Episode Transcript
[00:00:13] Speaker A: We get Spotlight with BJ Swinghammer.
Is that his real name? Yes, it is.
Yeah, we can. Spotlight with BJ Swinghammer.
Is that his real name? Yes, it is.
Yeah.
BJ Weekend Spotlight.
[00:00:42] Speaker B: Hey, what's going on? Welcome to another episode of Unsigned 518's Weekend Spotlight. I'm your host, BJ Swinghammer. Yes, that is my real name. And you know what?
[00:00:51] Speaker C: This is?
[00:00:51] Speaker B: This is. This is take two of this episode. Because, yeah, I ran through it. I ran through it the first time when I was just starting my coffee.
It's earlier in the morning right now, and I'm just going through it. I'm going through it, I'm going through it. And I listen to him like, dude, you sound like you just came out of a fucking coma, like, after getting knocked out in the goddamn kumite.
And it really pissed me off because I started to really wake up when I was like, I finished my coffee. I'm going through the music and get all the music set up and, like, listening to the music. And by the time I was.
By the time that was all done, I was awake.
So I'm redoing this. So. Hey, what's going on? Everybody happy? God damn Thursday. I hope you had a chance last week to go out and listen to some good music.
There's a lot of great stuff popping up now. You know, you got the fall, it's going into the winter. You get a lot of people that are just getting used now to the new thing where it's cold and snowy and shitty out and whatever it happens, but not for too long. Just long enough.
I didn't get a chance. I didn't get a chance to go out this past weekend and listen to any good music. I just started a new job, and it is a breathtakingly fantastic job. But, you know, it kind of cut into the time a little bit, but that's. It's training and helping people out, and it's amazing. So it was absolutely worth it. So that being said, if you didn't get a chance to go out and listen to any good music, at the very least, you can listen to this podcast and. And listen to some good music. And it all starts right here. It all starts right here because we have Swinghammer's Pick of the Week is what I'm calling it. For now, at least, I believe I've chosen it. But who knows? It might sound pretentious. I'll think about it later.
But this week I decided this. This leak. This week I decided to go back to cuddly Bear.
Because that is Joel Lilly from Dreyer and his new project, and he's put out. This is the second album.
This is. This album just came out not too long ago, and it's called what Miracles Come to Life.
And this next song actually features Rachel Sunday from Dreyer, which is always fine by me because everybody in that band is so talented.
So from Cuddly Bear from the album what Miracles Come To Light, this is never really.
[00:03:25] Speaker A: Sa.
Ra.
Ram.
Sa.
[00:06:02] Speaker B: All right. That was never really. Featuring Rachel Sunday from Dreyer.
That's new Cuddly Bear album. What Miracles Come To Light and Cuddly Bear and Joel Lilly.
Joel is so creative, and he's so amazing, and he's just. He's got this, like, the second album this year, I think, and it's just. He is just not slowing down. And why would he. He's got a lot inside of his head, and he's gonna get it out, and he's gonna shove it into your head, and you're gonna be like, thank you so much. That was lovely.
All right, so going to tomorrow. We're just skipping over today as far as stuff going on. You know, there's a bunch of different stuff going on, but it's my choice, and I choose to skip over Thursday. No offense, but today can just kind of. And I'm going right to. I'm right into. Right into Friday's lineup because. And for one reason is it's at Unihog and Unihog and Hoosick Falls is one of my favorite venues. I've been there many times. I'll be there many much more times.
And doubly so because they've got. They're hosting seas Atlantis at 7pm and seas Atlantis is just some of my favorite people, one of my favorite bands, and I would be remiss if I didn't get a chance and take the opportunity to throw them on the podcast, because I love them so much.
So this is off their 2023 album Ruins Rebuilt, and this track is called Monster. Here on the weekend spotlight.
[00:07:33] Speaker A: Another paper cut Fill it up, take a spin it might never feel so good again.
Sun goes down, running high I'm possessed by something dark inside Something wrong deep within it might never feel clean again.
I'm a goddamn monster I'm a goddamn mon.
Sam.
There's a monster who shares my name can't believe who I been in the dark it all begins again.
