Nepa Scene

George isn’t with us for Episode 6, so we talk about him (all good things, we promise) with our special guest, Matt Dapkins of Massive Beer Reviews, drink some highly sought-after “whales” like Heady Topper by The Alchemist, Pliny the Elder by Russian River Brewing Company, and Hop Crisis by 21st Amendment Brewery, and explain why they’re so coveted. We discuss the collector mentality versus fans just looking to enjoy their hobby, the amusing origins of Billy Beer, character development in shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Dexter” and the acting career of Michael C. Hall, vinyl record collecting, grown men playing with toys, old phone pranks, customer stories from working at a tattoo shop in downtown Scranton, growing up with Monty Python and the effect of British humor, getting into punk rock music, how technology has changed through the generations and the mounting pressures and distractions associated with it, and good beer in cans. Derek Warren’s popular How to Pair Beer with Everything column on nepasc

In Episode 33, we discuss the brand new monthly girls-only performance night for local comedians, poets, and musicians in downtown Scranton with event creator Jess Meoni and poet Alicia Kulick. Meoni, who also founded the Scranton Zine Fest and Ruthless Zine, talks about why she started the GRRRLS Night open mic, the need to spotlight female artists, and sexual harassment in the scene, which leads to a conversation about how women on any public stage are perceived; the different types of feminism and the connotation of that term today; sexism, racism, and hashtag activism; and some history behind zines and the feminist punk riot grrrl movement, which the event’s name is derived from. We also get into Meoni and Kulick’s writing and how GRRRLS Night is already garnering praise and controversy from the community. In The Last Word segment, we read a few readers’ comments about GRRRLS Night and address why an all-male event isn’t quite as necessary as an all-female night. Professionally recorded every Monday at

In Episode 5, we welcome our longtime guest and beer enthusiast George Zvirblis on as a regular co-host as we sample Petit Rouge by Heretic Brewing Company and Blasphemy by Weyerbacher Brewing Company. We talk about how Heretic became a homebrewing legend, subtle versus overwhelming flavors, Marvel’s new movie “Ant-Man” and respecting source material in adaptations while treading new creative ground, American remakes of Japanese horror films in the early 2000s, “The Tingler” and gimmicks to sell movies, what makes a cult classic and how they cannot be created on purpose, the incomprehensible disaster that is “The Trouble with Cali,” the upcoming “Ash vs. Evil Dead” TV show, actors and directors dealing with or accepting the B-list, the comedy gold of “Human Giant,” and more. We also make some bad jokes and bring up religion and thinking for yourself as we consider the theme of both beer names this week. Derek Warren’s popular How to Pair Beer with Everything column on nepascene.com is now a podcast! Joined b

Joined again by our friend from Dunmore and beer enthusiast George Zvirblis, we have the pleasure of sampling some unique and sought-after beers this week – the Stone Brewing Company collaboration w00tstout 3.0 and Calm Before the Storm by Ballast Point Brewing Company. These are very different beers with very different flavors, so first we describe the origins of w00tstout, which was made with the help of Fark.com creator Drew Curtis and actor/blogger Wil Wheaton, and this inevitably leads into a discussion on the popularization of nerd culture and where it’s headed next. We also talk about Sylvester Stallone; how the Columbine High School shooting changed the way the public and the media looks at kids who are different; movies that influenced kids to do dumb things; lawsuits; “16 and Pregnant;” failed knockoff kids shows and franchises; how merchandising, product tie-ins, and collecting have changed over the years; Netflix’s “The Fall” versus “Dexter;” all the movie trailers and leaked videos that came out

