Skip to main content

entertainment

Trailer for Bill Kauffman's 'Copperhead' released, film opens June 28

By Howard B. Owens

A screenplay by local author Bill Kauffman has been turned into a major motion picture and today the official trailer was released by the studio.

"Copperhead," set in Civil War-era Upstate New York, deals with the wars effects on people far removed from the battlefields.

The film opens nationally in theaters June 28.

The subject matter of the film -- a seldom portrayed aspect of Civil War America -- may be well-timed following the box office and critical success of the movie "Lincoln."

Copperhead stars Billy Campbell, Peter Fonda, Augustus Prew and Angus Macfadyen and is directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. The screenplay is an adaptation of a novel by Harold Frederic. Frederic, of Utica, wrote "The Copperhead" in 1893.

Kauffman, born in Batavia and a resident of Elba, is the author of "Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette" and eight other books.

Batavia Concert Band accepting applications for conductor

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Batavia Concert Band is already preparing for their 2013 Summer Concert Series in Centennial Park.  As part of those preparations, the Board of Directors is currently soliciting applications for the position of Conductor. Interested applicants may contact President Jill Arent for more information, including application materials.  Jill may be reached at lizllij@gmail.com.

Walton signs Hollywood management deal

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Local entrepreneur Tim Walton has gotten the break he has been waiting for. Walton recently signed a deal with rapper Ya Boy to take over management details for the artist. Ya Boy, aka YB The Rockstar, is the cousin of Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson and is based out of the Hollywood/ Las Angeles area.

"It's a huge opportunity. YB called me and asked me to run his marketing and promotions and before I knew it he asked me to take over his full management detail."

Walton's duties will be to book shows, television appearances, marketing and distribution plans as well as negotiate endorsement and performance deals for the rapper. YB has been a known artist since 2005 and has recently began to expand himself to work with bigger artists including Wiz Khalifa, Akon, DJ Drama, The Game, Tyga, Far East Movement and many more.
 
"I'm excited to be able to make things happen on a much larger scale. There's a lot of potential and a lot of opportunity for me to do some big things here."
 
Although the current opperations mostly take place in California, Walton has been giving the opportunity to stay in New York for now and can explore other options in the future.

Photos: Serendipity Swing at Terry Hills

By Howard B. Owens

For music lovers, the best place to be in Batavia this afternoon was Terry Hills, where Serendipity Swing serenaded a lunch crowd of more than 100 people.

Chef Gene Hewitt (pictured below) prepared a lavish buffet lunch that featured fish, roast beaf, soups (including Terry Hill's famous seafood bisque) and salad.

Toastmasters Humorous & Evaluation Contest

By Eugenia Volino

Toastmasters Humorous & Evaluation Speech Contest on 10-5-12 @ 6 p.m. at the Genesee Community College cost is $10 includes Sandwich Bar and contest will begin promptly @ 7:00 p.m. For more information please visit our website @ www.speakuptoastmasters.orgor call 343-2640 information.

Event Date and Time
-

Music licensing agency putting squeeze on local governments for fees

By Howard B. Owens

The music industry has apparently found a new source of revenue: taxpayers.

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is, according to County Attorney Chuck Zambito, asking local governments to sign a licensing agreement for public performances of music and pay an annual fee for the privilege.

The fee varies based on population.

Legislator Ray Cianfrini called the fee "shakedown money" in the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday.

The committee voted 4-1 (Cianfrini voted no) to sign the agreement and pay ASCAP an annual fee of $637.

The license agreement will protect the county from an ASCAP-initiated lawsuit over any public performances of music on county property, but also limits what the county can allow without additional licenses.

For example, the county can't host a community orchestra or band on its property without paying an additional licensing fee.

The license agreement also requires regular reporting of any events on county property -- such as the Holland Land Office Museum or the nursing home -- where music is played along with a copy of any program that goes with the event. If a band or DJ performs, the county must disclose the performer, provide contact information, and disclose whether the performer is licensed by ASCAP to perform ASCAP-licensed music.

