TUDOR LOUNGE
335 Franklin St.
Proud Supporter of Buffalo's Independent Bands & Music

Buffalo River Fest
Jun 20-21 2007
Father Conway Park
Between Ohio & Louisiana Streets

National Buffalo Wing Festival
August 30 - 31, 2008
Dunn Tire Park
275 Washington St. Bflo.
565-4141

Taste of Ellicottville
Aug 9 - 10, 2008
Throughout the Villiage
Ellicottville, NY

Concert Review - By Bob Silvestri
bobsilvestri@bestofwny.com

All though he now resides in New York City and his music has taken him literally all over the world Willie Nile remains a Buffalonian at heart. His hometown concerts have turned into triumphant celebrations of family, friends and fans. His most recent appearance at The Tralf in Downtown Buffalo on June 13th, 2009 was no different. His now regular band for these home town shows is The Brothers Band a collection of Nile's family and outstanding local musicians consisting of Tim Noonan, Tom Noonan, Chris Knab, Eric Apen, Steve Barik and John Honan. Special guests joining the band for a couple of numbers this evening were Bob Fera and Don Tomasula. The nearly sold out crowd were treated to a number of new tunes from Nile's outstanding new CD House of a Thousand Guitars. Kicking off the show with the title cut from the new disc the band steered right into "Run" also from the new CD. Next were three favorites from the Nile canon "Asking Annie Out", "She's So Cold" and his early masterpiece "Vagabond Moon". A cover of the Who's "Substitute" got the crowd going as did "Give Me Tomorrow" and a swaggering "Doomsday Dance" the latter two tracks from the new disc. "Golden Down" a brilliant composition from his early oeuvre but seldom played in his regular sets came next. The song appears to be a regular only for hometown gigs as he has played it at previous shows. Nile took a seat at the piano for a couple of acoustic numbers "The Crossing" from the Martin Scorsese movie Gangs of New York and "Yesterday's Dreams" from his disc Places I Have Never Been. The one two punch of "Hard Times in America" and "Cell Phones Ringing" came next followed by "You Gotta Be a Buddha" and "Heaven Help the Lonely" before closing the set with "Magdalena" another outstanding song from the new CD. Nile and the band returned for an encore to thunderous applause from the crowd and tore thru a medley of "Blitzkrieg Bop", "California Sun" and "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" before calling it a night with "Little Light" and "Police on My Back". Nile a member of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame is the consummate rock performer and truly Buffalo's prodigal son. For more information about Willie Nile go to www.willienile.com and for more information about the great lineup of upcoming shows at The Tralf go to www.tralfmusichall.com.

Concert Review - By Bob Silvestri
bobsilvestri@bestofwny.com

The Tragically Hip laid siege to Artpark in Lewiston, NY for a four night stand on June 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th. A favorite venue of the band they have played there more than a half dozen shows in the last three years. All four of these shows sold out almost instantly necessitating the opening of lawn seats for the Friday and Saturday night shows. The band is currently touring behind their brilliant new release We Are The Same and all four shows were unique in song selection and performance. Here is a recap of each night's show.

-Tuesday June 2nd-
The large doors are closed that open to the lawn seating creating a somewhat intimate setting as the band kicks off the first set with a rousing "The Depression Suite" from the new CD before ripping into "Family Band" and "Gift Shop". The band seems tentative however and plays rushed versions of "New Orleans is Sinking" and "Lonely End of the Rink". The second set opening acoustic numbers include a beautiful run thru "Fiddler's Green" and "Ahead by a Century". Highlights from the second set include a stunning "Nautical Disaster", "Morning Moon" and "Grace Too". The two song encore features "The Dark Canuck" and "Little Bones".

-Thursday June 4th-
The doors remain closed tonight also and the band seems to be settling in to the comforts of Artpark. Again tonight and for the entire four night stand the highlight will be the material from the new CD. The triple shot opening of "Love is a First", "The Drop Off" and "Courage" nearly blow the doors open. A rarely played "Daredevil" shows up in homage of the proximity to Niagara Falls. While "Frozen in My Tracks" and "Morning Moon" show the strength of the new material. The band nails "Fifty Mission Cap" to close the first set. Tonight's acoustic set features the crowd favorite "Bobcaygeon". Once again "The Depression Suite" sounds great and the band deals out killer versions of "Poets" and "Fully Completely" before closing with "Locked in the Trunk of a Car". Tonight's encores are "It's a Good Life if You Don't Weaken" and "Blow at High Dough".

-Friday June 5th-
The doors to the lawn are opened and the large crowd is bursting with anticipation as the band hits the stage. Gord Downie acknowledges the lawn crowd and the now open spacious venue. The entire first set is simply jaw dropping. They kick off with "Honey, Please" from the new CD and continue with "Yer Not The Ocean", "Gift Shop", "Morning Moon" and "Ahead by a Century" before coming up for air. Gord dedicates the next number "The Dire Wolf" to local music legend Bruce Moser who missed the shows due to health concerns. They follow that with "Speed River" and finally bust out "At the Hundredth Meridian" to the crowds frenzied response. "Love is a First" and "In View" follow before a first set closing "The Depression Suite". Second set includes acoustic versions of "Boots or Hearts", "Flamenco" and "Scared". A blistering "Poets", "Pigeon Camera", "Courage" and "Grace Too" prove to be second set crowd pleasers as well. "My Music at Work" closes the set and the two song encore is "Now the Struggle Has a Name" and "New Orleans is Sinking". Except for the idiot who managed to get on stage during the first set, Friday night's show was far and away the best of the four night stand. Oh and the idiot who jumped on stage? He was tackled from the stage to the floor of the crowd by the band's guitar tech and the security crew promptly put a head lock on him and escorted him from the venue. What a jerk he missed a great show.

