Thursday at the Square week 1

Of course I went to the first Thursday at the Square downtown May 29th. It was great getting back down there with summer staring me in the face and drinking outside while people watching and dime watching. Then things went down hill, kinda.

First off prices have been jacked up. Instead of two beers for $5 it is now $3 a ticket which will get you either a draft Blue/Blue light or a slice of pizza or something. Not that I am actually wasting tickets on food, but I figured I would tell the whole story. So yea, $.50 increase in ticket prices, which isn't terrible it is less than ideal.

Secondly it was a lot colder than I thought it was going to be. In my driveway in the the 'burbs it was like 70 and kinda hot. Down in Laffeyette square it was something like 30 degrees and 80 mph winds. Well not that bad but it was jacket weather down there.

And lastly, there weren't that many people. Don't get me wrong when I first arrived it seemed pretty packed, but the crowd died down exponentially as the temperature dropped. This is probably due to a number of reasons much of which had to do with the temperature. However, other reasons have to do with the times change, it goes from 6-10 in stead of 5-9 now. This means it is later, it is darker, and there really isn't enough light to see what is going on in the pitch dark at 9:30 at night.

Whatever, it was still pretty fun and worth the 8 month wait, kind of. Hopefully in subsequent weeks more sets are flopping skirts short shorts balmier weather etc with commence. After the square of course the destination was Chippewa. Again not as many people out and it was cold there too unsurprisingly. Went to basically every where copped some free drinks didn't pay any covers. Visited Liars, no one there i think it was getting raided, Eddie Brady's, nice place before heading down the street, Level, free drink, Sub Zero, no idea but they did have a bubble machine, 67 west/Bottoms up, why not. Next week, skybar?

thursday at the square line up

The 2008 lineup includes:

• May 29 - Galactic with The New Deal
• June 5 - The Disco Biscuits
• June 12 - Yonder Mountain String Band
• June 19 - The David Sanborn Group with Gamalon
• June 26 - Martin Sexton and the Mike Doughty Duo
• July 3 - Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels
• July 10 - Jimmie Vaughan with JJ Grey and Mofro
• July 17 - The Mickey Hart Band with Tea Leaf Green
• July 24 - The Gin Blossoms with the Common Kings and Dan Erickson
• July 31 - Spirit of the West with Babik and Penny Whiskey
• Aug. 7 - Zappa plays Zappa and the Whigs
• Aug. 14 - Mike Gordon of Phish with Samantha Stollenwerck
• Aug. 21- Salvia with Klear
• Aug. 28 - Candlebox with Agent Me
• Sept. 4 - Big Head Todd and the Monsters with Indigenous

Buffalo Place Rocks the Harbor schedule is:

• Aug. 15 - Great Big Sea
• Aug. 16 - The Robert Cray Band with Keb' Mo'

I pretty much can't name any of these bands or any songs they have. A couple bands that were popular in the grunge-ish era of the early 90's like candlebox and gin blossoms. Surprised there is no violent femmes as per 06 and 07.

Whatever I'll still be there any sunny thursday drinking beers then walking to chippewa. The problem with music acts is casinos are able to pay better bands more money in smaller venues because of the gambling money they make up for the loss of paying bigger acts. This obviously hurts outfits like TATS. Oh well, but never really gets good bands any way. And when they do, Tokyo Police Club, it sells out before I can even get in. Damn Soundlab mother fuckers. Whatever, as long as the canadians come and spend their loot err loonie

Happy 176th Birthday Buffalo

Holy mole-y who knew 4/20 was Buffalo's birthday. No wonder it is a party town. So today is the 176th birthday of the city of Buffalo. I wonder why there isn't something planned each year to celebrate the cities birthday. True we don't need another reason to drink and celebrate, but then again who couldn't I guess.

Here is hoping the next 176 years goes at least as good as the last 176 if not better. Maybe a renaissance of the city a Superbowl and a stanley cup? Or I guess I would just settle for a return to the growth and development that once stood at the foot of main street on the water front. Is that really too much to ask?

Bisons home opener and the Dodos

Copped some free duckets to the Bison's home opener Friday night. It was beautiful weather all week, then Friday comes along and it rains the whole night wtf. Can't catch a break in this town jeepers. Then again starting lefty Jeremy Sowers couldn't either. While the Mud Hens and Jeremy Johnson made some nice plays in the outfield and scored 4 runs Sowers didn't get much help from the defense and no help from the offense. Three solo dingers were all Toledo needed to pull out the W.

