The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Dallas Stars last night in a high scoring match (5-3) and set them on their way to a decent a 3 game win streak. It's good finally see some wins after that long skid they went on. They went 5 games without scoring in the first period.
Rookie defensemen Tyler Myers tore it up with a 4-point game which is his personal best to date. Scoring the first goal only 55 seconds into the game, Myers kept up his hard work and continued to join the rush with Buffalo forwards. Vanek and Pominville each had a goal, which was good to see, and Patrick Kaleta stepped up to defend his team against heavy hitter Steve Ott of the Dallas Stars. You can check out that footage over here. Overall, the team looked pretty solid. Wednesdays win put Buffalo into 3rd place in the Eastern Conference and raised our hopes for a solid playoff run.
Perfect timing. Buffalo Rising Hockey hoodies are back on sale! Our last batch of hoodies sold out almost instantly so pick one up now if you plan on cheering your team through the playoffs.
LET'S GO SABRES!
“My whole family is down at Dave & Buster’s right now, but I’m just not really into it, so I figured I’d come get my watch fixed. It’s needed it for a while now.”
It was a Friday night in July, and the girl was stuck at her job at a mall kiosk. Sitting at the workbench fixing this customer’s watch, she just wished the woman would stop talking so she could concentrate. It always bugged her when customers felt the need to tell their life story while she was trying not to slice her hand open getting off the back of their watch.
“We were supposed to be at the Billy Joel and Elton John concert…,” the woman trailed off.
The girl’s ears perked up.
“Yeah, I heard it got canceled,” she said. Truthfully, she was a little happy when she heard that news — it had been killing her knowing that she wouldn’t be able to go. “I really wanted to get tickets, but I’ve spent so much on concerts already lately, and they were so expensive, I just couldn’t do it.
“They were,” the woman said, “but it’s Billy Joel. And Elton John.”
“I love Elton John. I would kill to go,” the girl said. She was actually enjoying this now, going back and forth with this woman about favorite songs.
They kept talking as the girl finished the watch repair and the woman paid for her watch.
“Enjoy your night,” the girl said as she handed the woman her receipt. “I know it won’t be as great as the concert, but…”
“I’ll try,” the woman said with a smile. “And I hope whenever they reschedule the show, you have a really great seat.”
***
- The pianos rise out of the stage…
***
When the first rescheduled date, in early December, came out, I debated getting tickets. And then Christmas happened, and after car payments and buying gifts, I still couldn’t bring myself to spend $100 on a concert ticket, as much as I was dying to go.
And then they postponed — again.
I don’t really believe in signs or fate or whatever, and I know how stupid this is going to sound, but I told myself that this was my sign — I needed to be at this show. I’d been given chance after chance, and I was a fool if I didn’t take this one. I swore to my parents that when the tour finally made it to Buffalo, whenever it was, I would be there. I had built this show up in my head to the point where I didn’t care how much the tickets cost, where I was in the arena, or if I had to go scalp seats the night of the show — I would be there, even if I had to sit in the last row of the farthest section, by myself.
Fortunately, I found tickets through a family friend about a week before the show — $100 a pop, on the side of the stage — and my mom decided she’d come with me. The seats were spectacular, and as the lights dimmed and the pianos rose from underneath the stage, I thought about that encounter at the mall eight months ago. I was actually there. Sitting in HSBC Arena. Seeing one of my all-time favorite musicians, and The Piano Man, The Entertainer.
And I kid you not, I teared up a little bit.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
This is not 1975. Billy Joel, now over 60, does not have all his hair. Elton John, nearly 63 years old, cannot hit the high notes he could when he was 28.
And it doesn’t actually matter, because they put on a show that, in terms of musicianship and energy, rivals that of some of the best “young” bands out there.
They can both still play the hell out of a piano. John, now a muted version of his once glammy, Vegas-ready self (and that’s not an insult), has turned his already-wonderful songs into flowing masterpieces that sound like the album versions…but don’t. “Rocketman” became a 10-minute journey, while “Levon” and “Tiny Dancer” had sound that was uniquely live, yet still maintained the beauty they have on their respective albums.
- Elton John greets the crowd at HSBC Arena
Truthfully, Elton John is one of my favorite artists, young or old, period; he could sing me the alphabet, and I’d be happy. Still, he has managed to retain relevance and be a sought-after collaborator (VMA and Grammy performances, anyone?), and is, quite simply, (Captain) fantastic.
