Fellenberg and violinist Jason Yu will be performing Johannes Brahm’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 for violin and piano. Admission is free.

What is a great event without a patriotic opening? The first “cover” of the night would come from Montclair Police Department’s Stephanie Egnazzo who delivered a mostly A capella take on the most famous from one-hit-wonder Francis Scott Key; a song that we know as “The Star Spangled Banner.” Note that it was mostly A capella, because towards the last two lines, a band in uniform were revealed behind a curtain and awoke the gods of rock in a Jimi Hendrix style salute to our great country. It was nice to see a duet between different police departments, proving that the VPD doesn’t have the only cops who rock. From there, an emcee took over and welcomed one and all to the second annual Cops And Rockers.

Now it was time for the music. At the start of the event, it wasn’t all about the big prize, a day in the recording studios of Verona’s Cat Eyez Studios. (Rocktec Music donated two Dean guitars for the audience raffles and instruments, fog machines and PA equipment for the stage. Amedia, another Verona-based business, donated some of its handmade cymbals and Chris Segarra of Legendery Entertainment was the emcee.) In fact, there were some bands that weren’t competing, and just wanted to share the stage with some local musicians and play in front of the crowd. Two acts; one trio and one solo act, provided the competition-free entertainment to Verona, and certainly did not disappoint.

The first non-competing group was The Incredible Folk featuring VHS sophomore Lucas Freschi on acoustic guitar alongside two older friends on banjo and fiddle. The bluegrass three-piece brought the theater back to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry for some rather impressive picking. The first song was a cover of Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith and Don Reno’s “Feudin’ Banjos” (more commonly known as “Dueling Banjos”) made famous by the 1972 movie Deliverance. The next was one of the most famous country rock songs, “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band. Aside from a clutter of technically faulted sound problems, it was pleasant to have some American Roots music to start off the night.

Next was the second non-competing act, VHS senior Wes Ostrander. Wes’ drum cover of Dream Theater’s “Panic Attack” spoke true to the progressive-metal drumming of Mike Portnoy (ex-drummer of Dream Theater), and darkened the mood left by The Incredible Folk. Following a welcoming applause of appreciation for Wes’ way around the drum kit, was one of few constants of the night: polls. Yes, MyVeronaNJ.com provided the surveys that appeared on the rounded wall stage-left. If you were in attendance and were in possession of a cell phone that has text-messaging capabilities (and if not, get with the times), you were able to participate in the polling. Some questions were more important than others, like “what kind of music do you like,” would be deemed unimportant in comparison to voting for the band of your choice.

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Following a power outage, last year’s first place band took the stage in hopes to bring home the title once more. Fusion is made up of Austin Williams, Steve Wynen, Andrew Capuano, Nick Celfo and Ryan Yeates, who all attend VHSl. It was clear that Fusion had matured since winning last year’s contest. Vocalist Austin Williams seemed much more comfortable onstage and managed to translate his naturally theatrical voice into a post-punk/pop-rock style. The stringed aspect of the band all seemed to carry themselves at an appropriate pace, while drummer Ryan Yeates interpreted the drum parts very well, which contributed to a positive performance overall. They  performed their original with lyrics written by Ryan Yeates, “I Want To Be” and covers of Good Charlotte’s “The Anthem”, “Dying in your Arms” by Trivium, and “Monkey Wrench” from the Foo Fighters.

The next band was the first and only competing band without any VHS students in the group. Nonetheless, NaH shook the stage with a jagged grunge sound and held their own in the midst of bands that also played similar styles of music. Consisting of Ben Shooter, RJ Challice, and Zach Thomas, the Little Falls natives performed an original inspired by Guns n’ Roses entitled “The Best of You,” proving to be one of the stronger originals of the night. Their covers were Monster Magnet’s “Monolithic” and “The Time Warp”, from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, the latter of which got many singing and grooving along.

Up next was The Loop, displaying VHS alumni, current students, and future students. This group, like Fusion, is a staple of the current Verona youth music scene. They’ve performed a few times in the past year and have built a little bit of a fan base that made their presence known during their Cops & Rockers performance. The set began with a cover of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock And Roll”. Band members Theresa Courter, Joey and Nick Fierro, Chris Ehrich and Chris Buneo packed a punch with their ability to cover a song and lay it down with tight execution. “Drowning in Reality”, written by vocalist Theresa Courter, was an impressive original, with lyrics dealing discussing her first semester in college. The remaining songs were “The Ocean” (Led Zeppelin) and a pop-goes-punk approach at Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.”

Totally unexpected was an appearance by Patti Labelle’s drummer Segdrick Marsh. Though the sound system largely failed him, Segdrick managed to display his talents with a song, followed by an explanation and apology as to why he couldn’t carry on. His offer to return in the future should be embraced by those in charge, as it was great to a professional take the reins and show his skills.

