Stop Pretending To “Save The Scene.” Start Sharing It.
Christine Collins
There is no shortage of social media obituaries for live music in Upstate New York, and if you scroll long enough, you will inevitably stumble across the usual suspects playing their familiar roles: the venue owner bemoaning poor turnout with the tone of a funeral director narrating his own losses, the promoter waxing poetic about the “golden days” as though they alone were entrusted with the keys to nostalgia, and the musician sighing into the void that “the kids don’t care anymore” while seemingly forgetting that once upon a time they were the kids who weren’t supposed to care. These posts arrive with captions dripping in faux gravitas, emojis deployed like cheap confetti to soften the despair, and a level of dramatics that rivals a community theater audition for Les Misérables.
But here is the hard truth that slices through all that noise: scenes are not killed by audiences. Audiences are reactive, not generative—they follow energy, they respond to momentum, they show up when something is worth showing up for. No, scenes are killed by professionals and the socalled “professionals” (you know the type) who conveniently forget their responsibility to pass the torch, who mistake gatekeeping for leadership, and who cling to their scraps of authority so tightly that they strangle the very ecosystem they claim to be protecting.
Music does not die when fewer people show up on a Friday night. It dies when the spark in a new player’s eye gets dismissed instead of encouraged. It dies when young bookers are locked out of venues rather than mentored into them. It dies when artists with fresh ideas are treated as existential threats instead of allies to collaborate with. The passion that fuels a life in music is almost always ignited in a single electric moment. When someone shows you a chord, lets you behind the soundboard, hands you a stack of flyers with a
grin and says, “Congratulations, you’re working the door tonight.” Those sparks, tiny and unglamorous though they may seem, passed hand to hand and room to room, are what keep music alive.
Too often, though, the Upstate industry treats those sparks like wildfires to be stamped out before they spread. Gatekeeping masquerades as guardianship. Veterans hoard their knowledge as if the act of sharing it would somehow diminish their own worth. Promoters recycle the same tired bills, terrified to gamble a single slot on an unproven act. Venue owners cling to a narrow pool of “sure things” rather than cultivating variety. All the while, these same figures complain loudly about dwindling crowds, about “kids these days,” about scenes on life support, never pausing to recognize the irony that their own conservatism, their own lack of risk, their own refusal to pass the flame, is the very reason their beloved scene is suffocating.
The truth, which is less convenient but far more urgent, is that music thrives the way ecosystems do through biodiversity. A healthy scene is not built on a monoculture of the same five bands, the same safe ideas, the same rotation of predictable lineups. It is built when genres cross-pollinate, when perspectives collide, when peers throw open their notebooks, their playbooks, their contacts, and teach each other everything they know without calculating who gets the credit. That is not just preservation. That is growth. That is legacy. That is the difference between being a professional in name only and being a professional whose work echoes beyond their own career.
The most dangerous lie in music is that power is finite—that if someone else learns to book a show, you will somehow lose your own authority, that if another band pulls a bigger draw, your career will vanish into obscurity. In reality, the opposite is
true: scenes expand when knowledge expands. Every new promoter, engineer, artist, or manager strengthens the scaffolding for everyone else. The rising tide is not a cliché; it is the only survival strategy this industry has left. Community, partnership, and the fearless sharing of ideas are the lifeblood that has grown so thin in too many corners of this region.
And while we are here, let us put an end to the illusion that social media campaigns are the salve for this slow bleed. Posting that you are “saving the scene” is the equivalent of taking a heavily filtered selfie in front of a burning building instead of grabbing a hose. Real professionals do not need to announce their worth or declare their impact in all caps. Their reputations are written in the opportunities they create, the skills they pass on, the rooms they make accessible, and the sparks they nurture into flames. Their work speaks not in hashtags, but in the artists who will one day say, “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them.”
