Nepa Scene

This interview was conducted by NEPA Scene at the Vans Warped Tour at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on July 10, 2017. For more coverage, visit nepascene.com.

This interview was conducted by NEPA Scene at the Vans Warped Tour at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on July 10, 2017. For more coverage, visit nepascene.com.

This interview was conducted by NEPA Scene at the Vans Warped Tour at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on July 10, 2017. For more coverage, visit nepascene.com.

This interview was conducted by NEPA Scene at the Vans Warped Tour at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on July 10, 2017. For more coverage, visit nepascene.com.

This interview was conducted by NEPA Scene at the Vans Warped Tour at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on July 10, 2017. For more coverage, visit nepascene.com.

Before we began Episode 16 of the NEPA Scene Podcast, Olyphant drummer Chris Langan improvised a drumming demonstration to set up our conversation. Langan is the drummer for LondonForce, Dani-elle, Grant Williams, Tribes, and other local bands as well as a drum teacher and the host of “Behind the Beat” on YouTube. During the podcast, we talk about why he chose the drums, his different experiences with the aforementioned bands, the challenge of playing multiple genres of music and learning songs on the fly, playing in Nashville, passing his knowledge down to students at the Scranton Music Academy and online, important lessons he teaches while continuing to learn himself, the struggle of making a living as a musician, recording YouTube videos and getting recognized by the original artists, online drum tracking, memorable live shows, his future career, and more. We also answer some questions and comments from live viewers, including one from a young drummer asking for advice. The NEPA Scene Podcast covers ar

In Episode 16, we sit down with Chris Langan, the drummer for LondonForce, Dani-elle, Grant Williams, Tribes, and other local bands as well as a drum teacher and the host of “Behind the Beat” on YouTube. After an improvised drumming demonstration, we drink some White Lightning by Full Pint Brewing Company in Pittsburgh courtesy of our new sponsor, Beer Boys in Wilkes-Barre, and talk about why he chose the drums, his different experiences with the aforementioned bands, the challenge of playing multiple genres of music and learning songs on the fly, playing in Nashville, passing his knowledge down to students at the Scranton Music Academy and online, important lessons he teaches while continuing to learn himself, the struggle of making a living as a musician, recording YouTube videos and getting recognized by the original artists, online drum tracking, memorable live shows, his future career, and more. We also answer some questions and comments from live viewers, including one from a young drummer asking for a

In Episode 15, Rich and Brittany are both out of town this week, leaving Johnny in charge to talk to his longtime friend Frank Hershberger, better known as DJ Hersh, who was named DJ/Electronic Act of the Year in the 2014 Steamtown Music Awards. After thumb wrestling to determine who will have to drink a Zima after the awful ‘90s malt beverage recently made a return to shelves, the Wilkes-Barre disc jockey discusses how he got started at the age of 21 and why he keeps doing it at 35, founding BeatTeks with fellow DJs, what makes a good DJ, his experiences in the local nightlife and music scenes and how they’ve changed over the years, his relationships with local musicians, what people want to hear in different cities and venues, learning to love DJing weddings, why he lives and works in NEPA, what it was like opening for the Wu-Tang Clan at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg, co-organizing the former MayDay Music Festival in Wilkes-Barre, his upcoming IndepenDANCE event on Saturday, July 8 and the annual Bea

In Episode 14, we sit down with all five members of Scranton metal band Behind the Grey, who won Album of the Year in the 2016 Steamtown Music Awards. We discuss their musical origins and how they’ve developed into their current incarnation; lineup changes, long friendships, and each member’s contributions to the band; the music business and the importance of learning from past mistakes; signing with the Inner Light Agency in Los Angeles and the benefits of having professional management; writing new music for their upcoming EP, "Treason,” and its inspirations; memories of playing at their favorite venues locally and nationally; a benefit show personal to drummer Mike Boniewicz that he organized called Concert for Casen benefit that they're playing this Sunday, June 25 at Oak Street Express in Taylor, and more. We also answer some questions and comments from live viewers with a little ball busting in between. In The Last Word segment, we talk about local high school student Peter Butera, the valedictorian a

