The
Tralf Music Hall
622 Main Street Buffalo & WNY's top
music venue featuring the best bands & entertainment
around.
CLUB
PARADISE
3950 McKinley Parkway
Inside the Clarion Hotel Formerly the McKinley
Park Inn
Buffalo and WNY's Number
One Music and Dance Night Club
ELLICOTT
MANOR
16 Ellicott Place
Depew, New York 14043
(716) 684-5404 A Family owned and operated
restaurant serving the WNY area with pride since
1967.
THE
IRISH ROSE
418 Main Street
Youngstown, NY
(716) 745-9938 The
Irish Rose offers some of the finest and freshest
high quality food.
GRIFFINS
IRISH PUB
81 Abbott Rd The Emerld on Abbott
Road. The place to hang out with good friends
in a great atmosphere.
TUDOR
LOUNGE
335 Franklin St. Proud
Supporter of Buffalo's Independent Bands &
Music
THE
SPORTSMAN RESTAURANT
located on Alleghany Rd. Sunset Bay NY/U.S.A.
The best Chicken Wings
around can be found at the one and only Sportsman
Restaurant.
SPORTSMENS TAVERN
One of the best places to
see live music in WNY.
MOHAWK
PLACE
check out some of the upcoming shows at
the Mohawk Place.
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Buffalo
Music Hall of Fame Announces
Honorees for 27th Anniversary Induction Gala
The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame Class of 2010
will include the following:
JACK
BLANCHARD & MISTY MORGAN:
A performing duo who have been perennial country
music favorites. They received the Billboard
Magazine Country Duet of the Year, 1970 and
were selected over other high-profile stars
including Johnny and June Carter Cash. Their
crossover hit, "Tennessee Bird Walk",
topped the charts for weeks, they been made
Lifetime Members of The Country Music Association
and they have appeared on numerous national
television shows.
RAY
EVANS:
The songwriter of such enduring standards
as "Mona Lisa", "Silver Bells",
"Que Sera, Sera", and "Buttons
and Bows". Among his many achievements,
he and his partner, Jay Livingston, received
3 Academy Awards for Best Song, and were nominated
for 4 others.
JO
ANN FALLETTA:
Since stepping up to the podium as Music Director
of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in the
fall of 1999, Maestro Falletta has been credited
with bringing the Philharmonic to a new level
of national and international prominence.
The JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto
Competition has brought international acclaim
and attention to the classical guitar, the
Buffalo region, and the BPO.
JESSIE
GALANTE:
With her first band, "Actor", she
rapidly became the number one female singer
in the region and was crowned the city's "First
Lady of Rock". She is a prolific recording
artist with a following in both the U.S. and
Europe where her latest CD, SPITFIRE, is a
major hit.
KATHY
LYNN AND THE PLAYBOYS:
Originated in WNY in 1963. Their recordings
from '64 through '66 were local and regional
hits, and received national airplay. Their
recording deals included Motown Records as
the first non-black artist released on that
label.
EDDIE
TICE:
Is being inducted as a life-long promoter
of concerts in the Buffalo area, first with
Festival East Concerts & then with Harvey,
Corky & Tice Productions. Fans of sellout
performances of national and international
acts at Rich Stadium or the Memorial Auditorium
have Eddie Tice to thank for bringing these
acts to Buffalo.
MARK
WINSICK: As an energetic performer as
a singer and guitarist as well as producer
and song writer, Mark Winsick defines the
Sound of Buffalo Blues. An award-winning blues
guitarist, his guitar licks are equaled only
by his searing vocals, especially during his
popular live performances.
The
Buffalo Music Hall of Fame was created for
the cultural enhancement and enrichment of Buffalo
and Western New York. Inductees have achieved
success is the music industry on a national
and often an international scale and are chosen
by a formal nomination process. Nominees are
rated in several different categories including
longevity in Western New York, community service
in music, and musical versatility.
Bob
Silvestri, Chair of the Nominations Committee
of the BMHOF notes: "This year's Induction
gives us the opportunity to reach back and honor
some long-time performers as well as to enjoy
the workings of some of our great contemporaries."
Greg Hennessey, Chair of the Gala observes:
"It's a real array of Classical, Show Tunes,
Country & Western, Old and New Rock, and
Blues performances - and a great Hall of Fame
Induction.
Members
of the Buffalo
Music Hall of Fame from previous induction
classes will be in attendance to honor and induct
the Class of 2010 on October 7th 2010 at The
Tralf Music Hall. Food and refreshments
will be available through the Tralf facilities.
Tickets are $20 at all Ticketmaster locations;
charge by phone 852-5000, or through the Tralf
Box office.
The
Board of Trustees of the Buffalo
Music Hall of Fame is seeking new members
and those interested in sponsorship opportunities.
Those interested in supporting membership or
board membership should contact Rick Mathews
716-400-8934 or email at: info@bmhof.org.
