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Date: 8/9/2022
SOUTHAMPTON – The Valley Music Showcase celebrated the return of its live, in-person shows at Glendale Ridge Vineyard on July 31.
The Valley Music Showcase had suspended its in-person competitions at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, shifting to virtual events in 2020 and 2021.
The Valley Music Showcase is designed to show off the best original music talent in the central and Western Massachusetts, central Connecticut and southern Vermont areas. Described by organizers as a “mini-music festival,” the juried live music competition features five bands and/or solo or duos drawn from all musical genres. They compete for thousands of dollars of gift certificates and other prizes from various local sponsoring businesses.
The guest judges for the competition were Leah Rantz, DJ at Lazer 99.3 FM; Mark Ramone, DJ at WECS FM in Willimantic, CT, and New Music Alliance Radio Hour; Sheryl Hunter, music writer for the Greenfield Recorder, and Travis Branch of The Recording Den in Bethany, CT.
Among the competitors at the July 31 event, which was initially postponed in May due to inclement weather, were Sadish Radish of Northampton and Stoner Will and the Narcs from Hadley.
Other artists included Hue Blind of Hartford, CT, High Tea of Greenfield, and Hawkns of New Haven, CT.
Stoner Will and the Narcs took first place, qualifying along with second place finisher Hawkns for the Valley Music Showcase finals on Sept. 24.
Anya Klepacki of Stoner Will and the Narcs also placed second for Best Vocal Performance and Best Stage Performance while the band also placed second for Best Original Song. Tim Garner of Sadish Radish placed third for Best Stage Performance.
Produced by Mark Sherry, the Valley Music Showcase is sponsored by New Music Alliance, Cider House Media, Holyoke Media, Northampton Open Media, Lazer 99.3, Valley Advocate, Telefunken Elektroakustik, INSA, Dean’s Beans, Focus Springfield TV, Easthampton Savings Bank, Dirt Floor Recording, Ghost Hit Recording, SoneLab Recording, Pharaoh Recording, Horizon Studios, Dam Cafe, Turn it Up, Galaxy Restaurant, Falcetti Music, Antonios Pizza, Healy Guitars, Mantis Graphics, PRIA Music Marketing, Valley Free Radio 103.3, Whip City Music, Sutter Meats, Pioneer Valley Indoor Karting and Electric Eye Records.