By: Robbie & Sherman Wilkens - Our Ellicottville Entertainment Writers
As Oct. comes to an end and we enter Halloween Weekend, the fall colors are brilliant, yet fading fast. We had a rainy spring and other than Fall Fest Weekend, we’ve had a fairly moist fall. Therefore with the party time of Halloween Weekend happening this weekend lets get out and enjoy the good times before ski season begins.
Starting today, Friday, Oct. 28, 2011 through Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011 we will have nine Bands, two DJ’s, one Karaoke show and five Halloween parties taking place in and around Ellicottville for the enjoyment of our locals and guests alike.
Our music kicks off this Friday evening in Balloons with The A List. This five-piece group from Niagara Falls has a long music history. From their web site, their music and sound includes classic standards of the 50s and 60s plus the great dance and disco tunes from the 70s. This combined with 80s and 90s classics that they also do in a very entertaining way will create another excellent Balloons Party Night. Following The A-List, Personable DJ John Barry will take charge of the party all ready in place with his live “Personality Show Off Show” from Balloons Sound Booth. John’s party skills are well demonstrated through his fun and danceable tune selection along with his unique chatter all of which will take place till close.
Returning to 9 PM Friday, Luke & Ange will be doing a gig in The Gin Mill. 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 60s, 70s and beyond. Their version of The Kris Kristofferson tune, “Me and Bobby McGee” is absolutely the best since Janis did it back in 1970. They are audience involved and will, as they always do, create a fun music night for all The Gin Mill Patrons.
The Double Diamond at 9:30 PM will host Friday’s final music show featuring The Dawg House Band. This four-piece Dawg’s Group, as they refer to themselves, from Buffalo plays a unique and versatile style of Rock, R&B and Blues. While much of their music is original, they will take their Double Diamond audience down a music road that is less traveled with tunes from artists that we haven’t heard in a while. These tunes will be performed in The Dawg Group’s unique and excellent style.
Now on to Saturday, when the five Halloween parties will take place, beginning in a range from 8 PM to 10 PM. Four of them will offer prizes for best costume and one will have a Karaoke Show. Balloons, The Gin Mill, The Double Diamond, Madigans and The PUB in Great Valley will all host Costume Halloween Parties. A description of each event will be forth coming as we discuss the music in each location.
Like most weeks, Saturday’s music parade begins at 5 PM in Balloons. This week will feature The Black & Blues Band, a Buffalo-based, four-piece band that, according to their website, is Buffalo’s finest blues funk to classic rock jam band. They create a high-energy atmosphere by using a very delicate blend of rhythms and sounds which is unmistakably their own. They played here a couple of times in the past year and have really lived up to their billing. Adding to the fun times in Balloons this Saturday will be their annual Halloween Party & Costume Contest. Balloons will be awarding cash prizes for the most original and unique costumes. Therefore, another really fun Halloween in Balloons will be happening. Following The Black & Blues Band and as part of The Halloween festivities, DJ Flakey Frank Watson, also known as The Party Monster, will be doing his version of scary stuff from Balloon Sound Booth. There-by keeping, the fun times rolling with his senseless, yet interesting chatter and fun danceable tune selection till close.
Returning to 8 PM Saturday, The PUB in Great Valley will begin their Costume Halloween Party. Most patrons will be in costume, as will several of the staff. Adding to this fun night will be a Karaoke Show taking place in house that all PUB Patrons will be encouraged to be a part of.
Then at 9 PM Saturday The Gin Mill will have The Joe Wagner Band playing and hosting their annual Halloween Party and Costume Contest, complete with prizes being given for the best, unique and most scary Costumes. Joe will have his complete band for this gig. Joining Joe, besides John Winston, will be Gary Boldt on lead guitar and Stuart Shapiro on drums. There-by creating a wonderful evening of classic to southern rock music that will really add to the fun of this scary Gin Mill Music Night.
Next at 9:30 PM Saturday, The TruFate Band will be entertaining The Double Diamonds Scary Halloween Crowd. TruFate, as some will remember from last spring, is a four-piece classic to southern to hard rock band that also plays the rockin side of blues to even jazzy blues. They will be great show for The Double Diamond’s fun Loving, yet somewhat scary, Halloween Costume Crowd.
The final gig of Halloween Saturday Night kicks of around 10 PM in Madigans Up-Stairs Haunted House & Party Bar. Not only will this be a scary party time, complete with Madigans Sound System playing some real scary music, there will also be a costume contest taking place that will award prizes for the three best costumes.
One more point, The Depot will be open this weekend with their neat sound system playing spooky, scary, fun stuff all weekend long.
We are again back to Sunday with the Bills playing Football. This Sunday it will be against the Redskins in Toronto. So hopefully after a Bills win we may move to our regular weekly line-up of music and other fun stuff in a very happy mood. Being Monday is the real Halloween, there still might be some scary stuff going on.
The first of the non scary dinner specials happens Monday in The Gin Mill with their “All U Can Eat Spaghetti and Garlic Toast Dinner” for only $6.99. This wonderful dinner is a true Gin Mill Value, which Big Ray and all spaghetti fans will confirm.
Moving around the corner on Monroe Street, Balloons will have their “Pizza and Wing Monday Football Night hosted by Mike Brady. Just stop in Balloons, say “Hi Mike”, then enjoy some Football, wonderful pizza and super twenty-five cent wings.
Then at 10 PM Monday, The Double Diamond will have “MONDO MONDY”, Ellicottville’s only All Original Music Happin, hosted by Da Polski Director of Silly Foolishness, Reverend Jack Darfaset and maybe, Golden Child, Drummer Craig Dwyer. Being the real Halloween, this could be real scary.
The final two gigs of the week will take place in The Gin Mill. First, Wednesday at 8 PM, Joe Wagner and John Winston will be doing their wonderful sixties through the eighties folk to southern rock acoustic music show. This is a Gin Mill Tradition.
Finally Thursday at 8 PM The Weekly Notice Band will be whoopin Up The Gin Mill. This week’s version of will be The Fred And Rod Outstanding Band or if you wish The FAR OUT Band. So, as has been the case for the last few weeks, only Rod will join Freddie. There-by, making The Weekly Notice Band more of a Monthly Notice Band. Yet, it is still a unique and fun Gin Mill Night of Music every Thursday.
C U Round The Music Scene Good Stuff No Worries
