Out of the shadows of local open mic night’s climbs a whole new beast. I have been checking out the new stuff from Craving Cadence. A band with a sound that blends many different genres of music, and spans the 80’s, 90’s,00s and today. I talked with the guys about how they met, who they grew up listening to and what lies ahead as they erupt onto the Albany music scene. 

Who is the best band or artist you’ve seen live?

PETE

I have seen so many great acts in my time that it would be difficult to say who was the best. They all brought their own identity and flavor to their sound. Whether it was Ozzy, Dio, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, or Kansas, they all brought their best to the stage.

KENT

I'd have to say every band I've seen was the absolute best version of themselves at the time they were performing. I really enjoy when good songs are performed by good bands. That is what I consider a great show. When a band puts themselves into the performance, nothing beats that!

CALVIN

The concert I enjoyed the most was seeing G3 at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston with John Petrucci of Dream Theater, Steve Vai, and Joe Satriani, who are three of my favorite guitarists.

JON

Tesla at Northern Lights. I was 15 and managed to fight my way to the front, maybe six feet from the stage. They put on a killer live show, but with them being my favorite band and getting a high five from the lead singer during 'What You Give,' it would be a hard one to top.

How did Craving Cadence come together, and how long has the band been active?

PETE

Kent, Calvin, and I spent a few years working on a recording project at my home studio. Around August 2025, as fate would have it, we met Jon Bessette at an open mic in Clifton Park, and the rest is history in the making.

KENT

You are catching us on our inaugural run. Craving Cadence is a combination of incredible individuals who form a team, take musical mayhem, and turn it into a fun taste of everything we like. The band has a long history; a few of us have played in diverse groups together over the years, but this combination is on a whole other level - the best of the best. We began the journey about a year ago. A few of us were performing under another name, and then when we met Jon, bam! The combination of music and lyrics made us stop and look at each other like, 'Whoa, what did we just discover?'

CALVIN

Kent, Pete, and I were working on another original project. While working on that project, I met Jon at an open mic at Black Bear Inn in Watervliet and remembered how talented he was. When Kent, Pete, and I decided to expand and put together something new, Kent and I went to the Wicked open mic and happened to see Jon there. Remembering how great he was, I told Kent he might be our guy. I'm glad it worked out! We also had another guitarist named Ezra with us in the beginning, before we even landed on the name Craving Cadence, but the timing just didn't work out for him.

JON

I met the rest of the guys when I was playing a solo show at Wicked. They had been looking for a lead singer and someone to collaborate with on songwriting. That was around May 2025, so we've been at it for about a year and a half, writing and recording ideas for our first album. We started playing live this summer to get an idea of how audiences would receive us, and so far, so good!

Your sound blends modern rock and 90s alternative -  whoare the artists that shaped your musical direction?

PETE

Each one of us brings a different flavor to the table when it comes to creating music. We all have different tastes that blend well together. I find myself gravitating toward influences such as Def Leppard, Papa Roach, Shinedown, and Alice in Chains.

KENT

I think it is best described by the music of rock legends and the influence of what we grew up playing. As for what we listen to now, I think it is fair to say our own material. Not to sound egotistical, but when you have a new sound, it is best to stay on top of it and keep writing, without any more influence than what the other guys bring from their own backgrounds.

CALVIN

For me, I would paraphrase something I've heard Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme say: I'm influenced by everything I hear. When I first started listening to music, I was really into glam and pop-rock bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, Skid Row, and Extreme. Then I got into Dream Theater; blues artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King; country artists like Brad Paisley; 2000s rock such as Lifehouse, Breaking Benjamin, Fuel, and Staind; and pop-punk and emo bands like Paramore, Dashboard Confessional, Simple Plan, My Chemical Romance, and Boys Like Girls. What's great about Craving Cadence is that we're able to blend all our influences into something unique.

JON

Right now, as far as our direction, we're each throwing out ideas and seeing what we all think sounds cool. None of us has gone into a song thinking, 'Let's sound like this particular artist.' We just write songs we can all agree on. I can only speak for my own influences and point to artists like Tesla, Jani Lane, Alice in Chains, and Metallica. I grew up on '80s rock and metal and branched out from there into all kinds of bands and songwriters: The Rat Race, Freak of Nature, McQueen Street, Wildside, Cinderella - I could do this all day!

You’ve played a few shows in Albany - how did those go and did they help you get in front of new fans?

PETE

The shows were fantastic. Having the opportunity to open for an act like Council was awesome. The fans were great! I had the opportunity to see some familiar faces, meet new people, and hit it off with the Reeves brothers.

