RIP Peppi Marchello, whose Good Rats music touched my generation of Long Island rock fans

Long Island rock ‘n’ roll fans of my vintage will pause and shed a tear today. I just got a message from my sister, who listens to morning radio down there where the North and South forks meet. She heard that Peppi Marchello died. The news has spread to a Long Island web site. The…

Catching up with Earth Crisis vocalist Karl Buechner for the 20th anniversary of ‘Firestorm’

Twenty years ago, the straightedge hardcore band from Syracuse made its first worldwide splash with the EP “Firestorm.” “It doesn’t seem like that many years,” Earth Crisis vocalist Karl Buechner told me over the phone this morning. Yet there is much water under that bridge. Earth Crisis became a leader of its genre. Buechner and…

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Doobie Brothers on July Fourth. Ain’t that America?

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is coming to Central New York on July Fourth. How American. How jazzy. How cool is that? The M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest takes up its new slot in the entertainment schedule from Thursday to Saturday at Jamesville Beach Park, moving to the holiday weekend for its 31st edition. No more…

From the mailbag: Lou Gramm gets his day in Onondaga County, Walter Trout to sizzle at the Dinosaur

It’s officially Lou Gramm Day in Onondaga County. And you thought it was just Friday. Rochester native Gramm is the featured performer tonight at the Key Bank Balloon Fest in Jamesville Beach Park. Gramm, the lead singer during the Foreigner hit-making days three decades ago, has been riding a hot streak. A book chronicling his…

From the mailbag: A trip to Brazil for Grupo Pagan, it’s in the book for Jeff Barone, British Invasion in Cazenovia

A Syracuse band will be spreading its wings in Brazil the first two weeks of July. Grupo Pagan will be performing its rich combination of world beat, pop, rock, and more in São Paulo and Rio de Janero. The self-described “lite” version of the band — founder Edgar Pagan, Bill DiCosimo and Josh Dekaney —…

A hip-hop past helps solidify Sound Garden’s Syracuse future.

It took a talented politician to step in an help broker the deal that hopefully will keep The Sound Garden in Syracuse. The Most Talented, in fact. News outlets started reporting yesterday that another compromise of the bill that caused store owner Bryan Burkert to declare he was done with the city will move to…

Benny Mardones to play BBQ Bash Benefit at Sharkey’s, and the love affair with Syracuse rages on

Benny Mardones is coming back to town. Fans will rejoice. People will sing along to “Into the Night.” Women of all ages will jump on stage and dance mightily to “Sheila C.” Mardones and his Syracuse band, the Hurricanes, rocking out for “Benny’s Backyard BBQ Bash,” Aug. 3 at Sharkey’s, on Oswego Road in Liverpool.…

Hobo Graffiti offers a sampling of rough cuts, just perfect for Taste of Syracuse weekend

Hobo Graffiti has been recording an EP, reports drummer Kevin Dean. The intense band was born from one hard-rocking daddy, Brand New Sin. Dean, guitarist-singer Kris Wiechmann, lead guitarist Tommy Matkowski and bassist Chuck Kahl added singer-guitarist Heather Jones and headed off in the direction of rootsy Americana. Dean sent over three rough mixes. “Way…

Some singing show thoughts on ‘The Voice’ and ‘American Idol’ and an idea for a new original show

It’s been a while since I’ve shared about our singing shows. It seems like “The Voice” has morphed into “Nashville Star.” Country music was close to ruling by pure math, for sure, since we were left with six singers this week, and three of them are on country star Blake Shelton’s team. Shelton unabashedly declared…

Three Fat Guys plumps up with food, music

The thought struck when the platter of chicken tenders and fries was put in front of me. The trio behind the bar named Three Fat Guys may well have been three skinny guys until they started eating the food so well put together in the kitchen in the green bar at 3898 New Court Avenue…