On the bright side, I did get a foul ball minutes after I just let a ball slip right through my hands. It was either the beer in my left hand or the wet ball coming at me and I decided to have my cake and eat it too. I kept the beer, thank god, but the ball slipped right over to some punk kid. The worst part was some dude yelling "you're no athlete" to me after I missed the ball. Well at least I got my redemption on the next one.


After the game I went to see the band the Dodos at Mohawk place. Can't complain about $7 cover and $2 PBR and OV. Normally I don't like to see bands when not familiar with their music but I made an exception.

Of course the show started late, they didn't take stage till something like 12:30, but surprisingly they were pretty good. Almost, and I stress almost, like a poor man's version of Radiohead. They had no bassist, two drummers and a guitarist. They used electric and acoustic guitars.

The use of noise and echoing was also pretty interesting. If I do say so my self, check out their new album, The Dodos - Visiter out now. It is their second full length LP.

Buffalo, #1 mid sized art city

I'm not big into art museums and such, but I do understand their potential for creating jobs helping neighborhoods and drawing visitors from outside the area. Good news has been found about Buffalo's art scene. According to AmericanStyle magazine, but was voted to be the #1 mid sized art city in the country.

With the expansion of the Burchfield Penny next to Buffalo State and a world renowned Modern Art museum in the Albright Knox, I think they could have a point. Now all the city needs to do is have our own South by Southwest music festival, then I'll realllly have a boner.

More renovation in the Larkin District. Great time to invest in what is truly a potential for growth unlike the pipe dreams that are the cobblestone district.

Issa bubble bursts

Looks like the Bashar Issa bubble has burst, and it only took two years. True, for now, it is only a stall of the plans to overhaul the old hotel. Evidently the loan fell through, hmm who would have thought in a risking venture in a time when banks are failing and foreclosures are at what seems like an all time high.

Basically there is no chance the 40 story building will ever get built. I for one however didn't ever think there would be no chance the Statler renovation wouldn't get done. There have been rumors for a while that work had slowed and just about stopped, but now it has officially stopped.

Hopefully the plan B and C will come through or another developer will swoop in but this is certainly a depressing day for people like me.

However, buffalorising did do a nice piece on the first luxury condos to be built in Buffalo's downtown and all of the problems they ran in to. The article can be found here.

Oh yea, here is Donn Esmonde complaining about the waterfront as per usual. What a douche, give it up pal.

Slight update on the Statler situation. Apparently it is at least a 90-120 day break in the action as tax credits are secured.

St. P in downtown Buffalo

Suffering through the sniffles and a bit of scratchy throat after walking around downtown getting drunk for 5 hours at the St. P parade on Delware Sunday but I think it was worth it. Seemed like a shit load of people, lotta drinking goin on, and the parade went on for what seemed like hours.

A few observations though: Why aren't there more pissers/portable bathrooms for an event of this size? True there were a few behind Arby's as per usual, but still not enough to meet the demand. It sucks seeing everyone including my self looking for any corner or shady spot to take a leak one can find, why not have a few more bathrooms and keep the piss in the toilet?

What was with Chuck Schumer snubbing me while throwing out high fives yesterday when I asked him how things were going with keeping the Bills in Buffalo? Maybe he was in a hurry cause he had to pee.

One of the highlights, at least for me, was a cop confiscating a gallon sized bottle of Jack Daniels and the dude wondering why the cop took it. I mean it is one thing to hide it in your bag or where ever and sneaking shots, but to be holding it up in the air while yelling at people in the parade while a cop car is parked in front of you, that is just stupid.

One last thing, is Buffalo/ St Patrick's day cursed in regards to weather? I mean there has to be warm windless days in late February and March right? Well, why is it that not once has one of those rare days ever, everrr fallin on March 17 or Sunday of the parade? Then again when you're drunk you don't mind as much any way.


Oh and how about this website, http://www.buffalo-city-tower.com/. Kind of gave me a boner although I'm not sure when it was last updated or how long it has been up. Maybe it is just an oldie from when before Bashar Issa ran into political and legal set backs for both the 40 story tower and the Statler Towers. I'll still hold out hope, just like the Bills or Sabres ever winning the big one.