arts

Singer Melzie Case, accompanying herself on piano, and drummer Bob Chaplin, performed a free concert at Richmond Memorial Library on Tuesday.

Photos by Howard Owens.

A drum and bugle corp exhibition at Van Detta Stadium on Saturday night provided enthusiasts for the genre to see a variety of ensembles to perform, said Shannon Mellander, a music teacher and one of the organizers.

When Brett Young began work on his latest album, “Weekends Look A Little Different These Days,” he faced a whole new challenge as a songwriter. He had strived to be authentic in his writing, delving into subject matter that allowed him to draw from his personal experiences.

But that approach wasn’t going to work on the “Weekends” album, especially if he was trying to write about where his life is now.

Married to his long-time girlfriend, which he literally says is the love of his life, and a father of two little girls, Young knew his happy life wouldn’t make for a compelling album.

“It would have been really tempting to just write basically a lullabies record, love songs about my wife and songs about my children,” Young said in a late-April phone interview. “So the challenge was that you can’t write just about what you’re going through in your life right now. That’s going to be boring.”

Fortunately for Young, he was working with some co-writers who have been around the block and knew how to put an authentic personal touch on a lyric and honestly convey a variety of emotions over the course of an album.

“It’s hard when you’re in the happiest place in your life, and you’ve got to still write a sad song, and we did,” Young said. “We did that, but we did it through a lot of conversations. I’d get in with a songwriter or a couple of songwriters, and I’d be like, ‘Tell me about your worst heartbreak. Explain that to me.’ We started having to go down that path, and that was a new stage of songwriting for me. Don’t just do what you’re feeling right now; here’s a topic, go back to a place where you did feel this way and write it. And we did that. I think it stretched me in a really good way as a songwriter.”

This new approach to songwriting is very evident on “Weekends Look A Little Different These Days,” and Young has essentially crafted an album that touches on the long and winding road he has traveled with his wife, Taylor.

Young, though, didn’t want to tell a linear story about his history with Taylor. Instead, the songs on “Weekends” feel like snapshots from various moments of their journey, which included three breakups before they decided they truly should be together.

“For us, our story wasn’t linear anyway,” Young said. “I met Taylor, this Thanksgiving, it will be 16 years ago. So we have a long, storied history.”

The album culminates with the song “This,” which describes how the life Young and Taylor have now has made the heartaches and good times from their dating years completely worth it.

“That one really fell out quick,” Young said of “This.” “It got me talking about my family (with Taylor), and it immediately made me realize it doesn’t matter, three breakups, 20 breakups, whatever, it was all part of our journey to get here, to this.”

Like his history with Taylor, Young’s musical life has been a journey that had its share of frustrations before things fell into place for the 42-year-old singer/songwriter.

He began by playing covers of other peoples’ songs, first at restaurants and other venues around his Orange County, California, home base and later in the big city of Los Angeles, while he independently released a pair of EPs and three albums, hoping to get a record deal.

But Young’s career remained stuck in neutral until he realized his songs actually were well suited to country music, and he moved to Nashville. There, Young quickly made contacts and, within nine months, signed with Big Machine Records.

In short order, he was in a studio making his self-titled debut album with noted producer Dann Huff. The album’s advance single, “Sleep Without You,” reached No. 2 on “Billboard” magazine’s Country Airplay chart. Then another single, “In Case You Didn’t Know,” topped the Country Airplay chart and went top 20 on “Billboard’s” all genre Hot 100 chart. The hits have kept coming since, with his second album, “Ticket To L.A.,” adding “Here Tonight” and “Catch” and “Weekends Look A Little Different These Days” adding “Lady” to his list of chart-topping singles.

For a while, Young worried that he might have to leave even some of his popular ballads out of his concerts to keep his shows from getting too sleepy for audiences. But as his current shows demonstrate, he’s found that his fans aren’t worried about the pace of his concerts.

“What we’ve found out is that people aren’t thinking about that at my shows. They bought a Brett Young ticket. They know the music,” Young said. “They came to hear the music that they know. So every time we try to kind of inauthentically ramp it up for the sake of ramping it up, they’ve felt like they missed out on a song or two they wanted to hear. So it’s been less about the setlist and more about paying attention to my fan base and what they’re actually coming to the show for.”

Brett Young performs at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Saturday.

