Listen Now

In Episode 49, we sit down with Mickey Spain, an Irish folk singer/songwriter of Makem & Spain fame currently living and performing in Scranton, and his wife, Erin. He opens and closes the podcast with a few songs (and even throws a children’s song in the middle) before his upcoming shows at the Tomato Bar & Bistro in Pittston on March 3, Kilcoyne's Bar in Scranton on the first Saturday of every month, The Keys in Scranton on March 16, McCarthy's Red Stag Pub and Whiskey Bar in Bethlehem on March 17, and the first-ever Steamtown String Fling at the Scranton Cultural Center with The Dishonest Fiddlers, Brother Roy, MiZ, and Christopher Kearney on March 23. Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Harvest Ale, Rubaeus Raspberry Ale, and Mosaic Promise Ale by Founders Brewing Company, a favorite of ours that always delivers solid brews. We talk about Mickey growing up in Manchester, New Hampshire; how his father, being surrounded by folk music, and an injury got him to pick up a guitar; performing with his brother and forming Makem & Spain; how he met his wife and why he moved to Pennsylvania; recording with folk heroes like Tom Paxton, Roger McGuinn from The Byrds, Jonathan Edwards, Gordon Bok, David Mallett, and Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary; whether or not you should meet your heroes; his relationship with his younger brother Liam; his inspiration and songwriting process; creating songs for kids and an interactive program for elementary schools; memorable people and places from touring the world; his initial reaction to the madness of Parade Day in Scranton and if the focus on drinking plays into Irish stereotypes and takes away from the celebration of the culture and heritage of Ireland; Erin’s work with the Parade Day committee and their attempt to clean it up over the years; Kilcoyne’s bringing Irish music back to the area after the closure of The Banshee with monthly shows; house shows and the general accessibility of his music; joining the stellar Steamtown String Fling lineup; his first open mic experience at NEPA Scene Rising Talent and how much he enjoyed meeting comedians and fellow musicians; and more. We also answer some questions and react to comments from live viewers, discussing Mickey’s musical influences, his beard, and forthcoming gigs. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

During the live recording of Episode 49 of the NEPA Scene Podcast on Feb. 28, 2018 at Coal Creative’s production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Irish folk singer/songwriter Mickey Spain opened and closed the show with a few acoustic songs. The award-winning podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene's Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

During the live recording of Episode 49 of the NEPA Scene Podcast on Feb. 28, 2018 at Coal Creative’s production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Irish folk singer/songwriter Mickey Spain opened and closed the show with a few acoustic songs. The award-winning podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene's Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

During the live recording of Episode 49 of the NEPA Scene Podcast on Feb. 28, 2018 at Coal Creative’s production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Irish folk singer/songwriter Mickey Spain opened and closed the show with a few acoustic songs. The award-winning podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene's Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

