ELLICOTTVILLE ENTERTAINMENT (11/28/08)
Checking Out the Tunes and Other Stuff In Ellicottville
By Robby & Sherm Wilkens

With Thanksgiving behind us and The Ski Season already into its second week, we now look forward to The Christmas Season. We here in Ellicottville are having one of the snowiest Novembers on record and Holiday Valley has made the most of it. Between the natural snow and the excellent work of The Holiday Valley Snow Making Crew, the skiing and riding has been GREAT.

Another indication of the start of The Winter Season is the number of bands playing in Ellicottville this coming week. Today Friday November 28, 2008 will be the start of a ten band and two D.J. week. Things get started at 8:00 PM tonight in The Gin Mill with “Kuk and Freddie” and more than likely “Lil Joey” joining them. This duo and sometimes trio, is fast becoming a Gin Mill regular. Their acoustic style of music includes some of my favorite old “Grateful Dead” tunes and an array of excellent tunes from several artists from “The Sixties” through “The Eighties”. “Kuk and Freddie’s” music plus The Gin Mill’s excellent menu, which is served till midnight at user-friendly prices, makes The Gin Mill a pretty good choice for fun this Friday evening.

Another fun place, Balloons, gets going at 9:00 PM tonight with “Personable D. J. John Barry” spinning tunes and showing off his personality LIVE from Balloons Sound Booth. The last few weeks John has drawn a very large dancing crowd later on in the evening so you might want to get there before 9:00 PM to partake of the wonderful food selection that Balloons offers till 10:00 PM.
Moving just south on Monroe Street, at 9:30 PM Friday, The Double Diamond will have “Southern Influence” performing in the newly expanded band area. This is without a doubt one of my two favorite “Southern Rock” cover bands. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, ZZ Top and the like are done very well and with the style that was intended. Another thing The Double Diamond offers a Friday Fish Fry prepared by “Noel The King of Fiction” that you will find quite tasty and also reasonably priced. The Double Diamond continues as one of Ellicottville’s finest places to eat and enjoy fun LIVE music at least three nights a week.

The first of a four band and one D.J. Saturday Music Night gets going at 5:00 PM in Balloons with “The Rhythm Rockers”. This is a Buffalo based “Rockin Blues” band that you might remember them as “Steve B and The Rhythm Rockers”. Their music is “Rockety Blues” and very fun listening. They also are all ages friendly so you and your family, no matter the age, can enjoy Balloons great kitchen creations and wonderful live music early Saturday evening as a family. Following “The Rhythm Rockers”, “D.J. Chatty Frank Watson” will continue the family friendly environment in his own “Around The Bend”, yet totally fun and acceptable way from Balloons Sound Booth. Live music and fun is a fifty-two week a year happening in Balloons. Check it out this Saturday.

Back on Main Street at 9:00 PM Saturday The Gin Mill will have “The Ray D. O’Flyer Band” in their front window. I believe this bands name is pronounced “Radio Flyer” and are an “Old School Rockin Roll” cover band majoring in “Swing-A-Billy, Honky Tonk and The Blues” I caught part of their gig in July and really enjoyed the performance. Live music at least three nights a week, cold beverages and an excellent yet varied menu served at user-friendly prices is what The Gin Mill is all about.

There will be two 9:30 PM Saturday bands. Madigans, who is also hosting its Twenty-seventh Anniversary Party this Saturday, will have “Floozie” performing in their upstairs music and dancing area. “Floozie” is an extremely “High Energy” modern or contemporary “Rockin Roll” band. The one thing I remember about this band is how they get their crowd involved. If you like to dance to LIVE music, Madigans is the place to be this Saturday.

The final gig of the weekend will be “The Davey Z Project” doing a 9:30 PM gig in The Double Diamond. This is another of Buffalo’s wonderful “Classic Rock” cover bands. Two members of this group, Robby on bass and W on drums can also be seen on occasion with “Mo Porter” Davey, along with Robby and W, do wonderful “Old School Classic Rockin Roll” in fine style with a real flair for fun. The Double Diamond is a perfect fit for this excellent “Classic Rock Band” which you can enjoy this Saturday.

After another quiet Sunday, our regular weekly music gets going Monday with “Pasta and Blue Grass” starting at 7:00 PM in The Gin Mill. Blue Grass music with Heart preformed by Gail, Doug and Bernie, “The Blue Mule Band”, and all the spaghetti and garlic toast you can eat all for $5.95. The Gin Mill offers this wonderful music and meal special every Monday.

MONDO MONDAY is next beginning at 10 PM this Monday in The Double Diamond. This really fun gig billed as Ellicottville’s only “All Original Music Happening” or “Experience”, as you wish, featuring “Mr. Jack DarVaecette” on guitar and vocals, “Lil Joey” on spoons, “Frankie Da Drummer” and maybe either or “Fritz The Kat and “Brandon The Basser” joining in. This is a really fun Double Diamond event happening every Monday.

“Wednesday, Wings, Wagner and Winston” will begin around 9:00 PM this coming Wednesday in The Gin Mill. Acoustic “Folk to Southern Rock” music by Joe and John, thirty-five cent wings served by The Gin Mill Good Guys and cold beverages served by Mr. Chorny make The Gin Mill and excellent stop this and every Wednesday.

“Landshark Thursday” the final gig of the week will begin at 7:00 PM again in The Gin Mill. “Kuk and Freddie” and more than likely “Lil Joey” doing their wonderful acoustic music plus a meatloaf dinner special make The Gin Mill a good place to enjoy The Landshark beverages every Thursday evening.