The following is a republished press release…to submit a community announcement, email Peter Blanchard at [email protected].
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HOMER, N.Y. – A pair of seasoned Central New York rock bands and an acoustic duo will take the stage in the newly-refurbished Center for the Arts of Homer in the ninth installment of the "CNY's Finest" series Saturday, November 14th, beginning at 7 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm with drinks and refreshments available in the Community Room. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door, at the Center's website, Center4Art.org, or by phone at 607-749-4900.
Cortland's Muddy Dove, a group that first convened in the 1990's, will be joined by Ithaca's The Fly Rods. Also joining the lineup are acoustic duo Ridgeline, who will perform in the Karen Sager Community Room at the beginning and during the intermission of the shows.
Muddy Dove
Muddy Dove began in 1996 as the original-music project of brothers Rick and Michael Starmer, guitarists Marc Ryan and Tom Gath, and bassist Joey Allen. Rick Starmer plays keyboards, and his brother Michael plays drums; both contribute to the band's vocals. Ryan is a virtuoso lead guitarist with a powerful singing voice, and he shares guitar duties with Gath, who also plays harmonica and sings back-up. Michael Starmer and bassist Joey Allen form a rhythm section that has been laying down beats together for decades. The group released a self-entitled studio album in 2000, and has opened for a number of national touring acts, including John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, Iron Butterfly, and Rare Earth.
After a long hiatus, in which all of the members played in countless other musical projects in Central New York and beyond, Muddy Dove reconstituted most recently in 2013.
The Fly Rods are an Americana rock and roll band centered on the singing and songwriting of Don Bazley. Ithaca reviewers have compared their sound to Neil Young and The Rolling Stones, but the group cites among its influences The Grateful Dead and the Ramones. Other members include Brian Gardner on guitar, Jay Olsa on bass, and Shaun Whistler on drums.
The Fly Rods
In 2013, the group released its second album entitled "Catch and Release". The band and album titles reflect Bazley's love of fly fishing. (An earlier Fly Rods album, "Adventures in Wilburland", was released in 2011.) Many of the band's simple but meaningful songs touch on topics related to current political and social issues ("21st Century Police State Blues," "Days Of Dogma," "Brand New Deal").
A reviewer in the online blog Ithaca Record Freak, wrote, “'21st Century Police State Blues'” balances understated but powerful lyrics with raucous distorted guitars in a way reminiscent of Bob Dylan tracks blended with early punk. The song’s big chorus and gritty, DIY production is sure to please fans of Ithaca’s underground rock scene, and sounds like it belongs alongside any classic rock track of its type." In the rock tradition, live shows by The Fly Rods are high-energy and upbeat.
The addition of an acoustic act to open the show and play during intermission is a new feature of performances at the Center for the Arts this season.
Ridgeline is an acoustic project featuring Steve Romer, who has played acoustic rock and 90s alternative music extensively as a solo act in the region, and guitarist Brad Allen. The pair are set to open the show at 7 pm in the Community Room, with Muddy Dove in the theatre at 7:25 pm and The Fly Rods at 9:05. Ridgeline will also play during the intermission between bands in The Community Room.
The CNY's Finest series began in the Fall of 2011 and has hosted bands from Syracuse, Binghamton, Cortland, Ithaca, Auburn, and other parts of the region in twice-yearly concerts.
Doors open at 6:30 pm with drinks and refreshments available in the Community Room. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door, at the Center's website, www.center4art.org, or by phone at 607-749-4900.
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