In Episode 48, we sit down with Casey Thomas and Kimmie Leff, members of the Scranton theatre group New Vintage Ensemble who wrote and star in “#vanlife,” a comedic play about the millennial van life trend that premiered at the Scranton Fringe Festival last year and comes to The Cooperage in Honesdale on Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 at 8 p.m. before driving off to the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival in April. Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Crush by North Slope Brewing Company in Dallas, Dry Hopped IPA by Berwick Brewing Company, and Shady Spot by Susquehanna Brewing Company in Pittston, all great beers we love from great local breweries. We talk about open mics and developing artists, how they got started in acting, why actors should say no to murder mysteries and dinner theatre, how they met and ended by creating “#vanlife” together after a bad experience at another production, the writing process and making changes after each show based on feedback, why theatre is like an absurd Christopher Guest movie, how the Scranton Fringe Festival developed and benefited the show, the tiny living and van life movements, presenting a fake curated life on social media, millennial criticism and if it’s all justified, their juxtaposed characters in the show, The Cooperage space and the welcoming community of Honesdale, modern hippies and hipsters, attracting and repelling audiences with other shows, the current state of Broadway, supporting small and off-Broadway shows, and more. In The Last Word segment, we talk about arts funding being slashed locally and nationally and focus on the controversy started by Lackawanna County Commissioner Laureen Cummings, who voted against legislation from the county’s Arts and Culture Department that awarded grant money to the Scranton Fringe Festival. While Cummings was outvoted and the Scranton Fringe still received the funds, we question why she specifically targeted the festival and its programming with misinformation and criticism. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 46, we sit down with Hazleton punk rock musician, animator, and comic creator Tedd Hazard of Hazard Studios, which produces the ongoing comic and animated series Krust Toons and music videos for bands like Condition Oakland, Azwel, The Twindows, Cardboard Homestead, Joe Billy, and Today, We Fight With Peace, among other projects. He also has a rock show coming up at the Hazleton Art League on Friday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. with TreadWater, Markus A.D., Ace & The Kings, It Never Fails, and Vanvancar. Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Minefire Blackberry Jalapeno Ale, 5 Whistle Wheat Ale, and Belsnickler Ale by Breaker Brewing Company in Wilkes-Barre, whose beers we always love (unless they’re brewed with peppers). We talk about how he started drawing comics; the funny story of how he was convinced to go to his first show that ended up getting him into local music; the real people and stories that inspire his comics and cartoons; keeping the Krust Toons storylines going while making them accessible to new viewers; teaching himself art and animation; voice acting and recruiting others for voices; creating funny characters and where their inspiration comes from; his animation process that’s similar to “South Park;” the influence of Adult Swim, Jhonen Vasquez, and Newgrounds on his work and finding his own voice and DIY style; dealing with trolls and turning them into Captain Dislike; adapting to feedback from fans; creating music videos for bands and the different collaborative process for each one; filming the new Condition Oakland video at the Schuylkill Mall before it was torn down and dealing with mall security; his folk punk music; quitting drinking; the current state of the Hazleton and Schuylkill County music scenes; the importance of the Hazleton Art League to the local scene and booking shows there; cops and house shows; his advice to those who want to get into animation; and more. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 44, we sit down with Rick Gillette, singer and guitarist for popular Scranton pop rock band Nowhere Slow before his two shows next weekend at The V-Spot in Scranton. The first is on Friday, Jan. 26 at 9 p.m., and the second is the Action for Jackson benefit for local musician Jackson Vee on Sunday, Jan. 28, an all-day event where they’ll play at 3 p.m. Action for Jackson, which will help Jackson pay his medical bills, features 25 acts at three different venues - The V-Spot, Waldo’s Tavern, and Morgan'Z Pub & Eatery - with basket raffles, a 50/50, and more. Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Nugget Nectar, Mad Elf from 2016, and Sunshine Pils by Tröegs Brewing in Hershey in anticipation of Beer Boys’ 18th anniversary celebration on Saturday, Jan. 20, where they’ll have 18 special brews from Tröegs on tap, including year-round, seasonal, limited release scratch beers, and casks that you can’t get anywhere else. We talk about how Nowhere Slow got started 21 years ago when Rick was in high school, why he has continued to stick with it all the time, the enduring popularity of the band, their name and his love/hate relationship with it, their four original albums and how the fifth is shaping up, making a living as a working musician, choosing songs to cover and whether or not there is still a stigma with playing covers instead of originals, changes to the local music scene and venues over the last two decades, performing outside the area in vacation spots, getting people to come out to shows, a funny story about a sound wave project for schools, playing to huge crowds on Parade Day in Scranton and some of the craziness he has witnessed, his best and worst gigs, the Action for Jackson benefit, his goals going into 2018, and more. We also answer some questions and react to comments from live viewers, which largely involve jokes and ball busting. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

This phone interview with WWE Superstar Honky Tonk Man by NEPA Scene on Jan. 15, 2018 to promote his appearance at the Scranton Comedy Club on Jan. 18.

