Cambria City Ethnic Festival

[Punkinhead]

here is my take, from playing in a death/speed metal band from Johnstown that has for all intensive purposes left the area....

No one would give us one look in this town other than the underground, where we have developed a loyal following....even so we decide to try our hand elsewhere and when we did, our first show in Pittsburgh we get asked to go on a tour with signed national act...We get almost everyshow we want out of town, with shitloads of national acts but, still Johnstown, save for a couple people, gives us a hard time...We put on our own shows at a firehall and get 200 people there (which we had to do because no one wanted a show with 2 national acts and the number one unsigned act in America) but, still we get a hard time....

WHY?

Cause we do something different...and no one in this shithole town will give anyone a chance at something new, even if it does work....

I agree with Chad, if Johnstown doesn't open up more, it's going to find itself with nothing more than the minimal shit that is already here....

[esa]

First of all, I am a member of ABATE. I've been party to Thunder in the Valley for at least five years. When we had the poker run, we had ESY, Beyond Reason, Totem, Legends of the Lost and Found, and Felix and the Hurricanes play. I had also talked to Deviance, John and Kenny, and Acid to see if their schedules were open, just in case we had room to fit them in. All of them thought it was a great idea and if schedules would have meshed better (either them not playing or us having more room) then they would have played. (Correct me if I'm wrong in saying that.)
Next year, we'll see what happens. Hopefully I'll be incharge of the music entertainment for next years run. It will be something to behold.

I also got to go to Rock the House Party thing in Green House Park. I noticed there was metal, party bands, ska'ish kinda 311 souding bands. Kids that looked right out of grade school. Guys old enough to be fathers. A ton of people showed up. Were there any female singers or players in the groups? I don't remember seeing any.

How is music going to spread if we don't support each other? I was raised on oldies and classic rock. Took me till I was dating Jamie to see the joys of heavy metal and goth music. Sundays consisted of dinners at gramma's listening to polkas. I love opera. Musicals are awesome! And enya? I've never heard anything more beautiful. Maybe Phil Collins.

I'm an all around music gal. I'm not saying you have to like every kind of music, but tolerate it. Promote it. Support it.
What good is it to have a musical event with out having all forms of music represented? You think that priests will frown upon Rennis showing up? How do you know unless you give it a try. I have a great friend who is a priest. Fr. John would jam out to Prince in High School and would then move on to Disturbed. He had a very soft spot in his heart for TOOL and Don't get him started on slipknot. I believe "Chris" was his favorite.

Don't assume that festivals will only draw in people with Dancey Party music. (And I'm not dissing these bands. I had a great time listening to Borderline Inc. the night they played against ESY and Deviance at the battle of the bands.)

You'll draw younger people in with music they listen to. Not knocking the older folkes who love the blues, country, and easy classic rock/oldies...but they are getting up there in years. You keep events consisting of what only they want, and you're going to scare the youngen's away. When the "old folkes" die out, who will you get to come to these festivals then? And please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all youngens only listen to heavy screaming swearing make-your-ears-bleed-give-you-ulcers music... they listen to other things.. but that is part of their heritage. Hell, I'm not a huge fan of rap (only like 3 or 5 groups out of all of it), but if there was a group in the area that did that, they should be part of it too.

If you can't include all kinds of music at events, why not hire a dj? They're easier to ignore. (No, not dissing dj's either. I enjoy them as well.) or to initiate karioke. Or just hand out walk mans and ask them what type of tape they prefer.

And please, please... don't try and issue a band to only one type of event. Just because deviance is heavy doesn't mean you should tell them just to play with bikers. I was at green house park for the abate welcome party. totem played.
So, that's more than my .02.

[Possessed]

I'm cool with that Vin. Everybody is entitled to his/her opinion.
esa has made the best point of all. If you can't give every band a chance then you should hire a dj or hand out walkmans. The point I'm trying to make is that most of the Johnstown area is so wrapped up in what pleases the masses that they won't give the metal or even the off the wall bands the chance. I used to play in a band called Ozone. We were progressive bluesy heavy mellow and everything in between. BUT we were not given much of a chance cause we were all original. Johnstown just doesn't respond to something they haven't heard a million times on the radio. The clubs wouldn't book us cause we were all original. We definitely weren't metal and were actually more commercially viable than Rennis. Just ask Jim Price he was one of the few people that actually got what we where doing. Rennis is doing much better. Why? cause we play a lot of stuff people are familiar with and not many originals. I lived in Chicago for a while and if you played covers all night in that town(with the exception of tribute bands and blues bands) you would be laughed off the stage. From my experience this is true in most of the country. Just goes to show you how backward Johnstown is. Whether you are metal, blues, classic rock, party music, etc. If you are a good band and are good at what you do then great. And if the band is good enough and can bring something to the table then I feel all bands should be given the same chance to play. I'm not saying that Folkfest should go all metal that would be stupid but at least give some band the chance to represent what this shithole town has to offer in the metal genre. There are a lot of great metal bands in this town and the establishment has continually turned it's back on all of us.
I personally think that is just lame. Wake up J-town and get your heads out of your collective asses.

[songsmith]

I played original speedmetal in a town of 200 people (Cassville, PA) in 1984, the era of Thompson Twins and Wham! and Lionel Richie. Metal is the music of rebellion. If your town suddenly embraced metal, like mine did 5 years later, it would probably kill it... once it gets popular, there's a backlash... remember Poison?...remember Nirvana?
I think you're better off where things stand now. When life is easy, you take things for granted, and get soft. Analogy: I love me some bass fishing. I like catching those lake-dwelling largemouths, don't get me wrong, but you catch a river-swimming smallie the same size, and it'll fight WAY harder. Why? It spends it's entire life swimming against the current, and gets much stronger because of it.
I'm not saying the points here aren't valid, it's a tough row to hoe being a muso. I'm just pointing out that this area has some great acts, not in spite of the scene, but because of it. We're f*cking Avis, dude. We Try Harder. Be proud.---->JMS

[Punkinhead]

I'm just pointing out that this area has some great acts, not in spite of the scene, but because of it. We're f*cking Avis, dude. We Try Harder. Be proud.---->JMS

Thats a good point...Having to deal with J-town (specifically) has made us alot better...It's easy to be driven when you get fucked with. Makes for better metal too...

[Possessed]

Good point songsmith we work very hard because it's an uphill battle the whole way. That which does not kill us will make us stronger.

[Jim Price]

I will be interviewing representatives of both the Cambria City Ethnic Festival and Johnstown Folkfest this Sunday night on the "Backyard Rocker," so you can listen in to find out what both festivals have to offer.

[WearePennState]

It does appear that a great magnitiute of music and food will be available in the western half of the city this Labor Day weekend. All I'll say is get out and enjoy it, whatever you do................but I have to say, Saint Mary's Church in Cambria City has some rippin' piroghi's and the cheapest beer you'll find..............you decide..........

[Possessed]

I agree Saint Mary's has the best food in Cambria City. Haluski, peroghi, sausage you name it. Any food you get there is da bomb!!! The cheap beer is a great bonus as well. Eat, Drink, and be merry!!!!