The Friday evening concert series in Jackson Square, sponsored by the Business Improvement District, kicked off the 2023 season with the Skycats.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Country music recording artist Craig Morgan, with hits such as "That's What I Love About Sunday," "Almost Home," "Redneck Yacht Club," "Little Bit of Life," and "International Harvester," brought his tour into Batavia on Friday with a stop at Batavia Downs.

Opening for Morgan was Drake White as part of the summer's Rockin' the Downs concert series.

This Friday, the show will get a little more rockus with Skid Row taking the stage.

Photos by Nick Serrata.

An unexpected thunderstorm at about 1 p.m. on Saturday couldn't keep the Batavia Ramble and Arts Fest from rolling on, though it did put the music on pause for about an hour.

Paul Draper, one of the festival's organizers, said the music will continue throughout the day, pausing only for more thunder if it comes back.

Bands will continue to take the stage as scheduled, Draper said, just before his band, Shotgun Pauly, started its 2:20 p.m. scheduled set about 10 minutes late, giving him and his guys only 10 minutes to perform.

"We just keep an eye on it," Draper said. "We'll pause and pick up as the weather dictates.  We can only plan so much, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to the weather."

He said plenty of people were sticking around, and the sun had come back out, so, he said, "I still think it's going to be a good day."

Photos by Howard Owens.

Led Zeppelin tribute band Get the Led Out returned to Batavia Downs on Friday night as part of the Rockin' the Downs concert series.

Photos by Nick Serrata.

The skies may have been overcast, but the local talent shone through in Jackson Square on Friday night with the first of two Homegrown Concerts, hosted by Bill and Kay McDonald.

A second featuring young local talent, and some mature folks, is scheduled for Friday, June 30. The showtime is 6 p.m.

On the bill for the next show: William Franz (bagpipes), Leah Ford (guitar), Nolen Wright (guitar), Ayralynn Thompson (ukelele), and Quinn Karcher (accordion), along with Deanna Spiotta and Don Thomas and Steve Kruppner.

The evening's entertainment is rounded out with the Ghostriders and the Old Hippies.

Previously: Homegrown talent starting young in concerts hosted by The Old Hippies

The Rockin' the Downs concert series at Batavia Downs in Batavia opened with another big crowd for the Queen tribute act, Almost Queen.

Photos by Nick Serrata.

The lineup for this year's Batavia Ramble and Art Fest has been released, with 28 acts set to perform on two stages in Downtown Batavia.

The music starts on Saturday, July 1, at 11 a.m., with each band playing a 30-minute set and 10 minutes between acts.

The annual memorial will be held at 5 p.m. in Jackson Square.

The final two bands of the Ramble, The Royal Halls and The Bluesway Band, play at 8:10 p.m. and 8:50 p.m. in Jackson Square.

Jackson Street will again be filled with vendors and booths for local artists.

Jackson Street Stage

• Dave Knaudt
• Sky Hinrich
• Steven Sprauge
• Steve Kruppner
• Don Thomas
• David Holnbeck
• Kissin' Whisky
• Tom Ryan & Friends
• Perception
• Zackstreet Boys
• Indigo Flow
• The Cowboy Vampires

Jackson Square Stage

• Ghost Riders
• The Rock-A-Bully's
• Gumshoe
• DriVen
• Bad Sign
• The Bluesway Band
• Shotgun Pauly
• Old Hippies
• Remedy Three
• Beethovens Dream
• Sierra
• High Pines
• Sons Of Luther
• Noah's Reign
• The Royal Halls
• The Bluesway Band

An audience and a chance to play is usually a pretty good reason for local musicians to show up at a venue on a sunny afternoon, and add in a chance to see the guys and gals they are too busy to see on gig nights, and a few dozen are likely to make the scene.

And though the venue had changed since its inception, that's been what has kept the Father's Day Retro Jam and Musicians Reunion going since 1978.

"Most of the musicians playing the jamboree are working musicians," said organizer Bill Pitcher. "They've been in different bands together, but while they're working, they don't see each other much because when they've got gigs, they're playing in different places.  This is a chance for musicians to get together to mix and chat and have some fun."

The first jamboree was part of the Stafford Firemen's Carnival and grew bigger each year until the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department discontinued the carnival because of changes in state law forced them to end the annual Corvette Raffle.

Soon, area musicians were calling Pitcher with one question: "Where are we going to jam?"