If
you were to make a list of the greatest writing
duos of rock music the list would obviously
start with Lennon and McCartney. Next perhaps
are Mick and Keith and my third choice would
have to be Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook
of Squeeze. They have crafted some of the most
indelible songs of all time. On August 7th,
2010 we were treated to a ninety minute set
of those classic Squeeze songs. The band is
out on the road promoting their latest release
Spot the Difference which was released five
days prior. The nearly full house was on their
feet from the opening number the galloping "Take
Me I'm Yours" that was followed by "Annie
Get Your Gun". One of their biggest hits
"Black Coffee in Bed" came next and
was met with thunderous applause at the beginning
and conclusion of the song. A very bluesy and
sublime "When the Hangover Strikes"
followed and may have been the highlight of
the evening. They continued their onslaught
of pop masterpieces with "Goodbye Girl",
"If I Didn't Love You" and "Cool
for Cats". Front
man Tilbrook handles most of the vocals and
guitar solos while Difford sings background
and plays rhythm guitar longtime bassist John
Bentley along with drummer Simon Hanson and
keyboardist Stephen Large round out this current
incarnation of the band. The warm receptive
crowd seemed to spur on the band that engaged
the crowd with anecdotes between songs and genuinely
seemed to be having fun. They wrapped up the
set with two more fan favorites "Slap and
Tickle" and their biggest hit "Tempted"
before returning for a two song encore consisting
of "Another Nail in my Heart" and
the pop gem "Pulling Mussels From The Shell".
Another thrilling
show at the intimate Bear's Den which is quickly
gaining a reputation as one of the premier venues
to see a show. For more upcoming shows there
go to www.senecaniagaracasino.com
John
Hiatt
-Bear's Den-Seneca-Niagara Casino-
- Niagara Falls, NY - 7-19-10-
If
there were any justice in the world John Hiatt
would be a household name and not the no talents
that dominate the charts and radio. After all
he has written some of the most memorable songs
and monster hits for artists Bonnie Raitt ,
Buddy Guy, Jeff Healy, Eric Clapton and B.B.
King to name but a few. On the other hand if
he was a megastar we would no longer be able
to see him perform in intimate venues as he
did at the Bear's Den at the Seneca-Niagara
Casino in Niagara Falls, NY on July 19th, 2010.
The not quite
full house was treated to an exhilarating ninety
minute show from one of music's greatest songwriters.
Besides being a great songwriter and musician
Hiatt engages in some witty repartee with his
audience. Commenting about the intimate venue
he said he felt like he was giving everyone
a lap dance and that we "could see his
love handles, well actually my fat bags".
On purchasing his latest CD commented about
the lack of retail record stores selling it
mentioned you can find it and buy it on line
"or you can probably find it for free".
That line was of course delivered with a raised
eyebrow.
But the music
is what we came for and Hiatt and his band Doug
Lancio on guitar, Patrick O'Hearn on bass and
drummer Ken Blevins delivered in spades. Kicking
off with a beautiful run thru of "Drive
South" followed by "Perfectly Good
Guitar" and "Crossing Muddy Waters"
you knew this would be a memorable night. A
couple of tracks, "My Baby" and the
title cut from Hiatt's latest release The Open
Road meshed seamlessly with the older material.
"The Tiki Bar is Open" had all the
band members taking turns soloing and was met
with thunderous applause at the song's conclusion.
Hiatt delivered an astonishing version of his
modern blues classic "Feels Like Rain"
that was worth the price of admission alone.
Other highlights included "Thing Called
Love", "Memphis in the Meantime"
and "Tennessee Plates". Hiatt returned
for an encore and again brought down the house
with a tender "Have a Little Faith in Me"
and a swampy "Ridin' with The King".
For more upcoming shows at the Seneca-Niagara
Casino go to www.senecaniagaracasino.com
Never
let it be said that Todd Rundgren panders to
his audience. His performance at The Tralf on
July 15th, 2010 was billed as Todd Rundgren's
Johnson, a tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson
and the blues, which is also the title of his
forthcoming album. It seemed some in the crowd
were expecting a greatest radio hits show as
the repeated shout outs for the hit songs was
met with silence from the artist. Instead what
we got was a blistering set of those Johnson
and other blues classics along with some more
obscure Rundgren material all done in the British
blues style of the 60's and 70's. Rundgren is
an outstanding musician and his band, Jessie
Gress on guitar, Kasim Sultan on bass and Prairie
Prince on drums is equally adept.
Kicking off the
night with Elmore James' "Dust My Broom"
followed by "Stop Breaking Down Blues"
the band set the tone for the evening. The nearly
two hour set was punctuated by blues classics
"Walking Blues", "Love In Vain"
and "Come On Into My Kitchen" among
others but the band really seemed to dig into
the Rundgren oeuvre with a vengeance notably
on "Black Maria", "Mystified/Broke
Down and Busted" and "#1 Lowest Common
Denominator". They closed the set with
"Crossroad Blues" before returning
for an encore where Rundgren threw a bone to
the crowd and played "I Saw the Light"
before dipping back to the blues with fierce
renditions of "Tiny Demons" and "Boogies
(Hamburger Hell)".
