The year of 2012 was good on the music front regardless all of the negativity so prevalent in society and the world at large. Syracuse, while lacking in landing most concerts, did see some good shows. The NYS Fair hosted several events and actually landed one of the rock festivals that are so popular in this depressed economy. Uproar was a cool day to see some big names in music such as Shinedown, Godsmack, Staind, and Adelita's Way. Some up and comers like Fozzy, In This Moment, and Candlelight Red graced the side stages among other strong acts. You can read my review of that show here. Several local festivals suffered in the attendance department badly, let's blame the economy this time and move on to next year and hope they rebound.
Krockathon did well even with some people not thrilled with rap being added in, but it is a day long multi-act event pushing nearly two decades and remains a great value for your buck. Their DFB is another big event that brings in national acts right here to Syracuse. Trespass America changed venues to Oswego and then changed who was playing and then basically fell apart as the bands, with other concert stage collapses in mind perhaps, refused to play on what was there. Maybe next time.
Local bands continue to push higher recording wise with excellent music put out by bands like Kat Tale and Max Scialdone to name just a couple. I encourage more of the same from the music community, as so many of my interviews have shown, push yourself beyond what you see, be you and no one else.
The year showed a need for a place to challenge for some of the national acts that is affordable and viable in the immediate Syracuse area. While the area does see a lot of great shows; people have told me all too often that they don’t appreciate the drive be it a 40-minute trek or 3 hrs. plus for the major concerts east and west. That said, several cool places make it happen several nights a week and kudos to all of them. This was also the year of 'help me'. Fund Me drives are becoming quite prevalent, I'll leave my opinion of this development alone.
The interviews continued to get bigger names this year and a big hit was the latest; the Women In Music Series which grew from a small week long idea to an ongoing series. It began with a few metal queens and grew into country and has some R&B and rap in the future as well as more rockers. The readers have gone from local to international along with the level of interviews and for that I am eternally grateful. Legends graced me with their time as I spoke with Roger Earl of Foghat, George Lynch, and Mike Levine of Triumph. I am always amazed at how the bigger the star the more down to earth they are off camera.
I promise continued honest, fan-friendly interviews with no hidden agendas and to continue to keep my word to the artists whose trust I have earned for my honesty. What is said just between us stays just between us and I appreciate all of their help in pushing my name farther out there. That goes for all of the PR people and labels as well.
Keep the music coming and I thank all of you for taking the time to read what I do, I don’t make much really at all, but I love what I do. 2013 will see some interviews being made into recordings so that you can hear your music heroes talk and in-person video interviews at several concerts. I will attend more local shows and report what I see, so be on your game kids!
Happy New Year!
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