Never going down Whatever going on.
[00:10:22] Speaker B: All right, that was monster off the 2023 album ruins rebuilt from Seas Atlantis. Thank you guys, so much for putting this up. I'm still listening to it all the time. And we are moving on to Saturday. So Saturday the 22nd at no Fun in Troy at 7pm no fun, you sons of bitches. I love you guys so much. What a great thing you're doing. Like, they have a show, like, every goddamn day. There's always something going on there, which is amazing. So no fun. Troy, 7pm You've got eight foot, man child, Jupiter Queen, Grief Group, and Gozer. And Gozer is, I believe, headlining. And for good reason. Gozer is fantastic. And once again, some of my favorite people and one of my favorite bands.
So this I decided to go to write to Nick, Nick Kosser. And I was like, what do you want me to play, man? Like, you guys are playing. What do you want me to play? And he decided to go with their new single that just came out on the 29th of October. So just a couple days before Halloween.
So this is Gozer, their newest single, and it's called Monolith.
[00:11:50] Speaker A: As a child your brain is muddled with fairy tales and stories Sculpting your mind to pacify Plucking not so worried they say we'll do the thing While you just sit there and watch but you can hear the answer Whispers of truth I stood in the dark.
Let yourself loose Peer through the mist Escape from the abyss Every mannerless master asks for your blind faith for you to fall down to your knees and pray your your will away they say we hold the power While you just sit there and cry but they don't know you've heard the answer Open up your eyes.
Put hammer to stone Prince his to face Step by accuse the crown Some may fall but others will rise to tear the hottower down.
Awaken.
Go forth your life your own now welcome to the world.
Let yourself loose Peer through the mist Escape from the abyss.
[00:14:58] Speaker B: All right, that was Monolith. That's the new single coming out from Gozer, and it is pure Gozer. It's got the new frontman going on. On it.
Listen to it. Listen to, like. Well, you just listen to it.
[00:15:09] Speaker A: It.
[00:15:10] Speaker B: But listen to it again in your spare time.
It's got so much going on. It's a great song. It's really well put together. Great writing. I love it so much. And we are going into our band show. We catch up with our band show every week because those guys are just working their asses off to take some of the bands that you love, some of the bands you've never heard of. They give them the rockstar treatment. They really just pull out all the spot, pull out all the stops and go to the nine.
And they just give them the treatment they deserve because the bands, the local bands work their asses off and everybody knows that. And so we're gonna check in with our band show guys, what is going on this week.
[00:15:49] Speaker D: Thank you, BJ and welcome in to our band show.
This Friday, November 21st, the Energy Vampires will be among us all. That's right. We're happy to highlight front and center and alumni of the show phenomenon for their new album Energy Vampires, releasing this very weekend.
These guys have an appreciation for the paranormal and is influenced by the 90s grunge era and blues bass rock that came before it. With a heavy rhythm section, emotive vocals and exciting guitar solos, they strive for a unique brand of rock and roll. Michael d', Agostino, the front man for the group, has been hyping me up for this new album for a couple weeks now. Now, I've mentioned it on the spotlight before and now the time has come for us to listen and support one hell of a rock and roll trio. To get a sense of who these guys really are, let's listen in to the our Bandit show interview. When the topic turned to otherworldly things.
[00:16:48] Speaker C: Talking about the paranormal, we actually have from one of our very own crew members, Steve, who decided to drop in a fun fact. And Steve is doing a great job right now, just quality control and making sure that everything's running smoothly. Steve says fun fact, the gray ones are the ones that are mostly associated with abductions. And he said stream sounds great. Thanks Steve. We appreciate that.
Drop an alien in the chat as well to show the band some support. And if you really think they're as out of this world as we do, maybe a UFO emoji or two. But what do you guys know about the different types of aliens? What can you tell us?
[00:17:26] Speaker D: Not a whole lot.
[00:17:26] Speaker E: Much more.
[00:17:26] Speaker D: You want me to take a. Yeah, we are the aliens.
[00:17:29] Speaker E: Yeah, we are.
