The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) announced that for the year 2024, the budget allocation is $110 million, as well as additional grants reaching $127 million to organizations and artists, and capital project funding.
Lake Placid Sinfonietta Photo: Lohr McKinstry.
The New York State Council on the Arts is dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of New York’s citizens. This year the NYSCA awarded more than 3,600 direct grants, and $90 million to support the visual, performing, literary and media arts, arts education, and more. Governor Kathy Hochul just announced over $42 Million in awards for Small and Mid-Sized Capital Project grants.
Strengthening our creative sector increases tourism, boosts our economy, and enhances the rich heritage and cultural life of New York State. These record grants will support a wide range of diverse and innovative projects at our arts and cultural organizations across the state, helping ensure all who visit will continue to have wonderful experiences for years to come.
Governor Kathy Hochul
Among those who received a grant award for Small and Mid-Sized Capital Projects, Central New York, more specifically Oneida, had a generous amount given to them. The projects include $1.2 million towards the Artspace Utica Lofts, 41 affordable one and two-bedroom live/work artist units, along with a 3,000-square-foot community workspace located in the Commercial and Arts & Cultural Districts downtown, and $300,000 towards the Children’s Museum of History, Natural History, and Science for Final Construction and Capital Systems Components of Final Museum Construction Phase. A complete list of grantees is available here.
For the 2024 year, the NYSCA will allocate $110 million to support the sector as it is a very important year for the arts as the bounce back from the COVID pandemic continues every day. The total funding for grants is $127 million, $90 million in grantmaking to organizations and artists, and $37 million in capital project funding. For more information about the NYSCA and to prequalify for aid, visit here.
Friday, May 5th was the return of Billy Idol to Niagara Falls at the Fallsview Casino in Ontario, Canada. Before Billy Idol took the stage, Kelsey Karter & The Heroines opened the night with their unique blend of rock and pop. The energy of the crowd was palpable as they eagerly awaited the start of the concert.
Unfortunately, the band faced some challenges as two of their members were denied entry into Canada, resulting in a more mellow set than they had originally planned. Despite this setback, Kelsey Karter & The Heroines still impressed with their impressive vocals and dynamic stage presence.
Kelsey Karter’s voice was a highlight of the performance, soaring effortlessly over the band’s catchy melodies. Their set included original songs such as “Bad News,” “Harry,” and “God Knows I’ve Tried,” showcasing their songwriting skills and musical prowess. Despite the unplanned changes, Kelsey Karter & The Heroines still managed to get the audience excited for the main event. Their performance was a great warm-up for Billy Idol, setting the stage for an unforgettable night of music and celebration.
Overall, the night was a success, with Kelsey Karter & The Heroines paving the way for Billy Idol’s explosive performance. Despite the challenges they faced, they still managed to put on an impressive show and get the audience hyped up for what was to come.
Billy Idol
The setlist was fantastic, featuring a mix of Billy Idol’s classic hits and fan favorites. The show started with “Dancing With Myself,” a Generation X song that got the crowd pumped up right from the start. Other hits like “Cradle of Love,” “Flesh for Fantasy,” and “Eyes Without a Face” had everyone singing along. Steve Stevens’ guitar solo was a real showstopper, with him playing Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away” and “Stairway to Heaven” to the delight of the audience. “Mony Mony,” a Tommy James & the Shondells cover, got the crowd moving and grooving.
The setlist also included lesser-known tracks like “Running From the Ghost” and “One Hundred Punks,” which showed off the depth and range of Billy Idol’s music. The Blue Highway/Top Gun Anthem medley was a lovely tribute to the late composer Harold Faltermeyer. The encore was phenomenal, with Billy Idol belting out “Hot in the City” and “White Wedding.” The night ended on a high note with the entire audience singing along to “Happy Birthday to You” in honor of Steve Stevens.
Overall, the Billy Idol concert at Fallsview Casino was an unforgettable experience. The setlist was impressive, and the performance was top-notch. Billy Idol and his band proved that they still know how to rock the stage after all these years, and the celebration of Steve Stevens’ birthday made the night all the more special. If you ever get a chance to see Billy Idol live, we highly recommend it! For more information about the tour, and to see Idol live, visit here.
The Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce has announced the lineup for this year’s Summer Musical Festival at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, New York.
“The Players” including former members of the stellar bands Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire will take the stage on July 1st as the headlining performers. Barracuda, America’s Heart Tribute, will also perfrom, taking fans back in time with 70s, 80s, and 90s hits.
The Summer Music Festival is a three-day event and is a tradition to those who spend the July 4th holiday in Ellicottville, NY. The weekend will be filled with live music, fun, and a spectacle firework show right above your head. Guests can bring chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets to echoey the show. The festival is a one-of-a-kind event for the whole family
Acclaimed rock band Chicago is among the most popular American recording artists of all time. The band was formerly known as the Chicago Transit Authority before they shortened the name to the city it was founded in. With over one hundred million sales in records, Chicago distinguished itself from other rock bands of the late 1960s. Earth, Wind & Fire is a pop, soul and jazz fused band that became one of the top-selling and most influential groups of the 1970s. The band is renowned for their remarkable versatility. Throughout the years the group has given their fans soulful ballads, spiritual anthems, Afro-Caribbean jazz, driving funk and rock, and upbeat disco dance hits.
Bill Champlin, the two-time Grammy winner, and former member of Chicago will be joined by the former Chicago members Jeff Coffey and Keith Howland. Gorden Campbell, the former drummer of Earth, Wind & Fire will also accompany the Chicago members. Fans can expect to dance the night away with hits like “If You Leave Me Now,” “You’re the Inspiration” and “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” from Chicago and “Shining Star”, “Boogie Wonderland” and “September” from Earth, Wind & Fire.
“We are ecstatic to have a soulful, jazz group come together with an iconic rock and roll group for one special night that families of all ages can enjoy!”
-Brian McFadden, Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director
Barracuda-America’s Heart Tribute has earned the reputation for one of the best tribute bands by recreating the rock band, Heart’s greatest hits with mind-blowing accuracy. Each member has traveled the world with an impressive number of years of experience and skill. Barracuda-America’s Heart Tribute is recognized for their masterful vocals, brilliant musicianship and unceasing over-the-top performances which has created a solid foundation for this extraordinary tribute.
Don’t wait to spread the word and make plans to kick off your fourth of July weekend with Ellicottville’s Summer Music Festival. More information about the Summer Musical Festival and tickets can be found here.
Rock duo Hot Tuna will kick off their final “Electric Hot Tuna” tour on July 20, opening the Great South Bay Music Festival at Shorefront Park in Patchogue. The duo will stop in Upstate New York in September before wrapping up their tour at the Beacon Theatre in NYC.
Jack Casady (left) and Jorma Kaukonen (right.) Credit: Erik Kabik.
The duo, which comprises Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen, originated in San Francisco and has been making music for more than 50 years. They released their self-titled debut studio in 1970, and have since their most recent studio album was 2011’s Steady as She Goes. While their last official album was released over a decade ago, Hot Tuna is still going strong, soon to begin a tour across the country this month.
Members of Hot Tuna have come and gone, but Casady and Kaukonen have been steady members since its inception, while also maintaining solo careers. Casady released a solo album, Dream Factor, in 2003, while Kaukonen begin his solo career early into Hot Tuna’s career, releasing a solo record, Quah, 1974.
Tickets are now available for Hot Tuna’s upcoming final tour.
Sam Snyder is a guitar slinging legend on the Rochester scene, most notably as a member of Maybird, but if you’ve seen live music in town for any period of time, you’ve likely seen him play with countless bands. He has the highly unusual method of playing overhand, which is where the more familiar name Overhand Sam comes in. It seems like it would be inhibitive, or perhaps a fun gimmick, but neither is close to the truth. He’ll turn heads first with his style, but his playing commands full attention soon after.
