When Cory Paternoster was in second grade, his teacher asked the class to write down one thing they wished to have. The children took turns writing their wishes on a piece of paper with a sunflower on it, and eventually its petals comprised a variety of wishes you might expect a youngster to have. Some kids desired the new Power Ranger action figure, and others wanted the sun to shine every day. But for as long as he can remember, Paternoster has had one wish: to be a rock star.

"Before I even played any instruments, I would pretend I was in a band and play air guitar," Paternoster laughed. "I played on a drum pad for a year and a half while I saved up for a drum set. I would put money in a coffee jar with a picture of a drum kit my parents taped to it."

Today, the sunflower drawing hangs on the wall at Paternoster's childhood home in Landisville. Meanwhile, Paternoster is living his younger self's dream of being a full-time musician in Lancaster city. The 2012 Hempfield High School graduate is no stranger to the stage, and he performs frequently with multiple bands, but Paternoster's relationship with music is much more than playing shows or touring across the country. Paternoster is one of the co-founders of the Upside, a rehearsal space in northeast Lancaster city that offers services specializing in every aspect of a performing artist's career. Paternoster uses the space to teach private drum lessons, and the facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art recording studio and equipment for music production and engineering. The Upside also functions as a live music venue, making it a pillar of Lancaster's underground scene as well as a one-stop shop for everything ambitious rockers need to chase their dreams.

Paternoster earned his stripes as a veteran of the Lancaster music scene by recording and performing with many different acts over the last decade; his resume includes bands such as Sun Not Yellow, Northern Gloom and his former solo project, which was eventually renamed Whose Hands Are These? Although drums are Paternoster's specialty, you can find him belting lead vocals and playing guitar depending on which band he's performing with.

Paternoster's oldest active band, Sun Not Yellow, also includes fellow seasoned rockers Jesse Barki and Caden Myers, forming a tightly knit trio that uses the project as a vehicle for delivering punchy, danceable concerts with the efficiency of a well-oiled machine. If you ever have the chance to attend one of Sun Not Yellow's live shows, you'll likely find an electrifying performance that features Paternoster's playfully explosive drumming prowess accompanied by Barki's affective guitar melodies and clever lyricism. Myers may fill the customary role of a rock band's taciturn bassist, but don't be fooled; he lets his basslines do the talking, and they have a lot to say.

Paternoster, Barki and Myers met as students at Lebanon Valley College (LVC) more than 10 years ago. The three friends first shared a stage as members of the Mellowells, a four-piece indie rock outfit that included additional guitar and vocals from fellow LVC alumnus John DiCocco. After graduating from LVC, Myers and Barki moved to their hometowns in York and upstate New York, respectively, and DiCocco entered Philadelphia's underground music scene. After earning a degree in music recording technology and music performance, Paternoster returned to Lancaster, where he took up a job in food service and started teaching drum lessons.

Barki and Myers eventually joined Paternoster in Lancaster, and Sun Not Yellow quickly became a prolific member of the DIY music scene. Paternoster transitioned to teaching drum lessons full time amidst tours, recording sessions and local shows, and he found the studio space that would become the Upside in 2019. Despite the coronavirus pandemic halting the live music industry in 2020, the Upside has gradually expanded its square footage and roster of services. Paternoster said his eventual goal is to make the Upside the foundation of a new record label, and to offer an all-encompassing package for artists to record an album, have it mixed and play the release show - all in one place.

"I usually tell people that there are plenty of recording studios in Lancaster that scratch certain itches," said Paternoster. "(The Upside) is a little more raw. We have the stuff you need to record, but we're going to be trying to capture the energy, and we might try using a weird little room microphone to see what happens."

For more information about Paternoster's music or lessons, visit http://www.corypaternoster.com.

To learn more about the Upside, check out @theupsidelancaster on Instagram.