"This is being discussed in every county in the state and most of them are saying they're just going to do it because it's not that much money and they don't want to fight it," Zambito said. "If we don't sign it, they're going to come around and see us."

According to Zambito, local governments that have refused to sign the agreement have already received visits from ASCAP auditors.

The penalty, according to a brochure published by ASCAP, for performing copyrighted music without permission is from $750 to $30,000 per song.

According to the brochure, a public performance of music is:

The Copyright Law defines a public performance as one “in a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is gath- ered.”

The law requires a license for all public performances, whether from a recording or by a live musician. 

ASCAP is only one licensing agency and doesn't own licensing rights to all of the songs currently under copyright. There's also BMI, for example, and Zambito said so far BMI hasn't started contacting local governments.

The license fee is some formula created by ASCAP, Zambito said, based on population and other factors.

"The bottom line is they just came up with some artificial number just to get money out of you," Zambito said.

Photos: Ghost Riders in Jackson Square, both bands

By Howard B. Owens

The Ghost Riders played Jackson Square on Friday night -- both bands.

The Ghost Riders country band shared the venue with the Ghost Riders Drum and Bugle Corps, which is also based in Batavia.

If it's ever possible to say Jackson Square is SRO, then last night was one of those nights. The square was nearly wall-to-wall music fans.

Photos: Ramble Arts & Music Fest 2012

By Howard B. Owens

More than 40 bands and solo performers congregated downtown Saturday, the rain stayed away, and a good time was had by all at the annual Ramble & Arts Fest in Jackson Square.

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here.

To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

Weekly Jackson Square concerts start tomorrow night

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Batavia Business Improvement District (BID) has released its Summer 2012 line-up for the “Friday Night in the Square” Jackson Square concerts. For more than 12 years, the BID has provided free concerts downtown to make our community a fun and active place to play. 

The "Friday Night in the Square" concert series begins June 29 and ends Aug. 31. Time is 7 to 9 p.m. The square is located in the alleyway of Jackson or Center streets. Bring your own seating. Food and refreshments will be available for sale. If it's raining, venue changes to Batavia City Centre, inside the mall.

The following is the concert schedule for “Friday Night in the Square”:

Friday, June 29 --  Penny Whiskey (Celtic/Folk)
Friday, July 6 – Bonnie & Collide ( R & B)
Friday, July 13  -- Skiffle Minstrels (Country/Cajun)
Friday, July 20  – Ghost Riders (Country)
Friday, July 27 -- 78 RPM (Big Band)
Friday, Aug. 3 – Kelly’s Old Timers (Country)
Friday, Aug. 10 – OHMS Band (Rock)
Friday, Aug. 17 – John Cole Blues Band (Blues)
Friday, Aug. 24 --  Jack Civiletto “Sinatra” (Sinatra)
Friday, Aug. 31  – Craig Wilkins (Country)

***Also, the Ramble Music & Art Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 7, at Jackson Square.

For more information contact the BID office at 585-344-0900 or visit our Web site at www.downtownbataviany.com. Be sure to like us on our Facebook page – Downtown Batavia Business Improvement District -- so that you can keep up with events and updates.

Screenplay by Bill Kauffman being turned into feature film

By Howard B. Owens

It's now official -- local author, historian and localist advocate Bill Kauffman is now a screenwriter, too.

Kauffman wrote a script based on a novel by Harold Frederic, a 19th Century resident of Utica.

The movie, titled "Cooperhead" and set in the Civil War, recently started production in King’s Landing, New Brunswick, Canada.

Actors Jason Patric and Angus MacFadyen are take starring roles and the movie is being directed by Ron Maxwell.

The story centers around a family torn apart by the war between the states.

Kauffman is a native Batavian and currently resides in Elba. No word on when his book about Batavia, "Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette," will be turned into a major Hollywood production.

Darien Lake unvails upgrades and changes for 2012 season, opens today

By Howard B. Owens

Darien Lake Theme Park had a media day yesterday, but I got there way late (finishing up the Ranzenhofer story took up most of my day yesterday) so just about everybody was gone and all but one of the new rides was shut down.

Still, I grabbed some photos of the new rides.

The park has turned over pretty much all of its management and with the changes comes a new energy. Besides the new rides, there are other differences at the park. After the jump (click on the headline to read more) is a press release from April 2 about the new rides and other changes. After that is a press release about today's grand opening for the season.

April 2 press release:

DARIEN CENTER, N.Y., April 2, 2012 — Darien Lake announced today the addition of more than $5 million in new attractions and significant park upgrades, as well as a new lower price on four-pack Season Passes.

When the park opens for the season on May 12, guests will have more to see and do than ever before, with the addition of three new family rides, internationally acclaimed live entertainment, new cabins, and upgrades to RV sites and the lodge.

  • New family rides. The new “Rowdy’s Ridge” family area will open this season featuring three, brand-new, fun-for-the-whole-family rides. Moose on the Loose is a fun backwoods adventure on a “runaway moose” with funny encounters along the way. On Heave Ho!, riders pull themselves up to the top of a three-story tower by rope and then gently descend. Riders on the Hornet’s Nest can do exciting flying on a tall swing, controlling flight angle and height.
  • A fresh approach to in-park entertainment. Seven new live shows will make their New York state debuts, including live comedy acts, performing dogs, a renowned magician, a mesmerizing hypnotist, and a modern rhythm and stomp group. The shows will rotate during the season, bringing a constant stream of all-ages comedy and amazing thrills to the park. More details are available at www.DarienLake.com.
  • New and expanded lodging offerings. Guests can take advantage of numerous improvements to the park’s on-site lodging options, including 15 brand-new cabins equipped with free Wi-Fi and flat screen TVs; seven new pull-through RV campsites that accommodate larger vehicles with more power requirements; and a larger game room, a new fitness room and an expanded café menu at the Lodge on the Lake Hotel. All lodging offerings include free admission to Darien Lake’s rides, in-park shows and water park.

“Darien Lake no longer is just an amusement park, it truly is a destination experience offering unlimited fun and unbeatable value,” said Bob Montgomery, general manager, Darien Lake.

“This coming season will be better than ever, as we have added millions of dollars in upgrades to vastly improve the overall experience for guests, with new attractions, lodging and entertainment they can’t get anywhere else.”

Season Passes: More Than 100 Days of Unlimited Fun for Less than the Price of Two Visits Season Passes offer unlimited admission to rides, the water park and live shows throughout the 2012 season. Beginning April 2, Season-Pass buyers can save $40 by purchasing four or more passes for only $59.99 each (a single Season Pass is $69.99 each).

In addition to unlimited admissions during the park’s more than 100 operating days, Season Passholders who visit the park before Memorial Day will receive a free “bring a friend” ticket for any day during the season. They also receive a free ticket for a friend for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, savings on purchases at in-park restaurants and retail locations, and lower rates and special booking privileges on resort and campground accommodations. Passes do not include parking, but season-long parking passes can be purchased for only $20.

About Darien Lake

Darien Lake’s wide variety of entertainment has made it “destination fun” since 1964. Located 45 minutes from Niagara Falls between Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y., today the park boasts more than 45 rides, including six world-class roller coasters; dozens of family rides; several world-class entertainment shows right in the park; the region’s largest water park complete with wave pool; and a 20,000-seat performing arts center, operated by Live Nation, that hosts some of the hottest music artists. The park is open May to October, and welcomes overnight guests in a wide range of accommodations – from a full-service hotel and modern cabins to rental RVs, and RV and tent campsites. For more information or to order Season Passes, visit www.DarienLake.com.

Today's Press release:

DARIEN CENTER, N.Y., May 12, 2012 — After a mild winter and a relatively balmy spring, fun-seekers are hungry for some action.The wait has finally come to an end now that Darien Lake is officially open for the summer season. The park opened its doors today to its first visitors of the season. With the addition of more than $5 million in new attractions and significant park upgrades, this season is bound to be one for the record books. 