His band, Overhand Sam and Bad Weapon, rose from the ashes of the great Thunder Body. Dennis Mariano and Snyder were both guitarists in that band, and Benton Sillick played trumpet. With Snyder still on guitar, Mariano on drums, and Sillick on bass, the core of Overhand Sam and Bad Weapon was born. They’ve been kicking around town with sporadic shows for years. 2023 however has seen them break out of relative obscurity with more shows, a fuller tighter sound and a greater sense of purpose.
At their headlining show at the Bug Jar on April 29, the Weapons were set to stun. Rounded out with Sam Hirsch on keys and Cooper Alexander on percussion, they took the stage and promptly erupted into a manic flourish of sound. The audience didn’t have much chance to get their bearings. The opening salvo called them into the room like a siren song, but they walked right into a hold-on-for-dear-life situation. The trap set, the prey caught, the band relented and settled it into a nice groove. Spinning heads reoriented into the more comfortable rock n roll head bob.
They weren’t in any rush, letting the grooves completely permeate the room and melt into the appropriately trippy walls and surroundings. Snyder broke in with vocals here and there, but the instruments commanded the night. Mariano’s drums were a maelstrom, pulling and pushing the music into new directions at will. Guitar, bass, keys and percussion swirled into one, sending off a typhoon of psychedelia. Snyder then took control, showcasing his shredding creds with piercing solos. He and Mariano found themselves in cooperative battles, and the victims in the audience were more than happy to submit and surrender.
Songs flowed from one to the next, flipping from jaunty and hooky to manic and driving to rhythmic and rocking. The set consisted mostly from their album, Bad Weapon. Initially out as a limited release vinyl, they just recently re-released it digitally, giving anyone with internet instant access to these stellar sounds. Highly recommended!
Another album recently out that is a must-hear is DM Stith’s Fata Morgana. The singer brought along folk duo Archimedes to present his new tunes, their gorgeous harmonies and sparse guitar accompaniment gave his stellar songs a beautiful rendering on stage.
Stith returned to Rochester during the pandemic after spending time in New York City, eventually working toward the music for the album, which is named for a phenomenon that occurs on Lake Ontario, a sort of mirage appearing just over the horizon, which fit in with the album’s theme of grace in nature. He described Rochester as cozy and welcoming, and that would be a pretty spot on descriptor of the music as well. It was about as lovely a set as you’re going to get at the Bug Jar.
Second up on the evening was Sun Parade, returning to the Bug Jar from their home in Northampton Massachusetts for the first time in many years. Missing their keyboard player, they played as a quartet, two guitars, bass and drums. Overhand Sam was playing from a re-released album, Stith playing from his brand new album, so it was only appropriate that Sun Parade was playing a bunch from their not-quite-out-yet-not-even-quite-finished album. Decades worth of rock influence came together for some catchy and groovy tunes that delighted the crowd. And a delighted and engaged crowd in turn delighted and impressed the band who were genuinely excited at the positive responses to their music. Hopefully they’ll be back a bit sooner this time, with new album in tow.
Each set took on a life of it’s own, it didn’t feel like one was opening for another. It was almost like getting three shows for the price of one, and for twelve bucks that was money well spent!
Overhand Sam and Bad Weapon continue their busy year with a show at Three Heads Brewing on Saturday, May 20. Don’t miss out!
The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival has released its official free app for the 2023 celebration, which commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the festivities. The nine-day anniversary edition is a combination of free and paid performances and runs from June 23 to July 1 in 19 venues in downtown Rochester, welcoming more than 1,750 artists from all over the world at 300 shows.
The free official CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival app allows users to access festival information anywhere, anytime and is loaded with more features than ever to customize and enhance the user’s festival experience.Â
The official CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival free app allows users to check schedules and more for shows, and filter between days. Here’s a look at the June 23 schedule. Credit: RochesterJazz.com.
With the free official CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival app, users can:
Find the entire line-up and 2023 Festival schedule.
Browse the schedule by When, Where and Type of show (Free, Club Pass, Headliners, etc.)
Browse by artists, read about them, visit their websites and listen to tracks.
Create and plan your own personal schedule, set reminders, view venues on the map, and get travel times.
Buy tickets, and see FAQs.