KENT

The Albany gigs were great, especially Ophelia's. It put a lot of new eyes on us, which is great for any new band. We look forward to booking even more shows in the upcoming year.

CALVIN

The shows have been great! We had a great time opening for Council, and we're hoping we can do more with them. Getting in front of new fans is definitely the goal right now. We want to get our music out there and find the people who will dig it as much as we do.

JON

Playing live has gone well so far! Any time you play a show, it gives you the chance to introduce yourself to new people. After performing at an acoustic festival a couple of months ago, we discovered that our music translates well to that format too. It has been a lot of fun getting out there after spending so long writing and recording.

You recently teased the “next chapter of Craving Cadence” on Facebook. What can you share about what’s coming?

PETE

We have a lot of new material in the works, with new singles followed by an EP to be released in the near future, along with future shows to be announced.

KENT

The next chapter looks pretty crazy. We have a four-song pre-release EP planned that should hopefully be out within the next month or so. We also have many new songs that are nearly finished and will be heading toward an album, along with single releases over the next year. At the same time, we're setting up gigs and support opportunities to reach new fans. We also have all kinds of new merchandise coming.

CALVIN

Not yet! But we and 40 & Feral are cooking up something exciting, so stay tuned!

JON

We have a full album's worth of songs - if not more - pretty much ready to go. You'll hear music from us very soon. Lots of shows and releases are in our future!

What’s been the biggest milestone for the band so far?

PETE

Meeting new fans and, of course, being invited to interview with Ralph Renna, Joey Boots, and WABY.

KENT

To be honest, the biggest highlight so far, other than meeting some incredible new fans, is doing this interview with this incredible radio station and its awesome hosts.

CALVIN

The show with Council was a great milestone. That was the first time we played a full set of our own songs.

JON

Getting out and performing a proper live set of all-original songs was a big milestone. It took a lot of work and commitment from everyone to reach that point. Now we are focused on finishing the recordings, so we will have a physical piece of music to give fans when they hear something they like.

Where’s the best place for listeners to follow the band and stay updated on what you’re doing? 

Out of the shadows of local open mic night’s climbs a whole new beast. I have been checking out the new stuff from Craving Cadence. A band with a sound that blends many different genres of music, and spans the 80’s, 90’s,00s and today. I talked with the guys about how they met, who they grew up listening to and what lies ahead as they erupt onto the Albany music scene. 

Who is the best band or artist you’ve seen live?

PETE

I have seen so many great acts in my time that it would be difficult to say who was the best. They all brought their own identity and flavor to their sound. Whether it was Ozzy, Dio, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, or Kansas, they all brought their best to the stage.

KENT

I'd have to say every band I've seen was the absolute best version of themselves at the time they were performing. I really enjoy when good songs are performed by good bands. That is what I consider a great show. When a band puts themselves into the performance, nothing beats that!

CALVIN

The concert I enjoyed the most was seeing G3 at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston with John Petrucci of Dream Theater, Steve Vai, and Joe Satriani, who are three of my favorite guitarists.

JON

Tesla at Northern Lights. I was 15 and managed to fight my way to the front, maybe six feet from the stage. They put on a killer live show, but with them being my favorite band and getting a high five from the lead singer during 'What You Give,' it would be a hard one to top.

How did Craving Cadence come together, and how long has the band been active?

PETE

Kent, Calvin, and I spent a few years working on a recording project at my home studio. Around August 2025, as fate would have it, we met Jon Bessette at an open mic in Clifton Park, and the rest is history in the making.

KENT

You are catching us on our inaugural run. Craving Cadence is a combination of incredible individuals who form a team, take musical mayhem, and turn it into a fun taste of everything we like. The band has a long history; a few of us have played in diverse groups together over the years, but this combination is on a whole other level - the best of the best. We began the journey about a year ago. A few of us were performing under another name, and then when we met Jon, bam! The combination of music and lyrics made us stop and look at each other like, 'Whoa, what did we just discover?'

CALVIN

Kent, Pete, and I were working on another original project. While working on that project, I met Jon at an open mic at Black Bear Inn in Watervliet and remembered how talented he was. When Kent, Pete, and I decided to expand and put together something new, Kent and I went to the Wicked open mic and happened to see Jon there. Remembering how great he was, I told Kent he might be our guy. I'm glad it worked out! We also had another guitarist named Ezra with us in the beginning, before we even landed on the name Craving Cadence, but the timing just didn't work out for him.

JON

I met the rest of the guys when I was playing a solo show at Wicked. They had been looking for a lead singer and someone to collaborate with on songwriting. That was around May 2025, so we've been at it for about a year and a half, writing and recording ideas for our first album. We started playing live this summer to get an idea of how audiences would receive us, and so far, so good!

