Editor’s Ramblings – May 2024

Josh Noll


Hello Pennsylvania and beyond! Welcome to May, the month of flowers and sunshine. It sure feels like summer is here today, as the temps are hitting the upper 80s and my grass is as high as Willy Nelson on a sunny afternoon. Along with the temps, the shows are stacking up, so let’s get right into some upcoming events you should check out.

First up is the “Vertical 4 Life Music Festival,” taking place May 4th at the Mechanicsburg Club Picnic Grounds. All proceeds go to “Cover Six Canines,” who train service dogs for Veterans. There will be a slew of live music as well as food available. It is a rain or shine event, $10 dollars at the gate with music by Matt Jameson at 2pm, Hank The Buffalo at 3pm, Coal at 4pm, Steel at 6pm, and Dead Centre at 8pm. Get out and support a great cause, and as a bonus, you get an awesome day of music with friends. The park is located at 80 Glendale Dr Mechanicsburg, PA.

XL Live is kicking the month off with two nights of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on the 3rd and 4th. Followed by Remember Jones presents, Back To Back To Black, The Amy Winehouse Celebration on Thursday the 9th. They say Thursday is the new Friday? So let’s call that the beginning of the weekend ending with The Ultimate Doors on the 10th and Rodrigo y Gabriela with special guest OKAN on the 11th. After only one day off, XL Live will be featuring Starset on the 13th with a SOLD OUT Show. The action doesn’t stop there; the month finishes off with Tell Me Lies – The Fleetwood Mac Experience on the 17th, Drowning Pool, Saliva, Above the Snakes, and Lives Lost on the 18th, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls on the 23rd, and Almost Queen (you guessed it, a Queen Tribute) on the 31st. WOW! What a month of music at XL Live.

Reverb has the action packing in for May with Fan Halen on the 3rd and Lacuna Coil on the 4th. Chaos & Carnage with Cattle Decapitation, Carnifex on the 11th. Another one of those Thursday shows on the 16th starting the weekend with Avatar, Oxymorons, and Conquer Divide! Followed by P.O.D., Bad Wolves, and Norma Jean on Friday the 17th and Trixter, Enuff Z’ Nuff on the 19th with Strung out and The Raging Nathans joining in on the fun. The end of the month at Reverb leaves you with enough choices to satisfy even the most discerning music enthusiast. With Maylene and the Sons Of Disaster on the 21st followed by Savannah Dexter & Brabo Gator on the 23rd with the “Love Like This 2024 Tour”. End out with Lil Xan on the 24th and Midgets with Attitude on the 31st. Music and events for all tastes. Speaking of tastes, Reverb is bringing back GWAR! on June 8th for all you “Scumdogs of the Universe”!

I’d like to take a minute and introduce a new advertiser this month Stars in Sapphire. They are a new pop/alt rock group formed by vocalist Bernadette Bratina and Guitarist Bridget Gindhart. They are known for their empowering anthems and Sparkly Boots! Stars in Sapphire combines pop music trends with the showmanship of rockstars from decades before, all while adding a bit of mystical flair. They just released their first single “illuminate” after performing a one-hour set for Penn State’s THON with drummer David Weaver and Bassist Conner Williams. “illuminate” is available on all major streaming platforms. You can find Stars in Sapphire at Facebook/starsinsapphire, Instagram@Starsinsapphire, and on YouTube at Youtube.com/@starsinsapphire.

Well, that’s about all the space I have for this month. Thanks again to all our supporters big and small; we couldn’t do it without you. If you would like to get in on the action, give me a ring or a text at 717-636-4203, or send me an email to joshnoll@pamusician.net. We try to make advertising simple and easy, and we offer ads for all budgets. For as little as a dollar a day (actually less), we can help promote your band, venue, event, sell stuff, you name it we can help. Don’t delay; call today! See you next month