Scott Graff and his wife Val had a solution, Pitcher said.  The Oakfield Rod and Gun Club. There's a pavilion with electricity, plenty of grass for lawn chairs and canopies and parking.

"It's a great venue," Pitcher said. 

The Rod and Gun Club sells hotdogs, there are public restrooms available and everything is friendly and laid back.

A 50/50 raffle raised $1,000 for the Center for H.O.P.E. at the VA Hospital in Batavia.

"This is the second year at the Rod and Gun Club," Pitcher said. "They've been very cooperative and friendly, very supportive."

The lineup of bands is a mixture of the old guard and some young musicians, so there's a next-generation ready to move forward with the event in the coming years.

This year's lineup included the Ghost Riders, the Double Image Band, Front Porch Pickers, Rock-A-Bully’s, Prospect, Sounds Good, and Bad Sign.

"We have a waiting list of bands that want to come and play," Pitcher said. "Most of the bands have been playing for years and years but we're getting a couple of younger bands involved."

Bill and Kay McDonald have spent their living the dream, playing and singing for smiling, clapping, foot tapping, and sometimes dancing audiences.

They decided a few months ago they wanted to give young, aspiring performers a chance to relish the same experience they've enjoyed all these years -- getting on stage with a good sound system in front of an audience looking to be entertained.

The McDonalds are producing concerts on June 23 and June 30 that will feature young performers. Both shows start at 6 p.m. in Jackson Square.

"We're really concentrating on the youth this time," Bill McDonald said. "We've got eight, nine, 10-year-olds that we've wrangled in -- guitar players, a bagpipe player, and accordionist.  We've got a couple of more seasoned veterans like Deanna Spiotta and Don Thomas and Steve Kruppner."

The young artists include William Franz (bagpipes), Leah Ford (guitar), Nolen Wright (guitar), Spencer Moscicki (guitar on June 23), and Quinn Karcher (accordion on June 30).

Also on the bill, the Ghost Riders and the Old Hippies.

The name of the show is, naturally, "Homegrown."  The event is paid for through a $5,000 grant from the state that was administered by GO ART!

The young performers were found by talking with teachers and friends, but even with the dates set, there might be more room on the bill for other aspiring performers.

"We could probably squeeze room for more," Bill said. "If we had a few more, we could. Every time you do that, it limits somebody else's time. But that's okay. We think the more, the better. Everybody's gonna play. If we (the Old Hippies) only get a couple of songs than so be it."

Bill McDonald can be reached at 585-250-2269 or billmcdonald50@gmail.com  

The performances will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/bill.mcdonald.188 and https://www.youtube.com/@oldhippies933.

A lot of well-meaning adults around Evan Williams' life have a bit of advice in the form of a question:  "What's his backup plan?" 

"What is he going to do if it doesn’t work out?" they ask.

Musical theater is going to be what Evan Williams does, says his mother, Laura.  He might wait tables while building his career, but singing and acting, or perhaps some other career role in or around Broadway, is what he is going to do with his life.

She doesn't have any doubt about it.

“People ask all the time about his fallback plan, but I can’t see him doing anything else,” Laura said.

One of his inspirations and mentors, John Bolton, a Le Roy graduate who has made a career in musical theater, TV and movies, said he hates the term "backup plan." 

"Back-up plan means this is what you're going to settle for if things don't work out," Bolton said. "You should always have something else that interests you in life, but a backup plan always sounds second-rate. It's not going for your dreams."

Williams has his best chance yet to go after that dream.  He's one of 100 students from around the nation who has won a place in the Jimmy Awards in New York City.

He secured his spot last week by winning -- along with Hope Galloway (Brighton High School) -- the Rochester Broadway Theatre League's "Stars of Tomorrow" competition.

Judges from the league visited the musicals of dozens of high schools in the Finger Lakes region and selected 40 students to compete in "Stars of Tomorrow."  After a first round, those 40 competitors became 20, then 10, and then the final two.

Last year, Williams also made the final 10.  This year, he won.

"Evan was prepared and focused," said Bolton, who was an early round judge and then coach throughout the competition.  "He's got an amazing voice. He took our notes and worked at it, as did the entire Top 40.  He took very slight adjustments because he's well prepared. He owned the night, as did Hope Galloway.  Everybody was wonderful. If it had taken place on another night, maybe someone else would have won, but that night, Evan claimed it. He owned it."

It was an incredible experience, Williams said.

