The Uptown Music Collective has been a musical laboratory and teaching entity that has mentored, taught, and developed the talent of numerous young people in various aspects of popular music genres for more than 20 years. During this time, they have presented many excellent musical concerts demonstrating their talents. They have saluted various popular musical acts, including Motown, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, and many others. Their latest public concert will be “A Decade of Grunge,” to be presented on Saturday, January 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Arts Center.
This musical experience relives the iconic sounds of the 1990s and was the winning choice of the over 600 community members who participated in the nonprofit school’s 8th annual online People’s Choice event. This event, presented in partnership with UPMC North Central Pa and UPMC Health Plan, allows the community to vote each year on social media to determine what music will be the subject of the school’s annual January fundraising performance, which raises money for the school’s scholarship and financial aid funds. This performance is sponsored, in part, through a partnership with Hudock Capital Group.
“The music of the early ’90s was a continental shift in the music world, dialing things back from what many saw as the musical excesses of the late ’80s to a grittier, less flamboyant brand of rock that I felt focused more on the song and emotional expression,” Dave Brumbaugh, UMC founder and executive director, told Webb Weekly. “It being the People’s Choice this year made many of our students very happy, as this music excites them, and we’re all looking forward to bringing this great music to the era alive on the CAC stage!”
Attendees will be treated to passionate performances of grunge and rock classics from the likes of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Alanis Morissette, Stone Temple Pilots, 4 Non Blondes, and more, creating an unforgettable journey through the revolutionary spirit of ’90s music.
The 1990s witnessed the emergence of grunge, a raw and authentic sub-genre of alternative rock emanating from Seattle and blending the powerful distortions of metal with the pure, rebellious spirit of punk.
Grunge music became the anthem for a generation seeking solace in its genuine, unfiltered expressions of societal discontent, alienation, and a fervent longing for freedom.
Parallelly, the ’90s alternative music scene was an eclectic melting pot of sounds and expressions, each sub-genre a unique deviation from the mainstream, exploring new musical realms and resonating with diverse audiences. This vibrant decade ushered in many pioneering artists and bands, reshaping the music scene with their inventive sounds and emotionally charged narratives.
The Decade of Grunge will highlight the talents of the school’s elite performance group, Special Performance Group 1, comprised of students aged 14 to 19, who audition to be a part of the group and then work together to plan, direct, design, rehearse, and perform the music that inspired many of them to pick up their instruments in the first place. Along with the music, there will be a professional-grade light and sound show organized by the students who work alongside the professionals at the Community Arts Center.
As with all Uptown Music Collective performances, the students are not only the performers but also the directors of the show. A group of younger students, or “Tech Monkeys,” will serve as stage technicians and spotlight operators.
This show is directed by Uptown Music Collective students Calistra Mahoney (Pennsylvania College of Technology), Connor Evans (gap year), and Izzy Butters (Loyalsock Township High School). The show’s leadership committee consists of UMC students Matthew Bellino (Danville Area High School); Chase Cowden, Jossian Lilley, and Scarlet O’Brien (Loyalsock Township High School); Duncan Larson and Stephanie Nappi (gap year); Tixo Bower, Gabreon Godin, Grace Godin, Abby Jamison and Owen Miller (Williamsport Area High School); Brendan Kuriga (South Williamsport Area High School); Carter Rodgers (Muncy Junior-Senior High School); and Gianna Waldman (Montoursville Area High School).
“When I heard that we were going to be performing ’90s grunge, I didn’t know what to think,” stated performer Ella Hertwig, 14, Loyalsock Township Middle School. “I had never tried to dive into the grunge genre. But throughout working and rehearsing for this show, I learned so much about it. I realized how significant the ’90s grunge era was in terms of its influence on music today and how it showed a shift in the music people created in the ’90s. I’m so grateful and excited to perform in this show with the Collective.”
Additional partners and sponsors for this performance include Chartwell Hotels, KFC of Williamsport, Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships, The Kiessling Group of Janney Montgomery Scott, Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, Woodlands Bank, FASTSIGNS of Williamsport, The Brickyard Restaurant and Ale House, The Stonehouse Wood Fired Pizza and Pasteria, Lycoming College, Pennsylvania College of Technology, The Hartman Group, and Beiter’s Furniture, Mattress and Appliance. Media sponsors include Backyard Broadcasting, the Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Lamar Advertising, 92.1 WSQV, NorthCentralPa.com, and The Graphic Hive.
Tickets for the performance, which are $20 in advance and $25 at the door (plus fees), are only available through the Community Arts Center box office (220 West Fourth St. Williamsport, PA) and website (www.caclive.com). In addition to this show, tickets for the remainder of the Collective’s performance season are now on sale at the CAC. Upcoming shows include Rattle and Hum: A Celebration of U2 and Irish Rock on March 16 and Fleetwood Mac: Rumours & Other Stories on April 26 and 27.
For more details about The Decade of Grunge, visit uptownmusic.org/grunge or call 570-329-0888. Check out the Collective’s official Facebook page and other Collective social media outlets for teasers, previews, behind-the-scenes info, and more from the performance.
