By Eli Goldfarb
LIVINGSTON MANOR — MazMyth, a progressive fusion band from the Livingston Manor area, has just earned the opportunity of a lifetime.
The five-man band recently won first place out of more than 150 other groups in the regional competition of the Break Contest at The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie. This gives them the chance to compete against other such regional winners of the contest at the Gramercy Theater in NYC on Saturday, April 23.
Tomorrow’s contest puts the band in the running for the opportunity to play at this year’s Bamboozle Festival, slated for April 29-May at the Meadowlands Complex in NJ, time in a professional recording studio, and many other prizes. The band played Bamboozle in 2010, but on the “lesser” Break Contest stage; they want to perform on the mainstage, along with such established acts as Lil’ Wayne and Mötley Crüe.
The band, consisting of lead guitarist Matt Smith (from whom the band derives its name), rhythm guitarist Stephen DeFreitas, bassist Jordan DuMond, drummer Dan Smith and keyboardist Joe Papp, has been playing together since 2006 and for years before that members gained experience as individuals performers or in various combos.
After their start playing at the now closed Rockbar in Liberty, Mazmyth mostly play at The Chance Theater, but they also do other smaller theaters and music venues, and have an impressive list of their own original music to go with them to these shows.
These songs are inspired by a great many artists and genres, ranging from bands like The Beatles, The Grateful Dead and The Talking Heads, to singers like Dr. Dre, Tom Waits and Jimmy Edgar, and many, many more.
Band members are very excited to be going to The Break Contest’s final rounds, and if you want to share their enthusiasm, go and support them at the Gramercy, either driving yourself, or taking one of the two buses the band is providing: a Shortline bus for $25, or the Mazbus for $15. The buses will be leaving from the parking lot of Livingston Manor Central School the day of the contest.
Or, if you can’t make it to the contest, go see them at Mazfest, a gathering of entertainers which takes place at the Roscoe Fireman’s Field, August 5-7.
More information on both events can be found at the band’s Facebook and MySpace pages.