TICKET LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/valley-music-showcase-march-2018-best-in-original-local-music-tickets-43540701410

Special Musical Guest- “SNOWHAUS” (Winners of the January 2018 VMS) will play the show’s opening & closing sets
Style/Genre: Shred-pop Hometown: Hadley, MA
Songlink: https://snowhaus.bandcamp.com/
Snowhaus is Hadley MA shred-pop band. High energy entertainment that’s bound to put a smile on your face and a rhythm in your feet. You’ll be humming the songs all week.

CONTESTANTS (in order of appearance)
1) MERRILL SHEPARD & FRIENDS
Style/Genre: Indie/folk Hometown: E. Longmeadow, MA
Song Link: https://merrillshepard.com/
Merrill has been singing her whole life. At 16, she picked up a guitar and at 27 began a solo career performing acoustic covers in the local bars and restaurants. Now, having found her voice as a songwriter, she joins forces with acoustic guitarist & singer Jonny Taylor, & bassist Craig MacMaster, who has performed with Merrill as a member of the AJ Rubino Trio & as a member of the Pecos River Band.

2) THE HEAVY CALM
Style/Genre: Progressive Rock Hometown: Hartford, CT & W. MA
Songlink:https://open.spotify.com/track/4ARKHgJc9SADxVDztZGnTi?si=O9oPe0DwTpOCZmnstLEVtg
Bending genres around carefully sculpted melodies, The Heavy Calm blends together the worlds of folk and soul with high energy progressive metal. This group prides itself on melodic soundscapes, ear-catching choruses, and cinematic storytelling, all while seamlessly incorporating heavy grooves and breakdowns.

3) THE PILGRIMS
Style/Genre: Rock and roll Hometown: Windsor, VT
Song link: https://pilgrimsvt.bandcamp.com/album/no-focus
It’s 2018 and the The Pilgrims have been around for 8 years. That’s 8 years and 6 records and 100 shows since The Pilgrims started in an office space turned apartment in Windsor, VT. 2017 finds the six person starting lineup squeezing their sweat streaked rock n roll into ten tracks aptly titled ‘No Focus’. No Focus is the first full length in the six man Pilgrim lineup – that’s Chris, Davis, Chris, Kiel, Chris and Brendan.