Stay in touch with the latest news and alerts and important info on getting around the festival.
Connect with the Festival’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram accounts to keep up with the latest posts.
Sign up for official festival alerts and email news for important, timely messages.
Never miss a show. Set alerts to upcoming events, including how long it will take to get there.
See what’s hot and what others are recommending.
Love a show? Share your favorites with others.
The annual CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival, one of the worldâs leading jazz festivals and is presented in three series: Headliner, Free Shows, and Club Pass. Impressively, A record 210,000 people attended the festival in 2022. Founded in 2002 and produced by RIJF, LLC, 2023 marks the festival’s 20th Anniversary Edition. The festival opens with CSE Music School Band at the City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage presented by the Community Foundation on June 23 at 4:30 p.m. After the official festival ends, the City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage will welcome ESM Jazz Honors Unit 2 – Rob Varon on July 26 at 6 p.m.
2023 Rochester International Jazz Festival Schedule
1988 was a groundbreaking year for Steven Page. 1988 was the year Steven Page was introduced to the locals in Toronto, Ontario, as he was taking the stage with Ed Robertson for the first time as Barenaked Ladies. Witty lyrics and quirky stage presence quickly become the norm for this duo who routinely missed or skipped show rehearsals and relied more on improv as they took to the stage.
After a successful run with the band including Juno awards, Grammy nods, and huge pop songs, Page left in 2009 and pursued a solo career. A solo career which still includes the witty lyrics and quirky antics, both of which helped make him a household name in Toronto, and across SUNY school campuses in New York. Having seen Barenaked Ladies 10 times, all with Page as the front man, I was hoping for some of that charisma at the Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda.
With nearly 1000 fans filling the seats at this 97-year-old theatre, Steven Page opened up the show with ‘It’s All Been Done,” from the album Stunt. Fans of all ages were immediately into it. Hands waving in the air, random lyrics being belted, and a couple 20-somethings dancing in the aisles. We all knew then how this show was going to go. While he is no longer with the band, Page routinely plays favorites like this as diehard fans still enjoy them.
Coming up next was one of my favorites, from 1994’s Maybe You Should Drive, Page belted out lyrics to “Jane.” More of the sellout crowd began singing along and dancing in the aisles. Sadly, the security wasn’t having it, as they were quick to make these young ladies take their seat. It wouldn’t last though.
When Page was done talking about Jane, he began to reminisce of yesteryear, touring with Barenaked Ladies across campuses of SUNY schools. Recalling shows at Fredonia, which some fans cheered at, as well as driving around saying “we played there, we played that college…” I recall seeing Barenaked Ladies at SUNY Brockport in 1993, or maybe 1994. Either way, it was few years ago and the year doesn’t matter. What matters is watching Steven and the band have a blast on stage and fans throwing boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese during one of their songs. These are the memories that Page was getting at, along with meeting new people and seeing how they perform. Bands such as The Odds, featuring Craig Northey, who now tours with Page as one third of Steven Page Trio.
Done recalling the past, page continues his set with an extended version of “Alternative Girlfriend,” “Golden Age,” and “What a Good Boy.”
In the midst of all this, of course he has to plug his newest album, Excelsior – Steven Page, to which he references New York’s state motto, and continues on about the new NY rest stops. Being a newer NY resident, Page seems to not agree with the size of some of the newer rest stops as well as the choice of an un-named chicken place that isn’t open on Sundays. All of which got some loud applause and cheers from the crowd.
During the height of the pandemic, Page began doing home show, as many artists to keep in contact with their fanbase. Although the worst is behind us as far as the pandemic goes, Page continues his live from home shows and recently aired his 100th episode Steven Page Announces 100th Live From Home Show ::antiMusic.com. With this he recorded the song “Zoom,” which is an ode to a way of life for everyone for a great while. The song talks about seeing your family and your living room, making new friends, and of course hoping the internet holds up.
As Page finishes his set with Northey and Kevin Fox on cello, he is still amazed that he sold out the theatre and thanks everyone for their continued support. Very grateful for 30+ years in the business, both with Barenaked Ladies and on his own. The support he has received over the years is clear as the packed house is on their feet for the entire 4 song encore.