Except for the
sweltering heat in the club (the air conditioning
and fans were on full blast) that even had Rundgren
requesting a fan for the stage and a few patrons
hitting the floor from the heat the show was
one of the best so far this summer concert season.
For more upcoming shows at The Tralf go to www.tralfmusichall.com
It's
hard to believe that the Vans Warped Tour has
been rolling along for the past sixteen years.
Its humble origins of a few established bands
and a host of upcoming artists has turned into
a rock and roll circus complete with a tent
city, skate park and upwards of sixty bands
and more all for a mere thirty bucks. Sure some
corporate greed (AKA sponsors) has crept in
and maybe the tour has lost some of its snotty
punk sneer as more pop and emo bands are prevalent
on the bill but overall the Vans Warped Tour
is still for me and many others the highlight
of the summer concert schedule.
This years Vans
Warped Tour hit DLPAC in Darien Lake, NY on
July 14th, 2010 with a very large crowd enjoying
the incredibly hot day. The
day got off to a bad start as long lines at
the gates and an hour earlier than listed start
time caused us to miss half of ska masters Reel
Big Fish's set. Things got better as the day
went along with good sets from Rev. Paytons
Big Damn Band, the Rochester outfit Polar Bear
Club, Artists Vs Poets, Ace Enders, Mike Posner,
Sum 41 and a blistering set in the hot midday
sun from Of Mice and Men. A couple of girl fronted
bands stole the spotlight with sets that equaled
or surpassed those from the testosterone laden
sets that most of the boys performed. First
among those were a brilliant set from Gossip
Girl television star Taylor Momsen and her band
The Pretty Reckless. Channeling Edie Sedgwick
and Cherie Currie, Momsen and her band's thirty
minute set featured some fine rock songs and
proves Momsen's real talent lays in music not
television. This is not a side project from
some vapid wannabe rock star; truth is The Pretty
Reckless played a kick ass set. Automatic Love
Letter fronted by Juliet Simms also put on an
impressive set of well penned rock songs heavily
influenced by Paramore's Haley Williams. Versaemerge
with front woman Sierra Kusterbeck played a
solid late day set that was greeted by a rather
indifferent crowd. Maybe the long hot day finally
caught up with a crowd that seemed tired and
glad to finally sit down in the shade. Andrew
W.K. had the party rolling with his return to
the Warped Tour after a seven year absence.
His pulse pounding set got the crowd surfing
and moshing and brought an energy lacking from
many of the other acts. After his set he stayed
in his merch tent for over three hours signing
autographs and posing for photos to the delight
of his many fans. Of course the elephant in
the room all day was the highly anticipated
set from local boys Every Time I Die who were
on the headline stage. When they took the stage
around 5:30 PM it appeared every single person
at Warped Tour was in front of the stage shouting
every lyric and forming a huge circle mosh.
It seems Every Time I Die is headed for the
stratosphere. That sneering punk ethos that
seemed lost came thru with sets from The Casualties
who formed in 1990 long before the tour was
born and are still rocking today in the style
of the Sex Pistols and The Clash. Props of the
day go to All-American Rejects for their great
set and front man Tyson Ritter's seething attack
on the corporate VIP tent. Nothing like biting
the hand that feeds you. Well done Tyson! The
low points seem to be the redundancy of some
of the bands. At times if you closed your eyes
you couldn't distinguish between when one band's
set ended and the next one's began as all follow
an emo or scream-o template to their music.
Not that these guys aren't talented just no
originality. And of course no Darien Lake show
would be complete with out the Goon Squad (Darien
Lake's security team) being their usual dickhead
self's. Photographers including yours truly
were told by the Goon Squad that the main amphitheater
photo pit and backstage press tent was closed
from 6:00PM with more than three hours left
in the show. Others were kicked out after one
song not the three allowed by Warped Tour credentials
or they were refused admission to the photo
pit even with credentials. Again this has nothing
to do with the fine folks who run the Vans Warped
Tour just the idiots running Darien Lake. Kudos
to the entire Vans Warped Tour crew including
but not limited to tour producer Kevin Lyman,
Bari Lieberman and Libby Coffey at MSO for all
their help with credentials and for once again
putting together a great show. For more information
about the bands and the Vans Warped Tour go
to www.vanswarpedtour.com
BOOK
REVIEWS By
Bob Silvestri
We
have been catching up on our reading here at
Best of WNY.com. Here are some recent local
and national books we have checked out.
.
Remembering
Old Buffalo
-The Glory Years in Western New York- By Joseph H. Radder Sadly Joseph H. Radder passed away shortly
after publication of this book.
Before
his passing, Joseph Radder was a well known
writer for many local publications including
writing numerous OP-Ed pieces for the Buffalo
News. His book, Remembering Old Buffalo-The
Glory Years in Western New York, is his nostalgic
recollections of the Queen City and his days
growing up in WNY. Each chapter breezes by like
listening to an older family member reminisce.
