BRATTLEBORO — Wyld Nightz, a local classic rock band, will play at the Stone Church in Brattleboro on Friday, Jan. 3, at 8 p.m. Admission is $10 at the door and the band will donate all its proceeds to Brigid's Kitchen and Pantry, which has served over 20,000 free meals this year in downtown Brattleboro.
Wyld Nightz is a six-piece band founded in 1999 by Jeff Brewer and Michael McKinney, according to a news release. Prior to that, Brewer, now lead singer and guitar and banjo player, toured the U.S., Canada, and Mexico with the musical troupe Up With People, and then worked for many years in elementary education.
McKinney, lead guitar and trumpet player, has been playing since his teens, and has spent the past 30 years working locally as an instrumental educator.
Drummer Fred Epstein has been with the band for 15 years. He grew up playing in Detroit, then spent 20 years in the San Francisco Bay area and played for a time with The Reason.
In the past 10 years, the band has added Tony Speranza, Matthew Martyn, and Anthony Speranza.
Tony Speranza, who sings and plays keyboards, completed his master's degree at the Eastman School of Music, and has been a local choral conductor and music educator.
Martyn, who sings and plays bass and trombone, graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in instrumental music education. He has served as band director at Leland & Gray Union High School in Townshend for 13 years, and is currently the principal at Dover Elementary School.
Anthony Speranza, who recently played throughout New England with the Asylum Sax Quartet, sings and plays saxophones, guitar, and penny whistle. He holds advanced degrees in music education and sax performance from the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Conn.
The band has had the honor of being voted “Best Local Band” in Brattleboro for the past several years.