
 Even with the strong group of artists and musicians in Rochester, the existence of neighborhood podcasts devoted to covering the scene is decidedly spottier. Introduced in March 2022, 1 new podcast aiming to fill the void is “The System,” a series of month-to-month, a single-on-just one discussions with creators, hosted by musician, dancer, and trainer Siena Facciolo.
But “The Method” could not have come to fruition without “Rochester Groovecast,” a popular audio and tradition podcast created in 2016 by Ben Albert, who now operates the business enterprise marketing business Balbert Advertising LLC and the “Real Small business Connections” community of podcasts.
6 a long time back, Albert consistently binge-listened to podcasts, but he could not uncover any distinct to the Rochester new music scene, he claims. He was also sensation the weight of apathy as a consumer of the local cultural scene: he attended nearby reveals and acquired drinks at the bar, but he felt like he was contributing very little in the way of new benefit.
“So that was my way of introducing price,” he states. “I appreciated learning from people, I appreciated inquiring concerns. I liked the regional audio scene, and I beloved podcasting. So it was variety of just on a whim, ‘Let’s begin a podcast for the reason that this is some thing that our metropolis requires.’”

 “Rochester Groovecast” became a way for Albert to lead to the new music group and advocate for area artists. He went on to deliver 122 episodes more than six decades, accomplishing virtually 36,000 listens on Soundcloud due to the fact the podcast’s inception. In the initial numerous a long time, episodes were released sporadically in conjunction with distinct festivals or other functions. But the pandemic-linked shutdowns sparked a productive rate in which Albert created, on normal, much more than just one episode weekly involving April 2020 and Could 2021. Artists on the podcast involved Avis Reese of Danielle Ponder’s band, Joe Stehle of The Sideways, Teagan Ward, Tyler Westcott of Folkfaces, and Facciolo herself.
By November 2020, however, Albert had started a next podcast termed “Rochester Company Connections“ in which neighborhood business enterprise professionals in a vast selection of fields have shared their operate activities and tips with listeners. For him, picking Siena Facciolo to host a new present below the “Rochester Groovecast” banner was about getting the best particular person to whom he could relinquish innovative manage though keeping the “Rochester Groovecast” title obvious and suitable.

 Facciolo sees some obvious connective tissue between “Rochester Groovecast” and “The Approach.” She recalls her physical appearance on the previous podcast and how Albert took curiosity in her and her bandmates as men and women in a way that went further than the songs, a quality she appears to be like to carry on in her possess present, even as she expands its scope to consist of visual artists as very well as musicians.
And in which the discussions on “Rochester Groovecast” would typically revolve about a particular track or album of the musician being interviewed, conversations on “The System” are less structured and far more individual and intimate. In the podcast’s initially episode, Facciolo and R&B-soul musician Zahyia opened up to each individual other about psychological well being struggles and their effects on creativeness.
“So a lot of persons are living with these factors, and we just require to communicate about it so that individuals really do not sense as by yourself,” Facciolo suggests.
Facciolo states the podcast exists as a way for her to commiserate with fellow artists and have therapeutic conversations even though offering listeners with empathy and appreciation for the life of imaginative individuals.
“I want to get to the fact of people’s activities. Which is all I want. I you should not care what the reality is. I just want them to tell the truth on the podcast. Which is all I care about.” Facciolo suggests the podcast is also meant to inspire persons to be much more imaginative in their possess life.
“The Method” is available at rochestergroovecast.com, and on other podcast streaming platforms, which include Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Going ahead, Albert sees “The Course of action” as the first product of the Rochester Groovecast Collective — what he hopes will be an increasing network of podcasters, writers, and photographers that will address the nearby audio and lifestyle scene.
“That’s constantly been the vision,” Albert suggests. “But it’s always been a side hustle. And it is even now a aspect hustle. But section of why I’m humbled that Siena is retaining it heading so strong is it’s not likely wherever. And even if this eyesight isn’t going to arrive to fruition for an additional 10 a long time, it will.”
Daniel J. Kushner is CITY’s arts editor. He can be attained at [email protected].
