I have the utmost respect for the Native American culture and beliefs. Unfortunately, I don’t see where exploiting a situation where certain commodities prices have become high, in part due to taxes, should be exploited for the profit of a few Native Americans. That’s not what we should learn from their culture. Maybe it’s what they’ve learned from ours…

And just what is a “Native American” anymore, anyway? I was born here. My parents were too. So were my Grandparents. I don’t know how many generations I would have to go back to actually find an ancestor from Europe. Am I as much a “Native American” as some blonde-haired, blue-eyed person who has a Great-great-grandmother that was born on a reservation?

We all live together. Many of us work together. I worked with several card-carrying Native Americans where I was formerly employed and they were hard-working, honest, good people. But New York is in a jam, financially and needs to collect the taxes, rather than think up new ones.

Native Americans – at least around here, I can’t speak for the rest of the country – enjoy the same government services as everyone else, roads, schools, welfare, police protection, and on and on. Sure there are some Indian Schools on the reservation and Tribal Police, but they’re a small, token part of those services. Native Americans should contribute their share towards the cost of those services as being the right thing to do. I know they are a proud people and wouldn’t want it any other way.

And, the state isn’t even talking about the Indians paying taxes. It’s about collecting sales taxes on sales to non-Indians who go to the reservation to escape the sales taxes elsewhere. It’s hurting non-Indian businesses and creating an unfair advantage for businesses on the reservation.

I think it’s time to just say no to this fight and not do it at all. Let’s not fight over who gets to pay taxes and who has to collect them. They’re an inevitable part of life here. Let’s stop this us vs. them thing and become all one tribe. I’m not saying to dissolve the Indian Nations, or to assimilate them. Heck, maybe they should assimilate us. I think in many ways their values and teachings would be better than ours. They might do a better job than our politicians in Albany. Lets just say we’re all in the same boat and deal with it together.

Of course, they’re not perfect either. Some of the guys in Armani suits with bolo ties I’ve seen on the news with some of the casinos are probably just as shady as any politician. I guess money corrupts universally. But I still think rather than dividing us, we should be working out these issues together. Let’s stop this fight over taxes and do the right thing. We all benefit from the services the taxes provide, so let’s all pay our share, do our share to collect them and work on getting rid of the corruption in Albany so we can get the most for our tax dollar and maybe someday lower those taxes for all of us.

[I know I'm gonna get some hate mail for this post, but it's got to be said. This separate nation, treaty thing just isn't working anymore and we're headed towards some ugly conflicts because of it. The reality is, we are all living together, lets start acting like it.]

I’d be willing to bet a lot of people’s meanness comes from being treated rudely anyway, so it’s a way of getting to the root cause.

There is no one incident that spurs this posting. No one ticked me off and caused me to rant. It’s just a long-term observation that a lot of what ails our society comes from a lack of manners. From talking on cell phones while driving, talking loudly on cell phones while in public, just talking in public, to lack of respect, and violence towards one another, it all stems from a lack of basic manners.

I once sat in a busy hospital waiting room, crowded to the point where peple had to wait for a seat, while a lady held a long personal conversation on her cell phone in speaker-phone mode. The whole room heard both sides of the conversation clearly, a fact I’m sure the woman on the other end didn’t realize. The sign on the wall behind her? Please turn off all cell phones in the hospital, of course.

There are so many examples too. People talking or texting on their phones while driving has been a topic of many news stories and new laws passed. Yet, people keep on doing it as if they are above the law. Or the law of common sense, for that matter. It’s this false sense of entitlement that so many people seem to have these days. As if to say, “I’m more important than the person I’m endangering.”

You see it other places on the road too. The guy who turns left, taking off like a jack rabbit, when the light changes, cutting right in front of traffic that is going straight and has the right of way.

It’s not just on the road. I notice it more in the summer when windows and doors are open, but it’s become a year-round thing lately. People who take their personal conversations outside with them as they walk down the street, often the middle of the street. They talk and argue at the top of their lungs about anything, things that a Doctor, Lawyer, or shrink couldn’t repeat for fear of being sued under HIPPA laws… But they don’t care who hears them. And heaven help you if you look up, or show some sign that you’re listening. You get the evil eye, or worse told to mind your own business, for listening to them! As if you had a choice!

I haven’t got a problem with people walking along having a discreet conversation. But I don’t need to be included, especially when every other word is F-this and F-that.

