Harmar guitarist's band earns multiple Iron City Rocks awards
When he was teaching himself to play guitar at 12 years old, Matthew Kamenicky imagined being in a rock ’n’ roll band someday.
What he couldn’t have imagined was that, not long after forming the rock group Steel Mill Rising, he’d be getting a call from an ESPN official asking if the band would be willing to play as part of a “Monday Night Football” broadcast in 2019.
“That was an experience I’ll never forget and will always be thankful for,” said Kamenicky, 26, of Harmar.
By day, the 2014 Pine-Richland graduate is a special education teacher in Fox Chapel Area School District.
But after the final bell rings, he slings a guitar over his shoulder to perform, rehearse or work on songwriting for Steel Mill Rising, which focuses on classic rock in addition to original tunes.
“My mother and father are huge music fans, so I grew up listening to the artists and bands that were popular when they were growing up,” Kamenicky said. “I was hooked from the first time I heard ‘American Girl’ (by Tom Petty). We’re moving in an original direction now, but it’s always great to play a classic song that inspired me to pick up my guitar.”
That inspiration led to the band winning four awards from local podcast Iron City Rocks for Best Singer/Songwriter, Best Rock ’n’ Roll Band, Best Song and Best Album.
The band has performed regularly at Jergel’s Rhythm Grille and is working on a follow-up to its most recent record, 2021’s “Highway Traveler.”
Kamenicky said he typically draws on his experience when writing new songs.
“I want to write music that people can connect with during the good and bad times,” he said. “There’s no feeling like hearing a song that provides you with clarity and shines a light on your own situation.”
Kamenicky said that following the ESPN performance, the band raised its profile and is getting more attention — and gigs.
“I’m happiest when I’m onstage with my band,” he said. “We understand each other’s role in the band and collectively share the same goal of providing an energetic performance to our audience.”
More information at Facebook.com/SteelMillRising.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.