In Episode 43, we sit down with John Mikulak, an award-winning director, producer, and filmmaker living in Waverly who made the documentary “The Man Who Would Be Polka King,” which inspired the new movie “The Polka King” starring Jack Black that premieres on Netflix this Friday, Jan. 12. His original 2009 movie will also return to Netflix on Jan. 12, and he has some interesting stories about making the film about real-life Hazleton polka legend and convicted con man Jan “Lewan” Lewandowski as well as the long journey to getting it made into a Hollywood production. While this episode was recorded, several local musicians (including some who played in Lewan’s actual band) were in New York City performing with Black on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which aired later that night. Before and during the interview, we drink crowlers from Beer Boys of Not Today Satan IPA, Wonka Bar Milk Stout, and Miss Betty by Mispillion River Brewing Company. John sums up the crazy true story of Polish immigrant-turned-eccentric-polka-singer Jan Lewan for those who never heard it and we talk about how his interest in journalism transitioned into filmmaking and multimedia production, how he first heard about and met with Lewan, why he initially turned him down when asked to write his life story and why he later ended up making it into a documentary, how he was able to finance this indie project and the years of work he put in, what it was like chronicling this story from all sides and talking to the sad and angry victims of the Ponzi scheme, what he learned from the darker parts of this crime, Lewan’s Donald Trump connection, how Hollywood became interested in adapting the story and the many different versions that never came to be, visiting the set and meeting stars like Jack Black and Jason Schwartzman, attending the Sundance Film Festival premiere, Netflix buying the movie and how he feels about streaming versus traditional theatrical releases, his original Troma movie “The Deviants” that takes place in NEPA, his short videos about local people and his recent work for WVIA that tied into Ken Burns’ “The Vietnam War” series, advice he would give to aspiring indie filmmakers, and more. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 42, we sit down with Scranton folk rock singer/songwriter Mike Mizwinski, whose new solo album, “A Year Ago Today,” will be released on Friday, Jan. 26, kicking off an album release tour that stops locally at the River Street Jazz Cafe in Plains, Sarah Street Grill in Stroudsburg, the Ardmore Music Hall in Ardmore, The Cooperage Project, The Pines Eatery and Spirits in Hazleton, and Turkey Hill Brewing Company in Bloomsburg throughout January and February. Digital copies will be available on Feb. 14. Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Pumpkin Ale by Susquehanna Brewing Company in Pittston, Olly by Free Will Brewing in Perkasie, and Celebration Ale from a cask by Sierra Nevada Brewing. We talk with MiZ about growing up around artists and musicians in his family got him into music, listening to the Grateful Dead at a young age, the dedication of jam band fans, the current state of the rock music industry, building a musical community or family, how he gathered some of the area’s best musicians together to record an original song in a living room over the holiday break, what inspired the songs on this album and what he was going through at the time, his new outlook on life, the recording process with LogicPaws Soundlab in Hawley, the story behind the name of the record, what his song “Heroes” means to him and a fan who saw him play it, plans to tour across the country, how he ended up working with Grateful Dead publicist and music historian Dennis McNally, crazy gigs and memorable road stories, opening up honestly about his past drug addiction and lifestyle and turning things around now in recovery, and more. We also answer some questions and react to comments from live viewers, and Mike ends the show by playing an acoustic version of his new song “Heroes,” dedicated to the many great musicians we’ve lost over the last few years. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

During the live recording of Episode 42 of the NEPA Scene Podcast on Jan. 3, 2018 at Coal Creative’s production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, Scranton folk rock singer/songwriter Mike Mizwinski, better known as MiZ, closed the show with this acoustic version of his original song "Heroes," dedicated to the many great musicians we’ve lost over the last few years. The award-winning podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene's Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