Given time, I could come up with a hundred other examples of how we’ve lost any sense of propriety in our society. It seems like no one has any sense of empathy for their fellow man anymore. Whether you see the entitled rude driver and the trailer-trash manners of some people as different, even opposite, problems, I see them as the same: a breakdown in manners and common civility.

Q.: When a pickup truck cuts in front of you and stops dead in the road to make a right turn into a driveway, and you are traveling downhill at about 30mph on a bike, what is your proper response?

A.: Pass the pickup truck on the right and hope he sees you and doesn’t drive over you as he turns.
B.: Pass him on the left, and hope there isn’t any traffic in that lane that will make you a meat pancake.
C.: Crash into the rear end of the truck to let him know you don’t appreciate his cutting you off.
D.: Squeeze your brakes for all you’re worth, while yelling at the top of you lungs: “NO! You @$$#Ø13 Don’t stop here!”

Fortunately, when this happened to me, I chose D. and the driver actually heard me and rolled forward enough that I stopped before becoming choice C.

As I rode by him, he said “Why didn’t you just go around me?” I said “Why didn’t you just wait behind me?”

I shouldn’t expect the driver to appreciate the nuances of riding a recumbent trike, or even a bicycle for that matter, but I don’t believe this was an accident. I believe he deliberately cut me off. The pickup made a right turn while staying fully to the left in his lane leaving no way around him except on either the right, or into the left lane, both dangerous and ill-advised choices. He came to a full stop to turn into a driveway, not slow and turn, but sit there with his turn signal on waiting to see what happened. Then the fact that he was aware of me enough to hear me and to pull forward when it looked like I couldn’t stop in time really makes it look deliberate, rather than just typical clueless driving.

The only other explanation I can think of would be that he really thought that the right thing to do in this circumstance would be to leave room on the right for me and wait for me to go by before making the right turn. But how do I know he even saw me? Bikes get run over all the time by right-turning cars and we are taught to avoid that situation, as I did.

Just in case you are reading this and are wondering what the right thing to have done was, the answer is, as it always is, treat the bike as if it was any other vehicle. This is what the law specifies. The driver should have stayed behind me in the lane, even if it means slowing down, just as if I was a slow-moving car.

I wasn’t going to sweat it, but soon after the incident, my steering failed on the trike. I had apparently pushed or pulled so hard on the handlebars that I broke two bolts clean off. Only one was left holding the bars and that was so loose that I could no longer guide the bike.

I got off onto the sidewalk and took things apart to see what happened. I do carry tools with me on the bike. But I had no spare bolts! Not even something I could have fudged into one more hole to make a wobbly steering possible.

So I put it all back together, except for the two bolt heads that I threw into my bag with the tools, and went off in search of a place to wait and maybe buy a drink. A short walk back the way I came ran out of sidewalks quickly and I wasn’t going to drag the trike along the side of the road in traffic. So I turned around and headed the other way. It was downhill at least. I didn’t have to go far to come to a gas station with a C-store and a Subway in it.

Another thing I usually carry is a cell-phone. Now you know why. Even if I found a hardware store open, and could buy a bolt or two, I didn’t have a way to get the broken pieces out while on the road. It was a piece of cake at home with the right tools and a power drill! But my only option left was to admit defeat and call home hoping someone could come give me a ride. Fortunately, my wife answered my plea for help and she and my daughter came to my rescue.

Ed and Bob at Chestnut Ridge Park

The broken handlebars

And the bolts that once held them together

Tuesday: Artpark - Derek Trucks/Susan Tedeschi, Matt Schofield
Wednesday: Gateway Harbor - The Soul Barons, The Diva Show
Wednesday: Artpark - Matthew Good, Rob Falgiano Band
Thursday: Lafayette Square - Umphree's McGee, Tea Leaf Green
Friday: Buffalo Harbor - Crowded House, Lawerence Arabia
Friday: Lockport Canal Concert - Three Dog Night,  Leroy Townes,
            Rob Falgiano
Saturday: Buffalo Harbor - Eileen Ivers, Cherish The Ladies
Saturday: Hard Rock NF - BPO Plays Pink Floyd, Scott Celani
Saturday: Artpark - Great Big Sea (mainstage)

Several of these events have changed since first announced,
possibly due to touring schedule conflicts. This is as up-to-date as
I can find out.