“The team has put in a lot of hard work into the park and we’re excited to see how the guests will receive all of the improvements,” said Bob Montgomery, general manager at Darien Lake. “We look forward to welcoming guests and hope everyone enjoys all the thrills and great entertainment we have planned for this summer!” 

Guests Will Enjoy $5 Million Dollars in Improvements

Guests have more to see and do than ever before, with the addition of three new family rides, internationally acclaimed live entertainment, new cabins, and upgrades to RV sites and the lodge. 

  • New family rides. The new “Rowdy’s Ridge” family area is now open and features three, brand-new, fun-for-the-whole-family rides. Moose on the Loose is a fun backwoods adventure on a “runaway moose” with funny encounters along the way. On Heave Ho!, riders pull themselves up to the top of a three-story tower by rope and then are gently descend. Riders on the Hornet’s Nest can do exciting flying on a tall swing, controlling flight angle and height.
  • New and expanded lodging offerings. Guests can take advantage of numerous improvements to the park’s on-site lodging options, including 15 brand-new cabins equipped with free Wi-Fi and flat screen TVs; seven new pull-through RV campsites that accommodate larger vehicles with more power requirements; and a larger game room, a new fitness room and an expanded café menu at the Lodge on the Lake Hotel. All lodging offerings include free admission to Darien Lake’s rides, in-park shows and water park.

Live Entertainment Promises to Please a Wide Range of Audiences

Live, in-park entertainment at Darien Lake will be better than ever this season, with several new live shows making their New York state debuts, including live comedy acts, performing dogs, a renowned magician, a mesmerizing hypnotist, and a modern rhythm and stomp group – all of which guests can enjoy for free with the price of park admission.  Live shows will rotate during the season, bringing a constant stream of all-ages comedy and amazing thrills to the park. The nightly Laser Blast show returns as well, Friday, Saturday and Sunday beginning May 18 – June 22, and then every night from June 23 – Sept. 3, with popular music, laser effects and fireworks. More details on shows and showtimes are available at www.darienlake.com/2012-in-park-shows/.

Ken and Jeannie Veltz living the life of their own musical journey

By Howard B. Owens

One of the annual features of the Ramble Music and Arts Festival in Batavia is the community ramble story -- it's built one paragraph at a time by whomever wants to jot down a few words.

The story has no clear plot and nobody knows how it's going to end.

At the 2011 Ramble, Ken and Jeannie Veltz realized maybe it was time to write there own ramble tale. With nothing holding them down or holding them back, they decided to sell nearly everything and hit the road with no way to make a buck except to find places to play their music.

"There was no one really who depended on us having a house or having anything, so we just said, 'let's roll the dice,' " Jeannie said.

The journey has carried them from their former home in Cold Spring to NYC, and through Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, D.C., and even Batavia and Medina.

"It's been 278 days and literally we don't know what's next," Ken said.

One thing they lack that traveling musicians need to supplement their income is a CD to sell.

To help them get a CD recorded, properly mastered and pressed, the singer-songwriting duo figures they need to raise $7,500.

To accomplish that, they're working through a site called Kickstarter, which exists to help artists find funding for projects by soliciting donations from friends, fans and strangers intrigued by the project.

Kickstarters are all or nothing efforts -- if an artist can't get enough people to pledge the bankroll, the site collects nothing from the potential donors and the project isn't funded.

So far, the Veltz project has 17 backers and has raised 22 percent of its goal, which Ken said is generally considered a pretty good start. (To check out the Veltz Kickstarter project, click here.)

The musical journey for Ken Veltz began in Batavia.

Name Batavia musicians from the 1960s, from Bill McDonald to Jim Palumbo, and Veltz knew them or played with them.

"I coined the phrase that you can't throw a pizza across Main Street without hitting a musician, or visa versa," Ken said. "We had so many of both."