I don't know, I mean we. I definitely. I'm probably the. The nerd here. Of all the. The alien and UFO stuff, the resident nerd in this band. But I, I definitely, you know, have heard a lot of those stories too, like gray aliens and you know, believe it or not, the Hudson Valley, this whole area is actually one of the greatest hotspots in the country for UFO activity.
So a lot of things have occurred here. And for those that don't know, that book Communion, that was a movie in the 80s, but that was actually based right here in the Hudson Valley. So there's a lot of, you know, kind of notable things that have occurred right here in this area, so to speak. I remember watching that movie as a kid and it definitely creeped me out for sure. But it was intriguing also. It was really interesting.
[00:18:15] Speaker C: You know what movie freaked me out?
Signs.
[00:18:18] Speaker E: Oh man. Yeah, that was actually shot at my school. So when we were away for college or for the summer in college they they shot that movie while all the kids were gone and that we had like cornfields at a good old Delaware Valley University. So they had that movie was shot there.
[00:18:33] Speaker D: A fun conversation to have in the studio for sure. Phenomenon is a chill band, always bringing a light hearted fun conversation.
Just what you would expect to have with a group of buddies who happen to play some awesome rock and roll music. This trio wants to put on an enjoyable show for everyone.
If you're able to check out their performance in person, I highly recommend it. When Mike shared with me the album art, I was amazed. They have this cool vampire looking ufo basically have a tractor bean on the band pulling them up from the house. It is some pretty cool art that is uniquely Phenomenons. I was treated to the track list of the upcoming release and I was glad to see that numerous songs they performed during our band show session made the cut from Outlaw, to Tell Me Lies, to Wash Away, just to name a few. All high energy rock songs that get the head banging. However, this week I'm feeling Phenomenons Evermore recorded live on our band show.
[00:19:51] Speaker A: That's brewing here.
I can't smell the fear.
Something's coming around I think I going down.
We got our hope of that your bre he didn't never stop.
In the morning we lost.
Hey there darling what you are is where you from.
Walking wayward you're walking around on the hood.
Hey there down there you walk in where he was in the.
Something's moving, something's down we ain't been proven we are found.
Something's moving, something's down We've been grooving we are the founding.
[00:22:34] Speaker D: I really do love that song.
I can't listen to it without thinking about Edgar Allen Poe, quote the Raven and all that. Remember to check out their new album Energy Vampires, that release on November 21, 2025 on all streaming platforms.
Check out their socials for more upcoming information if you do want to check them out in person. We've been hyping up Phenomenon all week and if you want to check out some clips, head over to our Instagram page or for full videos from all our past guests, check out our YouTube channel both at our band show.
Additionally, we've been posting new articles to our website ourbandshow.com Wickham Falls, Arrothroomy, New Monarchy, Little Saints and Camtron 5000 all have a quick article based off their interviews we did with them on the show. Lastly, I want to thank Christian Ivanko for filling in for me last week and sharing with us his new music. And before I hand it back to our gracious host, I just want to say the holidays are upon us. We at our band show will be taking a couple weeks off.
We want to wish everyone a festive Thanksgiving and we look forward to bringing you great music when we return.
With that said, I want to send it Back to you. B.J.
[00:23:56] Speaker B: All right, thanks a lot, guys. We really appreciate it. Once again, that's our band show doing the Lord's work and the 518 and beyond for your local music.
And don't forget, we if you didn't listen to the last episode, we played not one but two songs from Christian Ivanko, who is one of the judges gentleman from our band show and he's put out a new album called Valley of the Bluebird and you should listen to it. And I'm just gonna keep saying that because it's an outstanding album.
And don't forget you can find them on Facebook, Instagram, ourbandshow.com YouTube, which is my personal thing. You can just kind of go on there, type it in and just see all the things they've been up to. It's amazing. It's fun to watch. It is an incredible experience every single time. And speaking of an incredible experience, the Metroland hot singles in your area, that's a lich. That's a list cultivated by TJ Foster every month. And this month he's got a lot on his plate. So he decided to tap into Andy Scullen, who is also just a consummate wine ex, a wine expert that's not a consummate music expert. So Anne decided to go with the reviews and just work with the list. And, and so the hot single in your area today comes from Sarah Devoe off the album that came out this Halloween called Come Away O Human Child.