Maybe the most talented and the darkest act of the night, was black-metal band Angmar. Yes, they’re referencing the home of the witch king in the Lord Of The Rings. The long-hair rockers made their way back after last year’s equally stellar Cops & Rockers performance, and once again they managed to leave the crowds’ jaws wide open after they performed all three originals “Fallen, Forgotten,” “As Shadows Rise,” and “Tiamat.” Band members Conor Lawless, Brian Fong, Tyler Butkovsky and Ryan Cardoza play music that requires so much precision, and they carry it out with ease. They will bring out the heavy metal in us all and have you swinging your hair along to the music.

Moving forward was something also completely different. Feux Johnny is made up of Giancarlo Cordasco, Alex Campbell and Patrick Cichetti. This group, like Angmar had such a different sound that it really got the audience’s attention. Playing in the style of California Funk a la The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Feux Johnny covered “Can’t Stop” and “Hump De Bump” from the legendary Chili Peppers, sandwiched in between “Mrs. Cooper” (an original) and ending with Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”. The comfortable and energetic stage presence and musicianship held true to the eventual crowd reaction. It was looking good for this out-of-nowhere ban when it came to results.

Showing the love of music and how close some of the bands are, bassist Nick Celfo made his second appearance of the night, this time with Where Eagles Dare, alongside Isaac Rubins, Dom Gagliano and Mike Basil. This band’s second Cops And Rockers featured two originals, “Lunch Break”, written by Isaac Rubins and a follow-up to a song from last year’s Cops & Rockers, “Bathroom Break”. They did sweet renditions of Metallica’s “Am I Evil”, and “No Remorse”. Probably the most impressive though, was a great approach at “A Passage to Bangkok” from Rush, which was the most musically demanding song all night.

To close out the contest part of the night, came Leo’s Arrow. Evan Yee, Mike Bartell, Matt Bartell, Patrick Sullivan and Torsten Kolind bring a twisted indie-rock sound to the table, and put on an energetic performance even with Evan Yee suffering from a lost voice due to previous illness in the week. Their original was “Home”, built around a guitar lick from Mike Bartell, giving a little insight into the songwriting process for this particular band. They covered Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy”, The Flo Bots’ “Handlebars”, and “Dammit” from Blink 182.

As the night was coming near the end, it was time for the results. It was clear that every band gave it their own, and some had it together more than others did. However, it was all about the love of music and how it can provide a safe lifestyle and occupation of time for the youth, which face more and more pressure to get involved in the world of drugs and mischief. As it was announced, the crowd cheered for Feux Johnny, who came in first overall.

But wait that wasn’t all. Like last year, the final band put the “cops” in Cops and Rockers. A musical squad of Det/Sgt. (VPD) Dan Greco on guitar, Sgt. (Montclair PD) Stephanie Egnezzo and Special Deputy (VPD) Gerard DiNola on vocals, retired Sgt. (VPD) Marty Santuoso on drums, and Special Deputy (VPD) Pat Filoso on bass delivered a set that laid the law on the final moments of the show. They performed songs like The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and Kiss’ “Rock And Roll All Night, all in good fun.

Aside from the technical difficulties, the night was rather successful as far as turnout, performances, and behavior was concerned. In the words of the Grateful Dead, “One good ride from start to end, I’d like to take that ride again.”

Tyler Curtis attends VHS and is the author of The Shakedown Blog.

Photos © Fred Goode Productions. All rights reserved.

Bands like Angmar, Feux Johnny, Fusion, Leo’s Arrow, The Loop and Where Eagles Dare from Verona, and NaH from Little Falls (they have cousins in Verona). Take a minute to get to know the bands, and the artist who won the contest to design this year’s logo.

THE ARTIST
VHS senior Tim Hatcher took his first graphic arts class this year, and it turned into him becoming the winning artist for the competition to design the Cops & Rockers logo.  “I started out trying to make something with a skull and crossbones and it looked awful,” he says. The final design evolved from random sketches of instruments–amply critiqued by his friend and fellow senior Kate Percevault.” As Hatcher and the other graphic students finished their work, it was posted to an internal Web site where students could vote anonymously for their favorites. Hatcher’s design advanced, but he didn’t think much of it. And then one day he got called down to the office of VHS Principal Glenn Cesa. “I show up and a police officer is there,” says Hatcher. “They asked me, with straight faces, to sit down,” he recalls. “And then they both started laughing and told me I won the competition. It was priceless.” Hatcher’s design was used on the tickets and posters, and you can buy it on a T-shirt tonight at the show.

