Podcast Open Mic

POM 11/21 No. 1: Brantah

Brantah strives to make visceral, pure, raw music that straddles the line between progressive rock and singer/songwriter. Delivering a ride that expands from light sonic textures to aggressive rhythmic energy; performs as both solo and band. Always intuitive, listeners can expect improvisation and a jam mentality over catchy, unpredictable, original arrangements.

http://www.brantah.com

 

POM 10-21 No. 2: Gilch

Think Megadeth meets Joe Satriani!

Adam Gilchrest (Gilch) is an American rock n roll/metal guitar player who's newest song Conquering Covid-19 is the anthem for overcoming the coronavirus pandemic!  It's now for sale  as part of a full CD!   E-mail  at adamgilchrest@gmail.com for a copy.  New song Aftermath of the Pandemic coming out later this year.  Jeff Thal on drums (brother of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal who played lead guitar for Guns N Roses) and Onur Coban on vocals (who has done singing for Dave Ellefson of Megadeth)

Now working hard to try to get my original music placed in TV! 

POM 10/21 No. 1 Plague Dad (Live in the Old Port)

Plague Dad is a high-energy acoustic duo out of Portland, Maine.

Frank Gallagher (vocals, 6- and 12-string guitars, mandolin and banjo) and Miguel Sanchez (vocals, bongo, spoons, stomp box and what have you) have honed their sound busking for hours around Portland and playing parties and club dates throughout Maine.

They’ve become skilled at not just commanding attention, but rewarding it, and the audience is growing.

Plague Dad delivers an authentic and compelling sound, crafted with steel strings and wood, calfskin and oak, drawing on a repertoire of tightly crafted original material and carefully curated covers. But whether they wrote the song they’re playing at any given moment or not, the Plague Dad sound draws you in: taut, sparse melodies and hauntingly urgent grooves that somehow fill the room, big or small.

One writer called it three parts Stanley Brothers and two parts Minutemen -- and a Plague Dad set is just as likey to feature a song from the one as it is from the other -- but a growing number of folks who’ve caught them live don’t really care what the label says, they just like what they hear, because Plague Dad connects.

The Plague Dad project came together in the early days of the pandemic. Laid off from his job, Gallagher spent the time up in his attic, writing and recording new songs, and just trying to make sense of it all. Eventually some of those recordings made their way to family and friends, and building on that support, Plague Dad has continued to attract attention and build an audience.

Plague Dad dropped a debut 7” in November 2020, and the first run of 250 copies is nearly sold out. They’ve got a new five-song EP coming on November 5, 2021. Tentatively titled Back In The Tree, the new material will be released in a limited run of 100 cassettes and 100 CDs, and will be available exclusively through the band’s Bandcamp page and at live shows.

Plague Dad also contributed a cover of Urine Speaks Louder Than Words to a compilation called Songs for a Bunny Named Pat, released on Eden-Wolf Records in August 2021. The CD project features a dozen covers of songs by Pat the Bunny from various artists, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting Books Through Bars. The limited run of 100 copies is going quickly, but a few copies are still available.

POM 09/21 No. 2: Heart Shaped Rock

Heart Shaped Rock is Rock Shaped with Heart!  
We are: Sheridan: vox/Bret Mills: Guitar, b vox/Replica A: Guitar/Eric Eaves: Bass, b vox/Dave Bloom: Drums

All veterans of the Maine/Portland Music scene currently working on our 8th body of music. You can find us on most social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter, Bandcamp, Spotify and many more.

You can check out our "Award winning video" by Peter Giordano here:  "Spyder Mylk"" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/ehxuaT13TS8

Or our spaced out love song here: "Unconditional"" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/78KYh0AStmo

heartshapedrock.co

POM 09-21 NO. 1: Nick Haynes

From Nick himself:  

Colorado born and bred, I grew up in Golden under the auspices of the Coors Brewery before moving to Boulder where I spent the majority of my time studying, playing music, and eating burritos. 

I studied Neuroscience as an undergraduate and ultimately went on to receive a PhD in the field (also at CU). These science skills have enabled me some freedom of movement; I spent a year in Chile, two years in Germany, and I am now in Bar Harbor working as a postdoc studying stress neurobiology. 

Tennis and music have been the largest hobbies in my life and still abound today. Although my body won't allow me to play as well as the GOAT, Roger Federer, I still spend as much time on the court as an old man with old-man-hips can. Music began as a hobby and quickly shifted into a primary focus. I had a brilliant music teacher in college who opened my ears and mind. He taught me the importance of rhythm, making interesting arrangements, and practicing with a purpose. 

I spent a lot of time searching for my sound, and I am quite happy with the results and am excited to see how I grow.  

