Is New Haven suffering from a paucity of live music? Mitchell Young, proponent of the #gscia campaign, argues that it definitely is. Dean Correia, who has used the scene to nurture a now-burgeoning career, disagrees. Their conflicting opinions came head to head on episode of Alisa Bowen’s “Culture Cocktail” on WNHH radio.
“I always joke that if I go to a theater performance and I’m in my 60s, I’m the youngest person there,” joked Young, who kicked off the episode. “There’s not enough live music.”
Paul Bass Photo
Having found his musical feet in the city, Correia disagreed — and brought his guitar and musical comrade Butch Lesco, with whom he performs as Styll Remains to show New Haven listeners why.
“Doing music, writing music, playing music, being in a band was a secret dream of mine for a long time … everybody kind of knew me as the bodybuilder, and I was afraid for a long time to come out and say: ‘and I want to do this too.’ When my son was born, that kind of tuened everything around … like, life is moving along here. What kind of example am I as a dad if I don’t go for my dreams? I have to do it for him to do it.”
Since, he’s profited from the live music scene, performing at East Rock’s Cave à Vin and soaking up local and national acts that appear around town.
To listen to the episode, which also includes a quick interview with professional funny guy Victor Luna of Joker’s Wild, click on the audio above.