The Elmwood Village Association starts their Concerts on Bidwell next week.  Here’s the lineup!

All concerts run Tuesday nights from 7:00pm to 9:00pm

June 30 - Neville Francis & the Riddim Posse
Sponsored by Bergen & Schiffmacher, LLP. Reggae with two-time Juno Award winner Neville Francis Afro-Caribbean music from one of Western New York ’s favorite party bands

July 7 - Doug Yeomans and the Lo Blu Flame
Sponsored by Damon & Morey LLC. Doug Yeomans has won the North American Guitar Championship, Best Buffalo Guitar Player and numerous other awards. He is a member of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. He works as a solo artist, with his Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues band, the Lo Blu Flame.

July 14 - Latin Jazz Project
Sponsored by Delaware District Councilmember Michael LoCurto. A spicy blend of Zydeco, Cajun, Caribbean, Blues, Tex-Mex, and New Orleans sounds

July 21 - Outer Circle Orchestra
Sponsored by the law firm of Cantor, Lukasik, Dolce and Panepinto. Always a Buffalo favorite, dance to World Music on a sultry Elmwood summer night.

July 28 - Lee Ron Zydeco & the Hot Tamales
You can expect a spicy, upbeat mix of Zydeco, Cajun, Caribbean, Blues, Tex-Mex and New Orleans party funk for this exciting Bidwell Parkway event!

August 4 - Gretchen Schulz and the Morvels
The country-R&B-gospel-roots diva can shake the foundation of a building with her voice and few performers anywhere can match her charm and style on stage.

August 11 - Babik
Gypse-Swing Jazz at is best, Babik has quickly become one of the hottest acts in Western New York.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then SpeakupWNY.com is worth a million of them!

SpeakupWNY is a site devoted to Buffalo NY politics.  The site was started by Anthony Fracasso approximately 5 years ago.  Anythony is a Western NY native how was tired of self serving politicians getting elected to local government.

A lot of Buffalonians and Western NY’ers in general feel that WNY’s government is bloated and self-serving if not borderline corrupt.  Anthony was bothered of over taxation and decided to speak up.  Better yet, he has given everybody access to speak up as well.

SpeakupWNY is two things.  On the main page, it is a source of local news and editorials.  However, for many the heart and soul is the public forum.  In this forum you can voice all of your taxpayer concerns sorted neatly by local town and city.  Other topics include local and national issue such as the Iraq war, the economy and US Veterans.

Next time something “gets your goat”, instead of complaining by the water cool, try voicing your thoughts over at SpeakupWNY.com!  Their 3,000+ registered users and nearly 500,000 posts have gathered quite a large voice.

Beerminton (or Beermitton, beermitten or beermiton, we’re not sure of the spelling) has proven to be real!  This might rank up there with the discovery of Kan-Jam.  Buffalo summers are jam packed but you might want to find time for Buffalo Beerminton.

While exploring the vast Allentown Art Festival this Sunday, we came across a very friendly bunch outside their house on Franklin Ave.

The rules are mostly like badminton however, instead of a net you use empty beer cans.  Keeping your net away from can collectors is a game in of itself.

Also, instead of a birdie you use an empty beer can.  Lastly, you must always be holding a drink in your off hand.

The only other rules that we found out were no spiking, you have to hit up, and serves have to cross the can net at shoulder height.  Other than that, you just need beers (or soda cans).  We’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

HOT BUFFALO EXCLUSIVE

One can argue that as individuals, we are only as good as the company we choose to keep.  This is even more true with Politicians.  Questionable politicians tend to surround themselves with questionable people.

The Date: June 5th, 2009.  The Stage: The Red Cross’s Annual “Bash”

Mickey’s small entourage makes it’s way through Mash Bash shaking hands and talking to the partygoers.  An attractive female partygoer works her way into the conversation hoping to pick Mickey’s brain about some local topics that are important to her.

At the same time, a very Pro-Buffalo Allentown male resident begins conversing to what appears to be Mickey Kearns’s right hand man.

After a brief political conversation, Kearns’s friend decides to go 180 degrees.  He abruptly and quite crassly stops talking about “Local Politics”.  Out of nowhere, this major Kearns supporter/leader starts talking about the female partygoer’s ass and what he would like to do to it.

Now Hot Buffalo is sure that political cohorts should not be so pigish.  However the story gets a even more interesting when we point out that the attractive female and the Pro-Buffalo male are not only “together” but soon to married. It isn’t sure who this “political pig” is.  Is he Mickey’s campaign manager, major supporter or best friend?  We aren’t sure yet.  However after the male Allentowner gave them a piece of his mind, like all politicians, this political Entourage slunk back into the shadows from whence they came.

We aren’t sure if Kearns would be a good mayor, however you may want to warn your daughters of his mayoral cabinet’s potty-thoughts if he happens to get elected.

Stay Classy Buffalo!
- HotBuffalo

Big Changes are in store this year for Thursday in the Square.  First and foremost, the concert series has been reduced to only 10 weeks.  That’s right!  “The Square” Starts on May 28th and ends on July 30th!  Previous Years the concert series went 15 weeks and spanned nearly the entire summer reaching into the first week in September.  Hot Buffalo readers are clamoring “What happened?”.