In Episode 3, our friend from Dunmore and beer enthusiast George Zvirblis returns as our guest as we try Stone Ruination Double IPA 2.0 and HiFi+LoFi Mixtape by Stone Brewing Company, noting Stone’s marketing of the former and the odd but multifaceted taste of the latter. Derek and Rich recall how Stone’s Arrogant Bastard Ale got them interested in craft beer and their very different reactions to it, and they talk about horror TV shows like “Masters of Horror” and “Fear Itself,” the “cat pee” smell of some IPAs, changing trends in punk and metal music through the decades, how no one should really have to apologize for their taste in music, local venues and shows they attended when they were younger, how the Internet went from message boards and Myspace to Facebook, interviews by Howard Stern, the 20th anniversary of “Hackers,” obscure films like “Solarbabies” and why old sci-fi films do or do not hold up, how horror fans are keeping DVDs and Blu-rays alive in an increasingly digital world, old video game maga

Derek Warren’s popular How to Pair Beer with Everything column on nepascene.com is now a podcast! Joined by NEPA Scene founder and editor Rich Howells, they’ll try a different brew each week and examine it through all the senses, diving into personal experiences and opinions, pop culture, news, or whatever comes to mind. While Derek is an experienced beer reviewer and aficionado (and co-host of the Beer Geeks Radio Hour on WILK 103.1 FM), Rich is more of a casual craft beer drinker (and co-host of the NEPA Scene Podcast), so they’ll both offer their own uncensored perspectives and ask guests to share their own. Every episode is available on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and nepascene.com. In Episode 2, we welcome our first guest, George Zvirblis, a beer enthusiast from Dunmore who has traveled coast to coast to try beers of all kinds. As we sample Hop Stoopid Ale by Lagunitas Brewing Company, we reminisce about the days we all worked at Blockbuster Video and messed with customers, dealt with late fees, and

The weekly column is now a podcast! Since NEPA Scene launched to the public in September, the How to Pair Beer with Everything column has been a staple of the website, putting an entertaining and tongue-in-cheek twist on the typical beer review. Every Thursday, Derek Warren suggests the ideal setting, music, movies, and books to create the perfect experience with a delicious craft beer, and now he’ll expand upon that idea with NEPA Scene founder and editor Rich Howells during the podcast of the same name. With a beer being the only conversation starter needed, they’ll try a different brew each week and examine it through all the senses, diving into personal experiences and opinions, pop culture, news, or whatever comes to mind. While Derek is an experienced beer reviewer and aficionado (and co-host of the Beer Geeks Radio Hour on WILK 103.1 FM), Rich is more of a casual craft beer drinker (and co-host of the NEPA Scene Podcast), so they’ll both offer their own uncensored perspectives and welcome guests to s

Leslie Worrell Christianson, MLIS, assistant professor and user services librarian at Marywood University, and Jeremy McGinniss, MLIS, library director at Summit University, bring their vast knowledge of libraries and this institution's continued importance in the Digital Age in Episode 30. We discuss librarian stereotypes, building personal relationships with patrons, how the Internet and libraries can work together, creative copyright laws, digital literacy, research and open access, makerspace and hands-on learning, the expense of information, developing a library’s collection, crazy library stories involving squirrels and naked guys, patrons versus customers, and promoting lifelong learning. In The Last Word segment, we talk about all the positive feedback we’ve received about a recent profile story we posted and our new weekly column on local LGBT issues. Northeastern Pennsylvania is often characterized as close-minded, but the column, Living Your Truth, was quickly embraced by readers who want to hear

We start off Episode 29 by stuffing our faces with beautiful handmade burgers and delicious pulled pork mac and cheese courtesy of Pittston catering and pop-up restaurant concept Peculiar Culinary Company and offering our amateur reviews. Over a few beers by Susquehanna Brewing Company, we talk to the PCC husband and wife team - chef/owner Gene Philbin and business manager/event coordinator Miranda Philbin - about when they met, how Gene’s Italian family and some sabotaged dinner got him into cooking, making weird concoctions at McDonald’s, working corporate jobs until they launched their dream business full-time, training their palettes and developing peculiar dishes, what it was like behind-the-scenes of “Guy’s Grocery Games” on Food Network, who Gene’s all-time favorite chef is and why, the importance of buying local ingredients and supporting local artists of all kinds, where the couple chooses to go out to eat, and their current Kickstarter campaign to fund a food truck. In The Last Word segment, we poi