While some of his personal stories and facts
may be a little embellished, Radder himself
says in the book some of his dates etc may be
a little fuzzy (He was 88 when he wrote the
book.) they are still delightful stories. The
book is filled with tales of Crystal Beach,
Downtown's boom days, local music, local culinary
delights and other nostalgia. The book is chocked
full of pictures, anecdotes and facts about
Buffalo. The book is a nice read for those who
remember those times and for those who want
to catch up on their Queen City history. You
can order the book on line by going to www.buffalobooks.com
The
Fine Art of Capturing Buffalo- By Mark D. Donnelly
The
Fine Art of Capturing Buffalo is a captivating
look at our beloved city all seen thru the lens
of award winning local photographer Mark Donnelly.
Compiled over five years the book offers a unique
perspective of the beauty and cultural events
that make Buffalo truly distinct. The book explores
thru Donnelly's great photos the neighborhoods,
parks, waterfront and other touchstones around
town. In addition you can always look at the
photos for those familiar faces of family and
friends. I know I found a few faces I recognized.
The photos all have brief descriptive notes,
historical information and the perspective of
the author. You can purchase The Fine Art of
Capturing Buffalo by going to www.buffaloheritage.com
Frozen
Assets
-The Beautiful Truth About Western New York's
Fourth Season- By Mark D. Donnelly
The
second book from Donnelly's series captures
the area's grandeur during winter. Thru Donnelly's
lens the area comes alive with beauty and warmth
in the dead of winter. Passages about wind chill
index, snow days, the ice boom and six pack
blizzards add to the photos and give it a unique
Western New York perspective about how we deal
with winter. The books also come with an individually
sold calendar that features Donnelly's stunning
photos from both of his books. You can purchase
Frozen Assets-The Beautiful Truth About Western
New York's Fourth Season by going to www.buffaloheritage.com
AUDieu
-Buffalo Says Goodbye to The Aud- By Suzanne K. Taylor
This
is the ultimate book about Buffalo's beloved
Memorial Auditorium. It is crammed with historic
photos, text and information about the Aud from
its groundbreaking in 1938 to its date with
the wrecking ball in 2009 and touches on many
of the building's uses from concerts to hockey
to basketball and more. Everyone has their favorite
Aud moment from Elvis to "Mayday!"
and most are offered in a historical timeline
for quick reference in the book. Taylor also
captures the Aud's date with destiny and had
unlimited access to the inside during the demolition.
I spent a lot of time in that old building and
will be savoring every detail in this book with
a twinge of sadness. There is also a separately
sold calendar featuring Taylor's photos from
the book. This book keeps her memory alive.
You can purchase AUDieu-Buffalo Says Goodbye
to The Aud by going to www.buffaloheritage.com
Buffalo
Heads
Media Study, Media Practice, Media Pioneers,
1973-1990 Edited by Woody Vasulka and Peter Weibel
This
epic tome chronicles the impact of the Department
of Media study at the SUNY @ Buffalo campus
during the 70's and thru the 90's. The program
was a fertile breeding ground for an assortment
of now legendary avant-garde filmmakers and
artists. Faculty members Gerald O'Grady, Hollis
Frampton, Paul Saharits, Woody Vasulka, Steina,
Tony Conrad, James Blue and Peter Weibel are
featured in the book with stunning reproductions
of their art, interviews with the artists and
plenty of photos spread out over eight hundred
pages. Buffalo Heads is a great tribute to some
true visionary artists. The book is available
from MIT Press at http://mitpress.mit.edu/main/home/default.asp
"Then
Perreault Said to Rico…"
-The Best Buffalo Sabres Stories Ever Told- By Paul Wieland
With
the recent demise of the beloved Memorial Auditorium
this book is essential reading for Sabres fans
about the birth of the franchise thru the glory
years, the dismal failures both on and off the
ice and the move to HSBC Arena told with humor,
humility and a passion for hockey that has excited
the WNY community for forty years. Wieland who
worked for the Sabres in various capacities
for twenty five years offers a unique fly on
the wall perspective from himself and former
players that is fabulous reading. Some stories
are familiar others legendary others tales of
yore. Chapters on The French Connection, Tim
Horton, various coaches and the legend of Taro
Tsujimoto plus many on and off ice highlights
and hijinks are told from Wieland's or Sabres
player's interviews. The book also comes with
an audio CD of some of those player interviews.
You can go to www.triumphbooks.com
for more information.
Tim
Wendel has put together the ultimate book to
celebrate the history of the Buffalo Braves.