THE BANDS

ANGMAR
If you were at last year’s show, you remember Angmar, a wild, loud ride of heavy metal and heavy showmanship. If you know your Tolkien, you’ve already guessed that the band’s name comes from Lord of the Rings:  Angmar is the mythical place where the Witch King resides. Though the bands in the Cops & Rockers were only required to perform one original song, all of Angmar’s are its own creations. The titles are “Fallen, Forgotten”, “As Shadows Rise”, and “Tiamat”. When not at Cops & Rockers, band members Conor Lawless, Brian Fong, Tyler Butkovsky and Ryan Cardoza perform anywhere they can, including most recently Champions Bar and Grill in Trenton. You can download the demo of “Fallen, Forgotten” here.

FEUX JOHNNY
“Feux” is a French term used before the name of someone who has passed on. We’re not sure who Johnny was, but Feux Johnny is Giancarlo Cordasco, Alex Campbell and Patrick Cichetti. Inspired by California funk, the band likes to play funk covers like tunes from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

FUSION
The name is Fusion, as in a melding of musical interests and they were the winners of last year’s Cops & Rockers.  “We were impressed that we won,” says vocalist Austin Williams. “We were the only band that had any freshmen and we were almost entirely freshmen. In addition to Williams, now a sophomore, the band includes Steve Wynen, Andrew Capuano, Nick Celfo and Ryan Yeates.  They are going to be performing an original song “I Want To Be” and covers of “The Anthem”, “Dying in your Arms”, and “Monkey Wrench”. Since winning Cops & Rockers 2011, they have performed at the Presbyterian church in Montclair, Battle of the Bands in Sparta, Our Lady of the Lake’s Kinderfest and some private parties. As a result,  the band is promising an amped-up stage presence this year. “We’ll be doing much more of a performance than a list of songs,” says Yeates. And the band, several of whose members perform in the regular VHS band, has focused on getting their music tight. “All that training from Mr. Lynch comes in handy,” says Williams. (Listen to a song)

Angmar: Tyler Butkovsky, Conor Lawless, Ryan Cardoza, Brian Fong,

LEO’S ARROW
Watching Evan Yee, Mike Bartell, Matt Bartell, Patrick Sullivan and Torsten Kolind on stage, you might not think that, around VHS, they are thought of as quiet guys. The band, which got its name after a flash of cell phone messages about lions, draws its inspiration from groups as diverse as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Vampire Weekend, Weezer, and even a Japanese band they discovered through YouTube. Their original song is entitle “Home”. “Mike came up with a good guitar line and we decided to build a song around it,” says Yee. They’ll be doing covers of “My Own Worst Enemy”, “Dammit” and “Handlebars”. This is their second Cops & Rockers, and they are gunning for the big prize. “If people haven’t seen us perform, they should,” says Sullivan.

THE LOOP
The Loop loops together musicians from middle school through through college: Theresa Courter, Joey and Nick Fierro, Chris Ehrich and Chris Buneo. The made a splash at Kinderfest last fall after performing at summer parties around town. Their original song is called “Drowning in Reality” and Courter says the lyrics were inspired by her first semester at college. “I was overwhelmed, but it all ends on a good note”, she says. Their covers will be “I Love Rock and Roll”, “The Ocean” (band members are big Led Zeppelin fans) and a rock version Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”. Courter, who goes by the stage name Tersa, just recorded a demo at a studio in Montclair. Look for it on iTunes.

NAH
NaH got its name during an 8th grade talent show in their home town of Little Falls. “We were interviewed,” recalls member Ben Shooter, “and upon being asked if we had a band name, one of us replied ‘nah’.” The band’s members all attend Passaic Valley High School, and play in its band and jazz band programs. Their original song tonight is “The Best Of You” and it was inspired by Guns n’ Roses and Saigon Saloon. Their covers are “Monolithic” and “The Time Warp”, from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Shooter and band members RJ Challice, and Zach Thomas, have played at Waynestock, Hey Jude and The Fine Grind in Little Falls, and the Canvas Clash in Boonton.

 WHERE EAGLES DARE
The band’s name? It’s the title of a song by Iron Maiden and The Misfits, and last year, they dared to take their first try at Cops & Rockers last year. Comprised of seniors Isaac Rubins, Dom Gagliano and Mike Basil and sophomore Nick Celfo, the band says that what they learned from that experience is that, says Gagliano, “it’s all about having fun and playing good music.” Their original song is called “Lunch Break”, written by Rubins and a follow up to an instrumental the band wrote last year, “Bathroom Break”. Their covers are “Am I Evil?”, “A Passage to Bangkok” and “No Remorse”.

Seven teen bands will take the stage (two were lost to illness and school commitments). You’ll get to hear them all and vote, by cell phone for your favorite. You can get ready to vote right now by following MyVeronaNJ.com’s Twitter page, where we’ll be broadcasting all the voting. (If you don’t have an unlimited texting plan on your phone, standard message rates will apply.) The doors open at 5 p.m. and the music starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door.

