Sunday, February 15, 1998—In less than three hours, Millenium ‘98 will be history, and there’s no doubt this music symposium has made such leaps over last year’s event that event organizers, John Harris and Vikki Walls, must be downright giddy about the prospects for Millenium ‘99.

As a symposium, Millenium provided something for all facets of the music industry in a relaxed yet professional atmosphere. From MTV personality Matt Pinfield’s keynote address, it was apparent he was visibly enthusiastic about participating in such a small symposium, and he urged bands to take advantage of the opportunity. He told the audience to track down the experts and pick their brains. True to his word, Pinfield hung around long after his speech to press the flesh, collect demos and answer questions.

And the music experts didn’t end there. The producers panel featured individuals, who worked with bands ranging from Blondie to Adam Ant to U2, while the A&R Panel was peppered with representatives from Mercury, Atlantic and Columbia Records. There were many other sessions, including legal issues, booking bands and recording techniques, that all offered solid advice.

Most showcase events were well attended with a few venues, most notably The Courtyard on Saturday, packing them in like sardines. The vast majority of the acts were Pennsylvania bands, as well as groups from Maryland, Ohio, Virginia and New York. Although it was impossible to see every band, of the 20 or so I caught, two really stood out–Columbus, Ohio’s roots rock tour-de-force Big Back 40, who lost much of their crowd competing against The Martini Brothers, and Montreal’s Hol’ Fader. Anyone who stayed late at Zee’s on Friday was rewarded with distortion-soaked Brit-pop that recalled the glory days of The Stone Roses. Luckily Hol’ Fader’s new CD is being distributed by Buzz Chunk records, so they should be returning to the area.

Brooke, a Refuge/MCA recording artist, may not be a household name in Harrisburg, but for WXPN listeners (broadcast on 88.1 FM), she is pure magic personified. Brooke’s newest CD, 10 Cent Wings, came in at number five on WXPN’s 1997 Top-50 Countdown and her most recent Philadelphia performance sold out in several days.

Before embarking on a solo career, Brooke was one-half of The Story, a New England duo that toured together for nearly ten years. Brooke’s first solo CD, Plumb, released in 1995, drew heavy comparisons to The Story, but 10 Cent Wings breaks those connections. Primarily written in a Nantucket cottage while a nor’easter raged outside, 10 Cent Wings explores the numerous relationships in Brooke’s life.

Produced by Alain Mallet, 10 Cent Wings, is one of those CDs that’s impossible to get out of your head. The melodies are spectacular, the instrumentation breaths life into the music and Brooke’s voice has never sounded better.

Unfortunately, by the time this article is published, there is a very good chance that tickets may be sold out for Jonatha Brooke, but it should be a wake-up call to get on The Wire mailing list. If someone would have told me five years ago that the best place to see original live music in the area was going to be a tiny coffeehouse that holds about 125 people, I would have slapped them upside the head, but the Howie brothers continue to amaze.