Wendel who grew up in Lockport and now resides
in Virginia worked at the old Courier Express
newspaper and spent many a night watching the
Braves. He has compiled a year by year account
of the team's eight year stay in Buffalo with
personal recollections and interviews with ex
players along with artifacts, memorabilia and
photos from legendary sports and Braves team
photographer Robert L. Smith. But the highlight
here is the reprinted excerpts from the late
Courier Express sports writer Phil Ranallo and
his "What's New, Harry?" column that
appeared in the paper. All the memories come
flooding back from those days and you realize
the Braves were at one time one of the three
best teams in the league and a championship
contender. Randy Smith, Bob McAdoo, Ernie D,
Bob Kauffman and Coach Jack Ramsey were all
Star and MVP quality players and Ramsey one
of the best coaches ever in the game. Lots of
could a, should a, would a over the years about
losing the team but the NBA game has changed
dramatically and lost its innocence from the
Braves glory days. You can get more information
about the book at www.sunbearpress.com
The
Birth of the New NFL
-How the 1966 NFL/AFL Merger Transformed Pro
Football- By Larry Felser
With
all the drama and back stabbing of a Hollywood
movie Larry Felser tells the story of the build
up to the merger of the upstart AFL with the
established NFL and the rivalry and animosity
between the owners of both leagues. Felser,
sportswriter emeritus with the Buffalo News
and long one of the most respected writers in
the nation, was on the beat covering the Bills
during this time and has some interesting first
hand antidotes to share. In 1966 the owners
of both leagues agreed to play each other in
what came to be called the Super Bowl and for
a full scale merger for the 1970 season. Felser's
account of the behind closed doors cloak and
dagger affairs are buttressed by interviews
with the movers and shakers themselves including
owners Art Modell, Dan Rooney, Lamar Hunt and
Al Davis along with players Jack Kemp, Gene
Upshaw and others. Through it all the bottom
line came down to money. Triggered by the free
agent signing of Pete Gogolak by the New York
Giants from our Buffalo Bills the owners of
both leagues realized an escalating free agent
bidding war for players would only cause both
leagues to go bankrupt. The decisions of these
men changed the face of pro football forever.
To find out more information go to www.lyonspress.com
Remember
the AFL
-The Ultimate Fan's Guide to the American Football
League- By Dave Steidel
Remember
the AFL-The Ultimate Fan's Guide to the American
Football League offers a comprehensive year
by year synopsis of the renegade AFL. Author
Dave Steidel profiles each team including our
beloved Buffalo Bills from the league's inception
in 1960 thru the merger with the NFL in 1969.
Rare action photos, statistics and trivia along
with numerous photos of football cards from
that era compliment this book. Sure to be a
hit with fans of the old AFL or any football
fan for that matter. Check it out at www.clerisypress.com
Bert
Sugar's Baseball Hall of Fame:
A Living History of America's Greatest Game- By Bert Randolph Sugar
Just
a short trip down the NYS Thruway, the Baseball
Hall of Fame stands as a testament to America's
pastime. If you have never traversed its hallowed
grounds Burt Sugar's Baseball Hall of Fame:
A Living History of America's Greatest Game
the new book from legendary sports writer Burt
Sugar will transport you there. The book is
crammed with page after page of photos of the
Hall's exhibits and collection of artifacts
along with Sugar's signature prose. Also featured
in the book are photos of each individual inducted
player's plaque from the Hall of Fame Gallery
which honors baseballs greatest legends. Truly
a book for baseball fans young and old. Check
out www.runningpress.com
for more information.
It
Shined
-The Saga of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils- By Michael Supe Granda
I've
always had a soft spot in my heart for the music
of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils purveyors of
the hits "If You Wanna Get To Heaven",
"Chicken Train" and "Jackie Blue".
I remember seeing them on the bill with the
Doobie Brothers and Chicago for a show at then
Rich Stadium way back in 1974 during my teenage
days. I'll spare you the details of that day
but needless to say I became a fan for life.
So it was with great curiosity when this book
came out to see what had become of the band.
Written by original band member and founder
Michael Supe Granda it tells the story of their
forming in Missouri thru their halcyon days
and finally the break up of the band. Granda's
recollections and breezy style make for an easy
read. He admits that the band caused a lot of
their own problems as living the good life of
partying and dining high style left little time
for writing new material, sound checks, rehearsals
and radio and TV interviews. A widening chasm
between the band and the record company over
the direction of the music along with the normal
internal band combustion added more fuel to
the fire. Their music is still a daily staple
of Classic Rock radio. You can check out more
about the band by going to www.ozarkdaredevils.com
or www.supeline.com
Lowside
of the Road
-A Life of Tom Waits- By Barney Hoskyns
Tom
Waits is one of the most enigmatic performers
of all time. This compelling new biography by
noted British music journalist Barney Hoskyns
titled The Lowside of the Road-A Life of Tom
Waits delves into the mysterious Waits with
aplomb. Waits is probably best known for his
songs covered by other artists including Bruce
Springsteen, Rod Stewart and the Eagles. He
is also a masterful performer is his own right
and has released over twenty albums and has
appeared in dozens of major motion pictures
since coming onto the scene in the 1970's. A
closely guarded private individual Waits conducted
personal interviews with Hoskyns for the book
and gave access to those close to his inner
circle that makes for some compelling insights
into this mythical artist. Check out www.broadwaybooks.com
for more information.