Anthony Ranella III, James Simon, and Brian Nardella of Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor are our guests on Episode 28. They talk about buying the shop and expanding to a second location due to increased demand, choosing the life of a barber over very different career paths, establishing a rapport with their customers that extends beyond business, expressing creativity through traditional barbering with a modern touch, the differences between barbering and cosmetology and how work atmospheres vary, etiquette for both men and women in the shop, dealing with the “hipster” label from critics, and partnering with other independent local businesses to form a close-knit community in downtown Scranton. In lieu of The Last Word segment, we try something new with some random rapid fire questions to close out the 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 w

Scranton bluegrass band Coal Town Rounders sit down with us in Episode 27 to talk about how they discovered this music, learned new instruments, and formed the group; booking and playing various festivals, including the weird ones with drugs and laser beams; the universal appeal of bluegrass and introducing it to new audiences; the transition from playing traditional songs to writing original tracks; recording their new album, “How It Used to Be,” live at home in two days over the Christmas holiday; printing and folding every CD cover by hand at Revival Letterpress; the differences among bluegrass, country, and folk music; meeting celebrities; hoping for a Tastykake endorsement; and the story of how collecting “bad” art from yard sales and flea markets led to owning a $21 five-foot-long cat painting that hangs above one band member’s bed. In The Last Word segment, we discuss how to offer constructive criticism - and take it - without hurting anyone’s feelings or burning bridges and a concert cancellation in

In Episode 26, Johnny Waering and Dave Oakley of 3 Guys and a Beer’d Brewing Company bring over a growler of one of their newest beers, Chewhoppa IPA, so we have a few glasses and talk about how they went from homebrewing to a full-time business in Carbondale with products distributed across eight counties, their line of various brews and the interesting stories behind them, contacting Lucasfilm about the use of “Star Wars” imagery on Chewhoppa’s label, the ingredients and water used in their beers, the rise of the craft beer market, keeping up with demand and expanding to a new facility, handling criticism, and what happens when you get stuck in the fermenter and the beer is overflowing. LondonForce singer/guitarist and The Stude audio engineer Angelo Maruzzelli of LondonForce fills in for Jimmy this week. In The Last Word, we discuss a reader’s comments about the legitimacy of art in Scranton and whether or not the term “hipster” applies to certain artists, and we address a petty and poorly written article

Dunmore comedian Dan Hoppel is our guest on Episode 25. He relates the interesting story of the ups and downs that led him into stand-up comedy and we talk about marriage and relationships, different types of comedy and comedians, writing jokes about everything from death to being overweight, who the best professional comedians are currently, and the next steps in his career. We go off on many weird and funny tangents and Lauren laughs and makes more faces at the rest of us than on any previous show. Jer Tobin of Big Idea Photo and Video Productions fills in for Jimmy again this week. In The Last Word, we talk about how NEPA Scene’s newest weekly feature, Beautiful People of NEPA, came about and the overwhelming positive reactions we’ve received from it, which leads into a discussion on what beauty is and how it’s often defined for us by fashion and the media. Hoppel can be seen next at NEPA Scene’s Got Talent tonight at 7 p.m. at Thirst T’s Bar & Grill (120 Lincoln St., Olyphant) and on Saturday, May 16 at

Since we recorded on May 4th, also known as Star Wars Day, Episode 24 is a special show dedicated to discussing all things “Star Wars” with our special guest Rich Drees, editor and publisher of Film Buff Online. Jer Tobin of Big Idea Photo and Video Productions fills in for Jimmy this week. We start off by recalling the first time we saw the original films and then go into our unanimous disappointment with the prequel trilogy, the death of the old Expanded Universe, Disney acquiring Lucasfilm and its effect on the franchise, the marketing and merchandising, hopes for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and the new trilogy and anthology films, and everything in between, from midi-chlorians to Boba Fett to toilets on spaceships. We talk about creator George Lucas quite a bit and the love/hate relationship his fans have with him, and we also learn more about Film Buff Online and go off on a few tangents about comic book movies and TV shows, among other geeky topics. Professionally recorded every Monday at The Stude

