JUNE 14, 2011
ARTPARK BEGAN THEIR 10th SEASON OF FREE MUSIC AND FUN ON A HIGH NOTE WITH OPENING BAND SON OF THE SUN BEFORE FEATURED BAND BLUE OYSTER CULT TOOK THE STAGE.
SON OF THE SUN IS PUTTING THE HEAT ON ,TAKING THE STAGE AS AN OPENING BAND THROUGHOUT THE AREA. THEY DID NOT LET THE CROWD DOWN AT ARTPARK, CHALLENGING MANY TO GET OUT OF THEIR SEATS AND COME TO THE STAGE. THE CROWD RESPONDED AS IT BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO WALK AROUND IN FRONT OF THE STAGE. SON OF THE SUN HAVE A CUSTOM OF SLOWLY DRAWING THE AUDIENCE IN WITH A MIX OF OLD SONGS THEN DROPPING IN A FEW OF THE ONES SOON TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 25, 2011. THE CD RELEASE PARTY WILL A BE A HARD TO MISS EVENT HELD AT NIETZSCHE'S ON ALLEN STREET IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. THE ASSEMBLAGE GREW AS THE BAND TOSSED OUT THE TUNES AND LET THE AUDIENCES' ENTHUSIASM BUILD. WHEN ZAK WARD BEGINS PLAYING "THE SEEKER" AND HIS HEAD BEGINS TO THRASH YOU GET THE FEELING HE LEAVES HIS BODY WHILE DRIVING THIS SONG TO THE BRINK.
ARTPARK HAS CHANGED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, BECOMING MORE RULES- ORIENTED AS THE CALIBER OF BANDS AMPLIFIES. THROUGHOUT ERIE AND NIAGARA COUNTY, SEVERAL CITY FREE CONCERT OFFERINGS HAVE BECOME THE PLACES TO BE ON A SPECIFICALLY GIVEN NIGHT. EACH ONE AS HAD ITS FAIR SHARE OF GROWING PAINS THAT HAVE BROUGHT IN MORE FANS BUT AT TIMES HAVE KEPT MANY FROM WANTING TO ATTEND. SEVERAL FOLKS STANDING NEXT TO WHERE WE WERE SEATED COMPLAINED IMMENSELY OVER THE NEW RULE OF NOT BEING ALLOWED TO ENTER THE GROUNDS BEFORE 4pm. MANY COMPLAINTS THAT THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR SOME TO FIND A PLACE TO DROP THEIR BLANKETS AND CHAIRS COULD HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN THIS DECISION. SADLY, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARRIVE WELL INTO THE OPENING BAND'S SET SO THE REST WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET THEIR EARLY FIND A GREAT SPOT ARE NOW BEING PENALIZED.
THEN THE NEW SIGNS THAT PEPPERED THE TRAIL INTO THE AMPHITHEATER ARE A WARNING TO ANYONE WHO WISHES TO LEAVE THEIR CHAIRS UNATTENDED. WHAT? SO THEY WANT US TO PURCHASE THEIR FOOD AND BEER, BUT WAIT! DO NOT LEAVE YOUR SEATS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN A FULLY THOUGHT OUT RULE BECAUSE IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO SPEND MONEY IN ORDER TO KEEP THE SHOWS FREE, WE NEED TO LEAVE OUR SEATS. EVERY TIME A GROUP OF PEOPLE WOULD GET UP TO HEAD TO THE CONCESSION STANDS WITH A STOP AT THE OUTHOUSES ON THE WAY, THE CROWD WOULD START YELLING OUT "THEY'RE GOING TO REMOVE YOUR SEATS, GOOD LUCK FINDING A NEW PLACE TO SIT." IF I CHOOSE TO ARRIVE EARLY TO GET A GOOD SEAT BUT WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE FOOD AND DRINKS, WHICH WILL LEAD ME TO PATRON THE FACILITIES, WHY SHOULD I BE PENALIZED? THESE SHOWS SHOULD NOT A HAVE POLITICAL-STYLE AGENDA WHERE RULES RULES RULES TAKE OVER IN ORDER TO MAKE MONEY. THE ONLY RULES OF ORDER SHOULD BE IN THE SAFETY OF THE PERFORMERS AND CONCERT GOERS, LEAVE THE POLITICS AT THE DOOR.
ON WITH THE FEATURED ARTIST, BLUE OYSTER CULT WHO PUT A GREAT PACKAGE OF SONGS TOGETHER THAT SURGED BETWEEN EARLY AND LATER RELEASES HITTING ALL THE BEST SONGS FROM THEIR ALBUMS. THEY CHALLENGED THEMSELVES WHILE PRESENTING THE YOUNGER AUDIENCE MEMBERS WITH SOME AMAZING SOLO GUITAR WORK. THERE WAS A GROUP OF YOUNG LONG HAIRED (YEAH) KIDS STANDING TO THE LEFT OF THE STAGE JUST GETTING BLOWN AWAY BY WHAT THEIR EYES WERE WITNESSING. THE BAND WAS NOT ABOUT TO LET THE CROWD OFF THE HOOK WITH THEIR HITS-THEY DUG INTO THE BAG LEAVING NO STONE UNTURNED.
THEY HIT ON THE EARLY MTV DAYS WITH "BURNIN FOR YOU" AND THE CROWD RESPONDED AS THE FIRST GUITAR NOTES STREAMED THROUGH THE SPEAKERS. WATCHING THE YOUNGER AND OLD AUDIENCE MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN SINGING ALONG WITH THE LYRICS PROVES THAT SOME MUSIC NEVER GOES AWAY. A CHORUS OR A GUITAR LINE CAN BRING THE MUSIC ERAS TOGETHER FOR A NIGHT OF ENORMOUS SONGS. IT WAS CLEAR AFTER THEY RAN THROUGH A FEW SONGS THAT THEY REALLY WANTED TO BE ON STAGE AND COULD HAVE PLAYED LONG AFTER THE LAST CROWD MEMBER WENT HOME. BLUE OYSTER CULT WAS A TREMENDOUS PICK TO START OFF THIS SEASON AT ARTPARK. KUDOS TO THE MEMBERS WHO WERE ABLE TO BRING THIS BAND IN TO JUMP START THE 10th SEASON.