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If
you were to make a list of the greatest writing
duos of rock music the list would obviously
start with Lennon and McCartney. Next perhaps
are Mick and Keith and my third choice would
have to be Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook
of Squeeze. They have crafted some of the most
indelible songs of all time. On August 7th,
2010 we were treated to a ninety minute set
of those classic Squeeze songs. The band is
out on the road promoting their latest release
Spot the Difference which was released five
days prior. The nearly full house was on their
feet from the opening number the galloping "Take
Me I'm Yours" that was followed by "Annie
Get Your Gun". One of their biggest hits
"Black Coffee in Bed" came next and
was met with thunderous applause at the beginning
and conclusion of the song. A very bluesy and
sublime "When the Hangover Strikes"
followed and may have been the highlight of
the evening. They continued their onslaught
of pop masterpieces with "Goodbye Girl",
"If I Didn't Love You" and "Cool
for Cats". 
Front
man Tilbrook handles most of the vocals and
guitar solos while Difford sings background
and plays rhythm guitar longtime bassist John
Bentley along with drummer Simon Hanson and
keyboardist Stephen Large round out this current
incarnation of the band. The warm receptive
crowd seemed to spur on the band that engaged
the crowd with anecdotes between songs and genuinely
seemed to be having fun. They wrapped up the
set with two more fan favorites "Slap and
Tickle" and their biggest hit "Tempted"
before returning for a two song encore consisting
of "Another Nail in my Heart" and
the pop gem "Pulling Mussels From The Shell".
If
there were any justice in the world John Hiatt
would be a household name and not the no talents
that dominate the charts and radio. After all
he has written some of the most memorable songs
and monster hits for artists Bonnie Raitt ,
Buddy Guy, Jeff Healy, Eric Clapton and B.B.
King to name but a few. On the other hand if
he was a megastar we would no longer be able
to see him perform in intimate venues as he
did at the Bear's Den at the Seneca-Niagara
Casino in Niagara Falls, NY on July 19th, 2010.
Never
let it be said that Todd Rundgren panders to
his audience. His performance at The Tralf on
July 15th, 2010 was billed as Todd Rundgren's
Johnson, a tribute to blues legend Robert Johnson
and the blues, which is also the title of his
forthcoming album. It seemed some in the crowd
were expecting a greatest radio hits show as
the repeated shout outs for the hit songs was
met with silence from the artist. Instead what
we got was a blistering set of those Johnson
and other blues classics along with some more
obscure Rundgren material all done in the British
blues style of the 60's and 70's. Rundgren is
an outstanding musician and his band, Jessie
Gress on guitar, Kasim Sultan on bass and Prairie
Prince on drums is equally adept. 
It's
hard to believe that the Vans Warped Tour has
been rolling along for the past sixteen years.
Its humble origins of a few established bands
and a host of upcoming artists has turned into
a rock and roll circus complete with a tent
city, skate park and upwards of sixty bands
and more all for a mere thirty bucks. Sure some
corporate greed (AKA sponsors) has crept in
and maybe the tour has lost some of its snotty
punk sneer as more pop and emo bands are prevalent
on the bill but overall the Vans Warped Tour
is still for me and many others the highlight
of the summer concert schedule.
The
day got off to a bad start as long lines at
the gates and an hour earlier than listed start
time caused us to miss half of ska masters Reel
Big Fish's set. Things got better as the day
went along with good sets from Rev. Paytons
Big Damn Band, the Rochester outfit Polar Bear
Club, Artists Vs Poets, Ace Enders, Mike Posner,
Sum 41 and a blistering set in the hot midday
sun from Of Mice and Men. A couple of girl fronted
bands stole the spotlight with sets that equaled
or surpassed those from the testosterone laden
sets that most of the boys performed. First
among those were a brilliant set from Gossip
Girl television star Taylor Momsen and her band
The Pretty Reckless. Channeling Edie Sedgwick
and Cherie Currie, Momsen and her band's thirty
minute set featured some fine rock songs and
proves Momsen's real talent lays in music not
television. This is not a side project from
some vapid wannabe rock star; truth is The Pretty
Reckless played a kick ass set. Automatic Love
Letter fronted by Juliet Simms also put on an
impressive set of well penned rock songs heavily
influenced by Paramore's Haley Williams. Versaemerge
with front woman Sierra Kusterbeck played a
solid late day set that was greeted by a rather
indifferent crowd. Maybe the long hot day finally
caught up with a crowd that seemed tired and
glad to finally sit down in the shade. 
Andrew
W.K. had the party rolling with his return to
the Warped Tour after a seven year absence.
His pulse pounding set got the crowd surfing
and moshing and brought an energy lacking from
many of the other acts. After his set he stayed
in his merch tent for over three hours signing
autographs and posing for photos to the delight
of his many fans. Of course the elephant in
the room all day was the highly anticipated
set from local boys Every Time I Die who were
on the headline stage. When they took the stage
around 5:30 PM it appeared every single person
at Warped Tour was in front of the stage shouting
every lyric and forming a huge circle mosh.
It seems Every Time I Die is headed for the
stratosphere. That sneering punk ethos that
seemed lost came thru with sets from The Casualties
who formed in 1990 long before the tour was
born and are still rocking today in the style
of the Sex Pistols and The Clash. Props of the
day go to All-American Rejects for their great
set and front man Tyson Ritter's seething attack
on the corporate VIP tent. Nothing like biting
the hand that feeds you. Well done Tyson!
