With big-name acts and big tours grabbing headlines at the turn of the century, it was hard to imagine a small band from an even smaller southern town could turn rock radio on its head. But that's exactly what 3 Doors Down did with their debut, "The Better Life."

"Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two Woman Show" is coming to the Riviera Theatre Thursday, July 25, at 2 and 8 p.m.

The hills at Artpark will be alive with "The Sound of Music" starting next week. The Broadway musical is part of the summer-long celebration of Artpark's 40th anniversary.

The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the region's rich heritage and the tradition of classical music with a concert at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 29.

BPO Associate Conductor Matthew Kraemer will lead a concert packed with symphonic favorites by Copland, Rossini and Beethoven, culminating in Tchaikovsky's bombastic "1812 Overture."

The Goo Goo Dolls new album "Magnetic" has debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, with almost 29,000 copies sold first week. The 10th studio album for the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated band features debut single "Rebel Beat," which is currently climbing the charts at Hot AC radio.

Two of America's timeless singers - Smokey Robinson and Johnny Mathis - join the Seneca Casinos' "Summer Rush" lineup with performances that will match the thrill of summertime. Both will travel to the Seneca Niagara Events Center in Niagara Falls this summer.

Seneca Casinos kicks off its "Summer Rush" concert series in a big way at Seneca Allegany Events Center this Saturday in Salamanca.

In fact, it's with music that's fit for a "King."

The Queen Extravaganza has announced the tour will stop at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are now on sale.

Band to perform on 'Good Morning America' June 11 in celebration of new album 'Magnetic'; co-headline tour with Matchbox 20 kicks off June 25; Goos perform locally three times

Buffalo Place Inc. announced its "Thursday at Canalside" summer concert lineup on Wednesday. This year, the entire series is moving to the Buffalo waterfront. Free weekly concerts run from 5 until 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 29, Kem will close the first weekend of the "Buffalo Place Rocks Canalside" concert series presented by M&T Bank and produced by Buffalo Place Inc. His show runs from 6 until 11 pm.

We have the most comprehensive list of Artpark events and pictures around -- plus a video presentation of the "Tuesday in the Park" and "Coors Light Wednesdays" schedule.

Artpark President George Osborne announced the venue's 2013 summer events schedule at a press conference Wednesday morning.

Comedy, country music, up-tempo rock and more come to Western New York; 
lineup includes B.B. King, Howie Mandel, Alabama, Brad Garrett, Huey Lewis and The Go-Go's.

Counting Crows and The Wallflowers will kick off the 15th annual "Buffalo Place Rocks" Canalside Concert Series presented by M&T Bank and produced by Buffalo Place Inc. in downtown Buffalo at the Erie Canal Harbor Central Wharf on Friday, June 28. The concert runs from 6 until 11 p.m.

PREVIEW: There are four things Eddie Money wants you to know before you seen him in concert tonight (8 p.m., Seneca Niagara Casino).

World-renowned soprano and opera star Kathleen Battle will appear with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at 8 p.m. Friday, March 8, at Kleinhans Music Hall in a special program, "The Underground Railroad: An Evening of Spirituals."

The program commemorates a number of important moments in history: the founding of the Abolitionist movement in 1833, the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the 100th anniversary of the passing of famed civil rights pioneer Harriet Tubman, and the importance of Western New York to the Underground Railroad.

The Center for the Arts, University at Buffalo, presents Diana Krall on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mainstage Theatre, located at the Center for the Arts, North Campus.

Hard Rock International continues its commitment to emerging musicians of tomorrow with this year's "Hard Rock Rising," the most far-reaching battle of the bands competition in the world.

Seneca Casinos will add a little country and lots of humor to kick off its entertainment lineup for the spring. Country legend Clint Black and "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" member Ron White come to Seneca Allegany Events Center in Salamanca in March and April.

The Buffalo Philharmonic will return on Jan. 19 and 20 after a long winter's rest in time to celebrate the 256th anniversary of the birth of one of classical music's most beloved composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

A vocally talented country/Christian group and one of the defining rock bands of the early 1970s will kick off entertainment at Seneca Casinos on a high note to start the new year. Diamond Rio and Creedence Clearwater Revisited will play at Seneca Allegany Events Center on Jan. 12 and Jan. 27, respectively.

Last Friday, the Musical Box came to the Riviera Theatre in Tonawanda. The Montreal-born Genesis tribute band played a theatrical recreation of the seminal album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway."

A monster in terms of prog-rock and concept albums, "The Lamb" describes a troubled, half Puerto Rican youth's surrealistic struggle to understand the world around him as well as his own duality. Genesis' last work with lead singer Peter Gabriel, the tour following the 1974 album was full of costume changes, theatrics, a three-screen slide show, pyrotechnics, lights and, of course, plenty of musical talent.

"The Stand," Buffalo United's second annual concert event, is Friday, Nov. 30. The 7 p.m. event (6 p.m. doors) will be held at the Buffalo Christian Center, 512 Pearl St., Buffalo.

Indie-Christian folk-rock band Elmwood Drive headlines the next Lighthouse Café, on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 7 until 9:30 p.m. at Lockport Alliance Church, 555 Davison Road.

Indeed, for some fans it will be like Santa coming to town. After 35 years, Gino Vannelli still delights fans with sold out shows at multiple venues worldwide. He is performing three shows at The Bears Den inside The Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel on Oct. 5 to 7.

It's a good feeling to have a No. 1 record at a time when musicians are told you can't sell albums.

The Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel will present three-time Grammy Award-winning artist Jon Secada as the headline entertainment at the 2013 Premier.

The Premier, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center's annual black-tie dinner and entertainment gala, will be held Jan. 19. Proceeds from the event will benefit Memorial's cardiac and stroke care services.

Depew welcomes the Latshaw Pops Orchestra concert and tribute to the legendary TV and radio icon Dick Clark with "American Bandstand - A Tribute To Dick Clark" coming to the Hearthstone Manor (333 Dick Road) on Tuesday, Oct. 9.

Artpark & Company has hosted many notable musicians as part of its "Tuesday in the Park" concert series. The Lewiston performing arts venue has hosted hit-makers, Grammy winners, television and film actors and even a "Dancing with the Stars" contestant. ... But ...

This year's Lewiston Jazz Festival will take place on Friday, Aug. 24, from 5 to 10:30 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 25, from noon to 10 p.m. on Center Street. Admission, parking, and shuttles to the festival from Artpark's lower level parking lot are all free.

One would think for KING & COUNTRY couldn't be happier to perform at this year's Kingdom Bound music festival.

KC & the Sunshine Band performs Saturday as part of the "Hard Rock Rocks" concert series.

"It was really a good time for people," Gordon Deppe says of the 1980s. "A lot of good memories. Positive economics. People were just having fun. It was like 10 years of Halloween, in a way."

An interview with Ann Wilson of Heart ahead of the band's "Tuesday in the Park" concert at Artpark.

Artpark & Company announces tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, July 13, for "An Evening with Bob Dylan." The famed singer will perform inside the Mainstage Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 6. Doors open at 7 p.m.

A new concert series has been added to Artpark's eventful summer lineup. The "Sundays in July" concert series will kick off July 8 and run for four consecutive Sundays through July 29 with shows at 3 p.m. in Artpark's Mainstage Theater.

The Andrew Bird concert scheduled for Monday, July 16, at Artpark has been moved. The general admission show now will begin at 7 p.m. at Asbury Hall at Babeville, 341 Delaware Ave., Buffalo.

David Nolf and Stacy Clark, Two talented Grand Island-native musicians, will open for major artists performing in the Niagara County area in coming weeks.