ROC The Casbah: A Stage Dive Into The 585’s Rising Music Scene, Part 1
Les Greene and the Swayzees show at Radio Social in NWV neighborhood in Rochester, NY
For the past few years, locals of the region have eagerly demanded a more vibrant music scene. From reminiscing on the heydays to advocating for an end to the deprivation of major touring artists, an unfortunate effect elevated by the 2019 pandemic. It seems that some of those voices have finally been heard. Today, the ‘585’ music scene is once again a rising star paving the pathway forward to send sound waves across the Upstate New York sky.
For the first time in what seems like a long time, it is becoming clear that some of those bright wishes might be coming to fruition, as Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC) has announced that famous acts like The Killers, Hozier, and The Black Keys will be performing in Summer 2025. Acts that in a matter of a few days have already sold out, or nearly sold out, CMAC, a venue with a capacity to support roughly 15,000 attendees.
While it is beyond thrilling that CMAC is bringing in these major acts, and like many out there I have high hopes to see this trend continue, I will instead take this time to showcase some history, and the robust local music scene that is thriving and rising in the 585, notably in the Rochester Metropolitan Area, and surrounding segments of the Finger Lakes. Unfortunately, this won’t include Buffalo, New York’s thriving music scene, but rest assured that story will be covered on a different day.
Photo of David Bowie’s 1976 arrest published in the Democrat & Chronicle in 2019
There is a unique history of musical talent touring through the region dating back to notorious gigs in the 1970s. David Bowie was famously arrested after a performance at at the Americana Rochester Hotel on March 20, 1976 for the possession of marijuana. The end result, an iconic mugshot.
Aside from Bowie, there is an interestingly extensive “deadhead” fandom in the region. Likely the aftermath of famous tours at Upstate NY colleges in the late ‘60s and the 1970s by the legendary San Francisco based group, the Grateful Dead. Look closely enough, and you’ll spot the remnants of the hippie movement throughout the region from tie-dye shirts to Grateful Dead cover bands that jam at dives nearly every single weekend.
Mosiac Foundation jamming at Three Heads Brewing in NOTA
Locals immersed in the nightlife can speak to the thriving and once again rising tide of ‘true to form’ talent spreading across the 585. What can be said is that Rochester musicians and artists have lived by the words of that old Thomas poem and have raged against the dying of the light, ravaged through economic disparity, social distancing, shutdowns, and are now once again returning front and center to embark on a new frontier.
For the past few years, various artists and venues have persisted. For instance, Three Heads Brewing, located in the Neighborhood of the Arts (NOTA), has been a playground for musicians and music lovers alike. Local artists like Mosaic Foundation have turned the brewery halls into a dance floor and sanctuary for Rochester reggae lovers. The space is a haven for cover bands from Grateful Dead tributes to funkadelic groups that bring the funk to the hip and funky brewery. It is a third place for a cold beer and righteous musical performances!
In the meantime, if you want to read more music venue-related work, check out the write-up on Anthology here: Anthology is F**King Back, Baby!