The
low points seem to be the redundancy of some
of the bands. At times if you closed your eyes
you couldn't distinguish between when one band's
set ended and the next one's began as all follow
an emo or scream-o template to their music.
Not that these guys aren't talented just no
originality. And of course no Darien Lake show
would be complete with out the Goon Squad (Darien
Lake's security team) being their usual dickhead
self's. Photographers including yours truly
were told by the Goon Squad that the main amphitheater
photo pit and backstage press tent was closed
from 6:00PM with more than three hours left
in the show. Others were kicked out after one
song not the three allowed by Warped Tour credentials
or they were refused admission to the photo
pit even with credentials. Again this has nothing
to do with the fine folks who run the Vans Warped
Tour just the idiots running Darien Lake. Kudos
to the entire Vans Warped Tour crew including
but not limited to tour producer Kevin Lyman,
Bari Lieberman and Libby Coffey at MSO for all
their help with credentials and for once again
putting together a great show. For more information
about the bands and the Vans Warped Tour go
to 
Before
his passing, Joseph Radder was a well known
writer for many local publications including
writing numerous OP-Ed pieces for the Buffalo
News. His book, Remembering Old Buffalo-The
Glory Years in Western New York, is his nostalgic
recollections of the Queen City and his days
growing up in WNY. Each chapter breezes by like
listening to an older family member reminisce.
While some of his personal stories and facts
may be a little embellished, Radder himself
says in the book some of his dates etc may be
a little fuzzy (He was 88 when he wrote the
book.) they are still delightful stories. The
book is filled with tales of Crystal Beach,
Downtown's boom days, local music, local culinary
delights and other nostalgia. The book is chocked
full of pictures, anecdotes and facts about
Buffalo. The book is a nice read for those who
remember those times and for those who want
to catch up on their Queen City history. You
can order the book on line by going to 
The
Fine Art of Capturing Buffalo is a captivating
look at our beloved city all seen thru the lens
of award winning local photographer Mark Donnelly.
Compiled over five years the book offers a unique
perspective of the beauty and cultural events
that make Buffalo truly distinct. The book explores
thru Donnelly's great photos the neighborhoods,
parks, waterfront and other touchstones around
town. In addition you can always look at the
photos for those familiar faces of family and
friends. I know I found a few faces I recognized.
The photos all have brief descriptive notes,
historical information and the perspective of
the author. You can purchase The Fine Art of
Capturing Buffalo by going to 
The
second book from Donnelly's series captures
the area's grandeur during winter. Thru Donnelly's
lens the area comes alive with beauty and warmth
in the dead of winter. Passages about wind chill
index, snow days, the ice boom and six pack
blizzards add to the photos and give it a unique
Western New York perspective about how we deal
with winter. The books also come with an individually
sold calendar that features Donnelly's stunning
photos from both of his books. You can purchase
Frozen Assets-The Beautiful Truth About Western
New York's Fourth Season by going to 
This
is the ultimate book about Buffalo's beloved
Memorial Auditorium. It is crammed with historic
photos, text and information about the Aud from
its groundbreaking in 1938 to its date with
the wrecking ball in 2009 and touches on many
of the building's uses from concerts to hockey
to basketball and more. Everyone has their favorite
Aud moment from Elvis to "Mayday!"
and most are offered in a historical timeline
for quick reference in the book. Taylor also
captures the Aud's date with destiny and had
unlimited access to the inside during the demolition.
I spent a lot of time in that old building and
will be savoring every detail in this book with
a twinge of sadness. There is also a separately
sold calendar featuring Taylor's photos from
the book. This book keeps her memory alive.
You can purchase AUDieu-Buffalo Says Goodbye
to The Aud by going to 
This
epic tome chronicles the impact of the Department
of Media study at the SUNY @ Buffalo campus
during the 70's and thru the 90's. The program
was a fertile breeding ground for an assortment
of now legendary avant-garde filmmakers and
artists. Faculty members Gerald O'Grady, Hollis
Frampton, Paul Saharits, Woody Vasulka, Steina,
Tony Conrad, James Blue and Peter Weibel are
featured in the book with stunning reproductions
of their art, interviews with the artists and
plenty of photos spread out over eight hundred
pages. Buffalo Heads is a great tribute to some
true visionary artists. The book is available
from MIT Press at 
With
the recent demise of the beloved Memorial Auditorium
this book is essential reading for Sabres fans
about the birth of the franchise thru the glory
years, the dismal failures both on and off the
ice and the move to HSBC Arena told with humor,
humility and a passion for hockey that has excited
the WNY community for forty years. Wieland who
worked for the Sabres in various capacities
for twenty five years offers a unique fly on
the wall perspective from himself and former
players that is fabulous reading. Some stories
are familiar others legendary others tales of
yore. Chapters on The French Connection, Tim
Horton, various coaches and the legend of Taro
Tsujimoto plus many on and off ice highlights
and hijinks are told from Wieland's or Sabres
player's interviews. The book also comes with
an audio CD of some of those player interviews.
