ENVY
PARTYS ALL NIGHT @
HIDEAWAY'S
"ENVY" SHOULD BE THE ENVY THAT ALL LOCAL BUFFALO BANDS SECRETLY FEEL WHEN THEY KNOW THIS BAND WILL PLAY A CLUB AFTER THEM. THERE IS AN ENERGY THAT PULLS THE PATRONS FROM THE BAR TO THE STAGE WITH A GREAT COMBINATION OF SONGS. OFTEN HITTING ON THE ONE THAT BRINGS EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE GLUED THEMSELVES TO THE BAR STOOL FOR THE NIGHT.
A FRIEND OF A FRIEND "YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES" SAID YOU HAVE TO CHECK THESE GUYS (AND GIRL) OUT WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE. SO THE FIRST THOUGHTS GO DIRECTLY TO "FACEBOOK", AFTER PUNCHING IN "ENVY" ONE OF THE PAGES THAT POPS UP IS "ENVY BANDROCKS" AND THE JOURNEY BEGINS AS I SCROLL THROUGH THE PICTURES. IT IS THEN THAT I PUT THEM ON MY LIST OF BANDS TO SEE. TRUE TO FORM, OTHER BANDS PULL ME IN AND WORK THEIR WAY UP THE LIST AND SOON "ENVY" DROPS DOWN THE LIST.
AS SO OFTEN HAPPENS, A FRIEND MENTIONS THAT "ENVY" WILL BE PLAYING AN UP COMING GIG IN HAMBURG, NEW YORK AND THAT I SHOULD GO. SINCE I DO NOT GET TO SEE HER, AS SHE LIVES IN DUNKIRK, I JUMP AT THE CHANCE TO HANG OUT. LET ME GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MARY BECAUSE I HAVE STRUGGLED TO FIND GOOD BANDS THAT I CAN HAVE A FEW BEERS AND ENJOY THE ATMOSPHERE KNOWING I CAN GIVE POSITIVE FEED BACK IN AN UPCOMING REVIEW.
AFTER DECIDING THAT SINCE HIDEAWAY'S IS CONNECTED TO A QUALITY INN WE WILL STAY OVER NIGHT, KICK BACK AND RELAX. RUNNING A BIT LATER THAN EXPECTED WE CHECK IN BUT NOT AFTER HAVING TO STAND AND WAIT WHILE THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER FINISHES HIS PERSONAL CONVERSATION WITH A FRIEND. HE GIVES THE SPEECH THAT INCLUDES ALL THE THINGS AVAILABLE TO US. DINNER HOURS FROM 4-9pm BUT A LIMITED MENU IS OFFERED UNTIL 4am AND THERE MAY POSSIBLY BE A BAND PLAYING LATER THAT NIGHT. "THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR" I SAY THAT GETS A WEIRD LOOK FROM THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER.
THE ROOM ALTHOUGH A BIT PRICEY HAD EVERYTHING A PATRON COULD NEED A DESK, REFRIGERATOR, IRON WITH IRONING BOARD, ENOUGH DRAW SPACE FOR THREE PEOPLE AND HAND LOTION THAT SMELLED INCREDIBLE. THE ROOM WAS NEAR THE END OF THE HALL, MAYBE THE MAN AT THE DESK THOUGHT WE WOULD BE BRINGING A LARGE GROUP TO PARTY THE NIGHT AWAY, HENCE THE LOOK. THE DOWNFALL WAS THAT THE TOILET TOOK FOREVER TO FLUSH, NO MICROWAVE (HEY, THERE WAS A FRIDGE AND WHAT BETTER TO GO WITH IT) AND THE FREE WI-FI WAS A JOKE. IF A HOTEL OR MOTEL ADVERTISES FREE WI-FI IT BETTER HAVE GREAT SPEED.
DUE TO THE TURTLE SPEED OF THE INTERNET "ENVY" WERE ALREADY INTO THEIR FIRST SET AND AS I DO NOT LIKE TO BE LATER I WAS AGGRAVATED. AFTER A COUPLE CHUGS OF MY BOTTLE OF "HAPPINESS LIQUID" I RELAXED AND FOUND THE BAND TO HAVE ALREADY BEGUN PULLING THE PATRONS OFF THEIR SEATS AND HOVERING IN FRONT OF THE STAGE.