If you care about the future of live music in Upstate New York, or anywhere, really, the most radical, rebellious, and sustaining act you can commit is simple. Teach what you know. Share what you have learned, especially the unsexy parts of the business. Book someone new who doesn’t fit the mold of what you think will “sell.” Let a kid run sound for a night and make their mistakes. Invite a younger peer into the conversation about contracts and budgets instead of pretending those things are sacred mysteries. Do not extinguish sparks because you feel threatened
Christine Collins
by how brightly they might burn. Fan them until they become flames that light the room brighter than you ever could alone.
Because music has never survived on isolation or on those who guarded knowledge as though it were a relic. It has always survived on peerto-peer exchange, on communities that lifted each other up, on messy, beautiful collisions of talent and ego and generosity where everyone understood, consciously or not, that guarding knowledge is not power. Sharing it is. If we cannot remember that, then all the posts in the world about “supporting live music” will dissolve into digital dust. Because the people who truly save a scene are never the ones shouting about it online. They are the ones too busy building the next one to stop and take a photo.
And maybe that is the truest test of all: do you want to be remembered as the person who lamented the end, or as the person who sparked the beginning?
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BBQ ‘n’ Blues Returns To Chaumont Sept. 7 With Jake Lozo Band, Tas Cru Band Taking The Stage
The Lyme Performing Arts Council’s annual BBQ ‘n’ Blues event returns to Chaumont on Sunday, September 7 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Chaumont Fire Hall, 11385 State Route 12E. (In the event of rain, it will take place inside the fire hall.) The event is free; donations are welcome.
Music will be provided by the Jake Lozo Band (1:30 p.m.) and the Tas Cru Band (3:15 p.m.). The Chaumont Volunteer Fire Department will provide the chicken barbecue as well as beer, hot dogs, hamburgers, and sausage; proceeds from concession sales will benefit the fire department. In addition, there will be craft vendors on hand and raffles.
Jake Lozo is a fourth-generation musician from Ilion, NY whose band performs a high-energy blend of blues, soul, and funk. Influenced by legends like BB King, Buddy Guy, and Ronnie Earl, Jake’s guitar work is fiery and expressive, weaving together the rich tradition of blues with his personal style.
Tas Cru has been called “one of the most unique of bluesmen plying his
trade today” (Downbeat Magazine).
An international touring artist and a resident of Chaumont, his latest album, Tas Cru Band LIVE, has been nominated for a 2025 Blues Blast Magazine music award for Live Blues Album of the Year.
The Lyme Performing Arts Council (LPAC) is dedicated to providing live performances by skilled artists for the residents, both permanent and seasonal, of the Town of Lyme and surrounding communities. For more information, visit LPAC on Facebook.
An Interview With Mira Grimm
Fourth Coast Entertainment Media got a chance to talk to Mira Grimm (MG), a musician song writer with a blend of Americana, blues, alternative, folk style from Syracuse, NY
How long have you been playing?
I’ve been playing guitar for about 10 years and I’ve been singing and playing out professionally since I was 11. But I’ve always had the mind of a musician. Music has always been my form of self-expression. I have autism and didn’t speak until I was 4. Verbal communication was hard for me and I had a really hard time connecting to people and understanding them. But I could figure out how to play the nursery rhymes on my little toy piano by ear like it was nothin! I would play it back perfectly and my parents knew that I had something special, so they always encouraged me to develop my musical abilities and support me every step of the way.
What are your influences?
Lizzy McAlpine, Cavetown, Alice Ban D, The Lumineers, Poor Man’s Poison, Coulter Wall, John Mayer, Larkin Poe, Jackie Venson, Jim Croce, Highly Suspect, Susan Tedeschi & Samantha Fish
What type of musician are you?
‘Genre’
My genre is generally a blend of Americana, blues, alternative, folky finger style. It’s basically all of my influences. You can hear a little bit of all of that in the songs I write and the covers I do, some genres you can hear a little bit more prominently depending on the song.
Where is your hometown?
Syracuse NY! I’ve lived here my whole life
Are you in a band?
