In The Spotlight with “The Pixie Dix” An Eclectic Mix of Music, Talent and Fun!
By: Krista Doran
Isn’t it funny sometimes how things just seem to work out? Sometimes we have days where nothing goes right, then all of a sudden things just seem to come together. And when this happens, these are usually the times when something very special comes fourth for us. This is what I think of when I think of this month’s featured band, The Pixie Dix.
All six members of this band had been working on the music scene in one way or another or in and out of various bands. Their lead singer, Sharon Rivera met bassist Kevin Wilkes and guitarist Carmen Pannulla at local open mics and formed a friendship. From there, they decided to put together an acoustic trio, but it wasn’t long before they realized they had something special. They decided that they wanted to play more of a variety of songs and knew that in order to do so their sound needed to be bigger, so they called on their friends Dave Taggart, Joe Silvia and Andrew Sumbillo.
I spoke to drummer Dave Taggart who explained to me, “We’re not confined to playing any certain style of music. We play an eclectic mix that appeals to a wide variety of people. We are able to offer a little something for everyone, due to each of our individual musical influences.” I have seen the band in action and they certainly do play a great mix, ranging from Journey and Michael Jackson to Adele and Alice in Chains. Their set lists are built around the song requests of their friends and growing following. Dave told me, “Its not about what we want to play. It’s more about what people want to hear. After all, if it wasn’t for the people who come to see us, we wouldn’t be doing what we love to do.”
The Pixie Dix certainly has all their bases covered with great talent. I have personally known almost every one of the members for years and can honestly say this is not only a good band, but they are all good people, too. They have a loyal and large following that keeps getting bigger with every show and they greatly respect the opportunity to be able to play music together. Although the whole band is great, their lead singer Sharon Rivera is truly a diamond in the rough. She has had no professional training as a singer, yet her voice is amazing! Sharon is very well known on the open mic circuit, and in 2011 the won 1st Place at the “Bucks County Idol” contest, held at McStew’s in Levittown. In 2012, she took 2nd Place in the Parx Casino’s “Parx Got Talent” contest. She is ego-free and I sometimes wonder if she really knows how truly talented she is. Drummer, Dave Taggart and Bassist Kevin Wilkes have been in various local bands including Zero Tolerance and Jekyll’s Hyde, while Lead Guitarist Joe Sylvia played in such bands as Ambush and Band Kamp. Guitarist Carmen Pannulla started playing at a very young age and pulls his influence mostly from folk and acoustic singer/songwriter styles. Their keyboard player Andrew Sumbillo has played in bands both locally and in CA and is the owner of The Bensalem School of Musical Arts. You can tell they love playing together, too! Their shows are lots always of fun.
You can catch Pixie Dix playing in several local rooms known for music, including The Temperance House in Newtown, Fluke’s in NE Philly and The Stadium in Levittown. Here are a few of their upcoming dates: 7/20 – Marie’s Cozy Corner in Levittown, PA; 8/4 – 5 Points Stadium in Levittown, PA; 8/18 – The BCMA Motorcycle Rodeo at The Newportville Firehouse in Levittown, PA and 8/25 – Sparky’s in Levittown, PA. They host an open mic every other Thursday at The American Legion Post 960 located at 1537 Woodbourne Rd in Levittown, which will start again on 8/1/12. They are also the perfect band to have play at private parties and will often give of their time to play at local charity events.
The Pixie Dix is a band that will brighten up any room with their wide range of music. To learn more about the band, check out their Facebook page by searching PixieDix. Be sure to go out and see them and if you would like to book the band for your bar, club or private event, please contact Dave Taggart at 215-962-7285. The Pixie Dix is: Sharon Rivera – Lead Vocals; Carmen Pannulla – Acoustic Guitar and Vocals; Kevin Wilkes – Bass Guitar and Vocals; Joe Silvia – Lead Guitar; Andrew Sumbillo – Keys and Vocals; Dave Taggart – Drums/Percussion and Vocals.