Music Collective to Present Tribute to Metal
WILLIAMSPORT -- The Uptown Music Collective will present “Ride the Lightning; A Tribute to Metal” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, 2010 at the Community Arts Center in Williamsport.
The concert, a fundraiser for the non-profit school of music, will feature music from historically important and highly influential metal bands from Metals golden era. Some of the Bands that will be featured in this show include Metallica, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath to name a few.
Metal is a genre of rock music that began to form in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by heavy distortion, extended guitar solos, and driving riffs. The sound was first developed by groups like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. In the mid to late 70’s, bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden helped to further evolve the genre by steering away from the blues influence of earlier bands in favor of more complicated western harmonies and scales. Other influences like punk music were absorbed into the music through bands like Motorhead.
“Ride the Lightning,” the Uptown Music Collective’s tribute to Metal will focus on the bands that introduced and influenced change within the genre Throughout the years, Metal has gone through a myriad of changes and given birth to many sub genres such as thrash metal, black metal, death metal and glam metal. Each of these have their own specific characteristics, while retaining the original Metal sound at their core. Metal has become one of the most popular forms of the rock genre forming cult like followings of fans and influencing new bands and new sub genres to this day.
The Uptown Music Collective, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit school of music, which will complete its 10th year in business this April, has developed a reputation as the premier source of music education in the area. Offering private lessons at all levels on guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals, as well as classes and workshops in music theory, songwriting, and styles such as the Blues, Jazz, Classical and Rock.
The school has gained a strong reputation in the greater Williamsport area for its powerful and entertaining performances. Usually UMC performances are educational vehicles for the hundred plus music students that attend lessons, classes, and workshops at the school each week.
The cast and crew for shows like last fall’s “The Evolution of Rock 1951-1991” and the upcoming, “Heard It Through The Grapevine (a Tribute to Motown)” (April 15th and 16th ) are made up entirely of students with an average age of sixteen. However, over the last two years, the school has produced a series performances such as “Moonflower (A Tribute to Carlos Santana),” and most recently, “The Last Waltz (a Tribute to The Band),” each of which brought together UMC staff members and local musicians in an effort to raise money for the school.
This concert will feature Uptown Music Collective teachers and staff, including Dave Brumbaugh (Rhythm Face, Rubber Soul), Jared Mondell (Silenus,SSG), Willi Ort (The Dirty Nickels, Mel Mounds), Colin Beatty (The Dirty Nickels, Mel Mounds), Alex Callenberger (The Antique Babies, EVE), Hunter Wentzler, Michelle Dennen, Jesse Roedts (44 Mag, SSG), and Adam Westover (The Flu Shots). The show will also feature area musicians including Matt Radspinner, Shaun Gilmour (The Dirty Nickels, Mel Mounds), Jimmy Lovchik (The Dirty Nickels, Mel Mounds), Tim Breon (Johnny Jolin Band), Brendan Mondell (Aphotic), Greg Sauers (The Flu Shots), Aaron Sauers (Lumpy Gravy), Tony Harlan (Toyz, 44Mag), Damon Shaheen (John Oliver and the Distinguished, Rhythm Face), Josh Welteroth (44 Mag, Murder Divine), Drew Lominson (44 Mag, SSG), Jason Miller (44 Mag), Chad Warren (44 Mag), and Joel B Vincent (The Blind Chitlin Kahunas, Rubber Soul). Also featured in the performance will be Uptown Music Collective Students Zane Cohick and Jeff Mach.
“Metal is one of the most powerful forms of musical expression. Although I haven’t picked it up in years, I’m looking forward to strapping on my old pointy guitar, plowing through a few heavy riffs and squeezing out a screaming solo or two alongside some of the areas hottest metal musicians. There will be something for every heavy rock fan in this concert as we blast our way through classic metal songs from early metal bands up through the bands from metals golden era. If you love rock and heavy metal don’t miss this show, or you will regret it!”says Dave Brumbaugh, executive director of The Uptown Music Collective.
On the Internet at http://www.uptownmusic.org.
