By the Watertown Post
In the vast northern stretch between the Adirondacks and the Thousand Islands, where the Black River roars and Lake Ontario shimmers, a quiet musical revolution has been brewing for decades. You won’t find it on the neon strips of Nashville or the hipster cafes of Brooklyn, but if you’re anywhere near Watertown, New York, or Kingston, Ontario—you’re in the cradle of something raw, real, and unapologetically talented.
Let’s kick things off with Efrem Wilder, a genre-bending sonic architect from Watertown who’s currently lighting it up with two killer projects: Starwater and Volume Control. Think ambient dreamscapes fused with funked-out jazz and a sprinkle of space rock. It’s music that doesn’t ask for permission—it takes your mind, buckles it into a seat, and launches it straight into orbit. Efrem’s guitar work weaves between soul-splitting solos and cosmic textures, making Starwater a must-hear for fans of Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and everything in between.
Swing a drumstick over to Sean Paddock, another Watertown native who’s spent the last two decades quietly (okay, maybe not so quietly) holding down the beat for none other than Kenny Chesney. Yeah, that Kenny Chesney—the island cowboy with stadiums full of sunburned fans singing along. Paddock isn’t just a drummer—he’s a rhythm scientist, sculpting grooves that fuel hits like “When the Sun Goes Down” and “American Kids.” And when he’s not on tour, Sean’s back home building beats in the lab, collaborating with producers, and mentoring the next wave of Watertown’s finest.
But that’s not where the rock stops.
Did you know that members of Blue Öyster Cult have deep ties to this region? That’s right—the band behind “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and “Burnin’ for You” has sent sonic shockwaves through the north country more than once. Their guitar-slinging legend Buck Dharma (aka Donald Roeser) may not be from Watertown directly, but the BÖC touring machine has long loved this part of the map, and the group’s cult fanbase runs strong along the Route 11 corridor. They’re part of the musical DNA up here—alongside cover bands that play “Godzilla” at county fairs and dive bars that still crank Agents of Fortune on the jukebox.
Cross the border to Kingston, Ontario, and the vibe doesn’t just continue—it erupts.
You can’t talk Kingston without bowing to the gods of Canadian rock: The Tragically Hip. Frontman Gord Downie was the poet laureate of the north, and his legacy lingers in every guitar pick and lyric sheet. The city still pulses with that same defiant spirit—homegrown, passionate, and just a little bit haunted.
But Kingston isn’t stuck in nostalgia. The indie scene is alive and hungry, churning out fresh sounds from acts like Miss Emily, The Wilderness, and Kasador—bands that have no problem filling local halls and crossing into upstate New York to stir up new fans.
What is it about this stretch of North America that keeps churning out talent? Maybe it’s the harsh winters that push people inside to pick up guitars. Maybe it’s the isolation that forces creativity to grow wild and weird. Or maybe it’s just something in the water—Starwater, perhaps?
From Paddock’s stadium-shaking drums to Wilder’s interstellar guitar journeys, from the ghost of Gord Downie to the riffs of Blue Öyster Cult, the Watertown-Kingston corridor is a highway of sound worth traveling. This isn’t just a blip on the map—it’s a region that refuses to be quiet. And it’s only getting louder.
So plug in, press play, and don’t sleep on the North Country. The next great band might just be rehearsing in a garage near you.
— The Watertown Post 🎸🛶🔥