Yes! I do solo shows, but also have a band called Mira Grimm and the Reapers. We are based in the Syracuse area and we’re just getting started with gigs. My drummer Hymie Whitthoft is a seasoned pro, very versatile. He’s been (and still is!) the drummer for the Westcott Jugsuckers for the past few decades. And my bass player Hendrick has an awesome vocal ability that blends so well harmonizing with mine. I’m really happy with this lineup!
What inspired the band or you to become what you are?
My dad Garnet Grimm, he was the drummer for Savoy Brown for 15 years and now he’s travelling with Sean Chambers. He inspired me to be who I’ve become because he’s a very skilled musician who tours around the world doing the thing I love most. I would love to do that. Originally Mira Grimm and the Reapers was a group of really talented kid musicians that I met through Blues Ignition (a youth band put together by the NYS Bluesfest). We did blues rock and funky grooves and jams. Eventually I wanted to do more of my own thing and focus on my solo act for a while. Then last October I hired a local band, Morris and the Hepcats (with my dad on drums and Layla Barlow, AKA my best friend on harmony vocals) to back me up for my CD release party and from then on I realized I wanted to just have a band to back me up with my originals. So now I’ve reinvented Mira Grimm
and the Reapers with the new lineup. We’re just getting started with gigs so if you’re interested in hiring my live music contact me at Miraaamusic@ gmail.com or reach out to my manager (my mom) Tracy Grimm at 315395-4668.
What idols do you have and why? All of my idols are my influences. I also take inspiration from Freddie Mercury, Lady Gaga, and David Bowie. I look up to them so much, they all were/are amazing performers and I admire David Bowie the most because he was gender fluid and wasn’t afraid to express himself. His look was so unique and bold and I feel so proud that I can relate to that and see that in myself. It’s a quality I admire intensely.
How did you get started as a band or a musician? “Tell a brief history of the band or you”
Well like I said earlier I grew up with the “music autism” I call it…hehe. I was always very involved in the music scene because my mom is a music lover who ever since I was little took me to tons of festivals & shows, and she knows a lot of musicians just from going out, and also because of my dad. I was always welcomed by the music community and encouraged to let the music part of me shine. When I was 7 I bought my own guitar with the money I saved from birthdays and holidays. When I was 10 through 12 I took lessons from (the late) Jason Kessler (he passed away a couple years ago RIP).
He was a great teacher and an amazing classical/jazz guitarist, and by the
time I was 12 I had already finished a college level classical music book with him when I realized I wanted to do blues. I’d been surrounded by it my whole life. I started playing out in bars and festivals when I was only 11. I’ve always loved being on stage. When I was 14/15 I took vocal lessons from CNY jazz legend Nancy Kelly and I’ve just been working on my craft ever since.
Have you recorded your songs, when and where?
I have! I record all of my stuff at JB (John Brown’s) studio in the Eastwood section of Syracuse called the Dungeon Studios. Then once it’s recorded I mix and produce it with Shane Patterson at Hobin Studios, and Ron Keck does the mastering. My first song ever recorded however was at Subcat Studios when I was 12 years old. I published my first album “Restless Soul” in October 2024 (it’s out on all streaming platforms) and I’m currently finishing up my second album “The Dark” which will be out very soon.
What are your songs about?
I write about my mental health. Most of my songs are about me voicing what I was struggling with in order to process my emotions, communicate what I was feeling, and make something out of it that I was proud of. Everything I went through I have something hard to show that not only did I survive it, but I also made art out of my pain that now other people can enjoy and relate
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Photography by by Michael SottoVoce @ LumierNoirStudios
An Interview With Mira Grimm
to. While many of my songs are mental health based, others are just stories, or dark Americana folk tale stuff.
How receptive have audiences been to your musical creation?
They love it and are always very engaged and interested in what I’m doing or saying. The beauty of writing about your mental health is that I can share it with people and not only help my own self, but help others feel seen and like they’re not alone. It’s therapeutic for everyone and it feels so good to be understood and heard. I also do a little bit of comedy while I perform - I joke around and connect with my audience. I’m generally a very outgoing and social creature.