In Episode 41, we sit down with a panel of scruffy-looking nerf herders on the anniversary of Carrie Fisher’s death to record a special episode of the NEPA Scene Podcast - a Holiday Special, if you will. FilmBuffOnline editor Rich Drees, comedian Ted Hebert, NEPA Scene and Geek Art Photo photographer Jason Riedmiller, and singer/songwriter Connor Langan of new band Willrow Hood (named after an obscure “Star Wars” character) join us to talk about “Episode VIII - The Last Jedi” in-depth and decide if writer/director Rian Johnson brought balance to the franchise or left it in darkness with the latest “Star Wars” film. This is a spoiler-filled discussion, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet, then why did you even click on this? As we geek out, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Blood Orange IPA by Tommyknocker Brewery, Mine Fire Blackberry Jalapeño Ale by Breaker Brewing Company in Wilkes-Barre, and Devious Imperial Pumpkin by Fegley’s Brew Works in Bethlehem and Allentown. We talk about the controversy surrounding this movie, “Star Wars” fandom, avoiding spoilers and ruining childhoods, the movie’s twists and whether or not they were genuinely surprising, the different structure and tonal shifts in “The Last Jedi,” the perspective of younger “Star Wars” fans versus older fans, the much-maligned casino subplot on Canto Bight, Mark Hamill’s comments being taken out of context and Luke Skywalker’s arc in the movie, Captain Phasma’s short role, Kylo Ren being the best part of the movie, the debate over Supreme Leader Snoke, General Hux and white nationalism symbolism, the Rey and Luke scenes, the new Force powers on display, Carrie Fisher passing away and the effect this had on her role, taking ideas and characters from the old “Star Wars” Legends canon like Grand Admiral Thrawn, the new characters Rose and DJ, the way these episodes are being written and produced versus the original trilogy, “Star Wars” characters who need their own spin-offs, how “The Last Jedi” changed the direction of the series, the big Amilyn Holdo moment, feminism and other themes in the script, what should happen in "Episode IX," and more. We also answer some questions and react to comments from live viewers. The opening and closing music is a remix of the “Binary Sunset/The Force Theme” by DJ AG so Disney won’t sue us for using the original John Williams music. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 40, we sit down with Shavertown native Justin Mazer, guitarist for Gatos Blancos, Starbird, Ryan Montbleau, and many other bands over the years, including Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, Leroy Justice, and MiZ. His longtime Led Zeppelin tribute act Misty Mountain will reunite for two shows with special guests at the River Street Jazz Cafe in Plains on Friday, Dec. 22 and Saturday, Dec. 23. Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of BennyFest, an Oktoberfest-style lager by Benny Brewing Company in Wilkes-Barre, Maple Mistress Imperial Pumpkin Ale by Saucony Creek Brewing in Kutztown, and Quinannan Falls IPL by Bell’s Brewing. Each one ended up being flavorful and perfect fuel for a discussion after Justin’s long drive. We talk about how Justin started as a young guitarist, spending an average of 175-200 days on the road and playing in at least 40 states, his travel highlights, how the local music scene influenced and boosted his career, the importance of open mics to his development as a guitarist and to other artists, the recent Cabinet hiatus announcement, how he effectively juggles different projects and practices consistently, the musicians that started at and grew out of the River Street Jazz Cafe, what our scene can learn from other music scenes across the country, his celebrity run-ins with artists like Jim James from My Morning Jacket that didn’t go as planned, his crazy story of flying from gig to gig, the origins of Misty Mountain and its ambitious 10th anniversary show this weekend, and more. We also answer some questions and react to comments from live viewers, discussing Justin’s favorite venues, who is on his bucket list to play with, underrated bands, staying grounded, and our first albums and concerts. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 39, we sit down with Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic Friends Chelsea Rixner and Alex MacNamara, who are also board members, to clarify that the orchestra is far from finished, even after making the highly publicized decision to suspend their 2017-2018 season, and dispel any rumors that they’re not going to be performing or working on any new programs in 2018. Before and during the interview, we drink Beer Boys crowlers of Monkey Barrel Milk Stout by Thomas Creek Brewery, Trodac Soul Ale by Pizza Boy Brewing Company, and Summit Keller Pils by Summit Brewing and successfully convert Chelsea into a beer drinker. We talk about why these women are involved in the local arts community and why they became Philharmonic board members; why the NEPA Phil is so important to the area; surprising diversity in the audience; comparing orchestral music to wine; staying relevant and reaching audiences of all kinds with something for everyone; “converting” people into fans of different types of music; the impact of their mentorship program on students; why people want the Philharmonic to stay; the importance of marketing; how they compare to other Philharmonics across the country and how their problems aren’t unique; the perception of orchestras and classical music versus reality; the challenge of getting people in the door; the overwhelming support of the community; orchestral music in movies, cartoons, television shows, and video games; arts funding being cut in the area and nationally; supporting the arts before they’re gone; their favorite Philharmonic venues; their next full year of programming; Lawrence Loh’s final concert and his 12-season legacy with the NEPA Philharmonic; and more. In The Last Word, we talk about the NEPA Scenefest fundraiser last weekend and how miscommunication and a dirty joke ended up derailing the event before The Keys came to the rescue and made it all work out. Despite the issues, the fan-organized event was a success and a testament to how much people care about the work we do. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The V-Spot, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 38, Brittany talks about her eighth annual Shots for Tots holiday party with her brother and co-organizer Bryan Boote. Shots for Tots will be held at Bart & Urby’s in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, Dec. 16 from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. with music by AJ Jump and Nick Driscoll, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, giveaways and, of course, copious amounts of booze. It is a $15 suggested donation at the door. Before and during the interview, we drink crowlers of Hop Tart brewed by Pizza Boy Brewing Company in Enola, Front Street Wheat by Berwick Brewing, and Framboise by Fegley's Brew Works in Allentown, combining the Front Street Wheat and Framboise to create a Dirty Hoe. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Shots for Tots podcast without a few shots. We discuss how Shots for Tots started as a Christmas/birthday party, the Boote family’s history of throwing huge parties, past events and how Shots for Tots has evolved over the last eight years, starting the Erin Boote Scholarship for the Arts in their mother’s name, how Shots for Tots became a charitable foundation and advice on how to start your own, arts funding in danger locally and nationally, growing their organization and picking the right students, looking at Wilkes-Barre and places like Sherman Hills in a different light, future plans to improve the area and help those in need, and more. In The Last Word segment, we talk about the upcoming fan-organized NEPA Scenefest fundraiser at the Backyard Ale House in Scranton on Saturday, Dec. 9 and look back at this season of the NEPA Scene Rising Talent open mic and talent contest, which ends with the Finals Showcase on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at The V-Spot in Scranton. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, the F.M. Kirby Center, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 35, we sit down with Wilkes-Barre blues rock trio Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen before their upcoming Stevie Ray Vaughan Retrospective tribute show at the F.M. Kirby Center on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. Before and during the interview, we drink crowlers of Block House Double Chocolate Bock by Pittsburgh Brewing Company, Atwater Vanilla Java by Atwater Brewery, and Sköll Och Hati by HammerHeart Brewing Company that was put through a Randall of Tootsie Rolls, which was made exclusively at Beer Boys. These dark beers warm everybody up on a cold night. We talk about their introduction to blues rock and why it stuck with them; Stevie Ray Vaughan and what makes his music continue to resonate; reproducing SRV and playing it their own way; putting this show together and performing it at the iconic B.B. King Blues Club in New York City; other bands they’ve been in, including Lemongelli, and how they informed their current work; the importance of honesty and emotion in music, as well as simplicity; their current album, “Blues 1,” and how their previous albums have evolved live; working on their next record and letting songs “happen” on the spot; standout shows they’ve played; changes to the local music scene over the years, both good and bad; performing at the Briggs Farm Blues Festival and connecting with blues fans live; and more. We also answer some questions and react to comments from live viewers, which occasionally turn into some ball busting and a “roast” of Dustin. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, the F.M. Kirby Center, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

