'Electrifying' lineup for music festival draws wave of ticket-buyers

Jul. 30—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Amber DiRenzo first saw Brandon "Taz" Niederauer perform at a 2015 festival in New Orleans.

And on Friday, she got to see the 19-year-old guitarist again in her hometown of Johnstown, at Peoples Natural Gas Park for the AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival.

"Seeing him live again is electrifying," said DiRenzo, 31. "I told my friends we have to be here by 5 p.m. We need to get up front for him."

As popular as Taz was, the headline slot Friday night was reserved for Railroad Earth, whose style is part bluegrass and part rock 'n' roll.

"I love Railroad Earth," said Natalie Crisson, of Confluence. "I saw them in 2015 at the All Good Music Festival in West Virginia."

The two-day Flood City Music Festival's turnout for all of Friday's musical acts impressed the festival's producers from the Johnstown Area Heritage Association.

JAHA Director of Communications Shelley Johansson couldn't quantify the sales Friday before Railroad Earth took the stage, but she said turnout was especially strong for the first day of the festival.

"We are seeing more Friday single-ticket sales than we typically see," she said. "People are excited about the Friday lineup. It is AmeriServ and other wonderful sponsors who make this possible. AmeriServ has been the title sponsor for 27 years, bringing music like this to the City of Johnstown."

Johansson said the festival's board has had eyes on Railroad Earth for years.

Prior to performing, Railroad Earth member John Skehan, who plays the mandolin, described the band's sound as bluegrass instruments "plugged in and amplified."

Their performance included some of their new releases.

"We always try to invite people into the journey of what we are playing on stage," he said. "We are inviting people to take the ride with us. For those who've followed our music, they will know — and for people who never heard us, they'll hear something they don't expect."

He said the band's singer and songwriter, Todd Sheaffer, creates images and stories that speak to people in different ways, depending on their experiences that they bring into it.

The show on Friday brought first-time visitors to Peoples Natural Gas Park in downtown Johnstown.

"I grew up in Johnstown, and I've never been here," said Martina Flannagan, 25.

Rachelle Lint, of Windber, was with Flannagan and DiRenzo.

"There are a lot of people here, and I'm glad to see it," Lint said. "I've been trying to see Brandon Niederauer for years. He's extremely talented. I'm glad he came to Johnstown."