All shows take place on select Saturdays and begin at 10 a.m. Tickets are $15-$20 for orchestra and box seats and $12 for mezzanine seats, and may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343, at the Paper Mill Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online.

But if you’re a “Gossip Girl” fan from Verona, you have an extra incentive to turn on channel 11 tonight at 8 p.m.: Parekh is in tonight’s episode.

The cast of "August: Osage County"

The Studio Players are putting on the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “August: Osage County” starting this weekend, and there’s a big Verona hand in the production. Mark Liebert, who has been affiliated with Studio Players for many years, is the director.

The show runs January 13-15, 19-22 and 26-28, as is advised for mature audiences. Performances are at 8 p.m. and tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors. Studio Players is located at 14 Alvin Place in Montclair, which is a tiny little street next to the A&P on Valley Road.

But if there ever was a bookstore in Verona, its name has long been lost to the history books. We don’t have a Strand, like New York City, or San Francisco’s City Lights. We don’t have Shakespeare & Co. like Paris or Portugal’s Lello.

If you’re still inclined to buy books on paper, you’ve got to travel to another town or a mall to do your shopping. But our options for in-person shopping for printed books may be narrowing: Last week, Barnes & Noble, which has several mall and off-mall stores in our area–sharply lowered its earnings forecast for 2012, predicting losses of $1.10 to $1.40 a share. It also said it might spin off Nook, the division that makes its tablet electronic reader.

So since MyVeronaNJ.com has been poking your brains to ask what could be done to reinvent Verona’s downtown business district, we decided it was time to poll you about your reading habits. Our new survey asks where you get your books and how you like to read them: on an eReader or on paper. Do you want to see a bookstore in town? Make your voice heard in this survey.

Click here to take the MyVeronaNJ.com survey on reading

"Lower Fifth" by Ann C. Taylor

Verona artist Ann C. Taylor begins a new series of watercolor classes this month at the Caldwell Community Center. The series of eight  classes, starting January 17, will cover basic and advanced watercolor techniques for adult beginner and intermediate artists.

The classes will be held on Tuesday afternoons, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Community Center, which is located behind the Caldwell Public Library off Bloomfield Avenue.

A long-time resident of Verona, Taylor is a signature member of the New Jersey Watercolor Society, The Garden State Watercolor Society and the Pastel Society of New Jersey and is currently President of the New Jersey Watercolor Society. She is also a member of the Allied Artists of America, the Clifton Assn. of Artists, the Art Centre of New Jersey, the Essex Watercolor Club (Past President), the West Essex Art Assn. and the Millburn/Short Hills Art Center. Mrs. Taylor is on the teaching staff of the Livingston Arts Association, where she continues to teach Wednesday morning watercolor classes.

For information and registration for the Tuesday afternoon classes, call The Caldwell Community Center, 973-228-7665.

Kids can create a portrait of their favorite animal

The Montclair Art Museum has got a full calendar of events in January, for art toddlers to adults.

For parents with young children there is MAM Park Bench, a program that introduces children to the museum and serves as an artistic social outing. It meets on the second Wednesday of the month, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The January 11 ­program is called “Wild Shapes”. There are also two home school days this month: Thursday, January 19 for ages 9 to 13 and Friday, January 20 for ages 4 to 8, from noon to 2 p.m. both days. The cost for all these programs is $6 per child, $12 per adult. The home school days include a gallery tour and a studio art project led by MAM educator Emily Kenselaar. RSVP by e-mail to attend.

The kids might also get a kick from the pet portraiture workshop on Sunday, January 29 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Open to children 8 and older, it will cover drawing basics and animal anatomy. The cost is $30 for members and $50 for non-members.

For adults, the museum will initiate a new special interest group on contemporary art on Thursday, January 12, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. “MAM Contemporaries: The Cute, the Bad, and the Ugly” will be a participatory food performance involving artist Marina Zurkow and celebrity chef Gene Rurka. Tickets are $40 for members and $50 non-members. To purchase tickets, please contact Talia Selove at 973-259-5147 or by e-mail. On Wednesday, January 25, there will be a free panel discussion at 7 p.m. with the creators of the new play “Stick Fly”, now at the Cort Theatre in Manhattan.

The museum also is offering several adult workshops in the creation of clay nesting bowls, ink wash painting and drawing, fused glass jewelry and photographing children. For more information, see the the Winter schedule for its Yard School of Art. For more information on gallery tours and exhibitions, see the museum’s Web site.

Eamonn Ryan and his other band

Verona’s own Eamonn Ryan and his band, Older Than Dirt, will be performing at O’Neil’s Restaurant and Pub this Saturday, January 7, at 9 p.m.  Ryan, who might just be a tad biased, says it’s a “must see show”. The band is going to be covering music from the 50s to today, and Ryan says there may be special guest performances from some “town legends”. Hmmm.