Holiday Inn has the blues
… and that’s a good thing

by Joshua Maloni
Niagara Frontier Publications, June 21, 2007

While the soon-to-be renovated lobby and just-completed room upgrades at the Holiday Inn Grand Island have tourists excited, what really has them buzzing is the return of “Blues on the River,” the resort and conference center’s free Friday night concert series.

“We start getting phone calls in December and January about ‘When does “Blues” start,’ ” Dale Van Alstine, director of catering, said this week.

The seventh annual live band jam began this month and continues through Sept. 21 in a 300-person tent on the tennis court at the end of the hotel’s Whitehaven Road entrance. It features an assortment of grilled foods, and music courtesy of blues and dance acts such as Studio 54, Cruzin Deuces and the Rod Nickson Project.

“The feedback that we get … has been very positive,” Van Alstine said. “Who doesn’t like free?”

He noted crowds usually number between 75 and 125 each week; a mix of overnight guests and Island residents. Participants often bring blankets and chairs and make a night out of it.

What separates this dance-friendly event from other clubs and nightspots, Van Alstine said, is that its entertainment starts early – at 6:30 p.m. He said it’s hard to find quality music, a casual atmosphere and a leisurely setting like that anywhere else in the area.

“We’re doing it for everybody,” Van Alstine said. “You have to be here to enjoy it; to experience it.”

“Blues on the River” has also become a popular spot for reunion and group gatherings. Van Alstine said the pairing of live music with catered food service is a popular combination.

“It’s built-in entertainment for them,” he said.

For artists like Nickson, who will play the venue on July 4 – his seventh Independence Day show – the appeal in playing at the hotel is the atmosphere. No stranger to local praise for his blues beat, the artist, through this series, has gained fans from around the country. In fact, one guest from Louisiana – the headquarters of blues music – told Nickson, “You guys are unbelievable; I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Nickson, who will be joined by special guests Steve Burnside and Billy McEwen, expects between 500 and 1,000 people for the July 4 show. He said, “The holiday itself is phenomenal – the whole sky lights up when you’re (performing). … It’s a fabulous thing.”

Van Alstine, who said Nickson “belts out a song – oh does he sing,” said the Holiday Inn prides itself on selecting top-notch talent.

“Every year, we’ve always tried to upgrade the music,” he said, adding, “We have quality music that’s going out here.”

For more information on the “Blues on the River” convert series, call 773-1111, visit www.myholidayinn.com, or stop by 100 Whitehaven Road.