In Episode 13, we sit down with award-winning actors, writers, and New Vintage Ensemble members Conor O'Brien and Simone Daniel from Scranton. We talk about their darkly funny original play, "The Darling Core," coming to The Cooperage Project in Honesdale and 59E59 Theaters in New York City before going overseas to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, updating the show and how theatre continues to stay relevant and shake things up, local theatre and its demanding audiences, engaging crowds in different ways and places, the amusing story of a woman who made a scene while walking out of a show, the upcoming Scranton Shakespeare Festival, the success of “Hamilton,” Broadway and the importance of theatre outside of New York, the third annual Scranton Fringe Festival, and more. In The Last Word segment, we discuss the controversy surrounding the Wilkes-Barre Township Police Department and their new approach to social media. The department has received both praise and criticism for making jokes and posting

In Episode 11, just one week before the Season 9 premiere of “Ink Master” on Tuesday, June 6 at 10 p.m. on Spike, we sit down with new contestant Derek Zielinski, owner of Glass Heart Tattooing & Arts in Plains and an artist at Classic Trilogy Tattoos in New York. We talk about what motivated him to become a tattoo artist, his influences and developing his artistic style, how he has grown as an artist over the last 12 years, what types of pieces he creates and specializes in, the challenge of cover-ups, his faith and defending his tattoos to other Christians, the touching story behind one of his favorite tattoos, opening his own business, the NEPA tattoo community, his wife’s support and his son’s adorable reaction to finding out that his dad would be on television, how he met Classic Trilogy Tattoos owner Thom Bulman and working in his “nerd shop,” how he was chosen to go on “Ink Master” as the new “Shop Wars” season changes things up by allowing teams to compete, carving an ice sculpture for the first time

In Episode 10, we sit down with Will Beekman, executive director of the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, and Director of Sales & Marketing Anne Rodella. We talk about why they chose to work for the Kirby Center and some memorable moments from their time there, the theater's fascinating history and why it was almost torn down, how they choose what shows they book (and don’t book), what it takes to host many different types of performances with a small staff, funny and interesting behind-the-scenes stories from a variety of shows (from Mike Tyson to Third Eye Blind), some highlights from the Kirby Center’s exciting 31st season that was just announced, the importance of the venue and its programming to the local community, and more. In The Last Word segment, we discuss Wilkes-Barre’s reputation and the ups and downs of living and working in the city. We get into why people perceive Wilkes-Barre the way they do, the positive things going on, and why people should go downtown and judge for themselves. The NEPA

In Episode 9, we talk to our producer, Coal Creative founder Gerard Durling, about his latest creative projects - indie wrestling VOD service Powerbomb.TV and the Break the Barrier 2017 indie wrestling festival, coming to GSW Arena in Old Forge on Sunday, June 11. We discuss his early interest in wrestling and how it grew, his experiences training and performing as a wrestler himself, the difference between indie wrestling and big televised wrestling like WWE, what makes a good indie wrestling show, what is “fake” and what is real in wrestling, local promotions like Grand Slam Wrestling in Old Forge and Chikara in Philadelphia, the purpose of launching Powerbomb.TV and streaming live events, the origins of Break the Barrier and what has gone into this new event, the various styles of wrestling and different countries that will be represented at Break the Barrier, the challenges of organizing and promoting this event, interest outside the area, and encouraging people in NEPA to check out something new. In T

In Episode 8, we chat with singer, songwriter, and mandolinist JP Biondo, who is both a solo artist and a member of Cabinet, the popular Scranton/Wilkes-Barre jamgrass band hosting the fifth annual Susquehanna Breakdown Music Festival at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20. We talk about whether or not he would define Cabinet’s music as “bluegrass” and how that type of music came out of NEPA, his personal musical influences and how they play a role in the band, jamming and improvisation, keeping the band together despite being spread out across several states, recording their new album “Cool River” in Vermont with Phish engineer Ben Collette, taking musical risks and not worrying what others may think, letting fans record shows and releasing them for free online, his solo work and recording locally at the Windmill Agency, a song written by his mother, the importance of family in his own life and in the band and their special relationship with fans, playing Mont