He said the weeks leading up to the competition were anxious days.

"I had a lot of pressure to take on," Williams said. "Everyone had been telling me that I was gonna be the one, but I wasn’t gonna take anyone’s word for it other than my own."

He had grown up watching the Jimmys, hoping for even a regional consideration.  

"I never had really thought of it as a reality until it became a reality," Williams said. "I knew it was possible, but I didn’t want to allow myself to think I didn’t have to work for it. I never want to do that for anything. Nothing should be handed to anyone. I had said to Nate Yauchzee on the way to the event that I remembered watching kids get picked to compete at NYC Bound and just being astounded, so even the fact that I was lucky enough to be part of the competition, not once but three times is crazy. On top of that, I think sixth-grade Evan would be incredibly proud of the fact that he is the first person from Le Roy to represent Rochester at the Jimmy Awards. I hope that there are some little Evans in the world who watch those videos and are inspired just the way I was."

Jacqueline McLean has directed the recent high school musicals at Le Roy and recognizes that Williams is a special talent.

"Evan has a heart of gold," McLean said. "Often, he's not thinking about himself. He's thinking for the better of the group, about a better musical, a better performance from the team. He's a team leader, and I'm a big believer that you're not going to get anywhere if you're not kind.  He shows that often."

She said Williams is magnetic, that he connects with audiences in a way that's unique, that she hasn't seen other students be able to do.

"I have no doubt that he's going to go to college, and he's going to make a career out of this," McLean said. "I always joke with him, 'Don't forget the little people, don't forget where you came from because we're going to be cheering for you for years to come.'"

She's proud of Williams, but she's also proud of the entire Le Roy Music Department.  Le Roy was represented in Rochester by not just one but five students, and three of them made the final 20.

Le Roy's musical this year was Les Miserables.  The production was honored in every category of the theatre league's awards for 2023. Recognized as leading cast members from Le Roy were Ashlyn Puccio, Aubry Puccio, Cooper Terry, Jackson Cain, Maureen Klaiber, and Nathan Yauchzee.  Among large schools, it was recognized for excellence in overall musical production, excellence in vocal ensemble, excellence in dance ensemble, excellence in production crew, and excellence in student orchestra.

"When you see kids over the years," she added, "you pick out the ones who have the 'it' factor.  We've had a lot of them in Le Roy.  We joke about it a lot -- that it must be something in the water.  There is so much talent in this town."

After graduation, Williams, in pursuit of his musical theater ambitions, will attend Point Park University in Pittsburgh.

Attending college for music theater puts him on a very different career path than Bolton, who also grew up in love with theater, who started out in regional theater and then took a chance and moved to New York City and happened to make the right connections to build a career.

It helped that he, too, is a nice guy, but he recognizes he might be the best guide for Evan's career.  Bolton's partner is a theatrical agent, so was able to offer Williams advice on universities to target.

Other than that, he's just a big believer that Williams should focus on what he loves.

"All signs are saying that Evan Williams can do this," Bolton said. "He's diving into a situation in New York in a few weeks with 100 other students from all over the country, and he will form friendships that will last a lifetime. He will form connections that will last a lifetime."

Bolton has known Evan's mother, Laura, since they were very young.  Bolton's mother and Laura's mother, Lynn Belluscio, the Le Roy historian, have been good friends. Social media helped Bolton and Laura reconnect, and so he's been able to watch Evan's passion for theater blossom.

Laura said the main advice Bolton has ever given her son, because Evan is taking just a different path in his career, is to embrace his passion.

“John is always in Evan’s corner but more along the lines of, ‘follow your dreams, sing the songs that make you happy, be true to yourself,’” Laura said.

She's extremely proud of her son.

"Not only does Evan work hard, but he’s also genuine," Laura said. "He lifts people up and celebrates everybody’s success.  In this career, he’s learned quickly that if he’s going to go places, he has to help other people. It’s far more than a kill-or-be-killed arena. That’s what I’ve noticed. Clearly, that’s a parent's answer, but that is what makes me proudest, and I know that makes Justin proud as well."

Williams has heard those well-meaning words about having a fallback plan, but he agrees with his mother. He can't see himself doing anything else.

He said he's listened to interviews with stars like John Meyer, who said he didn't necessarily get the best grades in school in mathematics. He was always a music guy. Williams said he's tried to do his best in school, even in mathematics, but those academic subjects, or even sports, have never been his focus.