In Episode 34, we sit down with Jeff Boam, an award-winning playwright, filmmaker, founder of Richlier Moving Picture Company, and movie commentator for WBRE, “PA Live,” and WNEP, before the debut of his new boxing comedy, “Man on a Canvas,” at The Olde Brick Theatre in Scranton, opening Friday, Nov. 10 and running through Sunday, Nov. 19. Beer Boys is hosting a Sierra Nevada Brewing Company tap takeover next Wednesday, so to celebrate, we drink crowlers of their Sidecar Orange Pale Ale and Oktoberfest, as well as Imperial Pumpkin Porter by Epic Brewing Utah that was put through a Randall of pumpkin pie and cinnamon sticks, which was made exclusively at Beer Boys. Boam once worked for a beer distributor, so we talk about the beers and their various standout flavors. During the interview, we talk about his interests as a kid influencing his writing, how his playwriting launched in college, the writing process, independent filmmaking and the creation of “Charlie Chaplin's Body,” the difficulty in getting original work made, his long relationship with Diva Productions, producing plays in the intimate Olde Brick Theatre, casting in a small area, actors interpreting his characters, his inspiration for “Man on a Canvas,” the Marx Brothers and bringing screwball comedy to modern audiences, classic comedy versus contemporary comedy, his advice to other playwrights who want to get their work produced, reviewing movies in print and on television, unexpectedly making a documentary about residents of West Pittston, his upcoming true crime work, awards he has received, preparing for fatherhood and balancing work with being a dad, and more. We also answer some questions and comments from live viewers. Showtimes for “Man on a Canvas” at The Olde Brick Theatre (126 W. Market St., Scranton) are on Nov. 10, 11, 17, and 18 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for seniors. Call 570-209-7766 for reservations. The award-winning NEPA Scene Podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene’s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond. The show is made possible by local sponsors Beer Boys, The Keys, Loyalty Barber Shop and Shave Parlor, the F.M. Kirby Center, Coal Creative, and viewers who tune in every week.

During the live recording of Episode 33 of the NEPA Scene Podcast on Nov. 1, 2017 at Coal Creative’s production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, local folk funk band Fake Fight closed the show with this acoustic version of their original song “Blacklist.” The award-winning podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene·s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

During the live recording of Episode 33 of the NEPA Scene Podcast on Nov. 1, 2017 at Coal Creative’s production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, local folk funk band Fake Fight opened the show with this acoustic version of their original song “Mood Ring.” The award-winning podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene·s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.

During the live recording of Episode 33 of the NEPA Scene Podcast on Nov. 1, 2017 at Coal Creative’s production studio in downtown Wilkes-Barre, local folk funk band Fake Fight opened the show with this acoustic version of their original song “Obliged.” The award-winning podcast covers arts, entertainment, and the issues that matter to Northeastern Pennsylvania. It airs as a live video stream every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on NEPA Scene·s Facebook page and is available afterward on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, YouTube, and nepascene.com. This episode and all previous episodes are available now on NEPA Scene, the award-winning independent arts and entertainment website that combines the accuracy and professionalism of a print magazine with the immediacy and convenience of a blog, offering a wide variety of content to readers in NEPA, Philadelphia, New York, and beyond.