Have you received any awards?
I’ve received several awards for my music. In 2024 I was selected by the Carrie Lazarus fund for Extraordinary Talent to receive an award of studio time and equipment (a new amp and new guitar!), and a couple months after that I won $1000 for third place for the KJ James Memorial Scholarship at the NYS Bluesfest. This year I won a SAMMY for Best New Artist (which was a HUGE honor!!), and my album was nominated for Best Alternative.
What’s new in the recording of your music?
I’m half way done with my 3rd original album which will be out next year & it’s gonna be a rocking bluesy one. I’ve written more than 60 songs & someday I’ll have them all out! At this point, I’m writing faster than I can keep up with recording. I guess that’s not a bad problem.
What are the bands or your biggest obstacles?
For my band the biggest obstacles are scheduling practices. But for me it’s being organized with my thoughts and having enough time since I’m also an actor so I often have plays to rehearse and prepare for.
Describe your show, visual and musically?
Visually my show is bright and colorful. I do really funky whimsical makeup. Musically it’s a variety of Americana, folky blues and alternative songs that I sing and play. I have a very haunting and soulful voice and I do a bunch of finger style guitar under it. When I play American folk blues I fingerpick, do percussion, and palm muting all at once and it sounds really
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What is your method of marketing?
Social media and exposure, I run all my social media accounts. And I try to get myself out there as much as I can. I do graphic design as well so I enjoy making posters and flyers for my gigs and doing all the album cover art. I also have business cards and stickers. My website has everything you need to know about what’s going on with me and my musical journey. Go to www.miragrimmmusic.com for where I’m playing next!
What are your hopes for the near future?
Touring! I’m psyched to have been asked to join my grandfather’s band Double Barrel Blues Band for some songs on the main stage at Blues in the Bay festival the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, and would love to play the NYS Bluesfest again. I’d really love to travel far and wide doing festivals! They are so fun!
If someone had never seen you perform, how would you describe the sound and stage presence to them? Goofy, light hearted, but still real and relatable.
Tell FCE about your shows and why fans should be there?
Mira Grimm shows are an experience for sure, almost every song is never played the same cause I just go with what I’m feeling. I’m a big fan of supporting the venues that treat musicians well and I think everyone should give back. Plus I would love to see your face and meet you!
Mira Grimm will be sitting in with Grandpa’s band The Double Barrel Blues Band on the main stage, Sun, Aug 31 @ 1:00PM — 3:00PM Blues in the Bay Festival, 1 James St, Alexandria Bay NY 13607
More info about Mira www.miragrimmmusic.com
Generation X: An Urgent Avalanche
Back in 1976-77, when the first explosions of UK Punk Rock were heard, Generation X was there. The band formed in 1976 & practiced & gigged constantly, finally releasing their first album, “Generation X,” in 1978. The personnel for the record comprised Billy Idol on lead vocals, Derwood Andrews on guitar, Tony James on insistent bass, & Mark Laff on drums. They all contributed background vocals. All the songs were written by Idol & James. The album received critical success but was criticized by many punks because of its lack of political stance. But that’s not what they were going for, said primary lyricist Tony James. Too many of the punks were negative in their musical outlook; he wanted their music to be more positive. Which is why Generation X doesn’t have the real gritty diy Punk
sound. It’s more like Hard Rock Poppy Punk, if you had to give it a name. They were even the first “Punk” band to perform on the popular BBC TV show “Top of the Pops,” another reason for the gritty punks to sneer.
Well, Billy Idol & Tony James played in a band called Chelsea, in which, strangely, Idol was the lead guitarist & not the singer. But they left in 1976 & formed Generation X w/ lead guitarist Derwood Andrews, & drummer John Towe. Towe soon departed & was replaced by Mark Laff, who was kind of a wild man on the drums, like his personal idol Keith Moon. Laff held the drumsticks upside down, by the skinny end, getting more punch behind each thwack. Andrews was sort of a wild man on guitar; but he didn’t try to take over the songs. His playing was generally clean & musical, clashing & chaotic when necessary.