"Some kids grind at science or they grind at mathematics. They go home and do their science homework or their math homework.  When I'm not in school, I spend my time with voice lessons, music lessons, rehearsals, or something like that.  That's my form of success," Williams said.

"This is something I want. If I keep pushing for it, I believe it can happen.  I’m a big if you can dream it, you can do it. I'm that kind of guy."

Press release:

The Ramble Team is once again partnering with the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ART!) to bring a fun-filled event that has something for everyone, including 25+ bands performing on two stages, an Explore Art tent for kids, street performances, food and much more!  The event will take place in Jackson Square and on Jackson Street on Saturday,  July 1, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“After last year’s successful return, this year’s Batavia Ramble Explore Art and Music Festival is shaping up to be the biggest and best one yet to date,”  said Stephen Kowalcyk. Ramble Event Coordinator 

The coordinators are seeking art vendors, food vendors, sponsors and musicians for the event.  For more information on being a food vendor, art vendor, or a sponsor of the event, contact Mary Jo at mjwhitman@goart.org.  For musician applications, contact Stephen at thebataviaramble@gmail.com.  

Batavia Players premier A Cabaret Showcase: Opposites Attract at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Main St. 56 Theater in City Centre, Batavia.

The show is a smorgasbord of songs showcasing true opposites -- love and hate, dead and alive, in and out, big and small, and more.  All of the songs come from popular Broadway shows.

The show goes on again at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. 

Tickets are $18 for adults and $16 for seniors and students.

Photos by Howard Owens.

GO ART! today hosted the first of a two-part class on Ukrainian egg decorating, or pysanky.  Pysankar master artist Irene Grassman is leading the class as part of GO ART!'s Explore Art! program.

All photos by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

Officials from Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel presented 2,000 complimentary tickets to William Joyce, Director of the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency.  250 Tickets from each of Batavia’s Summer Concert Series were included. 

“Batavia Downs has always supported our local Veterans," said Batavia Downs CEO and President Henry Wojtaszek.  “This is the fifth soncert series in a row that we’ve given tickets to the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency.  We happy to do anything we can to give back to our local Veterans for all they’ve done for our country.”

Tickets for the concert series can be purchased at BataviaConcerts.com.  Performances include: 

• June 23, Almost Queen (Queen Tribute)
• June 30, Get the Led Out (Led Zeppelin Tribute)
• July 7, Craig Morgan and Drake White
• July 14, Skid Row
• July 21, Marshall Tucker
• July 28, GrassRoots with Peter Noone
• Aug. 4, Don Felder
• Aug. 11, Mike DelGuidice

At the Richmond Memorial Library, the Batavia Society of Artists is displaying some of the best works of its members for the spring, and on Tuesday, at the annual Spring Show's opening, the best of the best were honored, including a GCC student who received the Virginia Carr Mumford Scholarship Award.

The art show was judged by Le Roy artist Lori Longhany.

The show runs through Friday, May 26.

The Genesee Chorale will present two spring concerts on May 19 and May 21, presenting the music of Ola Gjeilo in Batavia and in Le Roy.

The program is called Across the Vast Eternal Sky and will feature the Greycliffe String Quartet and Riesa Cassano on Oboe.

The May 19 performance is at 7 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 238 Vine St., Batavia, and the May 21 performance is at 4 p.m. at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 1 East Main St., Le Roy.

The chorale is under the music direction of Ric Jones. Janine Fagnan is associate conductor and Doug Hanson is the accompanist.

Tickets are $10 and are available from members of the chorale or at the door.

Classical guitarist Peter Fletcher performed an afternoon concert at the Richmond Memorial Library on Saturday.

Fletcher has been recording and performing classical guitar music for more than 40 years. He holds a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.  He has studied with David Leisner, David Russell, Oscar Ghiglia and Pepe Romero. He has performed recitals throughout the U.S., including two recitals at Carnegie Hall in New York.  He's also made numerous appearances on radio and television. 

He currently resides in Detroit and New York City.

His CD releases include The Art of Classical Guitar, A Peter Fletcher Recital and Federico Mompou: Guitar Works. In 2005, Centaur Records released Peter Fletcher plays Erik Satie.  Peter Fletcher Plays Baroque Music for Guitar was released in 2008 on the Tower Hill Recordings label.   His current release is 

For more information about Fletcher, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens.