Twentysomething in Buffalo

Men, don't dance on bars

There are a couple of things that are never cool to do at a bar. You know, things like clinking your bottle of beer over your buddies so it spills everywhere; taking someone's tip and using it to pay for your drink, and anything that involves fighting. That's a very abridged list, but you get the point.

Until a recent outing, I didn't think it needed to be said that guys dancing on the bar, tables or chairs isn't cool either. I thought it was a pretty well-accepted belief that only girls should dance on things above floor level. There are a variety of issues wrong with "dude who dances on anything but the ground."

First off, unless you're break dancing, tap dancing or Irish step dancing, a guy should never be dancing by himself. I defy any guy to try to look cool by getting his groove on alone. Girls, on the other hand, are quite the opposite.

Never was this more apparent then when golfers from the Australian National Team rolled up (via limo) to a Lewiston watering hole after the final round of the Porter Cup on Saturday. They were nice guys just looking to have a good time, but they turned the place into a PG-version of Club Marcella.

These guys were all about dancing on elevated platforms while yelling "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi."  It was entertaining at first, but the novelty wore off quickly.

I give these guys some credit, though. When the bar drowned out their shouting with a "USA"
chant, they emphatically cheered along.

So whether you're going abroad or staying domestic, never dance on a bar if you're a guy. And if you are in a foreign land, don't chant the name of your home country; no one is impressed by your patriotism.

Especially if you're American, because apparently not everyone likes us.

--- Andrew Rafferty

Galleria Too Big Now?

I finally went to the new Galleria Mall Regal Cinemas last night. I saw "The Dark Knight" and yeah, the movie was great. Moreover, the seats were beyond comfortable and the leg room even better.

But my experience was somewhat overshadowed by how hard it was to find a parking spot (since when do we need valet parking at the mall?), how hard it was to navigate the new part of the mall (a sign pointing to where the theater was ... but then wasn't) and the impossibly long line because one person was selling tickets and the ticket-buying machine I tried didn't have a working printer.

Apparently, the Galleria is still working out the kinks. But honestly, I can't blame it all on the Galleria because in trolling for parking, cars were idling in both lanes in front of a mall entrance, effectively blocking traffic. Talk about inconsiderate.

When I was younger, my parents never took me to the Galleria Mall because it was "too big."  Discovering the joys of shopping as a teen, I started going there on a regular basis; it has more stores and a better selection. And now, I'm sort of in awe of the shiny new wing, even though I can't afford to do all my shopping there.

However, my new feeling is that the mall, in continuing to expand, will no longer be a place
to hang out. The corridors are getting too circuitous and the clientele less Buffalo and more
Canada.

Of course, that won't stop me from going to Delia's when I need new jeans, but after last night's less-than-people-friendly experience, I don't know if I'll feel the need to visit the mall weekly as a did when I was younger.

So, what do you think of the expansion? Too much, not enough or somewhere in between?

--- Kristen Rajczak

Square peg, round hole

I would not have imagined thinking this in the past, but the atmosphere of Thursdays at the Square has grown somewhat tiresome for me.

When I lived in northern New York, I would come back for two or three hand-picked shows a year. I figured on taking in a bunch more being here full time this year -- even for acts that did not necessarily interest me -- but the novelty has quickly worn off.

The top reason without question is what News pop music critic Jeff Miers opined about in last week's Gusto: the incessant yakking and cell phone use, which ruins others' opportunity to take in the musical performance.

I realize the Square is an event, not just a concert setting. It is free, too, so it is easy to discard this complaint. And if I looked back through my phone, I would likely be guilty of sending a couple texts during the show.

But when it reaches the level of a performer dedicating a song to "Everyone who has been paying attention" -- as Jakob Dylan did early last week -- that is saying something.

I still plan on making a couple more Squares this summer, but will be aiming to arrive first thing in order to get a spot by the stage to limit the crowd distractions. The concept and execution by Buffalo Place are fantastic for the city, but maybe just not for me anymore in my mid 20s.

Having seen performances in the past at ArtPark -- also free Tuesdays and Wednesdays -- I figure on leaning toward those shows more often.

So what do you think? A valid criticism or a snobby one?

---Geoff Nason

Guitar Hero Geek

Warning: This post makes a twentysomething sound like a 12-year-old.

I've never been a video game person. My brother and I are relatively close in age, and while he navigated his way through Madden, FIFA and NBA Live, eyes glued to the screen, thumbs twiddling as fast as digital Lee Evans would run, I'd sit there thinking, "I just don't get it."

Last night, I finally saw the light: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. I was completely mesmerized, and uncharacteristically quiet. Was it the fast-paced chord pattern of "Don't Hold Back," or maybe the catchy, trance-inducing rhythm of "When You Were Young"?

I'll admit, my first attempt at following the color-coordinated "notes" on the screen left me marveling at just how little hand-eye coordination I have. But thanks to supportive (and sympathetic) friends, I floundered through a few more classics, butchering each one a little less each time.

I definitely wasn't transformed overnight; by no means did the game turn me into an intense gamer scouring the Internet for cheat codes and player tips so that I can master the Expert level. I'll still make fun of my brother for the glazed, dazed and confused stupor he seems drawn into every time he picks up his PS2 controllers.

But now I understand the attraction of being able to temporarily become something else-or someone else-whether it be Brett Favre, James Bond or the talented Brandon Flowers. Even if I never do make it past the Easy level.

Has anyone else played the game and loved it, or am I just a geek who needs to grow up? Which Hero is best?

-Molly Hirschbeck

Completely Spent With Chippewa

If you had asked me a year ago what I was doing on Saturday, without a doubt it would be "going downtown." A typical downtown night for me was staying out until 4 a.m. on the Chippewa strip, and frequenting at least three of the bars.

Now, just the thought of staying out until 4 a.m., especially on Chippewa, gives me a headache. My friends get on my case about it, too. For example, this past Saturday, I really just wanted to lie in my bed and watch some television. It was only after about five phone calls and 10 text messages that my friends got the hint - I was staying home and I didn't care what anyone said about it.

Chippewa used to be a fun, late-night dance party for my single girlfriends and me. I am no longer single, and when I am downtown and take a look at my surroundings, I feel like most of those partying around me are hardly old enough to buy beer.

It's the annoying belligerent guys trying to buy me a drink, the catty group of underage females shoving me aside at the bar so they can get a drink, and, most recently, the increase in violence that make me look at the whole thing with disgust. Where is the appeal?

I mean, maybe every once in a while a "girls night on Chippewa" could have its perks, but I'd rather sit at a friend's house or at a nice dinner with a few cocktails than spend my money on cherry bombs and watered down drinks.

- Kelly Boquard

To-Do List: Pilgrimage to see hockey's holy grail

When you're making your weekend plans, it's easy to fall back on the typical Buffalo Twentysomething stand-by of going out and getting smashed at some bar, but here are some quick tips of stuff that's worth checking out this weekend.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Hockey Night at the Albright-Knox - Get a close-up view of the Stanley Cup tonight from 3 - 10pm at the Albright-Knox.

Big plus: IT'S FREE!

Minus: They only can handle a maximum of 200 people per half hour to see the Cup, so you have to get time tickets in order to get in. At least it's free!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Buffalo Brew Tour, 2:30-8pm, $50
Perhaps one of the area's more underrated attractions, the Flying Bison Brewery crew are some of the most knowledgeable - and accessible - beer guys around.  The Brew Tour takes you around to breweries and bars in Buffalo & sample beers unique to the area. It's expensive, but it's worth it. Visit www.BuffaloBrewTour.com

Sunday, January 13, 2008

“The Tell Tale Heart: A Multi-Media Soundpainting Opera," Hallwalls, 6 pm,
$8 general; $6 students; $5 Hallwalls members
I have no idea what this is all about, but it sounds like a really cool thing to check out. Check out the Buffalo Soundpainting Ensemble web site for examples of what they do. It'll get you thinking about what you can do with audio.

Thanks Answer.com for the picture.

-Evan Parker Pierce

To-Do List: Holiday Lull-breakers

When you're making your weekend (and Post-Holiday!) plans, it's easy to fall back on the typical Buffalo Twentysomething stand-by of going out and getting smashed at some bar, but here are some quick tips of stuff that's worth checking out this weekend.

Polar Bear Club
w/ Sakes Alive!!
Heavy Hearted
White York
Dec. 26 (TONIGHT!), 8pm, Mohawk Place. $8

Polar Bear Club is from my hometown, Rochester. No I don't know them. I honestly didn't know where they were from when I heard them, so imagine my pride when I realized a band I really like knows what a garbage plate is. I mean, look at that picture - I MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN THAT SAME KITCHEN AT SOME POINT DRINKING BEERS MAYBE!

As for their sound? Hot Water Music is the most common comparison based on their vocals, but they're rough enough to fit in with Buffalo's excellent hardcore scene.

stacy*clark
w/ Standing Audition
Michael DeSanto
Thursday, Dec. 27, 8pm, Staples on Allen. $5

I know hardcore isn't everyone's cup, but stacy*clark is a show EVERYONE should check out. Stacy grew up in Buffalo (I think she's a Grand Island alum), but aside from supporting a homegrown product, you need to listen to her music. She's a singer song-writer in the vein of Feist or Regina Spektor, but I think she's a bit more varied - some songs play with production and electronics to sound like Phoenix, but she's got excellent straight-up rock tracks too. She's got pipes and good songs, and for those of you that won't get off the couch for a show unless they've been on TV, she's been a VJ on MTV Hits and MTV uses her songs on "engaged and underaged."

Really, go to this show.

-- Evan Parker Pierce

Making Time for College Friends

I always tell people that the bond I made with my girlfriends from college is a bond I haven't found anywhere else.

I went to school in the hills of Olean at St. Bonaventure University, and I will always have wonderful things to say about the school itself, but even better things to say about the people I met there.

During freshman year, I became friends with a group of girls very similar to me. They came from good homes, they enjoyed the same music and they knew how to have a good time. The years passed by and we eventually moved in together and then graduated together. Some were from Buffalo; others were from Rochester, Syracuse and Binghamton. For anyone who has had the privilege of going away to school, you can probably relate.

It's now a rare occasion for us to get together, but when we do it's always a conversation that I can't stop listening to, and laughter that I never want to end.

On Wednesday night, I went to dinner at the Left Bank with a couple of the girls to celebrate a birthday. The 24-year-old girls sitting around the table with a bottle of wine are completely different people from our days as rebellious 18-year-olds celebrating freedom from our parents with a case of cheap beer. What used to be talks about boys and parties are now talks about careers, unforgettable (and forgettable) memories, and our many quarter-life crises.

These times together may be few and far between, but the girls are another family to me. Maybe I'm just being girly and over-dramatic, maybe it's the holiday spirit, or maybe it was too much wine, but whatever it is, it's something I hope everyone has the chance to experience

  -- Kelly Boquard

To-do list: hipsters, hicks and headtrips

When you're making your weekend plans, it's easy to fall back on the typical Buffalo Twentysomething stand-by of going out and getting smashed at some bar, but here are some quick tips of stuff that's worth checking out this weekend.

Transmission Dance Party: Saturday, 10:30pm, Mohawk Place, $5. Look, if you go to Chippewa, you're probably going to spend a $5 cover, pay too much for weak drinks and listen to already-stale Top 40 music. Why not hang with the cool kids, jamming to a track list that will feature Bowie, New Order AND SpankRock? And seriously, the kids at this party ARE cooler than you - they're the ones that make you think, "This is BUFFALO?!"

Blue Rodeo w/ Ron Sexsmith, Luke Doucet & Justin Rutledge: Saturday, 8pm, Tralf Music Hall, $27. In terms of cutting edge music, seeing Blue Rodeo is a butter knife to Transmission's Ginsu, but that doesn't mean it's not fun. Blue Rodeo was last seen here (I think) at a Thursday at the Square event, but the club setting should make an excellent country band that's much more fun to drink to.

Collisions/Collusions, a two-part exhibition of time-based work in various media: Film, performance, video, music and networked actions: 11/9-11/11, Big Orbit Gallery, Opening Reception Friday, 7-10 p.m. Look, you're not going to get a lot of the artwork, performances and videos right away, and I probably won't be able to explain them without a week to think about it. But seriously, go check this stuff out. And think about it. Not only will you see something that will make you say, "Cool," but you might even pose a question to yourself, like, "Did I really think Linkin Park's album art was, um, art?"

-- Evan Parker Pierce

Halloween Banana Split

  Banana Split 
  Originally uploaded by bufftwentysomething

I know this past weekend was the bigger Halloween celebration, but last night was no slouch.

I, unfortunately, was a bit of a hypocrite, going out sans costume. Others made up for my lack of spirit, from dudes in drag, butch biker babes, a couple bananas and more than a few "sexy" nurses, maids and school girls. I put "sexy" in quotes because, even though offering tacit approval of the trend in my earlier post, there is such a thing as too much. It's one thing to sport a short skirt or show a little midriff, but seriously, ladies: leave a little to our imagination. It's better for everyone involved.

Anyway, I caught the excellent Backdoor Slam concert at Mohawk Place, swung by Club Diablo, then hit the Chippewa Strip where I roosted at La Luna with my second banana, Art (featured above). It was a Wednesday, so of course not THAT busy, but there were a good number of people out  - La Luna was packed for Power Hour, and Liars and Area 42 had crowds spilling into the streets as well. Click the above photo or follow this link to see more of the magic, debauchery and the best Andy Warhol impersonator I've seen ever.

-- Evan Parker Pierce

So a nurse, a cat and a flight attendant go into a bar...

... And all hell breaks loose. At least that's what I imagined happened at myriad Buffalo bars this past pre-Halloween weekend. I unfortunately couldn't make it out this weekend, with work holding me down, but I heard from multiple sources that every Buffalo bar strip was packed.

Above are my friends Sandy, Laura and Katie, and they are three of the best examples of what was (is?) a common costume theme for women: sexy everyday professions. (Except the cat. I don't know any professional cats.) While I'm all for originality, I'm perfectly OK with ladies simply throwing on some whiskers or a Red Cross hat to complement something spandex.

My fellow men, however, are decidedly less daring. From what I saw, and from what most of my friends saw (and did), at least two-thirds of guys went costumeless to the bars this weekend. BOO HISS TERRIBLE! I think the rule of thumb for most guys is this: if you're built, follow the ladies and bare skin. If you're like me, with loads of lovin, go for laughs. It's not hard - a fake mustache adds life to any party.

Anyway, what's anyone doing for Halloween proper? I'm thinking of dressing like Santa Claus and hitting Allen. Any one out there want to be my elf?

-- Evan Parker Pierce

Roll them bones in the Cobblestone District

So Mark over at the most excellent All Things Buffalo blog has a complaint: he discovered over a (pitiful) Buffalo hockey weekend that there are no walkable Sabres posts-game options near HSBC Arena.

He's right, of course - right now, the only postgame haunts within a comfortable walk of the arena are the Swannie House, Cobblestone, and The Buffalo News headquarters (where the night copy desk is still partying like it's 1999). Outside of that, you've got the Seneca "Casino," which is so far only a warehouse with money-stealing video games, or a long, cold walk out to Chippewa.

But what are the options for the area? I'd like to say the Cobblestone District is Buffalo's next big scene, but what potential bar owner in their right mind would open up a joint completely dependent on good hockey nights? There are absolutely no other draws to pull well-paying customers into that neighborhood - the closest residences are the Elk Terminal Lofts, which even at capacity is a small population, or the less-well-off places near Perry or Marine Drive. And the post-work happy hour crowd from nearby businesses isn't that promising, with General Mills and HSBC workers so far from home. So really, the only hope for a growing bar scene in the Cobblestone District lies in the hope the Senecas do a bang up job with their new casino. Based on the current situation - even with the newly announced hotel - I'm skeptical of the scope and impact of that project.

I actually think there is more realistic potential with development on the other side of the subway tracks - a revitalized waterfront that would give good reason for patronage near the arena year-round. The casino will always have its own appeal, but the novelty of gambling wears off on the general population, creating an insular oasis.

