Al Gritzmacher

Photo Albums

Rob Falgiano at Nietzches

Images: 21

Rob and friends played at Nietzches' October 20, 2006. It was an all-star lineup and a great show.
Lincolns' Shootin' Fools @ the 'Hawk

Images: 6

The first of four bands at the Mohawk Place on September 21, 2006. They were one of the openers for The Tossers. A Punk/Rockabilly/? style band from Buffalo, they will be featured in a future Buffalo Live! Music Podcast.
The Siderunners @ Mohawk Place

Images: 5

The band touring with The Tossers. Different music, sort of, but a great band anyway. And cool guys to hang out with. It was a Thursday show and the place wasn't packed, but still drew a good crowd considering. I didn't get a lot of photos - I was doing interviews with the Pug Mahones and Lincolns' Shootin' Fools during their set, but got a few to document the date!
The Tossers @ Mohawk Place

Images: 35

The Tossers played at the Mohawk Place. They were the headliners on the smae bill as the Pug Mahones, Lincolns' Shootin' Fools and Siderunners
Pug Mahones @Mohawk Place

Images: 19

For a podcast coming soon, the Pug Mahones play the 'Hawk.
Music at the Marina

Images: 42

All WNY Radio sponsored a public concert at the Widewaters Marina in Lockport. It was a trial run for a possible concert series for next summer. We had a great time setting up and helping run it. All the regulars - well almost all - from the House Parties were there as well as a lot of people, despite the cool weather.
See for yourself...
The Old Sweethearts

Images: 25

From a show at the Mohawk Place, same night as The Vores, only later.
Amherst Scottish Festival

Images: 39

I took a few pictures...
The Vores @ Mohawk Place

Images: 24

August 12, 2006
The Ifs at M&T Plaza

Images: 51

One of the coolest and most unique bands in Buffalo played the Noon series at M&T Plaza. It was a Friday, which means for someone working midnight shift, like me, it's the weekend!

The Ifs put on a show of British-Invasion Rock and Roll, both covers of very familiar sounding songs and their own originals. As the story goes, those familiar songs were lost/stolen from The Ifs long ago and pawned off by groups like the Rolling Stones, Hermans Hermits, Paul Revere and the Raiders, etc. as their own. Well, The Ifs are back to claim them as their own!

Believe it or not, even if you don't buy into that story, they put on a great show and make each song thier own. They opened recently at Artpark for Peter Frampton and will open later at a Thursday at the Square for Eric Burdon and the Animals. Good company!

After the show, I kicked around downtown for a while and eventually went over to the Harbor, where I took a couple more photos.
Enter The Haggis - Gaelic Storm

Images: 122

August 1, 2006 - Artpark, Lewiston NY.

Gaelic Storm and Enter The Haggis played Artpark for what I had hoped would be my first day of retirement. Unfortunately, Delphi had other plans (can you plan that level of mis-management?) but I went anyway and hustled into work afterward.

The crowd was much smaller than the first show I went to, America, probably due to the weather. It was hot around the 90s with a heat index nearing triple digits. Even the cool breeze off the river wasn't enough until after sundown. But those who were there were in great spirits and enjoyed the show.

I saw a lot of people I knew, friends from other Celtic shows I've seen over and over. I was wearing a t-shirt from one of the South Buffalo fies in Caz Park and almost as soon as I got there someone in a kilt was calling to me to let me know this years was coming up in September! Actually, I had just received the band lineup and put it in my calendar a day or two earlier.

Enter The Haggis, a Toronto band that I had heard of and had some of their music for a while was the opener. I had never seen them play before. In fact, I don't remember them playing anytime in the Buffalo area in recent history. I had even considered going to the Irish 2000 festival in Altamont because they were one of the regular bands there.

I had remembered them as being more punk than they seemed this night. Either they've mellowed thier sound, or I'm wrong. It happens! But they were very good and gave an enjoyable celtic-folk-rock performance.

Of course, Gaelic Storm was the highlight. It's almost tough to call them the headliner over ETH, but someone had to go first. I have seen GS before, twice at Buffalo Irish Festivals. Their digeridoo player (whose name I forget) is no longer with them (I was aware of that before the show, so it wasn't a surprise) so there was one less person stage and it seemed a bit thin because of it.

But every other aspect of the show was up to par, despite the heat. They must have been suffering as much as we were from it, but they didn't show it and gave an energetic show. Fortunately, the sun went down as they were playing and it did get noticeably cooler. They had a new CD out and played a lot of new songs from it.

Anyway, I took photos. Lots of pictures. See them here!
All WNY Radio House Party III

Images: 48

[July 23, 2006]
The third house party was a hit. It rained less. More people came. Three great bands/acts played. What more could you want!
Toy Box Heroes

Images: 57

Photos from the CD Release party of one of the most kick-ass bands in Buffalo!
More Great Blue Heron Photos

Images: 85

I told you I took a lot!
Great Blue Heron Festival

Images: 101

I spent the weekend at the Great Blue Heron Festival and took a lot of pictures. Here they are.

The Great Blue Heron Music Festival is a three-day long music festival with camping on a farm outside of Sherman NY (near Jamestown) In it's 14th year, it's grown to be one of the best festivals of it's kind.

http://www.greatblueheron.com
John and Mary and the Valkyries

Images: 15

At the Sportsman's Tavern July 2, 2006.

They were sort of rehearsing their set for the Great Blue Heron Festival the next weekend. In fact, we were treated to the same setlist twice!

It was a great show, a great full-band sound that really made the music sound geat. The Valkyries are:

Nelson Starr - keyboard
Kent Weber - bass
Rob Lynch - drums
Patrick Kane - guitar

and of course,

John Lombardo - vocals, guitar
Mary Ramsey - vocals, violin
All WNY Radio Picnic

Images: 10

Another All WNY Radio event. This time Dark Morning played until the rain threatened to make us quit.
More Music Is Art

Images: 116

I can't believe how many photos I took!
Fairport Acoustic Convention

Images: 13

Mohawk Place, June 21, 2006.

An excellent show where the 40-50 people there got practically a private show from three members of the legendary English Folk Rock Band Fairport Convention.

This is the only time I've ever seen the 'Hawk with tables and chairs set up in front of the stage!
Ghost Riders

Images: 6

The Ghost Riders are one of the finest true country acts around. The term Country music has taken a different, more commercial meaning than it really should. The newer term Roots Rock describes more of the feel of the Ghost Riders.

Regardless of how you categorize them, they are a great group of guys who are outstanding musicians and enjoy playing their brand of music. If you like Commander Cody, Asleep At The Wheel, New Riders of the Purple Sage or Hank Williams, you'll like their music. And when it comes to requests, they can play almost anything close to their style.

I recorded them for a podcast recently and they obliged me with an almost 90-minute set of mostly original songs. These photos were taken there at the Sportsmans Tavern.