 "Photo: Mackenzie Reiss")
When Pierson Trimarchi returned to Syracuse from his hometown of Cleveland, his two electric bass guitars were the first items he unpacked.
Together with roommate and fellow musician Mike Barnett, the sophomore mechanical engineering major plans on converting his Winding Ridge apartment into a rehearsal space, where the two will share the ultimate venture of starting a band at Syracuse University.
His transition from playing in Ohio, known for being a hub for rock n' roll, to starting over in Syracuse was not an easy one.
"Going to Syracuse was definitely an eye-opener," Trimarchi said. "I took for granted how many exceptional musicians and opportunities there were in Cleveland for me. The Syracuse music scene leaves much to be desired."
Andrew Maury, a 2008 SU graduate and former lead guitarist of the student band Magic Hour, voiced a similar frustration with the limited musical opportunities in Syracuse.
"Syracuse, as a city, has little to nothing to offer for the indie-rock scene," he said. "We soon got tired of what Syracuse had to offer. Shows just weren't bringing in audiences. There is nothing waiting around at the venues."
However, the city's recent contribution to music contradicts these critiques.
In the last 15 years, Syracuse has produced successful artists from a variety of genres, including metal (Brand New Sin, Ed Gein) and rock (SU alum Pete Yorn). More recently, six members of SU's indie-rock band Ra Ra Riot, currently touring and signed to Seattle-based Barsuk Records.
But despite the occasional success story, area promoters still consider the city's music scene a mere blip on the radar.
"Because the music scene experienced such a downward slide from its level in the 70s, 80s and 90s, not many acts feel that Syracuse is an appropriate market for them to play anymore," said Kelly Bertog, director of concerts for University Union. He pointed to a lack of adequate venues as the reason.
"On campus, we go from the 350-person (Schine) Underground to the 1500-person Goldstein (Auditorium) to the 2800-Landmark (Theater) to the Dome," Bertog said. "There are not enough right size venues for this market. More venues to fill in the gaps would help bring in certain artists that might not play here normally."
Ryan Canavan, an independent music promoter and member of the board of directors at the Westcott Community Center, blames music's decline on a lack of activity in local bands.
"There are a lot of bands from around here who only play in Syracuse, and I feel that is extremely limiting," Canavan said. "It seems that only a small subgenre of the overall musical output of this town really puts in a lot of road time. They ought to try and get out there a bit and see more of the world."
At the same time, many people, like Wesley Miles of Ra Ra Riot, feel that things are looking up, and that many opportunities for young bands are available, if not in the city then on-campus.
"It's so easy for a band to show up at a house party and play a show," Miles said. "We played a few attics and second floors at SU which were always fun. Parties around the campus always were interested in having a band play."
In addition to the fraternity and house parties, he pointed out the many steps taken by UU to promote campus talent.
Last year, UU Concerts introduced a new concert series in the Jabberwocky Café called "Artists on the Brink" aimed at showcasing student bands and other local talent. Each show filled the Café to near capacity, Bertog said.
The concert board went a step further for April's Block Party concert in the Carrier Dome. It granted local band Sophistafunk, composed of current SU students and alumni, the opening slot for headliners Fergie and Sean Kingston. It was the first time an amateur band had opened for a major act playing at SU.
"Nurturing on-campus talent is an important part of building a strong college music scene," Bertog said. "You never know where some of these bands might go, so it is important to showcase quality talent while we have the chance."
Mikey Powell, known for his lacrosse legacy, came back to SU last year, not for a lacrosse game or media circuit. He came to play in Corner Bar in Armory Square with his band, Villain's Trust.
Though some degree of fame follows him as a lacrosse player - once at Syracuse, now as a member of the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse - Powell came back to play music. His appearance helped bring attention to the music scene, attracting athletes as well as music.
Bertog is keeping his hopes up for the Syracuse music scene campus at least.
"Believe it or not, I think this might be the best time to be starting a band," Bertog said. "If you can put a solid band together, it is likely you'll be able to get some decent exposure rather quickly."
Canavan intends to continue to do his part at Westcott to support the music scene in Syracuse. The Community Center holds all-ages shows most weekends, giving many new bands opportunities to play their first shows among their friends. And while he calls the future of Syracuse music "cloudy," he believes there are always possibilities.
"You never know what's going to happen here," he said. "Or what random kid in the audience is going to start a great new band somewhere down the line."
sdkaplan@syr.edu
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