In the mid-1960s, Veltz was a member of the Squires, but when he graduated from high school all he wanted of Batavia was its skyline in his rear view mirror.

He moved to New York City and started a music career, and typical of musicians of the 1970s, there was plenty of drugs and booze to go with the gigs and good times.

It wasn't long before a major record label took an interest in his music, and Ken figured he had it made.

"People told me I was a good songwriter," Ken said. "I thought I was a good songwriter. I was respected there and I know I have a gift. What I didn't count on was the many setbacks that have come along the way."

Veltz said drugs and alcohol and just screwed-up living killed his first shot at a major label contract, and record label politics would dampen future opportunities.

He moved back to Western New York, joining the house band at the Murray Hotel, where Veltz also tended bar.

Some friends introduced him to a Literature major at SUNY Brockport, Jeannie Eagan.

Ken remembers her as shy and quiet, delicate and refined.

Nothing much happened between them until somebody told him Jeannie had written a song for a mutual friend's wedding, but she needed help finishing it.

"'Little Jeannie wrote a song?' I said. 'I didn't even know she could talk.' "

Ken went over to her place, helped her finish the song -- the last one they would write together until just recently -- and a 38-year-long journey together began.

Once married, they moved back to NYC area.

Another record deal came Ken's way, but internal strife at the company sabatoged it.

The Veltz family grew. They had three children -- Andrew, Laura and Allison. As the children grew up, they became musicians. The children formed a band and performed Ken's songs. When Ken and Jeannie joined the band, it became Cecilia, and the band was signed by Atlantic Records.

The deal came just as Atlantic was going through a shake-up following the AOL-Time Warner merger, and the band's career stalled.

There were also some medical issues for the family, so Cecillia stopped touring.

Amidst these life-changing events, Ken was having a bad day, and the weather was terrible. He was sitting outside, looking at the dark, heavy clouds above, and a bit of sunlight and blue sky poked through.

He said he realized, that's life -- the storm clouds are temporary, the blue sky is permanent.

The lyrics flowed from there.

Making peace with a life unraveled
Weightlessness is the way to travel

The song became "Flying," and will be the title track of the CD Ken and Jeannie hope to record through their Kickstarter project.

Jeannie said getting rid of their home and most of their possessions wasn't scary at all, but liberating.

"It's an amazingly free feeling, gathering what is essential and gathering up what means something to you," Jeannie said. "Most of what we sold was stuff that we would go to other people's garage sales and buy, stuff that didn't really mean anything to us."

Part of what enabled Ken and Jeannie to live the life of musical ramblers is that their children have grown and moved onto successful careers of their own. 

Andrew -- whom Ken said is one of the best guitarists he's ever played with -- has two children and is a successful videographer.

Laura and Allison both live in Nashville now and are making waves in Music City.

Allison Veltz got a publishing contract with a divison of Sony Music after her song "Mr. Taxi" (English verson sung by Allison) reached number one in Japan.

Laura Veltz was signed by Warner Records and her songs have been recored by several established country artists (you can listen to several of her songs on her website).

Ken thinks he and Jeannie will be watching their daughters on the Grammy Awards some time soon.

The New York Post did a story about Ken and Jeannie's ramble adventure, Ken said, and the writer made it sound like the duo was still chasing -- at ages 60 and 61 -- the Pop Star Dream, but that isn't right at all, Ken said.

"A lot of people think, what are you thinking, you think there’s going to be a line outside of Tower Records?" Ken said. "No we don’t. That’s not what we’re about at all. We just want to make a living doing what we do."

What Ken doesn't want to do is give up on a career that still has a chance to continue and maybe find new areas of success.

"I just can't stop fighting for it," Ken said. "A lot of people give up their dreams. It’s like escaping from prison. You’re in the tunnel and digging with your fingernails and the dirt looks, taste and smells just as it did when you started digging, just as it does when you’re four inches from freedom. A lot of people let their dreams die in the tunnel."