This exclusive track was recorded live on the NEPA Scene Podcast on May 10, 2017. The song is from Scranton Scranton/Wilkes-Barre jamgrass band Cabinet's upcoming album, "Cool River." The NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

This exclusive track was recorded live on the NEPA Scene Podcast on May 10, 2017. The song was released back in 2009 by Scranton Scranton/Wilkes-Barre jamgrass band Cabinet and has become a set staple. The NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

In Episode 7, we try something a little different with a roundtable discussion where we turn the camera around on four talented, award-winning NEPA-based photographers who know each other well – Tom Bonomo, Jason Riedmiller, Keith Perks, and Alex Seeley. We discuss why they chose photography, their different styles and varying projects, misconceptions about photography, what makes a good (and bad) photo, the ups and downs of the photography business, shooting photos for newspapers and other publications, what the media asks for in a photo versus what a photographer wants to shoot, the difference between art and commercial work and blurring those lines when possible, the meaning and personal stories behind their work, approaching events and subjects in various ways, the importance of receiving credit and/or appreciation for their images, and more. We also answer some questions and comments from live viewers. Since we went over our usual hour, there is no Last Word segment this week, but there are plenty of j

In Episode 6, we sit down with Beyond Fallen vocalist Joe Karavis and Threatpoint guitarist Alex Olivetti, who are both playing in the two-day NEPA Metal Meltdown festival at the Irish Wolf Pub in Scranton on Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6. We discuss how their respective bands formed in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton; their very different writing and recording processes; touring in the U.S. and overseas and how they compare; the challenges of being an independent band and getting people to come to shows; the local metal scene and growing up on metal music; the science fiction concept and cover art of Beyond Fallen’s upcoming album, “As the Spires Fall;” musical influences; what went into Threatpoint’s latest album, “RIP;” the messages they’re trying to convey through their music; Beyond Fallen’s CD release show at the Irish Wolf Pub on Friday, May 19; and the planning, work, bands, and venue changes behind the fourth annual NEPA Metal Meltdown and what the future of this indie metal festival will be. We also

In Episode 4, we chat with Chelsi (Heinrich Maneuver), Kaila (Kailamity Maim), and Mandy (Maul McCartney) about the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Roller Radicals roller derby team. We talk about how and why they joined the team and picked those great names, the ever-changing rules of the sport and the basics of the game, derby “wives” and other derby terminology, the history of the Roller Radicals and how they were formed from two different local teams, the worst injuries they’ve endured or inflicted, their favorite memories from games, interacting with other teams and traveling outside of NEPA, why roller derby is so popular with females, if movies like “Whip It” properly portray roller derby life, misconceptions about roller derby girls they’ve faced, the different types of women who play and the diverse crowds they attract, the importance of holding events outside of derby to promote their sport and recruit, and more, including some questions and comments from live viewers. In The Last Word segment, we talk about

In Episode 3, we sit down with singer/songwriter Aaron Fink, known for his solo work as well as for playing in multi-platinum-selling rock band Breaking Benjamin, The Badlees, Gentleman East, Lifer, Strangers with Candy, and Stardog Champion. We talk about his experiences in these bands and why they eventually led him to becoming a singer/songwriter; his latest solo album, “Galaxies,” and working on the new Gentleman East record; how he initially got into music and his very first band; why he chose to live in NEPA; being on MTV when it was still relevant; the ever-changing music industry and figuring out how to find success in 2017; the local music scene and the difficulty in getting people to come out and support live original music these days; his writing and recording process; growing as an artist and defining success as following what you’re passionate about; and more, including Aaron answering some live viewer questions. In The Last Word segment, John rants about April the giraffe having her baby for th