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| By Courtney Llewellyn Reminder Assistant Editor LONGMEADOW Music seems to flow in the blood of Longmeadow teenagers. Zack Sweeney, Zach Williams and Dave Rosenthal graduated from Longmeadow High School in 2006, went to college in Ithaca, N.Y. and Manhattan, and have returned for the summer, ready to rock out at the Iron Horse in Northampton. The Iron Horse has a reputation as a venue for musicians who play something a little bit different. Enter the Haggis, a Celtic rock band, recorded a live album titled "Northampton" there in March. Folk favorites Cary Brothers and Loudon Wainwright have upcoming shows. The Zach Williams Band and Friends will be onstage July 31. "We're excited about this opportunity," Williams said. This will be the group's first time playing as a headliner at the Iron Horse and their opening act, Dave LaFlamme, used to let them open up for him. Their sets usually last one and a half to two hours. "This is something beyond music," stated singer Williams. "When we say we're playing with friends, we mean it. These are our real friends." Sweeney agreed. "Getting our friends together is what this music is about." Rounding out the band of Longmeadow teens is their friend from East Longmeadow, Tim Jangl. The four young men have played together off and on since high school. Their last show together was also at the Iron Horse, a sold-out event over winter break. The group plays acoustic and folk rock and generally plays only originals songs. Percussionist Sweeney said that when they do perform covers, they're usually from acts of the same genre, like the Old Crow Medicine Show. Sweeney said that the group's songs are "a lot about everything." Williams' lyrics spell out exactly what he wants to say to people. While attending Ithaca College, Sweeney and Williams played a few benefit shows and open mic events which helped them open up a fan base in the collegiate central New York town. "It's a very artsy area, so you really need to have talent for people to take notice," Sweeney said. He expects a lot of friends from Ithaca to attend the show, along with local friends and family. The band is currently looking for open mic events in the area as warm-ups for their gig in Northampton. "We hope this show will serve as a diving board for more shows," Williams said. While the group has no official releases, Sweeney said that they have produced some amateur recordings of their music from their homes. Four of their tunes can be streamed at www.purevolume.com/ zachwilliamsband. "The Iron Horse show is the big show for us," Sweeney said. The future will be wide open for the Zach Williams Band after that. Tickets for the show are $10 in advance, $13 at the door and are on sale now. They can be purchased online at www.iheg.com. The show starts at 7 p.m. on July 31. |