Plaza Caribe is an original song by Batavia native Daniel King.

Batavia High School's Production Club this weekend presents "Shrek: The Musical."

Tickets are $10 at the door and $8 for students and seniors. They're available in advance for $9 through showtix4u.com.

Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Press release:

Local guitarist/singer Dylan DeSmit will be releasing his new album, "Sittin' by the Fire," on Nov. 8th.

The new album is a follow-up to his 2017 EP, "Pizza for Breakfast."

Recorded over the past year and a half at Watchmen Studios in Lockport, "Sittin' by the Fire" features more of a Southern rock/country rock sound than DeSmit's previous work.

It consists of 12 tracks, including the singles "October" and "Castle." The album will be available on all online streaming platforms, including Spotify, Itunes, and Bandcamp. It will also be available on CD.

One of our previous recordings of The Batavian Sessions with Dylan DeSmit:

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra opens its 2019-20 season this Sunday at 4 p.m. with a concert in the auditorium of Pembroke High School.

The concert, "Symphonic Pictures I: Portraits" features "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" by Debussy, "John Henry," by Aaron Copland, "The Swan of Tuonela," by Sibelius, and "Pictures at an Exhibition," by Mussorgsky.

This is the fourth season S. Shade Zajac leads the orchestra.

For casual fans of orchestra music or those who have never been to see an orchestra perform, this is an excellent show. The pieces are largely modernist and fun. The Mussorgsky piece is particularly exciting (watch the video) and Aaron Copland is perhaps America's greatest composer.  

If you watch the video, you will likely want to attend this show.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and students (with ID) get in for free. Tickets are available at Roxy's Music Store, GO ART!, The YNGodess Shop, Bank of Castile in Le Roy and at geneseesymphony.com.

Pembroke High School is located at 8750 Alleghany Road (routes 5 and 77), Pembroke.

In the Fifth Annual Battle of the Bands at the Smokin' Eagle BBQ & Brew in Le Roy, after a summer-long competition, the John Payton Project came out on top in the finalist pairing of the season on Saturday night.

Second place went to Deeper Blue.

Here's a video highlighting last night's event. We'll have full-song videos from each band over the next two days.

Press release:

The New York State DanceForce, in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts, announces the third cycle of the Western New York Choreographers’ Initiative (WNYCI).

The program provides professional development for choreographers living in New York’s seventeen westernmost counties: Chautauqua, Niagara, Erie, Cattaraugus, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Allegany, Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Yates, Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, and Seneca.

The application deadline is 5 p.m. (EST) Dec. 4.

The WNY Choreographers’ Initiative is designed to help WNY resident choreographers develop their choreographic skills by providing them with appropriate resources that are generally unavailable or unaffordable.

These resources include 24 hours of creative studio time, professional dancers, the guidance of a professional mentor chosen by the artist, and a $2,500 stipend. Two choreographers will be selected for the award in spring 2020. 

“This initiative is open to choreographers working in all dance genres," said WNYCI Coordinator Lois Welk. "Each project is basically a mini-residency, designed to fit the specific needs of each artist.

"Some artists have split the time between their home community and New York City. Others have done their entire project in WNY. The only requirement is that at least half of the activity happens in the WNY community.” 

The New York State DanceForce is a statewide consortium of 19 dance activists committed to increasing the quantity and quality of dance activity throughout New York State. Each member receives an annual allocation to create projects that bring dance artists to Upstate NY communities in customized residencies.

Since its founding in 1994, the DanceForce, through the work of its members, has funded more than 400 projects, raising more than $3 million in support of these endeavors.

Complete guidelines and the application form can be found at www.danceforce.org. For more information, contact WNYCI Coordinator Lois Welk at [email protected].

The Genesee Symphony Orchestra prepares for the annual Summer Serenade, a joint fundraiser with United Way and held each year at the La Royan in Le Roy.

The 2019 concert is Aug. 25. Social hour begins at 4:30 p.m., with dinner at 5, the concert at 6:15, and dessert to follow.

Tickets are $75 a person. Garden party attire recommended.

Tickets available at Tompkins Bank of Castile in Le Roy and Roxy's Music Store or online at  www.uwrochester.org/summerserenade

Proceeds benefit the United Way Backpack Program and the GSO.

Bishop Gunn played The Ridge NY in Le Roy on Friday night. Here they are performing their song "Let the People Know."

Tonight, Black Stone Cherry takes the Frost Ridge stage.