-Saturday June 6th-
The band wraps up the four night stand with a somewhat subdued performance. The lawn doors are open again and the large crowd seems to enjoy the beautiful evening. The new material will again be the highlight of the show as the band opens with "The Last Recluse". "Coffee Girl", "Morning Moon" and "Love is a First" from the first set stand out also. Other first set highlights include "Twist My Arm", "It Can't Be Nashville Every Night", "At the Hundredth Meridian" and "Bobcaygeon" before closing with "Tiger the Lion". The second set acoustic numbers include "The Bear", "Fireworks" and "Wheat Kings". Other songs of note from the second set include "Yawning and Snarling", "The Inevitability of Death", "Nautical Disaster", "Springtime in Vienna" and "Little Bones" Tonight's encores are "Frozen in My Tracks" and "Blow at High Dough".

Truly the Tragically Hip's four night stand at Artpark will go down as one of the more memorable concert experiences in the annals of Western New York music history. Lots of thanks to go around here including Jenn and Bernie at Bernie Breen Management, Mark Vreeken from The Hip for the set lists and hospitality, Donnie and Artie at Funtime and of course Bruce Moser. For more on the Tragically Hip check out www.thehip.com

By Rich Kallay
rich@bowny.com

     Massachusetts born bass player extraordinaire Tony Levin and his band Stick Men will take the stage on June 20th at the Tralfamadore Cafe. I recently had the pleasure to talk with Tony after returning home from Europe and gearing up for the States.
     RK- How would you describe your band Stick Men?
     TL- Stick Men is a fun band for us, and quite an unusual one. First, of course, there is the unusual and versatile instrument, the Chapman Stick. Pretty rare to have two in one group - then add in Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson's drummer) and his electronic looping and percussion in addition to the regular kit - and you have a lot of options that are different from what bands usually do. Pat and I, having been together in King Crimson for the last 15 years, have a tight bond together and similar approach to making our music progressive - always trying new approaches. And Michael Bernier, a Kingston based Stick player, has a very different approach to the instrument than any of the world's Stick community - playing it with bow, and other techniques he's developed on his own.
     We do a variety of music in the live show - some brand new (from our upcoming cd) some from my last release ("Stick Man") and of course, some Crimson material. Many nights we try some improvs too.
     We've just come back from 26 shows in Europe, so we're playing tight and I think we have our own sound and approach. Hopefully makes for an exciting, unique night of music.
     RK-Who or what inspired you to take up the upright bass at age 10?
     TL- Don't really know what it is about the bass that appealed to me, but I liked it at a very young age, and amazingly after many years, I still really enjoy just playing the bass.
     RK- Who are you listening to these days?
     TL- Sleeptime Gorilla Museum is my favorite group, and quite a large influence lately. Listening to Stravinsky a lot, because I want to record a few movements of the Firebird Ballet Suite for the upcoming Stick Men CD.
     RK- Are there any difference's between Europe and the United States when it comes to touring?
     TL- Tons of difference. First of all, touring with a big act (like Peter Gabriel, or to some extent King Crimson) is very different than touring with Stick Men, or my band, or the California Guitar Trio, whom I join a lot on the road. The difference is between van travel and planes or band bus. And the venue is where you'll spend a lot of your day - big difference between a rock club and an arena with more food backstage than we have in our houses.
     But to get to your point, my small projects are better attended in Europe than in the States, especially in Italy and Germany. That means I can do more shows, closer together, than here. It's partly the following but partly the economics of clubs, and what they need to do to stay in business - so they pay us less here in the States, and the distances (van and gas costs) are bigger - I'd love to do the old 6 weeks tours across the country, but alas, it's become more practical to do one region at a time.
     Check out Tony's web site http://tonylevin.com. He keeps a great road diary as well as photo's, video, music, tour dates and a link to Papa Bear Records where you can purchase any Tony Levin merchandise and music.
     And make sure you pick up your tickets to see Tony Levin with Stick Men at the Tralf on June 20th. A true American music icon..

Concert Preview - By Rich Kallay
rich@bowny.com

     Just when I thought that the summer concert schedule was going to be a bust, I see the Tralf's June lineup with the unpredictable and very progressive English band Van Der Graaf Generator. Here is the band that started it all and implanted that progressive rock nerve in most of us from that era. They were the 1st prog rock band to sign with Charisma records back in 1968. They were at the forefront of the progressive music scene along with King Crimson and Pink Floyd.
     After re-uniting in 2005, the current line up consists of Peter Hammill, Hugh Banton and Guy Evans. They have not played the States as a group since New York City in October of 1976. They achieved most of their success in Europe and never had the
proper record company backing to make it in the States.
     I saw them at Massey Hall in Toronto that same month and still have them on my list of best concerts ever.... This is a show that should not be missed simply for their achievements in progressive music. Open with the Strawbs and you have one very interesting evening of music. Also check out Tony Levin's Stickmen on June 20th. Great job over at The Tralf booking these two great shows.

CD Review - By Bob Silvestri
bobsilvestri@bestofwny.com

Volume six in the continuing series titled WBFO Gives Me The Blues has been released from the folks at WBFO. Always big supporters of the local music scene this disc serves up ten cuts from some of the outstanding blues bands grinding it out on the local music scene. Buffalo Music Hall of Fame members John Brady and Doug Yeomans turn in "Cold-Hearted Woman" and "Restless Man" respectively. Two of the areas most respected guitar players Maria Aurigema and Mark Winsick also contributed on this one, Aurigema's "Love is Like" and "Grew Up Lonely" from Winsick. Other tracks of note include "Leavin' Time' from Rod Nickson and "Battle-Ax" from Gregg Juke & The Mighty No-Stars. For more info go to www.wbfo.org/blues