By the way, after Gen X crashed in 1981, Tony James formed Sigue Sigue Sputnik, the successful & weird 1980s popsters.
About these songs, each is an urgent avalanche of electric guitar, bass, & drums, w/ Billy Idol’s tuneful, powerful vocals up front. He hadn’t quite developed the sneering, snarling vocal style of his later solo career—but the voice is strong & sincere, in the way that all of these songs sound sincere. They were punks, but they didn’t follow the standard punk formula, which accounts for the criticism I mentioned earlier. About the closest they come to protesting society is in “Day by Day,” when Idol sings, “I feel like a robot/ On the production line/ Ain’t got no tomorrow/ On the Circle Line.” Derwood Andrews on guitar was a real standout. At the end of “Youth Youth Youth,” (a celebra-
tion of those energetic & passionate years that end all too soon) he lashes out an exciting & piercing solo that goes on for several minutes. It’s a memorable way to end the album.
About fashion, Idol, the bleached platinum blonde, wore the usual ripped T-shirt until he graduated to his glitter outfits. The other fellows generally dressed casual & fairly neat—looking like fine, scruffy, slightly mysterious lads. And no facial hair for this band.
About this record. It’s highly listenable. Even better, it’s highly listenable again & again & again. There are a few slow songs, like “Kiss Me Deadly,” which sounds darkly romantic but actually appears to be about street fighting. Anyway, give it a listen. There was a tremendous amount of musical energy in the UK in those days, & Generation X has captured some of it here.
---John Berbrich
Buck Cherry – Roar Like Thunder
---Bill Baker
Buck Cherry stepped out onto the stage twenty-five years ago. Within that time frame they have released eleven albums. The band has hit the gold level of sales with their hits “Crazy Bitch”, “Lit “and “Sorry” but they have never strayed too far from their original signature sound of hard rock grit with pop infused melodies.
The Southern California rockers have always disregarded trends and have remained true to themselves. That characteristic has enabled Buck Cherry to maintain a long successful career.
The new album Roar Like Thunder, on Round Hill Records, is the most consistent work they have released in years. Buck Cherry along with producer Marti Frederiksen have captured their raw live energy in the studio, creating a collection of high-octane rock anthems. The current lineup is firing on all cylinders with founding member Josh Todd on lead vocals, longtime contributor Stevie D supplying the leads, Billy Rowe on rhythm guitar and holding down the back beat
are Kelly LeMieux on bass along with drummer Francis Ruiz.
The new album demands your attention with its catchy hooks and memorable melodies. It draws you in and doesn’t let you go until the last note. The album’s opening track “Roar Like Thunder” explodes out of your speakers like a runaway train. It comes at you full speed, jam packed with high-powered rock n roll. The level of intensity doesn’t falter. Every track is in your face with rock steady rhythms and riff driven guitar. Pretty much every song has the potential to storm the charts as individual singles. No filler here, each track delivers a strong dose of hard rock, heavy when it needs to be, but never sacrificing the pop sensibilities.
The no holds barred vocals of Josh Todd are a force of nature, with power and passion. His performance adds an emotional level that is often lacking in the modern hard rock vocals of today. The guitars from Stevie D and Billy Rowe provide the infectious melodies and powerful guitar riffs. Not to be outdone
LeMieux and Ruiz provide the necessary muscle at the bottom end.
Buck Cherry’s Roar Like Thunder is a great example of a band at the top of their game.
It’s hard to choose favorites, I enjoyed listening to the entire album. But if you force my hand, I would recommend “Let It Burn”, “Machine Gun” “Hello Goodbye”, “I Go Boom”,” Set It Free”, “Blackout” “Talkin About Sex”,” Come On”,” When The Sun Goes Down” and “Roar Like Thunder”. Oh, wait a minute, I just realized that’s the entire album. LOL !!
