By: Robbie & Sherman Wilkens - Our Ellicottville Entertainment Writers
With the best Jazz & Blues Festival we’ve ever had here in Ellicottville in the record books, we may now move on to Festival number six on this year’s list of fun times and events, The Taste of Ellicottville. Again, the weather looks quite good for this really neat and upscale event. All of the excellent clubs, bars and restaurants, located in and around Ellicottville participate in this really super and good eats weekend.
Besides this wonderful event, we still have an excellent summer of golf happening. Both Holiday Valley and Elkdale Country Club are in true mid-summer form and are just waiting for your call making a tee time to take advantage of the great golf times both clubs are offering.
Now on to the music and other fun stuff that is also taking place this week. Starting today, Friday, Aug. 5, 2011 through Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011, we will have twelve bands playing thirteen gigs, one Punk Rock Patio Monday plus several dinner and drink special evenings taking place here in Ellicottville, all for our enjoyment.
We begin our week of music this Friday at 7 PM in Balloons with an Ellicottville favorite band, The Ozone Rangers. This classic to southern rock band is one of, if not, the very best of it’s kind. As we all know, this three-piece group looks a bit like ZZ Top and in fact their second set usually is dedicated to the music and show of ZZ Top. They are very crowd friendly and totally fun. Therefore, Balloons will be the place to be this Friday. Following The Ozone Rangers, we will be in for an unusual treat. The Party Monster, DJ Chatty Frank Watson will be on a two day pass from The Disoriented DJ Home and set up in Balloons sound booth. Thereby, allowing him to use his party Continuation Skills consisting of tune selection and chatter ‘til close.
Returning to 9 PM Friday, The Gin Mill will have Luke and Ange on their music stage. Luke & Ange, a guitar and vocals duo from our area, acoustically does a very neat version of folk to classic rock including some blues tunes from the sixties, seventies and beyond. They are audience involved and will, as they always do, create a fun music night for all The Gin Mill patrons.
Over on Monroe Street, around 9:30 PM Friday evening, The Bleeding Hearts Band will be on stage in The Double Diamond. The Bleeding Hearts, a three-piece band, and I quote from their web site, “playing a unique blend of classic rock from the 60’s & 70’s, retro hits of the 80’s, alternative hits from the 90’s and current hits of today has established The Bleeding Hearts as one of the most versatile and popular bands around”. They are all of that and as always will create fun evening in The Double Diamond this Friday night.
Moving to Saturday at 4 PM, The Strangers will be set up for a wonderful music & party evening in Balloons. The Strangers, another Ellicottville favorite and really fun party time band always puts on a show that has the Balloons crowd up and dancin’. As most every time they perform here, Mitch, Joel, Peter, Kenny and Jerry, who are The Strangers, will concentrate on hits from the eighties. This gig is always one of best, party, music and fun evenings we get to experience in Balloons. The fact it happens about five times a year makes it even better. Following The Strangers, as we said earlier, The Party Monster, DJ Chatty Frank Watson will be on the second day of his pass from The Disoriented DJ Home. He says he will be back in Balloons sound booth continuing and enhancing the party already in place with his strange, yet really fun, chatter and neat tune selection ‘til close. We shall see?
Moving back to 9 PM Saturday, The Gin Mill will have Live & Kickin’ on their music stage. As we all know, this is a three-piece, wonderful Gin Mill regular rock band that plays live music for all occasions. The fun and good party times they have created in The Gin Mill for the many years is well known. Therefore, plan on visiting The Gin Mill this Saturday to enjoy this fun night created by Live & Kickin’.
The Dawg House Band will round out Saturday at 9:30 PM in The Double Diamond. Dawg House is a four-piece band of real players doing an unusual mix of classic rock, blues and what is referred to as the unexpected. There is no better a place for anything unexpected to take place than The Double Diamond. So, as usual, good music and fun times awaits us this Saturday in The Double Diamond.
To further enhance The Taste of Ellicottville, Balloons will have The Mo Porter Duo doing a 2 PM Sunday gig. This will be an acoustic version of Mo Porter, featuring only Chuck and Mark doing the tunes they do so very well, acoustically, for the Balloons crowd to enjoy this Sunday afternoon.
The weekend’s final music gig will be the return of Luke & Ange, this time to The Double Diamond, for a 4 PM show. Their music will be a really neat way to unwind from the fun of The Taste of Ellicottville while enjoying another Double Diamond pulled pork sandwich.
After another Ellicottville fun and good eats weekend, we now move to our weekly line up of music and other fun stuff.
The music begins at 6:30 PM Monday in The Ellicottville Brewing Company with The Blue Mule Band doing their Blue Grass with Heart Show. Fun music enhanced by a good meal and super service is what happens in EBC every Monday.
Also, on Monday The Gin Mill has their All U Can Eat Spaghetti and Garlic Toast Dinner for only $6.99. This is a super dinner special, just ask Big Ray.
Then, around the corner on Monroe Street, Balloons will have their Pizza and Wing Monday Night hosted by Mike Brady. Just stop in Balloons, say “Hi Mike,” then enjoy some wonderful pizza and wings.
Then, at 10 PM Wednesday, weather permitting, Madigans Up-Stairs Party & Patio Bar will have Punk Rock Monday taking place and hosted by Wrong Crowd DJ, Pat Morgan.
Also at 10 PM Monday, MONDO MONDAY Ellicottville’s only all original music happenin’, hosted by The Polish Guru of Silliness, The Reverend Jack Darfaset should begin in The Double Diamond. The Golden Child, drummer Craig Dwyer, who really adds to this Double Diamond night of fun, now joins Rev Jack.
This Tuesday we have a change; beginning at 7:30 PM The Gin Mill will have Scott Kirby and Country Dave Edmiston performing their brand of coastal inspired folk rock or if you wish beach rock. Scott is quickly expanding his popularity across the east coast with his story telling style of song writing and humor, which will make this Tuesday evening Gin Mill show one you will not want to miss.
The last two music shows of the week will also take place in The Gin Mill. First, Joe Wagner and John Winston will be doing their sixties through the eighties folk to southern rock acoustic show on Wednesday at 8 PM. Also remember The Gin Mill’s excellent chicken wings are served at only fifty cents each every Wednesday.
Then, at 8 PM Thursday, The Weekly Notice Band will be set up and performing in The Gin Mill. This weeks version will be The FAR Out Band or as you wish, The Fred and Rod Outstanding Band. Their music continues to be their version of classic rock with a bit of a country twist thrown in the mix. Good music in The Gin Mill, all week, this week for sure.