And the song that was chosen and the song I'm about to play now is wonderful because Sarah's haunting, wonderfully haunting voice just, it's just laid out right there and it's, it's, it's a really great song. To listen to. I love it so much. So from Sarah Devoe, off the new album Come Away, oh Human Child, this is on Death and Dying.
[00:25:42] Speaker F: I keep thinking you might die.
The only lover of my life.
[00:25:52] Speaker A: The.
[00:25:53] Speaker F: Only one I'd ever die for Could I hope I never try?
What is yours is also mine?
You're the freshest air I've tried?
And if you didn't want to kiss me I might die out there in.
[00:26:25] Speaker A: The wild.
[00:26:29] Speaker F: No hand to hold mine and save me from my past Ey, those goodbyes hold me by your eyes the way you look at me.
Hold me like your wife Only for tonight, Tomorrow I'll go Go back to facing things alone.
I remember being alone so don't I.
Have you ever known peace since the day you met me?
I'm not convinced.
[00:28:16] Speaker B: Alright, that was on Death and Dying, because as an exclamation point at the end off the new album Come Away, O Human Child from Sarah Devoe, which came out on Halloween this year, which is awesome.
And you know, while we're doing the whole Metroland thing, don't forget, there's other podcasts. It's not just me. I know you think it's just me, but it's not just me. There's a whole universe forming out there of Metroland podcasts. You've got two normal people from Angelina Valente, which is just chugging right along, and it's an amazing podcast podcast that if you haven't had a chance to check out, please check it out. You've got unsigned 500 with Andy Scullen. Of course, you've got Mistress of None with Aaron Harks. And I'm sure as things progress, you're just gonna get more and more people and more and more podcasts popping up because there are so many wonderful, creative people out there that are just doing this and doing it so well.
And it's well deserved because people work their asses off and, you know, that's how it should go. And don't forget physical copies of the Metroland. The Metroland is back. The Metro Land was here, then it was gone, then I was pissed off and I was gassy and I was just like, discontent everywhere. And then it came back and I was happy and I finally got that fart out and I felt much better on top of being able to grab a physical copy of the Metroland and just read it, which is just something. Yes. Yeah, it's nice to just get something in your hands. You know, reading stuff on your phone and on your tablet is fine, but I like just getting a good old fashioned piece of paper in my hand is reading it because there's a lot of people working their butts off to bring you that every month. And it is, it's incredible. There's so much, there's so much blood, sweat and tears put into that publication. And I love it and I love the people that do it. So thank you so much. And if you can't find it in your area, go to the metroland.com go to contact us us and just reach out and say, hey, where can I find it? My area. And we'll let you know. And if you're looking to carry, if you're like Schwinghammer, I want to carry this in my business because I want to show people that I give a crap about where I come from and where I am.
Just go to themtroland.com, scroll down to the bottom, there's a whole thing right there. You click on it, you fill out your information and then you start getting the Metroland. Because when you carry the Metroland in your place of business, it lets people know that you care about where you are and you care about where you live and your local area and yeah, there you go. And that's it for me. Thank you so much for letting me yammer on into your ear holes for yet another week. I really appreciate it. And thank you so much for really, you know, appreciating the creatives and the musical artists and all the other people working their butts off to make something for you to consume and enjoy that they love making in this area.
It's a, it's a magical and wonderful thing that's going on. So thank you so much for letting me do this. I will see you next week.
518. You have a great weekend. We all deserve it. And as usual, you stay cool.
[00:31:10] Speaker A: I'm calling shotgun.
Where's the party tonight?
Let's take a ride. Been swinging my driving.
The weekend spotlight.
Get ready.
[00:31:34] Speaker D: The Weekend Spotlight is a production of Unsigned 518 and part of the Metroland now network of podcasts. Unsigned 518's Weekend Spotlight is produced by Andy Scullin and hosted by BJ Schwinghammer. Look for new episodes every week at the metroland.com and everywhere you stream podcast.
