NEPA MUSIC NOTES: Brendan Brisk, Kali Ma, Condition Oakland, Sleeplore, Chris Cashmere, White Witch, and more
January may be a slow month for entertainment like movies and television (even slower during a pandemic), but it’s been a busy time for local music, so much so that I have to save a few notes for next week. I even had the pleasure of seeing a band play live in front of a […]
NEPA MUSIC NOTES: Telco, Don’t Panic, Eric Best, 5-7-Zero, Flowers for You, Crooked Ways, John Hahn, and more
After a few years away, the NEPA Music Notes column received a warm welcome back last week, so I’ll take that as a sign that you want to see more roundups of new and noteworthy local songs, albums, and shows. Let’s dive right in! 🎶🎶 Schuylkill Haven guitarist John Hahn, who got his start touring […]
After 16 years, Breaking Benjamin’s ‘Halo 2’ single ‘Blow Me Away’ is certified platinum
A little over 16 years after it was released, the RIAA certified Breaking Benjamin’s 2004 single “Blow Me Away” platinum on Jan. 14, which means it has sold over one million units in the United States. Frontman Benjamin Burnley describes himself as a “huge gamer,” so the Wilkes-Barre rock band wrote the song specifically for […]
PHOTOS: Giant Dundie Award presented to Scranton by Peacock and ‘The Office’ stars
Despite airing its final episode in 2013, “The Office” was still the most streamed television show of 2020. This week, Nielsen reported that Americans streamed more than 57 billion minutes of the NBC sitcom last year on Netflix, and now all nine seasons have moved to Peacock starting Jan. 1. To celebrate and memorialize Scranton […]
NEPA MUSIC NOTES: The Sorters, Terry Childers, Patrick McGlynn, No Take Backs, Joe Craig, and more
It’s been a while for NEPA Music Notes, but that’s not to say that there hasn’t been local music to talk about – there’s often too much to cover, so I fell behind on writing this column since I’m the only editor and full-time writer for NEPA Scene. Instead, I’ve been writing larger feature pieces […]
Scranton punk band The Menzingers launch Patreon with weekly music content for fans
A few live streamed concerts just aren’t enough to keep working musicians in business during the coronavirus pandemic, so artists are finding creative ways to generate income and stay connected to their fans. Last year, Scranton/Philadelphia punk band The Menzingers recorded and released a whole new version of their 2019 album “Hello Exile” that stripped […]
VIDEO: State Street Grill in Clarks Summit discusses COVID-19 impact on bars and restaurants
Pennsylvania bars and restaurants have been able to reopen at 50 percent capacity this week, but some small businesses may never fully recover from the effects of COVID-19 and the shutdowns. Scranton video production company TwentyFiveEight Studios has been examining the true impact of the coronavirus pandemic on this industry and how mitigation was handled […]
Lew Williamson, kindly Santa in Scranton’s annual Santa Parade, has died after COVID-19 battle
Lewis “Lew” Williamson, the Scranton resident who played Santa Claus in every Santa Parade in downtown Scranton since 1993, has passed away from COVID-19. The sad news was confirmed by his wife Maureen Williamson in a public Facebook post on Jan. 4, just over a week after Christmas. “With my heart broken, I have to […]
The V-Spot – 10 questions for 10 years in Scranton with co-owner Vinnie Archer
In mid-November, The V-Spot turned 10 years old, a major milestone for any small business, but they didn’t really get the chance to celebrate. Already operating at 50 percent capacity due to COVID-19 regulations, the popular North Scranton watering hole was one of many Pennsylvania bars and restaurants forced to close on Thanksgiving Eve, the […]
VIDEO: Backyard Ale House in Scranton talks about real impact of COVID-19 on bars and restaurants
This week’s news that Governor Tom Wolf will allow Pennsylvania bars and restaurants to reopen at 50 percent capacity on Jan. 4 was welcomed after the latest shutdown led to another difficult month for the industry, but being able to welcome customers back inside again doesn’t mean their problems are over. The true impact of […]
