ELLICOTTVILLE ENTERTAINMENT
(05/01/2009)
Checking Out the Tunes and Other Stuff In Ellicottville
By Robby & Sherm Wilkens

As announced previously the Ellicottville music scene will have a new addition on July 19th at Holiday Valley. The Rotary Foundation for Youth will be hosting the Americana Folk Art & Music Fair. Part of the weekend includes an outdoor concert on the slopes at Tannenbaum Lodge on Sunday July 19th from noon to 7:00 PM. This family event will feature some great acts National recording artists The Doerfels and Canadian Juno award winner Tom Wilson with Lee Osmond. The hills will be buzzing so bring your lawn chairs, picnic gear and the entire family for this interactive music fair. Special stay packages are available at the Inn at Holiday Valley. Call the Inn at 699-2345 and ask for the Americana Folk Art and Music Fair Package. Camping is also available for the weekend. Stayed tuned to this column for more information on this event which is part of the evolution of the Antique Farm Fair that will take place on Saturday July 18th in front of the town hall. click here for more info

What a taste of summer we’ve had this last weekend. It looks OK for this weekend also. However, we should be back to more spring-like temperatures. That being highs in the sixties not eighties. The golf still will be great. Found time to play Holiday Valley’s Double Black Diamond Course this past week and WOW was it in great shape and FUN. Elkdale country Club, like it has been since it opened in late March, is also in unbelievable shape. The changes they are making to the fairways and greens should really make play there even more appealing. Elkdale Country Club is member owned. However, the public is more than welcome. Just call for a Tee time and you’re all set.

Now on to the music, like last week, beginning today Friday May 1, 2009 through next Thursday, we will have seven bands two DJs and one Two-Day Music Extravaganza.

Also like last week, Madigans begins the weeks festivities 8:00 PM tonight with the start of their “Two Day Bartenders Choice Music Extravaganza”. The Bartenders on duty, with the help of the audience, will be choosing tunes and artists to be played through Madigans Excellent Sound System. With some cooperation from the weather, Madigans hopes to have their up-stairs patio open complete with music flowing. Remember this is a Friday and Saturday event and it goes till close both days.
An hour later 9:00 PM Friday “Personable DJ John Barry” will be doing his “Personality Show-Off Thing” LIVE from Balloons Sound Booth. Whether it’s dancing, conversation or just enjoying Balloons Party Atmosphere, John’s personality and tune selection create a fun place to kick off your weekend. Please also remember, Balloons serves their excellent menu, created by Tom till 10:00 PM.
The first band of the weekend “Victims Of Fate” begins 9:30 PM Friday in The Double Diamond. This group is another of the very hi-energy “Classic Rockers” that frequently plays in The Double Diamond. Joey Gilroy formally of “The Gilroy Brothers” and now a member of this band brings some excellent music talent, which blends in nicely with the other band members. Their music, both cover and original, is fun and audience involved.

Moving on to Saturday we get started at 5:00 PM in Balloons with “The Stevie Project”. This three-piece band is a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan featuring the vocals of Joseph Michael Mahfoud. Their music is mainly “Stevie Ray Vaughan” done in his original “Blues Style”, which is the ultimate “House Rockin Experience” that Stevie Ray created. This will be another of the wonderful 5:00 PM Saturday Balloons gigs that will be fun for the whole family. Before we get into what follows “The Stevie Project”, I owe an apology to “DJ Matty Mayhem”. Last week I called him “Marty Mayhem”. Sorry Matt. With that behind us, we move on to who takes over the festivities and this week “The Party Monster DJ frank Watson” will be in charge of Balloons Sound Booth. An all ages’ friendly continuation of the party already taking place is what “The Party Monster” does so well.

Moving back to 9:00 PM Saturday “The Speedy Parker Blues Band” will be doing their “Blues” you can really feel in The Gin Mill. This blues band has been a Gin Mill regular for many years. They are true “Blues” doing stuff that gets the audience going. With Tracie and Jeff on bar duty, you will have cold beverages served with a smile along with good eats served till mid-night, all at Gin Mill user-friendly prices.

Back on Monroe Street at 9:30 PM Saturday, “The Tripper Harrison Band’ will be in The Double Diamond. One of Ellicottville’s finest local “Hard Rock” bands is who these guys are. Their music is mainly cover and done in a style that is crowd-pleasing. With Tammy and Nick on bar duty, The Double Diamond will be a fun place to catch some good tunes and cocktails this Saturday evening.
With a quiet Sunday behind us Monday will only have MONDO MONDAY. Pasta and Blue Grass in The Gin Mill will be music free this Monday. Therefore you will have to enjoy all The Spaghetti and Garlic Toast U Can eat for $5.95 with out the wonderful music of “The Blue Mule Band”. They will be back next week.

What will happen is MONDO MONDAY at 10:00 PM Monday in The Double Diamond. The experience is and continues to be Ellicottville’s only “All Original Music Experience”. Fun and music are not nearly enough to describe what happens every Monday night in The Double Diamond. Mr. Jack DarVaSette and his creative cast of characters, which includes but are not limited to “Basser Brandon The Hydro Ceramic Engineer” and “Frankie” of “The Du Wop Brothers” on the tip jar create one of the most FUN music nights of the week.

The week’s music ends with two gigs one each on Wednesday and Thursday. Both are in The Gin Mill. Wednesday as has been the case for twenty-five years; Joe Wagner and John Winston will be doing their “Folk to Southern Rock” while The Gin Mill is serving their really fine thirty-five cent wings and Mr. Chorny is being Mr. Chorny from behind the bar. Thursday will be like last week with “Freddie and Brian” doing their version of “Kuk and Freddie” which is GOOD STUFF with just a hint of country and this is EVEN BETTER STUFF.