Let’s look at this weeks shows…

If you are into the blues, Tuesday at Artpark will be your can’t-miss event. Matt Schofield is the perfect opener for the Derek Trucks/Susan Tedeschi show. All are full-fledged blues stars in their own right. Trucks and Tedeschi have finally teamed up as an act (they are married) after several seasons of playing together with their own bands. No strangers to the WNY scene, having played here many times, they are still an act to see.

Artpark on Wednesday has Matthew Good & His Band. I’m told not to confuse that with the Matthew Good Band. Okay, I’m confused. He’s solo, playing with a new band, or something like that. More exciting to me is the opener, my friend and long-time Buffalo musician Rob Falgiano. Go to see him play.

In Tonawanda, you can see local acts the Soul Barons and The Diva Show play for free at the Tonawanda stage of the Gateway Harbor series. Now this is entertainment. Neither band is anything but a cover group, but they make no apologies for it and do it with style. If you like Rock and Roll and RNB with a lot of coreography and costumes, The Diva Show is for you. Last weeks Canal Concert opener Amanda Nagurney is an alumna of this ensemble. The Barons are an award-winning local group of musicians that cover a wide range of musical styles.

At the Square this week is a great duo of acts. Umphrey’s McGee and Tea Leaf Green. Both bands are Bonnaroo Festival favorites and previous TATS and Buffalo Harbor performers. Their Jam music will have the vibes flowing this Thursday for sure and the tapers will be out in force…

On Friday, Buffalo Place has Crowded House at the “Rocks the Harbor” venue. Not a free event, it’s nonetheless cheap if you want to see the Austrialian band and their opener Lawrence Arabia

The Lockport Canal Concerts continue with Three Dog Night. You all know what to expect there. These guys were at the top of their game when I was in High School. I’m not sure how much of the original band is still there, or if it matters, it’s another “Oldies Tour” act that the canal concerts seem to think we want. Maybe “we” do. As long as it sells beer.

The openers, Leroy Townes and Rob Falgiano (see Wednesday above) are more to my interests. Featured at WBFO’s “Live in Allen Hall” show and at the Sportsmen’s Tavern, Townes is well-known to the local music scene for his country-rock sound. If you didn’t hear Rob Falgiano at Artpark, you get a second chance this week.

If you like Irish music, as I do, Saturday has a lot to offer. Buffalo Place brings fiddle superstar Eileen Ivers to the Harbor concert series with Cherish The Ladies as an opener. I’ve seen both these groups multiple times and they will blow you away with their Celtic-influenced, yet totally modern styles.

Cherish The Ladies is a six-member Celtic super-group of a band that features traditional instruments with tight harmonies. You can’t hear them without getting chills.

Eivers and her band Immigrant Soul blends high-powered, energetic fiddle playing with word-influenced music. Her choice of a wide array of musical influences soft-plays the celtic side of it until her powerful fiddle playing sneaks up on you and grabs you. Not a free concert, either, but cheap to see two great groups that will have you dancing along.

If that’s not enough Celtic music for you, Artpark has Great Big Sea on their Mainstage. GBS is a legend of celtic-rock music from Newfoundland. They’ve played Buffalo before, both the “Rocks the Harbor” and Thursday at the Square venues and have a Huge ™ following locally. You might have trouble getting tickets at this late date. I just mention it to show the competition the other shows have for attention.

The Hard Rock Cafe in Niagara Falls continues to add to the local free concerts this Saturday by bringing the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra to play the music of Pink Floyd. An interesting idea that’s a bit different from the usual fare. Opening is local Scott Celani, an many-talented muscian who, I’m sure will warm up the stage for the BPO competently.

And my pick:

Limiting my choices to free shows only, the clear winner is Tuesday’s Artpark show with the Derek Trucks/Susan Tedeschi and Matt Schofield. This will be an awesome blues show.

Close second, based mostly on the openers is the Friday Canal Concert show of Three Dog Night/Leroy Townes/Rob Falgiano. Come early see the openers and feel free to leave early and pop a Three Dog Night CD into your player, if the crowd gets too much. You’ll hear the same thing.

Celtic lovers won’t go wrong with the Eileen Ivers/CTL show, although technically not a free show, it’s outdoors and cheap enough. The diehard Celtic fans will probably want to be at the GBS show, so the show at the Harbor might be lightly attended.

