Funk ‘n Waffles will pair its menu with some tunes at Tuesday night’s Salt City Showcase, featuring performances by local artists Ben Wayne, Zlatko Grozl and John Gooley along with live painting by Lisa Terry.

The Salt City Showcase is an event for performers who would like to build up to becoming a main act at Funk ‘n Waffles, said Charley Orlando, the talent buyer for the event.

But, Wayne and Grozl are no strangers to the central New York music scene and have played their fair share at the waffle shop.

“Syracuse is an odd town to try to start a music career in,” said Wayne, who works as a sales manager for a brake manufacturer. The Syracuse native said he plays many local shows.

According to his website, Wayne’s musical influences are “standard, everyday sins.” He said these include drinking too much, eating too much and smoking, adding that these types of everyday adventures are things people do but shouldn’t.

Originally a reggae and rock musician, Wayne said he’ll play whatever a crowd wants to hear. He said what matters most is that people enjoy the music.

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As a veteran Funk ‘n Waffles performer, Wayne knows how to work the crowd and said he loves to engage with audience members at the waffle joint.

“Funk ‘n Waffles is a good hot spot for local and regional acts,” Wayne said.

Grozl, who immigrated to the United States from Bosnia two decades ago, has lived in central New York for the majority of his life. He began performing at Funk ‘n Waffles when he started traveling around the area to perform at open mic nights.

He learned to play the guitar at 16 years old as a way to connect with his Bosnian roots after immigrating to the U.S. After learning Bosnian songs, he began writing his own music, using his everyday experiences as inspirations.

Grozl said he uses his songwriting as a form of therapy and began performing his original songs in 2010, along with some covers. At the showcase, Grozl said audience members can expect music inspired from his personal life.

“They can expect to see what sounds like a one-man-band kind of situation,” Grozl said, noting his love for looping sounds and layering his songs while playing.

With a mix of different genres and performers, the showcase offers an opportunity for listeners to see acts they otherwise might not, which is Orlando’s favorite part of the event.

“I love giving people a chance to show what they can do,” he said. “I look forward to hearing something I’ve never heard before.”

With a mix of reggae, rock, covers, looped and layered music along with songs in different languages, the showcase provides a variety of listening experiences for audience members.

The Salt City Showcase is Feb. 12 at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m.

Published on February 11, 2019 at 10:53 pm