For many years, I fell squarely into the anyplace-but-Harrisburg whiner’s club. You know the routine, it begins with a disgusted comment (“There’s nothing to do here.” or “You have to go to Philly to see decent live music!”) and quickly deteriorates from there. But what happens when you call this area home and you’re not planning on leaving soon?

Well I got a little older (and wiser), surveyed my options and made a choice. My choice, writing for MODE, has given me the opportunity to meet interesting people, hear great music and come to understand the sacrifice musicians make to pursue a dream. And through it all, I’m happy to report that Harrisburg’s music scene is alive and (relatively) well.

Harrisburg’s current musical state has faded footsteps back to The Sharks winning a recording contract on the MTV Basement Tapes. If they had made it big, our music scene would be markedly different than it is today. But instead, Elektra released In a Black and White World, failed to support it and pretty much left The Sharks flapping in the breeze. Which is unfortunate, since they were just as good (or better) than many of the new wave bands that emerged from that era. Let’s be honest, would you rather hear Tommy 2 Tone whine “867-5309” or The Sharks rip though “You Better Watch Her?” I rest my case.

At that moment you could hear the other shoe drop on live original music in Harrisburg. Bars started booking more cover bands and the next thing you know, the burgeoning scene was, to some extent, toast. Live music still survived in the basements of American Legion halls where teens cut their teeth on punk and new wave, but the rude treatment The Sharks received left a bad taste in a lot of people’s mouths.

But slowly, a few central Pennsylvania bands have broken out and made a name for themselves. Poison fled to the West Coast and became a household name before crashing back to earth. Ocean Blue has enjoyed moderate success with four major-label releases, while Live blew the doors off central Pennsylvania by selling out Hershey Park Stadium (and nearly every place else) on only their second national tour. The near-future should prove interesting as roots-rockers The Badlees prepare for their second national release, and Fuel, leaving the comfortable confines of Wanda’s for uncharted waters, release their debut disc. Other acts such as Jeffrey Gaines, The Innocence Mission and Suddenly Tammy continue to draw national attention to the area even if they aren’t selling tons of records.

But who breaks out next may have a totally different impact, because right now Harrisburg is supporting (though it might not always be visible from local club crowds) numerous bands that have the ability and talent to make the big leap. The Jellybricks appear to be early favorites, but dark horses like Cherry Twister, Handsome Uncle Johnny, The Martini Brothers, Bloom Box, The Polins and Underground Cartoons all bring great songwriting and tremendous musical ability to the mix. It’s nearly impossible to predict what may happen next. Every national act that helped put this area on the map will attest to the fact that a little bit of luck can go a long way in getting signed, but local music store cut-out bins continue to offer thousands of examples of great bands that, for some reason, didn’t get the right break.

So what can we do to make this area a better place for live music?

Well, going to clubs, bars and coffeehouses to support live music is the best remedy for keeping the scene vibrant. Local venues should be saluted for booking local bands. Special mention needs to be made of John Harris and Vicki Walls for going above and beyond the call of duty by creating Millenium ‘97, a music showcase and symposium that featured nearly 100 live bands at local clubs and a three-day symposium. (Millenium ‘98 is scheduled for February 13-15, 1998.) Walls also deserves a second mention for producing Zee’s PopFest 97, which featured 18 local and national acts. The crowds could have been better, but anyone who attended knows that PopFest was something special.

But if awards are being offered, Jim and John Howie, co-owners of The Wire in New Cumberland, should be considered for MVP. Because of nothing more than a true love of music and an interest in providing an alternative to the bar scene, the Howie’s have consistently brought more original music into central Pennsylvania than any other venue. National performers like The Nields, Dan Bern, Grey Eye Glances, June Rich and Jump, Little Children may not be household names yet, but if they make it you will be kicking yourself for not seeing them in the friendly confines of The Wire. And please forgive me while I say this one final time, “IF YOU THINK THE WIRE IS JUST A PLACE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON SOME OF THE BEST LIVE MUSIC THAT COMES THROUGH HARRISBURG.”

Even though the clubs deserve notice for creating a live music scene, they should do a better job of cultivating their own fan bases. Almost every band I spoke with over the past year mentioned how difficult it is to fill a club with just their core fans every week. One need only look to The Chameleon Club in Lancaster for a prime example of a built-in fan base. For nearly ten years, I (and thousands others) have received a monthly calendar of upcoming shows. And it has paid off. The Chameleon is no longer an off-night venue; national bands now want to play there and that helps make the area’s music scene stronger. Harrisburg could support such a club. The midtown area has plenty of useable space and a safe, well-lit parking facility could help seal the deal. (Is anyone in City Hall listening?) Think about it–a 400-700 capacity club with clear sight lines and a great sound system. (Please forgive me while I daydream.)

Unfortunately, one all-too-familiar cottage industry of popular music reared its ugly head in this area with the untimely death of Chad Matson, drummer for the Martini Brothers. Matson’s drug-related death came as quite a shock and the fact that he left behind a young daughter is quite sad. Let’s hope that his death can serve as a wake-up call for others trapped in similar situations.

So there you have it. Why shouldn’t we all be excited about the possibilities of live music here? But it can’t be accomplished strictly by a magazine column and a little bit of good press. MODE can only cover good stories (and good bands) if we know what’s happening out there. And this is where area musicians and fans can help. Contact me: EdY@MODEweekly.com, and let me know about what your band is doing. The worst I can do is say no, but that should never stop you from letting me know what’s going on with your music.

Finally, I’d like to thank all the featured performers from the past year (Ray Solinski, Notcho’ Ma, The Treacherous Four, Son of Bubba, The Jason Timoll Band, Mike Banks, Cherry Twister, and The Polins) and everyone who submitted CDs for review. (We will get to all of them.) And special thanks to Mitchell Hillman Jr. for writing incredible articles and reviews, and Mike Eastman for capturing great digital images.