The revitalization to the Erie Canal terminus, the Naval Park and whatever else opens in that project (and I don't mean Bass Pro) will have an impact that  not only inspires that elusive "civic pride," but also sustainable success.

- Evan Parker Pierce

On the chopping block

I'm numb. Seriously, that's all I can say. Numb. Has there ever been an organization, a sports town, a city and a fan base as tortured as Buffalonians? We really are the da Vinci of losers.

In all of history, I don't think one city has ever generated as many new ways to lose as Buffalo? Wide Right, In The Crease, Home Run Throwback, Thurman's Helmet, Elam's miracle kick against the Broncos in Week 2 and now the Second Chance Collapse against the Cowboys. Is that a good nickname? Anyone? Is this a loss, where the Bills were already a heavy underdog, even deserve a nickname? Excuse me while I go take a cold shower to clear my head.

I know I could catch a lot of blogger guff for referencing him, but Bill Simmons' "Levels of Losing" column at ESPN.com perfectly describes Buffalo sports luck. Monday night nearly ranked as a "Monkey Wrench" game to the Cowboys, where an underdog upsets a powerhouse, but ended as a combination of "The Guillotine" and a "Stomach Punch" game, perhaps the worst combination possible. Needless to say, I am currently giving myself a punch in the stomach and laying my neck on the chopping block that is my family room ottoman.

Just a quicky shallow note on yesterday's Monday night game - ESPN's star announcing team of Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser made the requisite lame Buffalo references on Pardon The Interruption yesterday, joking about how many wings they left on the table at the Anchor Bar, but that got me thinking.

Big games, like Monday Night Football, bring a number of celebrities to town. Buffalo, with the scant exception of local heroes (Ani DiFranco, any Sabre or Bill, "Huge" Fucillo. uh, scratch that last one.) isn't exactly a haven of A-, B- and even C-list stars. I mean, the Niagara Gazette ran a front page story about "Good Morning America" shooting at Niagara Falls. Seems a little desperate don't you think?

That being said, I'm a junkie for celebrity sightings just like anyone else, so anybody out there see anyone interesting recently? With Steve Young, Jaws, Terrell Owens and a smattering of other sports biggies in town, someone must have been spotted dripping bleu cheese on their tie.

- Evan Parker Pierce

Top Five: Favorite summer hangouts of 2007

     The end of summer (and I tend to count our recently warm Septembers as summer) always makes me pose two questions to myself: A) where did the summer go? And, b) what the hell did I do with myself this summer?

     It's not that summer's not memorable; honestly, I suffer from a memory overload. Buffalonians have to cram so much fun into our short warm-weather window one has to take time to reflect on all the stuff accomplished from May to August.

     In that vein, here's a list of my to five favorite summertime hang outs from 2007. Have a look and post your own summer faves below.

    5) Soho, Mojito Tuesdays: The combination of well-mixed cheap Mojitos, a good, downbeat DJ and a chill crowd makes what normally is the most consistently crowded bar on Chippewa accessibly chic.

    4) The Hatch, Friday evening: Sure, the crowd is an odd mix of families with kids and your grandparents, but some nights you'll see a karaokeing 60-year-old grandmother sell Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" so well Simon Cowell would be speechless.

    3) Tudor Lounge Karaoke Friday: Contrary to its second appearance on this list, I usually can't stand karaoke. But anytime you can get the eclectically hip crowd from The Old Pink singing their hearts out, you've achieved nirvana.

    2) Colter Bay Saturday: A giant patio and huge beer selection at the geographic center of Allentown is the perfect hangout to start a night, no matter which way you swing.

    1) The Patio@theEllicott Lounge, Every Single Night Ever: I ended many a night chilling on the various patios throughout the Ellicott Lofts, Commons and IS Lofts downtown, but my buddy Mike's patio (pretentiously named here) was an urban oasis unique to our burgeoning neighborhood.

    On a geeky side note, there is little more fun than playing Wii Sports on a patio -- it's an apocalyptic sign of our technological dependence when your outside toys are not a ball and bat, but a TV and a Wiimote.

--Evan Parker Pierce