By The St. Mary’s Arts Council
Our Weekly Spotlight on the Arts is shining brightly on the local musicians from HydraFX!
Usually we just select one individual as our Artist of the Week but we are highlighting a whole band in recognition of their series of innovative “Raise the Bar” livestream concerts.
Members of HydraFX (Greg Barrick, Wally Ivanov, Scott Barber, and James “Gunny Dee” Davis) have gone the extra mile to not only offer virtual concerts and events to their fans, but also to support the local businesses.
By partnering with the venues which they would normally be playing at during a pandemic-free time, the musicians have hosted concerts both on site and from home (while still social distancing and maintaining any proper precautions). They then share all virtual tips with the given restaurant/ bar and/or staff members, thus helping them to weather this storm as well.
HydraFX has generously supported various locations in the Southern Maryland area including Helen’s Café, Apehangers Bar & Grill, Huntt’s Tavern on the Corner, Buckets, and many more during these most difficult times.
A little bit about our featured artists – the members of HydraFX have been engaging audiences and changing the landscape of music since 2002. With their soulful blend of hard-hitting reggae/rock, high energy concerts, and lively stage presences this Southern Maryland band has played not only at local venues but also in state and national festivals far and wide.
Despite the current challenges for live music, Greg Barrick (lead singer) has stated “One of the positive things coming out of this is the community vibe, which I feel is stronger than ever.” Always optimistic, Greg and his bandmates are coming out strong on the other side as they have already started their live audience shows as Phase 2 has opened up various options and opportunities. Goose Bay Marina & Campground on June 13th hosted their first full band performance in over three long months and other live performances are being booked and planned for the future.
Shine on Greg, Wally, Scott, and James – thank you for sharing your talents and supporting others during these challenging times!
To learn more about our featured artists visit www.hydrafx.net or find them on Facebook @HydraFXlive, Instagram @hydrafx_band, and YouTube (HydraFX Official).
Photos provided by the artists, taken before social distancing guidelines were in effect