CARRIE ENGLER MAZUR(VOCALS) MADE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME. THIS IS A PARTY BAND WITH A BAG FULL OF SONGS THAT ENCOURAGE AN ALL NIGHT MUSICAL SPIN UNTIL THE LAST DROP OF FLUID IS CONSUMED. MAZUR, ACCORDING TO LEO GASTLE (DRUMS), PICKS OUT ALL THE SONGS AS IT WILL BE HER VOICE THAT LEADS THE BAND THROUGH ALMOST EVERY VERSE AND CHORUS. THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES THAT WITH EYES SHUT MAZUR'S SYNTAX HAS PERFECT PITCH TO THE ORIGINAL VERSIONS OF SOME OF THE SONG CHOICES. SHE DEFINITELY KNOWS HER ABILITIES AND MAKES DECISIONS BASED IN PART ON NOT LETTING THE AUDIENCE DOWN.
WHEN THE BEGINNING OF AN EVANESCENCE TUNE HIT MY EAR THE ANTICIPATION TO HEAR MAZUR'S INTERPRETATION OF AMY LEE'S VOICE WAS HIGH. AS SHE DOVE INTO THE FIRST NOTE I KNEW EVERYONE LISTENING WAS IN GREAT HANDS. MIDWAY THROUGH THE SONG I BEGAN TO WATCH HER PERFORMANCE FROM THE VISUAL SIDE. THE EMOTIONAL BREATH THAT AMY LEE PUTS IN HER VOCALS SEEMED TO BE MISSING FROM MAZUR. THE SOUND AND VISUAL COMBINATION WAS NOT THERE SO AGAIN I CLOSED MY EYES AND HEARD EVERY PERFECT PITCH. WHEN OPENING MY EYES AGAIN THE VISUAL CONNECTION COULD NOT BE MADE.
MY EYES ROLLED OVER TO MIKE SCHUNK (BASS) WHO WAS POURING EVERY NOTE INTO THE AIR WITH BLASTS OF "THIS IS HOW WE DO IT LIVE" ATTITUDE. TOGETHER WITH LEO GASTLE (DRUMS) THEY LIT A FIRE UNDER THE BEATS THAT DROVE THE BAND THROUGH HIT AFTER HIT. THIS DUO HAS INCREDIBLE ONE/TWO PUNCH THAT SEEMS TO STAND ALONE IN THE LOCAL LIVE PERFORMANCE COVER BANDS.
BRIAN KINDZIERSKI (GUITAR) HAS SHOWMANSHIP THAT BUILDS AS THE NIGHT GOES ON. ALONG WITH CARRIE THEY JUST LOCK INTO WHAT THE AUDIENCE IS LOOKING FOR AS THEY SETTLE IN TO PARTY THROUGHOUT THE EVENING. AT ONE POINT A WHOLE TABLE RAISED THEIR GLASSES AS WE JAMMED THREW HIS GUITAR SOLO. THE SONG LIST ALLOWS FOR VERY LITTLE GUITAR VIRTUOSO TECHNIQUE BUT WHEN A SONG CALLS FOR A ZAP OF SPECIALTY KINDZIERSKI DELIVERS.
THESE ARE FOUR PEOPLE WHO COME TOGETHER TO PUT ON A SHOW WITH A SUPERB SELECTION OF SONGS THAT ARE A TREMENDOUS CROWD PLEASER. THIS IS A MUST SEE BUFFALO BAND THAT CAN ROCK THE ROOF OFF ANY CLUB.
JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE MOM/DAUGHTER TEAM BEHIND THE BAR WHO STAYED ON POINT SERVING UP THE FOOD & DRINKS SWIFTLY. THEY HAD THEIR HANDS FULL ALL NIGHT AS THE BAND PLAYED TO THE CROWD AND MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO FEEL THE HEAT.
3/12/11