Joel seemed more comfortable on-stage, taking some time to joke with the crowd about their respective seats and the many cancellations. My mother and I have this theory that John, for all his loud outfits, is a rather quiet, shy guy. I don’t really know what to say about Joel’s solo set — I like Billy Joel, and I know and like his music, but I hadn’t really thought about what his set would be like, and I didn’t really have any expectations, so I can’t actually say whether they lived up to them or not. Once again, that’s not a bad thing, it’s just that the main reason I wanted to go to this concert so badly was Elton John. I will say, however, that it was a pleasant surprise to see Joel get up from behind the piano for “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “It’s Still Rock ‘N Roll to Me,” and I really enjoyed just listening to him play.
- Billy Joel…well, his back. And a bunch of cords.
And while the two still can hold their own on their own, the real treat of the show was getting to see them on stage together, duetting on each other’s songs. “Your Song” was the perfect opener, just as “Piano Man” was clearly the choice closing song, and hearing each lend their voices and put their own twists on the other’s hits definitely makes that $100 ticket price totally worth it — not to mention that you’re sort of getting three shows in one.
So, yeah, Elton couldn’t hit the highest notes in “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and Billy Joel was making jokes that he was really Billy Joel’s dad. But if you think they’re washed up or has-beens or whatever — think again.
Oh yeah, I hope the woman from the mall enjoyed the show just as much.
Mark Steenhuis and Kyle Clancy of the Buffalo Bandits were honored by the NLL in the wake of the team's victory over Orlando last week.
Deana Good of Cheektowaga had a memorable morning as her two excited kids met Bills linebacker and team captain Paul Posluszny at their home, and then took him to their school on Wednesday. The...
All-session tickets are sold out for the first- and second-round NCAA Tournament men's basketball games to be held at HSBC Arena March 19-21.
Free kidney screenings will be offered today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Tosh Collins Community Center on Cazenovia Street to mark World Kidney Day. For more information, go to BuffaloNews.com Live at http://blogs.buffalonews.com/live/2010/03/free-screenings-offered-today-for-world-kidney-day.html
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Staff Review by Kara Stock:
16-year-old Will Heller, aka "Lowboy," is a paranoid schizophrenic who has gone off of his medication. He has escaped the chaperones of his mental institution and flees into the New York City subway system. Lowboy is his nickname because he can be moody and because he likes underground trains. Convinced that the world is about to end due to global warming, Will becomes determined to prevent it by cooling down his own body. He plans to achieve this by losing his virginity.
This one is a thriller told through two storylines. The first is Will's warped yet poetic perspective; the other the frantic pursuit of Will by Detective Ali Lateef assisted by Will's mother. Both worry that he may harm himself or others. This novel reads at a fast pace and has a climatic ending that reveals a surprising secret.
Author John Wray grew up in Buffalo and currently lives in Brooklyn. Mr. Wray will be at the Central Library on Tuesday, March 16th at 12 Noon for a discussion of Lowboy.
Central Library
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203-1887
(716) 858-8900
From disc jockey to break dancer, DJ Simple jumps back and forth from the two personas on a daily basis, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Over nine years ago, J.R. Noble, otherwise known as DJ Simple, began scratching on turntables and becoming familiar with the hip hop scene. Growing up, he fell into it as a hobby from going out with friends and watching other DJs spin."Back in the day I was going to raves with friends and I was really into music," says Noble. "Just by going to (these events), it was just kind of like me being cocky. I was like 'I could do that.''
From that time on he was hooked. He bought his first turntable and started experimenting and before he knew it he was making quality music - people would get up out of their seats for every time his hand touched to record.Noble was first introduced to playing music in high school when he played the drums in concert and in in a marching band. He also took every art class available, which inspired him to want to study something in college either art or music related, but later he realized a degree was unnecessary.
"Over the years I did enough with art and music that I didn't feel I needed to go to school to get better at what I was already doing," said Noble. "I felt like I wanted to go to school and learn something I wouldn't have otherwise learned."After graduating from high school he delayed his college plans to join the military due to being strapped for cash. Seven years subsequent to serving he moved from his hometown Greensburg, Pennsylvania to Buffalo and got his degree in geology from the University at Buffalo.
In 2007 Noble began attending break dancing classes at Verve Dance Studio in Buffalo. As owner Shane Fry and Noble shared their hobbies, they came up with the idea to create an event incorporating Shane's knowledge of break dancing and Noble's DJing skills. Thus, Battle at Buffalo was born.
"We wanted to do something to get the scene going in Buffalo," said Noble. "Getting more b-boys (break dancers) and kids involved."
"J.R. plays a huge role in making the battles a success and has been there since the beginning," said Fry. "It's a huge luxury having him at the school and it wouldn't be the same without him."
