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Is summer (or even spring) finally here? It seems that winter has lost it’s grip on central New York and the change in seasons marks a change in settings we get to see live music. No more bundled up people shivering in ice cold bar rooms waiting for the anticipated crowd to warm the place up—it’s time to take the music outside in the sunshine (or rain). Okay, I getting a little ahead of myself in the good weather department. While the weather is getting better, it’s not summer. But that hasn’t stopped the move toward planning, thinking and getting ready for summer. Last Saturday (May 3rd) I went to Cavallo's Restaurant on Genesee Street in Utica and saw the band Miller's Mills playing out on the deck. Well, the show wasn’t completely outdoors. The deck was enclosed (it’s way too cold) but you got to feel like you were outdoors. The retractable steel garage doors and unfinished window trim truly give you the impression that you are in a garage— but I don’t think it was the desired effect by the owners. Anyhow, I talked with Dom Cecconi, the drummer of Miller's Mills who informed me that the band is changing their name to “The Ruben James”. The Ruben James was sunk early in World War II, the first U.S. Navel victim of Hitler's submarines. The historical reference is purely coincidental. Dom never gave me a clear answer that could explain the coincidence. He did however inform me that the newly named group, is still with the same band line-up: Dom Cecconi, drums,; Jared Pezdek, bass & backing vox; Ryan Miller. Lead vox & guitar; Jason Schnitt, guitar & vox. They are planning to spend the summer touring the northeast and New England area this summer. In fact while I was there they were being videotaped for a promotional video to use for contacting job prospects. If you’ve never seen Miller's Mills—I mean The Ruben James—get ready to hear a folksy rock/jam band that clearly has fun, even if lead singer Ryan Miller wears “September On His Sleeve”—(A reference to a song on Miller’s Mills most recent CD. You can sample some of their music at their website. When you see them in the upcoming weeks and months the band will perform mainly original tunes from their vast repertoire. They may be called The Ruben James, or Miller’s Mills alternately for the next few months but in either case, they’ll be out on the road . If you get a chance to see them, do it. Hopefully it will be outside—on a nice day. |