ELLICOTTVILLE ENTERTAINMENT (12/5/08)
Checking Out the Tunes and Other Stuff In Ellicottville
By Robby & Sherm Wilkens

Winter in Ellicottville is in full swing. We have had over six feet of snow so far, yet it’s only the first week of December, how good is that? Holiday Valley is going strong and the skiing has been quite good. I just hope it continues till mid April. That will be REALLY GOOD STUFF.

Now on to the music, for the week starting today Friday December 5, 2008 through next Thursday, for the second week in a row, we will have ten bands and two D.J’s. As an added bonus, this week, we will have two Christmas specials. The first, beginning at 7:00 PM tonight in The Gin Mill, will be an “Irish Christmas Party” organized by “Bob McCarthy” and featuring “The Christmas Music” of “Maria”, who I believe to be an “Irish Christmas Caroler”. Admission to this really fun, Rotary Club of Ellicottville sponsored, event will be a gender and age marked wrapped toy which will be given to children in need from our area. Following “The Irish Christmas Party” at 9:00 PM The Gin Mill will have an acoustic cover performance by “Bob Schiele”. You can expect to hear tunes by Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Jimmy Buffett and the like. His music is mellow and excellent listening. Just like everything that happens in The Gin Mill, wonderful music, good food served till midnight and well prepared drinks by Tracie and Jeff, all served at user-friendly prices. This whole evening of fun events helps our community and makes The Gin Mill a Friday night fun stop.
Moving back to Monroe Street, at 9:00 PM tonight “Personable D.J. John Barry” will be doing his personality thing LIVE, for all to enjoy, from Balloons Sound Booth. John’s conversation, which is directed toward the wishes of his audience, is entertaining and creates an even better tune selection. When added to the excellent menu that Balloons serves till 10:00 PM, conversation, dancing or just dining and enjoying the music are there for everyone who visits Balloons tonight.

Just south on Monroe Street at 9:30 PM tonight The Double Diamond will have “Steve Dudley” performing his “Cocktail Rock” show at the east end of the bar. Steve is a one-man show doing cover “Classic Rock”. He is like so many of the musicians that play here, very audience friendly, If you ask for it and he can do it you will hear it. The Double Diamond is not only home to excellent music at least three nights a week; it is also home to some wonderful kitchen creations by Noel. You might want to arrive a little early and check out his Fish Fry. Believe me; it’s quite good.
Saturday’s music starts in the usual way 5:00 PM in Balloons with another of my favorite “Southern Rock” cover bands “The Ozone Rangers”. “Southern Influence” last weekend and now “The Ozone Rangers”. WOW it just doesn’t get any batter than that. Usually the second set of their show is devoted to “Z.Z. Top”, which is one of the best cover performances I have seen. This group plays in Balloons several time a year and has an excellent following. If you catch the show, you will understand why. They are that good. Following “The Ozone Rangers”, “D.J. Chatty Frank Watson” will keep the party going from Balloons Sound Booth. Like has been said so many times before, “Mr. Watson” creates a really fun way to keep you dancing and partying the rest of the evening.
The second “Christmas Special” starting at 7:00 PM Saturday in Tips Up Café will benefit “Project Christmas” a local charity helping families in need from our area. This event will feature “Soloist Meg Johnson” a senior at ECH and gifted Mezzo Soprano. One of her more recent performances was The Rotary Club sponsored “Starz for Youth Ball”. Tips Up Café is donating their upstairs area for this event and giving the five-dollar cover to “Project Christmas”. Thanks so much, Judy and Ken, for caring.

There will be three later Saturday night bands. The first starting at 9:00 PM in The Gin Mill will be “Live & Kickin” another of the regular Gin Mill Saturday bands. They bill themselves as “Live Music for All Occasions”. The occasion in The Gin Mill calls for “Classic Rock with a Country Twist”, which they do very well. They are fun and well worth seeing. Check them out Saturday.
The Double Diamond fires up at 9:30 PM Saturday with “Greg Juke and The Mighty No-Stars”. This is a “Contemporary Blues Band” that creates a very “High Energy” sound. They play The Double Diamond almost monthly and usually draw a pretty good crowd and for very good reason, they are fun and quite good.

The third Saturday night show, “The Bartenders Ball” will take place 9:30 PM in The Depot and feature the excellent music of “Areoforce” an Areosmith tribute or cover band. The whole theme of the evening will be “Celebrating those who serve Ellicottville”. It is also The Depot’s way of saying thanks to all the men and women who work behind the Ellicottville bars and make this a fun place to be. The fifteen-dollar ticket will include not only music, but also food, prizes and other festivities.
After another quiet Sunday we move on to our wonderful regular weekly music line up. As usual we begin Monday with “Pasta and Blue Grass” 7:00 PM in The Gin Mill. All the spaghetti and garlic toast you can eat for $5.95 plus wine specials and the wonderful Blue Grass with Heart music by “The Blue Mule Band”.

MONDO MONDAY Ellicottville’s only “All Original Music Experience, Happening, Session, Show” or whatever. Will begin around 10:00 PM in The Double Diamond. This is one of the most fun music happenings we have here in our Village. Mr. DarrVacette Lil Joey, Frankie Da Drummer, sometimes Basser Brandon and sometimes Fritz The Kat create this crowd-pleasing event every Monday in The Double Diamond.

The Wednesday, Wings, Wagner and Winston show is next beginning around 9:00 PM Wednesday in The Gin Mill. There isn’t much that hasn’t been already said about this show so; thirty-five cent and excellent music are what will happen this Wednesday in The Gin Mill.

The Final gig of the week will be “Landshark Thursday” with “Kuk and Freddie” and probably “Lil Joey” starting at 7:00 PM in The Gin Mill. Really fine acoustic music by “Kuk & Freddie” and a wonderful meatloaf special dinner sounds like good way to get ready for the coming weekend. Again The Gin Mill Thursday evening is where this happens.