Not only does Noble display excellent expertise in DJing, he has delved into the world of b-boy as well. Occasionally he will step out from behind his turntable and break out onto the dance floor to show what he's accomplished through his study of break dancing.
"We have definitely helped each other grow as dancers," says Solomon Dixon, a close friend of Noble's who attends and competes in Battle at Buffalo regularly. "We've traveled to Boston, Toronto, Columbus, Chicago, and a bunch of places. I'd say we've gone through many life changing experiences together and I can honestly say he's always been there for me."
Currently Noble teaches break dancing at the Future Dance Center in Hamburg, NY owned by Gino and Denise Vaccarro - he has been there since September 2007.
"I can say that (J.R.) is very dedicated to his craft both as a teacher and dancer," said Gino Vaccarro. "His passion is abundant. He is always approaching me about new ways to relate to the kids and get his point across to them."
The age groups he teaches ranges from eight to 20. Noble says it can often be tough to get the kids to take the dancing seriously, but through different strategies he has discovered ways to keep them more focused.
In addition to all of these activities, Noble DJs Wednesday nights at 4Play and Friday nights at Recckios, two clubs located in Buffalo.
"It's all about following your dreams and trying to do what you really want to do with life," said Noble. "That's what I'm trying to do right now."
Are you feeling festive and in the mood to celebrate St. Patrick's Day early this year? The Valley Community Association is hosting its 17th annual "Old Neighborhood" Parade on Saturday, March 13, at noon at the Valley Community Center, the second largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in Western New York.
Typical sights include floats, marching bands, Irish dancers, family clans, fire and police departments, clowns, classic cars, and more. A traditional Irish "Hooley", a festival of food, drink, and dancing, will immediately follow the parade and runs from 1pm-6pm at the community center. "Poor Ould Goat" will play live music and the O'Sullivan Irish Dancers will perform a routine.
Peg May Szczygiel, a South Buffalo native of Irish descent and longtime volunteer of the Buffalo community, will serve as the Grand Marshal of the parade this year. In honor of the first neighborhood St. Patrick's Day parade held in 1913, Szczygiel will lead the procession through the original route cutting through the Valley and Old First Ward neighborhoods.
The modern incarnation of the Valley St. Patrick Day parade is the brainchild of Peg Overdorf, the executive director of the Valley Community Association, who founded it in 1994. For her, restoring the parade was a way to get in touch with her own family background and the traditionally Irish roots of the neighborhood.
"I grew up in a household where my parents put a lot of emphasis on our Irish heritage. It was always a huge part of our lives," Overdorf reflected. "St. Patrick's Day was special... it brought everyone in the family, and everyone in the neighborhood, together. That's what I wanted to recreate with the parade."
This year's parade is being held in honor of four Buffalo community members who passed away recently and were instrumental in helping in past years: Mike "Ozzie" Overdorf, who helped found the modern incarnation of the parade; Tom "Shaky" Masterson, a Buffalo police officer who had appeared prominently in the parade each year; Joan LaRusch, a devoted community and parade supporter; and Pat Henault, a supporter of the Valley Community Association.
For both the families of these community members and anyone in Buffalo who would like to celebrate Irish heritage or St. Patrick's Day, the parade is not just a yearly event, but something that is deeply personal and very much a part of South Buffalo's tradition, a smaller celebration that promotes community.
"The downtown parade is just like any other parade, but with an Irish theme. Our parade is more personal," Overdorf said. "People can identify and connect more. They can imagine what it was like at the turn of the century - their ancestors marching down the same streets, celebrating in the same way."
Onlookers who would like to view the parade will be best able to do so on South Park Avenue between Hamburg Street and Smith Street, Smith Street between South Park Avenue and Elk Street, Elk Street between Smith Street and South Park Avenue, Hamburg Street between South Park Avenue and O'Connell Avenue, and O'Connell Avenue (between Hamburg Street and Louisiana Street.
If you would like any more information on the St. Patrick Day parade or any related events, contact Lori Overdorf at 716-823-707, ext. 4, or via email, or visit the Valley Community Association's website.
Queue the usual outrage over out-of-control NYS spending.
From Unshackle Upstate: Borrowing to Fill New York’s Budget Gap is NOT an Option!
Readers might want to check out SeeThroughNY. Even with the current budget disaster, Assemblyman Schimminger still found $271,000 tax payer dollars for the Buffalo Niagara Enterprise. I guess Andy ranks right up there with the needy. $2000 for meals on wheels, $4000 for the Literacy Center and good old Andy, face first in the trough.
Note to Andrew Rudnick: I’m all for cutting useless spending too. First up – you.
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