That’s my picks fo this week. Several of you have commented that you enjoy my opinions of the weekly offerings. Thanks for that and feel free to recommend these reviews to others. I’ll continue writing them through the summer concert season. They’re only my opinion, so if you disagree, please feel free to go see any show you enjoy. Any of them are better than sitting home and watching TV and supporting local music, especially the local opening acts is very important. Be sure to support the venues as well, by buying food or refreshments there. Do your part!

[Left: Amanda Nagurney]

Tues. - Artpark - The Guess Who, Son of the Sun
Wed. -  Gateway Harbor - Wanted Dead or Alive and Beatle Magic
Thurs. - Lafayette Square - Ozomatli, Rebelution
Fri. - Lockport Canal Concert - Gretchen Wilson,  Bareback Jack,
                     Amanada Nagurney
Fri. - Gateway Harbor - Shadows Motown Review with
                     Barbara St. Clair & Billy McEwan
Sat. - Hard Rock Cafe - The English Beat, with Giant Panda
                     Guerilla Dub Squad and Floozie

Great holiday weekend, now it’s time to get to business. Let’s run through the who’s-who of the week:

The Guess Who The Burton Cummings/Randy Bachman group of the 60′s is what you know. What will you get? Everyone else. The founders and big names of the group won’t be there. What you’ll get is the name franchise.

But, the opener, Son of the Sun is a local success story. I hope this band goes places, they’ve got a great sound and lots of talent. I attended their EP kickoff a couple years ago and they’re now playing to promote their new CD “The Happy Loss.” Go for this act, if you still enjoy the Guess Who, it’s a bonus.

Wanted Dead or Alive This band plays all over WNY, yet it’s impossible to find anything out about them on the internet. Why? Because they chose a Bon Jovi song title for a band name. Basically, a bar band playing covers, from what I recall.

Beatle Magic Here’s the epitome of a cover band, complete with costumes. While they may be good – their regular shows at the Tralf might attest to that – it’s still all covers. If you want something to do while waiting for the impossible Beatles reunion, then go see them, maybe they’ll have a new George in time.

Ozomatli LA-based Ozomatli brings their Latin-based Funk sound to the Square this week. It should have the place hoppin’

Rebelution will open for Ozomatli with a slightly more reggae sound, but one that fits the bill perfectly.

Gretchen Wilson The Redneck Woman brings her estrogen-soaked country sound to Lockport this week. If Country’s your thing, this won’t dissappoint!

Opening is local act Bareback Jack, whose website was slick, but wouldn’t play any songs for me. You’ll have to go and hear them. Whatever you do, don’t accidentally go to barebackjack.com…

Also opening is Amanda Nagurney No Diva Show here, this is full-on Country Amanda. She’s pretty, she’s got a decent voice, she’s from Buffalo, but I just always get the feeling she just tries too hard to fit some stereotype. Another dreadnaught-toting, skirt-and-cowboy-boots singer is the last thing we need. If she’d relax a little and find her own style, she’d be great. But maybe that’s what you’ll see at a live show, opening for Gretchen Wilson… give her a chance.

Shadows Motown Review with Barbara St. Clair & Billy McEwan Buffalo’s own Queen of Soul and 1991 inductee to the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame along with Billy McEwen should make for a great time. If you like 50-60′s R&B with a blues flavor, this should be a good time with some of Buffalo’s best musicians at Gateway Harbor.

Finally, The English Beat comes to the Hard Rock. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will keep the vibe going and fit with The Beat perfectly! If you like the English Beat’s style of music, this will be a show not to miss.

Local flavor will be provided by one of my favorite local bands, Floozie. Pure pop/rock and roll/power pop, these guys have their own unique sound and have matured a lot, musically, since I first heard them. Turn it up and rip the knobs off!

My pick this week. It’s gotta be the show at the Hard Rock on Saturday with the English Beat. The Molson Canal Concert is just too country for me, but if you’re into that, it might be your choice. Thursday at the Square with Ozomatli/Rebelution is a close second choice. Artpark continues to offer comfort-food, old familiar names with little effort to bring anything new. The Tonawanda shows do pretty well, despite the low-budget limitations by bringing some great local names.

Now, if I could wave my magic wand and move time and space, wouldn’t it be great if we could combine the Thursday and Saturday shows into one big concert?