NEPA SCENE PODCAST: Tom May of The Menzingers on working hard, playing hard, and the NEPA Holiday Show
Professionally recorded every Monday at The Stude in TwentyFiveEight Studios in Scranton and released exclusively on nepascene.com every Tuesday, the NEPA Scene Podcast is a free supplement to the website, expanding on the arts and entertainment stories covered on the site and going beyond them to discuss other news and entertainment topics.
Each week, the unedited and uncensored podcast features Rich Howells, NEPA Scene founder and editor; Mark Dennebaum, president and owner of TwentyFiveEight Studios; and Lauren Quirolgico, commercial and content strategist at Lavelle Strategy Group and editor at TwentyFiveEight. Every episode streams on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and nepascene.com.
In Episode 43, we record a special mid-week podcast with Tom May, vocalist and guitarist of The Menzingers. Just off the bus from Philadelphia to Scranton, he stopped in the studio to talk about the fifth annual NEPA Holiday Show coming up this weekend, including stories from the first year and how it has grown into a huge homecoming event, why they donate the proceeds to the Arts Alive program for local kids, and what’s in store for this year.
We also discuss the band’s collaboration beer with Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company; growing up in Scranton and why the area continues to play a role in their music; a busy year of touring the U.S. and the U.K. with bands like Taking Back Sunday, letlive, and Me Without You; partying and funny stories from the road; traveling through foreign countries and meeting weird bus drivers and brutally honest Germans; the transition from an independent band to getting signed and their great relationship with Epitaph Records; what it takes to be a successful touring musician and advice for other artists hoping to make it in the music business; Pennsylvania polka and Rock 107; the new “Star Wars” movie and watching all six previous films again in preparation; and starting work on a new album and finding inspiration.
The Menzingers will perform with Tigers Jaw; Captain, We’re Sinking; Three Man Cannon; Petal; and The SW!MS at the NEPA Holiday Show this Saturday, Dec. 19 at the Scranton Cultural Center (420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton). Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For more information, see this article or listen to Episode 42 with Bobby Barnett of Captain, We’re Sinking.
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Photo by Mark Dennebaum/TwentyFiveEight Studios
