Buffalo Place offers most ambitious 'Thursday at the Square' yet

29 national acts and monthly 'Rocks the Harbor' event highlight schedule

by Joshua Maloni
Niagara Frontier Publications, May 16, 2009

Better Than Ezra

"These are exciting times," Buffalo Place Inc. Executive Director Michael T. Schmand proclaimed Thursday, as his organization unveiled its "Thursday at the Square" concert lineup for 2009.

Indeed, the not-for-profit organization, which serves to promote downtown Buffalo, presents 29 national acts this summer.

"Thursday at the Square" kicks off its 10-week run May 28 with Gomez and special guests Steel Train and Alberta Cross. The schedule follows with: •An Evening with The Disco Biscuits on June 4 •Robert Randolph & The Family Band with special guest The Dana Fuchs Band on June 11 •Better Than Ezra with special guest Tyrone Wells on June 18 •Los Lobos on June 25 •Fronted by Dweezil, Zappa Plays Zappa on July 2 •Los Lonely Boys on July 9 •Rock and Roll Hall of Famers George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic on July 16 •Neko Case on July 23 •The Avett Brothers with special guest Cornmeal on July 30 All "Thursday at the Square" shows are free, and run from 5 to 9 p.m. in Lafayette Square. Additionally, Buffalo Place "Rocks the Harbor," usually a two-day event, will be spread across four weekends this summer, beginning Friday, June 26, with Medeski Martin & Wood, and special guest Umphrey's McGee.

George Clinton

"We spent the winter at Buffalo Place engineering some change of our own," President and Vice Chairman Anthony J. Colucci III said. "Our staff, in an effort to achieve better balance and take advantage of some changes downtown, ... (including) the new and improved waterfront, have come up with a concert series that's going to present eight evenings of music on downtown Buffalo's waterfront."

Colucci said the impetus in expanding "Rocks the Harbor" was the idea of attracting a cross-section of the community to downtown Buffalo.

"('Rocks the Harbor') opens up to an entirely different group of folks," he said.

"And, of course, we have a downtown venue there now," Colucci added, referencing the Erie Canal Harbor Central Wharf.

Joan Osborne

Gov't Mule

Joan Osborne and Yonder Mountain String Band headline "Rocks the Harbor" on Saturday, June 27.

The Robert Cray Band performs Saturday, July 18, with special guests John Hammond Trio and Indigenous. Chris and Rich Robinson and The Black Crowes hit the stage on Sunday, July 19.

On Saturday, Aug. 1, Buffalo Place welcomes Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, with special guest Martin Sexton. Gov't Mule headlines Sunday, Aug. 2

Jakob Dylan returns to Buffalo with The Wallflowers on Friday, Sept. 4. Tea Leaf Green is support. Great Big Sea closes out the season on Saturday, Sept. 5, with special guest Kathleen Edwards and Jeremy Fisher.

The Wallflowers

Zappa Plays Zappa

Doors open at 5 p.m. for each "Rocks the Harbor" concert. Tickets, which are limited to 6,000, go on sale Saturday, May 16, at all Ticketmaster locations. The price per stub is $10 in advance, and $20 day of show.

2009 marks the 23rd anniversary of "Thursday at the Square." Buffalo Place estimates the concert series generates more than $4.5 million annually into the local economy.

Robert Randolph & The Family Band