Your sound blends modern rock and 90s alternative -  whoare the artists that shaped your musical direction?

PETE

Each one of us brings a different flavor to the table when it comes to creating music. We all have different tastes that blend well together. I find myself gravitating toward influences such as Def Leppard, Papa Roach, Shinedown, and Alice in Chains.

KENT

I think it is best described by the music of rock legends and the influence of what we grew up playing. As for what we listen to now, I think it is fair to say our own material. Not to sound egotistical, but when you have a new sound, it is best to stay on top of it and keep writing, without any more influence than what the other guys bring from their own backgrounds.

CALVIN

For me, I would paraphrase something I've heard Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme say: I'm influenced by everything I hear. When I first started listening to music, I was really into glam and pop-rock bands like Bon Jovi, Poison, Skid Row, and Extreme. Then I got into Dream Theater; blues artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King; country artists like Brad Paisley; 2000s rock such as Lifehouse, Breaking Benjamin, Fuel, and Staind; and pop-punk and emo bands like Paramore, Dashboard Confessional, Simple Plan, My Chemical Romance, and Boys Like Girls. What's great about Craving Cadence is that we're able to blend all our influences into something unique.

JON

Right now, as far as our direction, we're each throwing out ideas and seeing what we all think sounds cool. None of us has gone into a song thinking, 'Let's sound like this particular artist.' We just write songs we can all agree on. I can only speak for my own influences and point to artists like Tesla, Jani Lane, Alice in Chains, and Metallica. I grew up on '80s rock and metal and branched out from there into all kinds of bands and songwriters: The Rat Race, Freak of Nature, McQueen Street, Wildside, Cinderella - I could do this all day!

You’ve played a few shows in Albany - how did those go and did they help you get in front of new fans?

PETE

The shows were fantastic. Having the opportunity to open for an act like Council was awesome. The fans were great! I had the opportunity to see some familiar faces, meet new people, and hit it off with the Reeves brothers.

KENT

The Albany gigs were great, especially Ophelia's. It put a lot of new eyes on us, which is great for any new band. We look forward to booking even more shows in the upcoming year.

CALVIN

The shows have been great! We had a great time opening for Council, and we're hoping we can do more with them. Getting in front of new fans is definitely the goal right now. We want to get our music out there and find the people who will dig it as much as we do.

JON

Playing live has gone well so far! Any time you play a show, it gives you the chance to introduce yourself to new people. After performing at an acoustic festival a couple of months ago, we discovered that our music translates well to that format too. It has been a lot of fun getting out there after spending so long writing and recording.

You recently teased the “next chapter of Craving Cadence” on Facebook. What can you share about what’s coming?

PETE

We have a lot of new material in the works, with new singles followed by an EP to be released in the near future, along with future shows to be announced.

KENT

The next chapter looks pretty crazy. We have a four-song pre-release EP planned that should hopefully be out within the next month or so. We also have many new songs that are nearly finished and will be heading toward an album, along with single releases over the next year. At the same time, we're setting up gigs and support opportunities to reach new fans. We also have all kinds of new merchandise coming.

CALVIN

Not yet! But we and 40 & Feral are cooking up something exciting, so stay tuned!

JON

We have a full album's worth of songs - if not more - pretty much ready to go. You'll hear music from us very soon. Lots of shows and releases are in our future!

What’s been the biggest milestone for the band so far?

PETE

Meeting new fans and, of course, being invited to interview with Ralph Renna, Joey Boots, and WABY.

KENT

To be honest, the biggest highlight so far, other than meeting some incredible new fans, is doing this interview with this incredible radio station and its awesome hosts.

CALVIN

The show with Council was a great milestone. That was the first time we played a full set of our own songs.

JON

Getting out and performing a proper live set of all-original songs was a big milestone. It took a lot of work and commitment from everyone to reach that point. Now we are focused on finishing the recordings, so we will have a physical piece of music to give fans when they hear something they like.

Where’s the best place for listeners to follow the band and stay updated on what you’re doing? 

PETE

The best place, as we continue to move forward, is our website, CravingCadence.com, and our Facebook and Instagram pages, where listeners can keep up with our exciting next moves.

KENT

The best place to reach us is our website, CravingCadence.com. Also check us out on Instagram and Facebook for upcoming shows, events, album releases, and more.

CALVIN

Listeners can find us on Facebook and Instagram, as well as at CravingCadence.com. Anyone interested in putting together a show can contact 40 & Feral at 40andferal@gmail.com.

JON

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Craving Cadence or visit CravingCadence.com