Three members of Scranton indie pop rock band Esta Coda – Jay Preston, Jon Fletcher, and Dan Rosler – join us in Episode 23 to talk about the recording of their new EP, “Miles Away,” particularly why they recorded in different studios and tried something very different on one of the tracks, capturing the “life” of a song in a recording, the influence of the local music scene, and the differences in playing live at an all-ages venue, a bar, and a house show, all within the span of a week. They also tell us the funny story of a “nerd wrestling match” outside of one of their shows, and because it’s the news that’s simply too big to ignore, we get into the Baltimore riots and protests and the media’s role in the national conversation. In The Last Word, we address a reoccurring issue with people complaining to us about other media outlets outside of our control and the irony of your competition being forced to recognize your accomplishments after dismissing your hard work originally. http://nepascene.com/2015/04

On 4/20, just one day after the NEPA Cannabis Rally at Nay Aug Park in Scranton, organizers Jeff Zick and Mandy McCarthy sit down with us in Episode 22 to talk about the success of their peaceful event, changing attitudes and growing support for cannabis legalization in the area and across the United States, the many reasons why it should be legal, what it's like in Colorado, and the country’s storied history with cannabis. Their friend Chewie (not the Wookiee, sorry), who they picked up on the way to the podcast, also offers some insight into being arrested for marijuana possession and how his life was altered forever for harmless and nonviolent offenses, which leads into a discussion about decriminalization and backing current legislation that could change these laws. In The Last Word, we read and react to a few varied comments we received from readers about cannabis legalization. http://nepascene.com/2015/04/nepa-scene-podcast-episode-22-advocating-marijuana-legalization-nepa-cannabis-rally-organizers/

The co-owner of the Electric City Tattoo Gallery, Michael "Woody" Wodock, is our special guest on Episode 21, discussing his transition from piercer to tattoo artist, the growth of tattoo culture in the area and shifts in trends and styles, the artistry behind the business, and organizing the sixth annual Electric City Tattoo Convention, which runs April 17-19 at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center. He also recalls the best, worst, and strangest tattoos he’s done, how he ended up collaborating with other local businesses like Loyalty Barber Shop & Shave Parlor and 3 Guys and a Beer'd Brewing Company, behind-the-scenes stories from the convention, and much more. 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

Kaylin Karr and Nathan Montella of Scranton indie pop duo Skip Monday joined us for Episode 20 of the NEPA Scene Podcast, and while they were in The Stude at TwentyFiveEight Studios in Scranton, they recorded three original acoustic songs for us that can only be heard at their live shows. Listen to the full podcast interview here: http://nepascene.com/2015/04/nepa-scene-podcast-episode-20-pursuing-career-music-young-duo-skip-monday/

Kaylin Karr and Nathan Montella of Scranton indie pop duo Skip Monday joined us for Episode 20 of the NEPA Scene Podcast, and while they were in The Stude at TwentyFiveEight Studios in Scranton, they recorded three original acoustic songs for us that can only be heard at their live shows. Listen to the full podcast interview here: http://nepascene.com/2015/04/nepa-scene-podcast-episode-20-pursuing-career-music-young-duo-skip-monday/

Kaylin Karr and Nathan Montella of Scranton indie pop duo Skip Monday joined us for Episode 20 of the NEPA Scene Podcast, and while they were in The Stude at TwentyFiveEight Studios in Scranton, they recorded three original acoustic songs for us that can only be heard at their live shows. Listen to the full podcast interview here: http://nepascene.com/2015/04/nepa-scene-podcast-episode-20-pursuing-career-music-young-duo-skip-monday/