Well it seems that the good people of Buffalo Place are trying to focus on “Paid” shows.  While I do feel that “Paid” shows have a place, Buffalo doesn’t think this lack of free concerts, especially given the economic times, is the best decision to make.  The paid series will cost $10 in advance (PLUS Ticketmaster’s Incredibly high surcharge) or $20 the day of.

Smaller changes to Thursday in the Square include the opening acts starting at 5pm.   The shows should be complete by 9pm.  Last year many local bar owners complained that the Square was going too long and taking away from their “After the Square” business.

Thursday in the Square 2009 Lineup

• May 28, 2009 - Gomez with special guest Steel Train and Alberta Cross
• June 4, 2009 -  An Evening with  The Disco Biscuits
• June 11, 2009 -  Robert Randolph &  The Family Band with special guest The Dana Fuchs Band
• June 18, 2009 - Better Than Ezra with special guest Tyrone Wells
• June 25, 2009 - Los Lobos
• July 2, - Zappa Plays Zappa
• July 9 -  Los Lonely Boys
• July 16 - George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic
• July 23 - Neko Case
• July 30 - The Avett Brothers with special guest Cornmeal

Reposted from Buffalo’s Best Burger
The views expressed here are that of Buffalo’s Best Burger

Buffalo’s First Ward, where the term "neighborhood bar" truly lives up to its name. Located at 150 Babcock right in the shadow of the 190 is truly a place where friends and neighbors meet and spend time together. Despite this, the regulars were super friendly and open to a bunch of strangers on the hunt for a burger. Luckily for Jason, the bartender Mac was more than happy to explain the menu.

Ambience:

This place is not fancy, but it works. The interior is very similar to many other bars in this way; it looks like it hasn’t had any updates in 25 years, but that is what gives it character. Apparently the regulars are so tight that they go on vacation together every year and they have a wall of photos to prove it. The floor might be dirty and the bar poorly lit, but in a strange way that made it easier to feel relaxed in a possibly awkward situation.

Price:

This might not be a great place for a first date, but when six guys can get burgers with sides and multiple beers for $40… lets just say that this is a great cost effective option for a Burger Night out with the dudes. Considering it is located about 30 seconds away from an exit ramp, it might not be too bad for a night when you are on your way home and you just don’t feel like cooking.

The Burger:

The burgers had a distinct backyard BBQ flavor. No gourmet at Froggy’s. Not to say that they were bad by any means, just nothing out of the ordinary. HOWEVER…. the fresh cut fries and home made mac and cheese MORE than made up of the regularity of the burgers. Burger Night Dudes would most certainly recommend the place for an interesting night out.

HOT BUFFALO EXCLUSIVE 

Buffalo loves its bar scene.  Good or bad, no Buffalonian will argue that fact.

A major staple to Buffalo’s bar passion, especially in our beloved Irish sections of Buffalo, is Jameson Irish Whiskey.

Question:  What Buffalo bar sells more Jameson than any other?

Answer: Faherty’s

Liquor distributers have been keen to Buffalo’s ever increasing Jameson love affair.  Unfortunately for local bars, this is playing out like a scene from college micro-economics 101.  It’s a perfect example of supply and demand.

However, popular Buffalo establishments have grown tired of increased prices and are screaming “Price Gouging”.  How serious are they about their accusations?  To four Buffalo bars, they couldn’t be more serious.

While there hasn’t been a Tea-Party like rebellion, Mode, Coles, Nektar and yes even Faherty’s, the biggest seller of Jameson, have boycotted the lovely brown bottled soul of Ireland.

These four fine, differently themed establishments are trying to make a statement.  “Stop robbing us”

Whether you agree or not, their spirit is to be commended.  Regardless of the means, Hot Buffalo hopes the flow of Jameson returns if full, responsible, force soon.

We will stand behind these four bars and will make extra sure to visit them just as we did before.  Maybe we even will expand our Irish whiskey tastes to something other than Jameson.

Reposted from Buffalo’s Best Burger
The views expressed here are that of Buffalo’s Best Burger

Ironically enough, every Thursday is “burger night” at The Steer, located at 3151 Main Street. Since we had no idea about this we came too late and missed the special. Apparently “burger night” means you get your burger for half off. The menu was slightly confusing (see attached picture) but the actual meal more than made up for it.

Ambience:

The bar has a number of big TV’s that are perfect for watching the Sabres while you enjoy your burger. The bar and wait staff seemed to be primarily attractive young girls, which is a nice bonus. Our waitress Jen was very patient (even with Jason) and paid close attention to make sure we were taken care of even though we came at an off time. Enough people at the bar to make it seem semi busy without being annoying.

Price:

Honestly…. relatively pricey. Four burgers, two rounds (8 beers), and an appetizer ended up costing about a hundred bucks. That isn’t going to break the bank, and the burgers were REALLY GOOD, but $25 for a sandwich and two beers in Buffalo is a little high. Not saying this is a deal breaker… just be prepared.

The Burger:

WOW! Everyone was in agreement… these burgers were great! They were big but not overwhelming, cooked to order, and pretty much everything you could ever want in a burger. Great Job Steer!

The Steer
3151 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14214

716.835.5829