Follow and support Steven as he continues touring and pushing his albums. Steven Page | Musician
Setlist: It’s All Been Done, New Shore, Jane, Alternative Girlfriend/SW Cool, Golden Age, What a Good Boy, Gravity, Linda Ronstadt in The 70’s, Something About Me, No Song Left to Save Me, Looking For The Light, Zoom, Bull in a China Shop, Old Apartment, Brian Wilson Encore: Asleep at the Wheel, Enid, Call And Answer, Shoe Box
Four-time Grammy award-winning and diamond-certified rock band Aerosmith announced the PEACE OUT! Farewell Tour, stopping at various New York cities, including Belmont Park, Buffalo, and New York City.
For the last 50 years, rock legends Aerosmith have toured extensively and have sold 150 million records worldwide. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers have produced genre-defining music videos such as “Amazing,” “Crazy,” “Janie’s Got A Gun,” “Livin’ On The Edge,” and “Love In An Elevator,” as well as becoming the first rock band with a massive commercially successful hip-hop collaboration with Run DMC on “Walk This Way,” and the first hard rock band to appear during a Super Bowl Halftime Show with their 2001 performance.
In a joint statement, Aerosmith shared, “It’s not goodbye it’s PEACE OUT! Get ready and walk this way, you’re going to get the best show of our lives.” Along with the tour announcement, the band shared that drummer Joey Kramer will not be joining the group for the final run, saying “While Joey Kramer remains a beloved founding member of Aerosmith, he has regrettably made the decision to sit out the currently scheduled touring dates to focus his full attention on his family and health. Joey’s unmistakable and legendary presence behind the drum kit will be sorely missed.”
The special guest for the tour is The Black Crowes, a rock group that has gone through their fair share since changing how journalists felt about hard rock with their record Shake Your Money Maker. In 1990 they topped Rolling Stone’s “Best New American Band Readers Poll,” going on to release eight studio and four live albums, selling in the tens of millions along the way, and sold out tours around the world. In addition, the band had legendary guitarist Jimmy Page join as a member, got kicked off a tour with ZZ Top for insulting the sponsor, got screwed by bad record deals, and more.
The monumental 40-date farewell tour includes stops at UBS Arena in Belmont Park on Saturday, Sept. 9, KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2024, and Madison Square Garden on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. The band will be collaborating with THX, bringing their Certified Live! high-fidelity experience on the road, calibrating each arena with leading-edge audio technology. VIP ticketing options are available, including a premium reserved ticket, a personal photo opportunity with band members, limited edition merchandise, and more. General on-sale begins on Friday, May 5 at 10 AM, for more information and to buy tickets, go here.
Sorry we missed you the past couple months, we were too busy seeing shows! Hopefully you were too. May is here, the flowers are blooming, and so is the live music in Rochester. Here are five lovely shows popping up this month that you should probably go check out.
Acid Mothers Temple returns to the Bug Jar from Japan for the first time in a handful of years, bringing back their intensely psychedelic rock perfectly suited for the trippy little bar on Monroe. Whether you’re on drugs or not, prepare to be sent to another dimension. Austin’s My Education joins them and Rochester’s Pengo will get things kicked off.
The show starts at 9pm and tickets are $15/$18dos.
May 11: Seán Barna at Radio Social
A day before his new album, An Evening at Macri Park, drops on Kill Rock Stars, Seán Barna will play a free show at Radio Social. Be one of the first to hear this incredible queer singer/songwriter and his band perform the album, which was recorded locally at 1809 Studios. Pluck and Cece Vile will open the show.
Pimp Biscuits is Aqueous’ Mike Gantzer and Evan McPhaden, and Pickle Mafia’s Marco Cirigliano. They don’t get together often, but when they do, watch out! And with Aqueous on indefinite hiatus, all the more reason to get in to enjoy some Gantzer and McPhaden magic. With previously recommended Vertices opening the show, we’re in for a night of heavy improvisation. With Pigeons Playing Ping Pong opening up the Lilac Festival earlier in the evening, the possibilities for some nice sit-ins are high.
