BRINGS THE MUSIC TO THE MASSES
@ ERIE CANAL HARBOR CENTRAL WHARF
JULY 7, 2011
THE NEW LOCATION FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE FREE SUMMER MUSIC SERIES PRESENTED BY BUFFALO PLACE HAS MUCH IMPROVED SURROUNDINGS AS IT SITS RIGHT ON THE WATER. THE SIDE WALKS RUN UP AND DOWN, SIDE TO SIDE THROUGH OUT THE GRASSY KNOLL. THE BRICK ROAD IS NO WHERE NEAR SMOOTH BUT IT ACCENTS THE AREA PERFECTLY GIVING IT A MORE DOWN HOME LOOK.
THE FIRST DOWNFALL IS THE PAID PARKING AS OPPOSED TO THE FREE PARKING WHEN THE EVENT IS HELD AT THE SQUARE TOSSING $6 IS EQUIVALENT TO 2 TICKETS INSIDE THE VENUE. THE BATHROOMS ARE A BIT OF A HIKE NOT TO MENTION WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE ON SITE AND NOT ONE OUTHOUSE SEEMED UNUSED. THEN I WAS INFORMED I HAD TO GO ACROSS THE PARK AREA TO RETRIEVE A "LIME" BEER. I NEVER REALIZED THEY WERE THAT SPECIAL THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE PLACED AT THE WINE TENT. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REFRESHING DRINK THAT TOOK WAY TO LONG TO GET IN MY HANDS ONLY TO HAVE IT BE LUKE WARM. FYI, ON A RETURN VISIT TO THE WINE TENT WE FOUND THOSE "LIME" BEERS TO BE VERY REFRESHING.
THE GROUNDS ARE SO BIG IT IS HARD PRESSED TO RUN INTO OUT OF TOUCH FRIENDS BUT AS WITH ME IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU. BUZZING THROUGH THE CROWD IS NOT THE WAY TO MANEUVER, IT IS BEST TO STROLL AND LET YOUR EYES WANDER AND BEFORE LOST FRIENDS WILL BE FOUND.
THE FOUND HIT THE STAGE RUNNING WITH SOME GREAT ORIGINAL LOCAL MUSIC. THE FEEL THAT EMANATED FROM THE BANDS SOUND WAS A PAGE RIPPED RIGHT OUT OF THE LATE 60'S WITH HEART STOPPING, KEYBOARD DOMINATED RUSHES OF THE PAST. IRON BUTTERFLY AS WELL AS GREG ROLIE WHEN HE PLAYED WITH SANTANA WERE JUST SMEARED ALL OVER THEIR SOUND. WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT THEIR MUSIC IS A MARVELOUS TRIBUTE TO DAYS GONE BY. THE HUMIDITY DID NOT DISSUADE THE BAND FROM LEAVING EVERY THING THEY HAVE ON THE STAGE.
NEXT UP JOHNNY NOBODY WHO IS IN THEIR 10th ANNIVERSARY YEAR AND HAVE NO INTENTION OF QUITTING. THEIR CD HAS A $5 PRICE TAG THAT IS WELL WORTH THE CASH. JAY WHITE (DRUMS) HAS SOME UNIQUE STYLING BEHIND THE KIT WHICH SHOWS TREMENDOUS SHOWMANSHIP. HIS HARD EDGE ROCK SLICK FORM IS OFFSET PERFECTLY WITH ANDREW VAETH (VOCAL, GUITAR) AND COLIN ROBERTS (BASS) BLUES HEAVY RIFFS. THE COMBINATION ALLOWS THE LISTENER TO FORGE DOWN EITHER PATH WITHOUT DISRESPECTING THE ROAD NOT TRAVELED. MOHAWK PLACE IS GIVING JOHNNY NOBODY A STAGE ON FRIDAY JULY 15, 2011 TO CELEBRATE THEIR 10 YEARS TOGETHER IN A MORE PERSONALIZED SETTING. ADMISSION IS $5 WITH OPENING ACTS ON BETA AND THE MERCHANTS HITTING THE STAGE BY 9pm.
SLOAN SCREAMED THROUGH A STREAMING SET LIST OF POP HITS PAST AND PRESENT. EARLY INTO THE SHOW THEY WERE INFORMED THAT THEY COULD PLAY LONGER SO THEY MADE SOME ON THE FLY ADJUSTMENTS TO INCLUDE SOME FAN FAVORITES.
THEY WERE PILE-DRIVERS AS THEY PICKED OUT SOME MORE AGGRESSIVE EDGIER TUNES FOR THE CROWD THAT GREW BY THE MINUTE. EVEN AS THE BAND WAS HITTING THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE SHOW, THE BRIDGE TO THE VENUE WAS HOPPING WITH NEW ARRIVALS. CELL PHONES WERE BUSTING OUT AT AN ACCELERATED RATE NO ONE WANTED TO BE WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION OF THEIR TIME WELL SPENT AT THIS MUSIC SPECTACULAR.
NOW THAT THE WEATHER PLAYS LESS OF A PART IN AUDIENCE ATTENDANCE AND WITH THE BIG MOVE FROM LAFAYETTE SQUARE TO THE WHARF IT FEELS LIKE 1 IN 10 PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTED. SLOAN TOO FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE CROWD BY WINNING OVER EVEN THOSE WHO WERE THERE JUST BECAUSE IT WAS FREE. EVERY ONE SANG ALONG TO ALMOST EVERY SONG EVEN THOUGH THE BAND GETS LITTLE AIRPLAY LOCALLY, SHAMEFUL. FUN @ THE WHARF WITH SLOAN IS AN EVENT THAT SHOULD FIND ITS WAY INTO NEXT YEARS SCHEDULE.
RUSTY
7/7/11
