Al's Blog-o-Sphere

Hold the presses, despite all the naysayers, the Molson Canal Concerts debut went off virtually without a hitch.

Early arrivers were greeted with a wide open concert area and were able to watch as the set up and sound checks went on. A friendly, but firm security force kept the rules and no one seemed to mind or have a problem with them.

Lots of photos in my Gallery!

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I just drove through Downtown Lockport (3:30PM) and witnessed the preparations for the first of the Molson Concerts. It’s already looking interesting and the excitement is palpable.

Many vendors are already setting up and open. Parking lots all over are ready. I still think they are a bit high on their prices which were $7-$10 dollars. The free lots will be in high demand!

Sound checks were going on as I drove down Walnut Street and a lot of people were already walking around the area. Traffic was noticeably slower than usual on Walnut and I can see it being gridlock later. Main St. wasn’t bad, though. Continue Reading…

You already probably know I enjoy music and that the kind I like best is live, and even better free or at least cheap!

So it’s been a topic of conversation several times recently with people I know. The new Molson Canal/City Center series in Lockport, the North Tonawanda series that replaces the one moved to Lockport and the old standbys, Thursday at the Square in Buffalo and the Artpark shows on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

I made a comment recently to a local supporter of the Lockport concerts that they were okay, but I wished they weren’t acts that we’ve already seen play in summer concert shows around here in the recent past. His point of view was that it’s Lockport – anything we have is better than nothing which is what we had had before. But does that mean we should settle for anything?

I don’t want to sound negative. I like the concerts and I’ll probably be at them. The sky will probably be blue, too. No, I’ll be at as many as possible, just because they are so close to home. But my observation stands. Not only that, it applies to almost all the local shows. They only seem to pick, safe, time-tested acts that we’ve all seen before and it’s turning into the oldies-but-goodies circuit.

Now, there are always fans who will show up to see Band X because they are Band X fans and will go see Band X every time Band X plays locally no matter what because they are Band X fans. Isn’t that repetitive though? Aren’t you tired of Band X by now, I am. Continue Reading…