POM 08/21 N0. 2: Frank Pennisi and Peggy Mead

Frank and Peggy went to high school together in Ann Arbor, Michigan growing up in the turbulent 60’s.  Out of high school a they and large group of their friends would gather nightly for a song swap.  In the early 1970’s they started writing original songs influenced by Moody Blues, Harry Chaplin, Tim Buckley, Gordon Lightfoot and other folkies.  They performed at Open Mic nights at the Ark Coffeehouse in Ann Arbor.  Love of music carried them through many decades of separation, reuniting them in 2015 when they picked up where they left off, both musically and personally.

POM 08/21 No.1: Wildcat O'Halloran

The Wildcat O'Halloran Band has been thrilling audiences in Western Massachusetts for over thirty years, and is currently promoting its 16th album “You Can't Fall Off the Floor"... building on the success of the previous:  "Deck of Cards" " NYC Chill", "Hot Pulldown", "Midnight Service Call","Party Up In Heaven", and “Drinkin' With the Harp Girls” each of which was played on over 200 stations, and called “crazy-fun” by the Boston Blues Society and “a great release” by the UK's Blues Matters. Living Blues Magazine wrote: “Wildcat emerges as one of the most entertaining songwriters in contemporary blues...and his band doesn't know the meaning of dull!”

 

The band has opened for just about every major blues artist to visit Massachusetts, from Greg Allman to John Lee Hooker to The Stray Cats, and has been backup band for Bo Diddley and James Cotton. Recently, they opened for Duke Robillard at Greenfield's Hawks and Reed Music 

 Often featured at Millenium Music Conference, and  longtime host of the  Sunday Blues Jam in Northampton, the Wildcat (guitar and vocals) will often be accompanied by "Dr." Kathy Peterson(Bass), “Dr. Luscious”….Emily Duff (sax), Devin Griffiths (guitar, vocals) and drummer Mark Chouinard Hall.

https://www.northamptonartscouncil.org/2021/05/transperformance-live-tribute-music.html

Living Blues added these kudos : “the grooves are so damned infectious, and the guitar playing so stirring....The Wildcat O'Halloran Band can make you dance and make you laugh if you let it...irresistible”

https://wildcatohalloran.com

POM 2.0 July 2021: Zeke and the Endorphins

Zeke L’Vek started the phenom rock band called Zeke and the Endorphins back in early 2001, drawing from the pool of incredibly talented local and national musicians he’s played with over the years, to record and perform original music. All of the players are exceptionally creative, have great listening skills, and a deep love of music! While the focus is on “Zeke tunes”, the band’s rock roots encompass all genres and styles in a go anywhere, do anything—anytime fashion. Each song’s performance will delight or haunt—they emote, float, sting, or bring you to laughter or tears. It’s worth more than a listen! It’s goose bumps!

A classically trained percussionist, Zeke fell off the deep end pursuing a postgraduate degree in Philosophy. Torn asunder between academics and musical corruption—he chose the latter —joined a rock band, toured the heartland, and began composing and recording songs. His musical background includes stints with symphonies, drum corps, college bands, big bands, little bands, and multiple rock, jazz, and R & B groups. The more diverse, but less diffuse, the better. “You gotta feel it!” There were some famous people along the way of course. But, you could find him playing smoky jazz in Paris someday, reggae in Jamaica, surf music in the Baja, or maybe all of the above!  “Rock it!!”.

https://zekedrumz.com/

POM94 From Listen Up!: Captain Boss Dog "Rock and Roll Doughnut Shop"

Listen Up! Music is a Portland, ME-based nonprofit that supports musicians with intellectual uniqueness in writing, arranging, recording, and performing their music. We are affiliated with Composition Studio, The Art Department, Publication Studio, and Creative Trails, and collaborate with other organizations and musicians to make our music heard.

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POM93 Matt Wibby "Let There Be Hope"

I am a South Portland songwriter, producer and graphic artist. My business website is www.mattwibby.com and my Youtube channel is  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7qHsi4RtU08ObRemf4XrpQ. Just a bit of caution about the channel: we are just starting to build it, so there aren't many videos on there yet.

 

For graphic arts, I sell t-shirts at tees.edbliss.com. Eventually, I will move that site over to tees.mattwibby.com, though.

 

I have been writing songs and publishing EP's since 2004, mostly under my pen name, Ed Bliss. I recently changed my business model and started writing music for licensing in movies and for performers under my new company, Matt Wibby Arts.

 

I play out pretty regularly with my band, the Funky Vulcans

(https://www.facebook.com/FunkyVulcans/). I play bass in the band. I play guitar and sing at open mics in the Portland area as myself :>D