David Grisman’s son Sam recently assembled a band, heavy on Rochester talent, to explore the music of his father and Jerry Garcia and beyond. Area guitarist Aaron Lipp and drummer Chris English join him, and multi-instrumentalist Ric Robertson rounds out the quartet. They interpret the music acoustically, electrically, and eclectically. This one is going to sound great nestled in between the lilacs. Get there early for Organ Fairchild and Digglers Bridge.
Music starts at 4pm, Sam Grisman comes on at 7pm, and it’s all free.
Margaret Explosion is a long running institution in Rochester. There’s no one named Margaret and the music is decidedly unexplosive, but their regular gigs at the cafe inside The Little Theater are always a treat. Their shows are completely improvised “slow-motion psychedelia.” Melissa Davies has been joining the quartet on cello recently and the results have been stunning.
When I think of Blues music, the basic, common names come to mind. The likes of BB King, Muddy Waters, Blind Boy Fuller, and Buddy Guy. These are the classic staples of Blues genre. Another staple with the Blues is a nice pour of bourbon/rye/whiskey, straight up or on the rocks, it pairs well with the classic or modern sounds of Blues. This was the thought process of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Neil Giraldo as he founded Three Chord brand of bourbons in 2017. Fast forward to 2023, Giraldo’s company was a presenting sponsor of the 2nd annual Buffalo Blues and Roots Festival.
Taking place on April 22, Buffalo Riverworks Buffalo’s Best Sports Bar & Entertainment hosted 10 acts of amazing Blues talent, each playing approximately 40-minute sets, with the two headliners getting bonus stage time. Oh, and they were doing bourbon samples, too, pretty much a win-win.
Opening the festival was Buffalo’s own Henry’s Summer Kitchen (Henry’s Summer Kitchen | Buffalo NY | Facebook). This unique quartet plays a wide range of tunes, ranging from classic Merle Haggard to current original songs, twangy, old-school country sounds with modern twists. You never know what you are going to get, but you will never be disappointed.
Taking over the stage after Henry’s cleared out his kitchen, Tonemah was ready to jam. Darryl Tonemah (Tonemah)is not your typical musician, let’s make that clear. Not only does Tonemah record and perform music, but he also carries a Ph.D. and has appeared in 3 well-known movies. To boot, he performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics, holding quite the resume.
Performing in Buffalo, though, this full-blooded Native American (Kiowa/Comanche/Tuscarora) was wowing the Riverworks crowd with family on stage with him as a seven piece band. Playing mostly original music, Tonemah shook the stage for about 40 minutes and used every second to make their presence known.
Next up was The Growlers (Growlers Blues Band | Buffalo NY | Facebook) Featuring Jon Lewandowski on vocals and harp, Dan Shurtleff on drums, Rob Enderle on guitar, Ed Croft on bass with guest guitarist Rusty Fisher. Western NY based, these guys came to play, and play they did. With smooth riffs on the bass, Jon doing his best John Popper impression on the harp, and Dan crushing the drums, The Growlers came across as seasoned vets on more of a blues rock set. At this point, a nice bourbon was really hitting me.
Coming to the stage around 315 was The X-Statix with Sharon Bailey (The X-STATIX | Facebook). Bailey hits the stage as a very well-known and regarded funk/blues/jazz voice in the Buffalo area. Punk band vibes, her voice is a little Joan Osborne, a little Etta James, and a little Dusty Springfield. Rounding out X-Statix is Joel Slazyk on bass (who happened to have color-coordinated shirts and guitar), Bob Granfield on vocals and percussion, and Rick Militello on vocals/bass.
Bourbon? Nope, not yet. Three Chords was setting up a table right near the VIP entrance, however, and I was on watch now.
