel is a new band in the local scene, but each member’s combined musical experience showed in their excellent performance at NEPA Scene’s Got Talent at Thirst T’s Bar & Grill in Olyphant on Tuesday, Sept. 8, earning them the audience vote at Week 2.
The Scranton-based indie soul group, consisting of singer/guitarist Aarika Whittle, drummer/percussionist Anthony “Shiny” Montini, guitarist Katie Kelly, and bassist Grant Williams, played two original acoustic songs and a cover of “Habits (Stay High)” that reinvented the track by Swedish singer Tove Lo. Read an interview with Whittle in this week’s NEPA Scene’s Got Talent spotlight.
Several other talented new performers joined the second week of the open mic competition as well.
Week 2 performers:
Music: Adam Fox, Kris Huber, DG the Wiz Kid, Joe Craig, Joe Quincy feat. QT, Rich Janov, Umbriel, James Barrett, Adam Bailey, Katie Evans, Hoppy Slot Mess, and Grant Williams
Comedy: Dom Malacari, Rob Evans, Shawn Ravenfire, and Ted Hebert
Williams returned to the stage at the end of the night to headline after winning last week’s audience vote with his solo bass compositions. Umbriel won $50 in cash, provided by Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, and the chance to headline the next event on Tuesday, Sept. 15, along with a slot in the Finals Showcase on Dec. 1, where the 12 winners from 12 consecutive weeks will compete in front of a panel of judges for the grand prize – a winter getaway package with ski passes and more, $250, an interview broadcast on Fuzz 92.1, and a free 10-hour recording session at TwentyFiveEight Studios in Scranton. The second place winner will receive $100.
Sponsored by Samuel Adams; LT Verrastro, Inc.; Fireball Cinnamon Whisky; Fuzz 92.1; TwentyFiveEight Studios; and Thirst T’s, NEPA Scene’s Got Talent takes the format of an open mic night and turns it into a friendly competition, inviting local musicians, comedians, poets, performance artists, magicians, actors, and more to perform on Thirst T’s stage every Tuesday at 7 p.m. through Nov. 17.
At the end of each night, audiences who have enjoyed the free live show will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite act. The winner each week will receive $50 in cash and the headlining slot for the following Tuesday, and all other performers are encouraged to compete again as often as they’d like or simply show off their talents for fun. Everyone participating is featured weekly on nepascene.com.
Photos by Daring Damsel