If you have ever had the opportunity to sit down with an old friend, turning each other on to new music, while sharing a beverage and revisiting past glories, you know what it feels like to take in Buck Cherry’s new release Roar Like Thunder.
As always, if you like what I like, you should take a test drive with the latest from Buck Cherry – Roar Like Thunder, available on CD, Album, Download or your favorite Streaming Device. Check out several videos available on You Tube.
“Cape To Cape - Clam & Jam” Will Raise Funds For Cape Vincent Arts Council; Concert To Feature Cape Cod Favorites The Invincible Casuals
In a one-of-a-kind cultural exchange, legendary Cape Cod band
The Invincible Casuals will perform in Cape Vincent to support community arts and music programs sponsored by the Cape Vincent Arts Council.
The event, billed as “Cape to CapeClam & Jam,” will take place Saturday, September 13 beginning at 5:00 pm at the Cape Vincent Brewing Company, 126 St. James Street, Cape Vincent. The brewpub will be offering Cape Cod related food and drink specials, including steamed and fried clams, Cape Codders and Bay Breezes. (Order clams in advance at capevincentartscouncil.org.) Donations from the audience will support free music and art events sponsored by the Cape Vincent Arts Council.
“Catchy riffs, twisted lyrics, and enough sloppy enthusiasm to restore one’s faith in power pop.”
(Rob Tannenbaum, Rolling Stone)
Longtime New England favorites
The Invincible Casuals are best known for their legendary Sunday sets at the Wellfleet Beachcomber on Cape Cod, where they entertained their loyal following (known as Casualties) every summer for 30 years. Founded in 1980 as The Incredible Casuals, they returned as “Invincible” in 2023 after a 10-year layoff. The band includes founding members Chandler Travis (bass/vocals) and Rikki Bates (drums) along with longtime bandmate Steve “Woo Woo” Wood (guitar/vocals). With albums that have been lauded in People, Rolling Stone, and other publications, the band has toured extensively in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Their appearance at “Cape To Cape – Clam & Jam” will fulfill a long-held dream of visiting Cape Vincent.
The Casuals were created from the remnants of “Travis Shook and Club Wow,” a comedy duo (Chandler Travis and Steve Shook) that opened for George Carlin, Martin Mull, and others
in the ‘70s. The Casuals first full-length album, “That’s That,” was released in the U.S. in 1987 on Rounder Records. Prior to that, they released a handful of singles on NRBQ’s Red Rooster label and welcomed into the band later NRBQ guitarist Johnny Spampinato, who eventually departed. The original Casuals produced five more fulllength releases, a score of homemade efforts, and a 2007 Best-Of collection (“World Championship Songs”) which includes fan favorites such as Records Go Round, Picnic Ape, and Crazy Girl. Praise from the music press:
• “The Casuals make a vintage guitar-driven noise laced with cool Brit-pop hooks and harmonies not unlike NRBQ but with a hint of Replacements-style corrosion.” - David Fricke, Rolling Stone
• “The band plays with an intoxicating groove, simultaneously laid back and forward-moving; some songs are clean and cool, others dance on the edge of absurdity.” - Dorothea Samaha, Provincetown Independent
• “Effervescent pop...coming on like the Replacements romping through ‘Beatles VI’. - Jim Macnie, Musician
• “A stark reminder of rock’s basic power and simple pleasures. Boy, do we need it now!” - David Hiltbrand, People
About the Cape Vincent Arts Council
The Cape Vincent Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization consisting entirely of volunteers. It is dedicated to providing opportunities for the public to enjoy and participate in cultural activities in and around Cape Vincent. Among the events it sponsors are the Concerts on the Green series, the Stroll on Broadway, the Riverside Music & Arts Festival, summer art classes, author presentations, art exhibitions, and the Thousand Islands International Piano Competition for Young People.
