NEPA Scene

An open and honest panel discussion of the current state of the local music scene with Rich Howells, Joe Caviston, Brittany Boote, Greg Shaffer, and Cory Wolff. Issues are identified and solutions are proposed. This panel was presented by NEPA Scene and recorded at the 2016 Electric City Music Conference on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.

Representatives from print media, blogs, and radio talk about the relationship between music media and musicians and how performers should pitch media outlets, what outlets to target, and much more. This panel discussion features Tori Thomas, Rich Howells, Freddie Fabbri, Matt Mattei, and Jeff Pittinger and was recorded at the 2016 Electric City Music Conference on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.

A panel discussion of the benefits and the drawbacks to “getting signed” with the guys who have been there. Panelists James Thomas Huy, Mark Woodbridge, Bret Alexander, Frank Woodworth, and Andrew Riccatelli speak about their personal experiences in dealing with labels, how artists should go about catching the attention of a record label, and the dos and don’ts of signing a recording contract. This was recorded at the 2016 Electric City Music Conference on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.

Musicians are introduced to promoters and talent buyers of all levels who they can network with when trying to create a fan base in the Pennsylvania music market, showcasing a mix of venues, from house shows to bars to large festivals. This panel discussion features Chris Castillo, Brittany Boote, Greg Shaffer, Vince Volz, and Jim Thorpe and was recorded at the 2016 Electric City Music Conference on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.

Cult Personalities is a brand new podcast dedicated to all the geeky, underrated, unusual, and offbeat movies, music, TV shows, books, comics, collectibles, beer, and more that we’re passionate about – basically anything that may have a cult following that influenced and shaped us into the irreverent weirdos that we are today.

Hosted by beer writer and blogger Derek Warren, former co-host of the Beer Geeks Radio Hour, and Rich Howells, founder and editor of NEPA Scene and co-host of the NEPA Scene Podcast, this weekly show is our way to geek out and share our passions with fellow nerds and nerf herders, discussing big franchises and obscure gems while sharing our honest opinions and personal stories in a fun and relatable way.

In the first episode of Cult Personalities, recorded even before we had a name for podcast, we sit down with our friend and fellow geek George Zvirblis to name our Top 5 albums, bands, action movies, comedies, horror movies, TV shows, and guilty pleasures as a way for listeners to get to know us before we dive into particular topics deeper in future episodes.

Improvised handpan music by Steve Werner before the panel discussions began at the 2016 Electric City Music Conference on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016.

Locally developed music app Tunefly 2.0 was officially released at the Electric City Music Conference. The creators of Tunefly - Sam O’Connell, Matt Simoncavage, and Elizabeth Klein - discuss growing your fan base using the power of social media marketing and give an in-depth look at Tunefly. This was recorded at the 2016 Electric City Music Conference on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. (Note: The section from 10:55-15:18 is Josh Slosky performing an original song, but he was not near the microphones, so the sound is quiet.)

In Episode 62, we sit down with guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Burke and bassist Dave Connors of Scranton indie alternative rock band Jung Bergo, who will be performing on the NEPA Scene Stage at Arts on the Square in downtown Scranton this Saturday, July 30. We talk about how they got their start as musicians and how that led into the formation of the band, where their strange (and often mispronounced) band name came from, developing their sound over the last seven years, working with producer Bret Alexander, their best and worst gigs as a group, playing Montage Mountain after seeing so many concerts there, crafting stories and messages in the writing of their music and how audiences interpret them, booking gigs and gaining respect as original musicians, the surprising influence of the TV show “Arrested Development” on their work, testing our respective movie knowledge, the future of Jung Bergo, and why they’re looking forward to this upcoming outdoor Arts on the Square performance.

In The Last Word segment, we talk about where our co-host Lauren has been and wish her luck as she relocates for her new job in New York City.

The fourth annual Arts on the Square, Scranton’s largest arts festival, will be held on July 30 from noon-8 p.m. Over 100 arts and crafts vendors will wrap around Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton with activities and entertainment throughout the day, including two stages of live local music hosted by NEPA Scene and Summersteps Records.

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, and Mark Dennebaum, president and owner of TwentyFiveEight Studios. Every episode streams on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and nepascene.com.

In Episode 61, we sit down with the four local teenagers in The Tellerz – Shane Ely, Dylan Pidich, Matt Wrubel, and Tanner Snyder – to talk about the band from Roaring Brook Township and their recent wins in Season 3 of NEPA Scene’s Got Talent and Pocono’s Got Talent. We discuss how they got into music at such young ages and their various musical influences, meeting each other through Craigslist, their early practices and first show at The Bitter End in New York City’s Greenwich Village opening for “The Voice” winner Sawyer Fredericks, why two of the members originally hated each other, what it was like competing in the Got Talent contests, their old school tastes in music and even TV shows, the original names of the band and how they decided on The Tellerz, funny behind-the-scenes stories, writing and recording their first EP of original music, the unwavering support from their parents to pursue music, making American flag shorts, being honored with a brand new award in the 2016 Steamtown Music Awards, and their full lineup of shows this summer.

In The Last Word segment, we encourage everyone to come out and participate in the next season of NEPA Scene’s Got Talent, which runs every for 12 weeks starting June 28 at Thirst T’s Bar & Grill (120 Lincoln St, Olyphant). We need audience members as well as musicians, comedians, poets, and more – you could be the next winner.

The Tellerz have shows coming up on Friday, July 1 at The Marketplace at Steamtown from 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, July 2 at The Other Side (119 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre) with Easyfeat, Plaid the Inhaler, and Shock Value at 7 p.m.; and Monday, July 4 at the American Freedom Festival in East Stroudsburg at 8 p.m. For a full schedule, check out their Facebook page.

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, and Mark Dennebaum, president and owner of TwentyFiveEight Studios. Every episode streams on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and nepascene.com.

In Episode 60, we sit down with Conor O'Brien and Simone Daniel of the local theatre group New Vintage Ensemble to talk about the professional troupe and their upcoming original production, “The Trouble with Sketch Shows,” at the Scranton Cultural Center on June 24 and June 25.

We discuss how they both got into theatre, including funny stories about being an underage clown in a shady nightclub and why #sluttyclownbaby should be trending right now; the history of the New Vintage Ensemble and its connection to the former Vintage Theater; how the group “reinvents the familiar” in their own distinctive style and follows their mission statement; working with comedians and others outside the group in this upcoming production; how the “writers’ room” environment and different senses of humor shaped the show; directing and performing in sketches as opposed to a typical linear play; crafting jokes about Northeastern Pennsylvania without being predictable; partnering with the Scranton Cultural Center as well as The Cooperage Project in Honesdale; scheduling a late-night performance to begin establishing a downtown theatre culture and cultivating a regular audience; Conor and Simone’s weird relationship; and Conor’s response to being made fun of on Episode 45 of the podcast, when we had other members of the NVE on to talk about their previous production, “Hamlet.”

In The Last Word segment, we briefly touch upon our thoughts and feelings after the tragic mass shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida over the weekend before we leave to attend a vigil in Scranton to remember the victims that evening.

Directed by Conor O’Brien and written by O’Brien, Simone Daniel, Timothy McDermott, Matt Serniak, Sarah Regan, and Kathleen Barrett, “The Trouble with Sketch Shows” runs Friday, June 24 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Saturday, June 25 at 8 p.m. in the Junior Ballroom at the Scranton Cultural Center (420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton). Tickets are $10 and can be reserved online at newvintagenensemble.com or purchased at the door.

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, and Mark Dennebaum, president and owner of TwentyFiveEight Studios. Every episode streams on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and nepascene.com.