Arts & Entertainment
Hessian Lion's Got Talent
Check out some home-grown talent at Hessian Lion's Acoustic Showcase this Saturday night.
Take a night off from shows like American Idol and The Voice and check out some homegrown talent this Saturday, June 4, at in Avon.
Once a month, Hessian Lion holds an acoustic showcase, featuring local singers and songwriters. Participants have the opportunity to perform original songs or covers for 45 minutes each.
This Saturday's performers include: Tonya Romero, Jo Syzmanski, Gabriel Gustafson and Laura Ganci.
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Romero, who teaches Spanish at Avon High School, looks forward to performing her "romantic" and "ballad-like" Spanish songs and "edgier" English pieces. All of her original works are either Spanish or English, except one. The lone bilingual song is a crowd favorite.
"I always have trouble trying to define [my style]. I guess it would be pretty strong vocals like Alicia Keys ... with a very moody guitar sound," Romero said
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The bilingual songstress enjoys being able to share her language and culture in two different formats: teaching and singing.
Syzmanski, who has been participating in Hessian Lion's Acoustic Showcases since they first opened, started writing songs and playing guitar 11 years ago.
"I write vaguely, so everyone knows exactly what I’m talking about and they can probably relate to it as well in a different fashion," Syzmanski said.
On Saturday, the open mic veteran will play original music and may throw in some crowd pleasing covers. She describes her style as "pretty, folky rock."
"I’ve always loved to do art and this is another way to express my artistic side. The songs come from deep within my soul," Syzmanski said.
Gutafson, who has been performing for the last 20 years, will play "groove-jam[s] with [a] distinct psuedo-jazz vibe."
"I [began] playing at 8 years old [and] I just started making it up as I went along," Gustafson said.
Audience members will also be treated to a joint performance with Syzmanski and Romero, during which they plan on using a total of three languages: Spanish, English and Polish.
The acoustic showcase will take place on Saturday, June 4 at 9:30 p.m. Hessian Lion is located on 10 East Main St. in Avon. Parking is behind the building.
More information is available on the Hessian Lion's Facebook page.