You can go to 
Tim
Wendel has put together the ultimate book to
celebrate the history of the Buffalo Braves.
Wendel who grew up in Lockport and now resides
in Virginia worked at the old Courier Express
newspaper and spent many a night watching the
Braves. He has compiled a year by year account
of the team's eight year stay in Buffalo with
personal recollections and interviews with ex
players along with artifacts, memorabilia and
photos from legendary sports and Braves team
photographer Robert L. Smith. But the highlight
here is the reprinted excerpts from the late
Courier Express sports writer Phil Ranallo and
his "What's New, Harry?" column that
appeared in the paper. All the memories come
flooding back from those days and you realize
the Braves were at one time one of the three
best teams in the league and a championship
contender. Randy Smith, Bob McAdoo, Ernie D,
Bob Kauffman and Coach Jack Ramsey were all
Star and MVP quality players and Ramsey one
of the best coaches ever in the game. Lots of
could a, should a, would a over the years about
losing the team but the NBA game has changed
dramatically and lost its innocence from the
Braves glory days. You can get more information
about the book at 
With
all the drama and back stabbing of a Hollywood
movie Larry Felser tells the story of the build
up to the merger of the upstart AFL with the
established NFL and the rivalry and animosity
between the owners of both leagues. Felser,
sportswriter emeritus with the Buffalo News
and long one of the most respected writers in
the nation, was on the beat covering the Bills
during this time and has some interesting first
hand antidotes to share. In 1966 the owners
of both leagues agreed to play each other in
what came to be called the Super Bowl and for
a full scale merger for the 1970 season. Felser's
account of the behind closed doors cloak and
dagger affairs are buttressed by interviews
with the movers and shakers themselves including
owners Art Modell, Dan Rooney, Lamar Hunt and
Al Davis along with players Jack Kemp, Gene
Upshaw and others. Through it all the bottom
line came down to money. Triggered by the free
agent signing of Pete Gogolak by the New York
Giants from our Buffalo Bills the owners of
both leagues realized an escalating free agent
bidding war for players would only cause both
leagues to go bankrupt. The decisions of these
men changed the face of pro football forever.
To find out more information go to 
Remember
the AFL-The Ultimate Fan's Guide to the American
Football League offers a comprehensive year
by year synopsis of the renegade AFL. Author
Dave Steidel profiles each team including our
beloved Buffalo Bills from the league's inception
in 1960 thru the merger with the NFL in 1969.
Rare action photos, statistics and trivia along
with numerous photos of football cards from
that era compliment this book. Sure to be a
hit with fans of the old AFL or any football
fan for that matter. Check it out at 
Just
a short trip down the NYS Thruway, the Baseball
Hall of Fame stands as a testament to America's
pastime. If you have never traversed its hallowed
grounds Burt Sugar's Baseball Hall of Fame:
A Living History of America's Greatest Game
the new book from legendary sports writer Burt
Sugar will transport you there. The book is
crammed with page after page of photos of the
Hall's exhibits and collection of artifacts
along with Sugar's signature prose. Also featured
in the book are photos of each individual inducted
player's plaque from the Hall of Fame Gallery
which honors baseballs greatest legends. Truly
a book for baseball fans young and old. Check
out 
I've
always had a soft spot in my heart for the music
of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils purveyors of
the hits "If You Wanna Get To Heaven",
"Chicken Train" and "Jackie Blue".
I remember seeing them on the bill with the
Doobie Brothers and Chicago for a show at then
Rich Stadium way back in 1974 during my teenage
days. I'll spare you the details of that day
but needless to say I became a fan for life.
So it was with great curiosity when this book
came out to see what had become of the band.
Written by original band member and founder
Michael Supe Granda it tells the story of their
forming in Missouri thru their halcyon days
and finally the break up of the band. Granda's
recollections and breezy style make for an easy
read. He admits that the band caused a lot of
their own problems as living the good life of
partying and dining high style left little time
for writing new material, sound checks, rehearsals
and radio and TV interviews. A widening chasm
between the band and the record company over
the direction of the music along with the normal
internal band combustion added more fuel to
the fire. Their music is still a daily staple
of Classic Rock radio. You can check out more
about the band by going to 
Tom
Waits is one of the most enigmatic performers
of all time. This compelling new biography by
noted British music journalist Barney Hoskyns
titled The Lowside of the Road-A Life of Tom
Waits delves into the mysterious Waits with
aplomb. Waits is probably best known for his
songs covered by other artists including Bruce
Springsteen, Rod Stewart and the Eagles. He
is also a masterful performer is his own right
and has released over twenty albums and has
appeared in dozens of major motion pictures
since coming onto the scene in the 1970's. A
closely guarded private individual Waits conducted
personal interviews with Hoskyns for the book
and gave access to those close to his inner
circle that makes for some compelling insights
into this mythical artist. Check out 
