Listen Local series returns
Aayu and Red Blue Green take the stage
Scranton is a very special place to Mark Ciccone, otherwise known as rapper Aayu. The city is not only the place he now calls home, it is the city that he claims helped save his life.
“I moved to northeastern Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to get clean,” Aayu said. “I was a drug addict when I moved here in 2009. I was struggling with being in and out of jail. I was abusing drugs and alcohol to the extent that it almost killed me. I relocated here to get clean and fell in love with the area. I found a new life.”
“It’s given me a new perspective to be honest with you. I’m not huge on geographic changes and that they should change your mind in general, but sometimes you move to a new area and you get re-inspired. My experience with Scranton has been all positive. A lot of what I did and my thought process now sway toward more positivity.”
Aayu will perform his independent hip hop this Friday, March 30, when The Electric City Listen Local music series returns to The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple.
The rapper, influenced by early ’90s hip hop like Wu-Tang Clan, Notorious B.I.G. and the Beastie Boys, has difficulty describing his own sound to those who are unfamiliar with his music.
“It’s a form of hip-hop. I love the early ’90s rap, but I’m still inspired by the punk and hardcore that I grew up with. It’s ingrained in my DNA and I feel that it is more of a vibe and attitude than it is a sound. I play guitar, bass and drums and incorporate live instruments in my music as opposed to DJ beats.”
Red Blue Green, a six piece alternative rock band that formed in Dallas, will headline the show. The band is made up of Aimee DiLucido (vocals, ukulele), Kyle Smyth (percussion), Mike Pelleschi (guitar, electronics), William McHale (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Pat Noonan (bass, guitar, banjo, melodica), and Evan Evans (guitar). The members are multi-instrumentalists, and interchange instruments throughout their show. The band’s sound contains elements of rock, shoe gaze, pop, and electronica.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the SCC Box Office, 344-1111; Embassy Vinyl; Ticketmaster, 1-800-745-3000; or by visiting scrantonculturalcenter.org. A special “Buy One Get One Free” offer is available for tickets purchased at the SCC Box Office or Embassy Vinyl, 352 Adams Ave., Scranton.
A cash bar and light fare will be available during the show. Patrons must be 21 years old or older to drink. The event will take place in the Junior Ballroom.
— tom graham
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