Ok, this is where I admit some fault. Coming into this festival, I searched on the world wide web for all these acts. I knew some of them and had heard of a couple of othersâall with great feedback. Patti Parks was a new name for me so I looked her up as I did everyone else. I made a decision beforehand that this was going be my rest time as I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the set as much as the others, get some pizza and beverage and just sit back and enjoy the show. Patti, I am sorry I doubted you at all as I couldn’t have been more wrong on this. Patti and her ensemble were incredible as they rocked the stage with a brass section, bass, percussion, and her own vocals. For me, this set was mind-blowing, to say the least. Go give Patti Parks a listen and see for yourself why she is a member of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.
Ray Barry, the name behind Barry Entertainment, is the event organizer/promotor. Not only does he set up this superb event in downtown Buffalo, NY, he is also a scheduled performer and he brought the troupe out to perform the music of The Band. Like every other act on this stage doing covers, these guys put their own style to some Americana classics without hindering the effects of the song. Ending with a staple, The Weight, and Ray Barry and Friends had a large group of VIP patrons dancing stage front for the entire 40-minute set.
Tommy Z takes the stage at 545, with bourbon pouring at 545. Tommy Z has a rich history with blues, starting out when he backed up Pinetop Perkins and worked with many of the biggest names including Buddy Guy, Jimmy Vaughn, and Robert Cray. On top of his illustrious recording career, which has included weekly shows on Buffalo-based blues radio stations, Tommy has managed to do shows for US troops around the globe, sometimes in tumultuous areas, since 2003.
It’s bourbon time. While I am not a bourbon snob, I enjoy a few things in life including a nice sipping drink. Three Chord was offering up 2 varieties to sample: Kentucky Straight Bourbon, aged in pinot noir barrels as well as Amplified Rye. I had to sample both and damn were they tasty. While I enjoyed the Rye at 95 proof, the Kentucky straight was a little smoother and definitely had me looking for a bottle to take home. Again, I am not a bourbon snob or reviewer, I simply enjoy a nice pour with some solid music in the background.
Moving back to the music, Miller and the Other Sinners took the stage for their set. Buffalo-based and well-known around Western NY and the Finger Lakes, Miller (who also is involved with Three Chord Bourbon) and his Sinners came out firing on all cylinders with the funk and soul sound they have been producing since 2015. Over the years Miller has played with great names such as Shamekia Copeland, Susan Tedeschi, and Joe Bonamassa. 730 is the time I have been looking forward to because Selwyn Birchwood jumps on stages Just as I did for all the other acts, I looked into this young man. It didn’t much for me to get hooked. A little Jimi Hendrix, a dash of Prince, and Some Buddy Guy, that is Selwyn Birchwood, who burst onto the scene in 2014.
A song I took to immediately was “Living in a Burning House.” Deep lyrics and smooth vocals make this a perfect song to listen to while sipping Three Chord bourbon. When he played this song in Buffalo, the crowd was ready for it and you could see many of them singing along. Another artist new to me, for now, it was clear that Birchwood made his presence known around Buffalo as he rocked the crowd for a little over an hour.
Rounding out the festival was Colin James. From Saskatchewan, Canada, James brought 30 years of music, 8 Juno awards, and nearly 30 Maple Blues awards to Buffalo Riverworks. Who knew this could happen to a guy whose first performance was opening up for Stevie Ray Vaughn with only a few hours notice? While the venue and crowd may not be what James is used to, he had the entire crowd into the music. For some, it was just sitting there bopping their head to the beat or tapping their toes, while others were in full dance party mode. With over 20 albums of music to select from, James played for nearly 90 minutes and seemed to love every second of it. Colin James is on tour, with shows coming up in Ontario.
For nine hours, Buffalo Riverworks was rocking some blues, roots, and Americana sounds. Arts and crafts, the aforementioned bourbon, as well as rustic surroundings outside all were perfect compliments of each other and Barry Entertainment put together a great day of family fun in Downtown Buffalo.
Henry’s Summer KitchenHenry’s Summer KitchenHenry’s Summer KitchenHenry’s Summer KitchenHenry’s Summer KitchenTonemahThe Growlers Blues BandThe X-StatixPatti Parks BandRay Barry and FriendsTommy ZMiller and the Other SinnersSelwyn BirchwoodColin James