After another week in Batavia, Ken and Jeannie head to NYC for a month where they will play some shows and try to raise more money for their project.

From there, who knows -- Nashville, maybe Austin, maybe Gatlinburg, Tenn. They'll just ramble until they get to where ever they're going.

"We don’t know exactly what the destination is at this point, but I think we’ll know when we get there," Jeannie said.

Photos: Top and bottom photo by Howard Owens. Bottom inset photo by Howard Owens, taken at the 2011 Ramble. Top inset photo, of the Squires, from the official Ramble Music and Art Fest website.

Frost Ridge owners continue to expand summer concert series

By Howard B. Owens

The move from San Diego to Le Roy has been a good one for David Luetticke and Greg Luetticke.

More than four years ago, they bought the Frost Ridge Campground and have been slowly making improvements, all the while, feeling they made the right choice in moving to Genesee County.

"I think it's beautiful," Greg said. "I like the people, the scenery, the change of seasons. It's everything I wanted."

While David and Greg have made changes in the campground -- upgrading infrastructure, adding an annual pumpkin patch and a summertime slippery slide on one of the hills, for example -- the biggest change has been booking more than a half-dozen big-name music acts into their outdoor amphitheater.

The summer concert season kicks off June 9 with one of the biggest names in country music, Aaron Tippin.

The line up (all shows and dates -- and tickets purchased -- can be found on frostridge.com) includes the Little River Band, Restless Heart, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Blackberry Smoke, James Wesley and Connie Smith.

It's the third year of concerts -- one of the highlights last summer was Marty Stuart -- and besides the seven name acts coming to Frost Ridge, 45 bands from throughout Western New York will perform there is summer.

Greg admitted he never heard of Blackberry Smoke before (neither had I, videos embedded below), but he said it's been the fastest selling show so far and after selling out of VIP tickets, they pulled back the promo VIP tickets given to radio stations and have just six left to offer to the public.

The current arrangement of the amphitheater accommodates 5,000 people, but three's a high hill behind the seating area and maybe, just maybe, that offers some expansion room. The sound of the music on the hill is every bit as good as down lower, Greg and David agreed.

As Greg and David get settled into Le Roy, they're getting more involved in the community. For a couple of years now, Frost Ridge has hosted a fundraiser for the Le Roy Volunteer Fire Department.  This year, some of the proceeds of the Aaron Tippin concert will be donated to the VA facility in Batavia.

"We see it as good business when when you're involved in the community and everybody supports one another, and that's how we would like to live our lives," David said.

I'm looking forward to the The Dirt Band in August.

Not just another Cinderella story in Le Roy

By Jamie VanWyngaarden

Once upon a time in a small town and in a small school in Le Roy, a beautiful girl and a stately prince find true love...

The timeless story of love and romance and the triumph of a girl least likely to win the heart of a prince, comes to the stage at Le Roy Junior Senior High School.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" story will touch the hearts of young and old in this enchanting production reminding today's audience that dreams still come true.

The Le Roy musical will present the classic fairytale in a fresh and exciting way. This isn't just another Cinderella story, but a family friendly event that has surprises around every corner.

Shows are at 7 p.m., March 15, 16 and 17.

The magic wand will be waved and the audience will be dazzled by special effects, a transformation scene, fog and special lighting, and professional costumes rented or borrowed from various theaters.

In addition, the show will trickle into the audience from the stage to create an interactive element as actors and audience blend.

There will be a special gift at the door for all children, birth to third grade, who come to the musical dressed in costumes consistent with the theme of the play.

Almost 100 students make up the cast, crew and pit orchestra being directed by Jacqueline McLean. Stuart McLean is the show's vocal director. Bradley Meholick is the pit orchestra director, and Jessa Dechant is in charge of publicity and public relations.

"Even though this is a small community and small school, the talent is extremely great," McLean said. "These students have put in a lot of hard work and time and they have a fire in their bellies to present."

Senior Grace Kovach plays Cinderella. Grace's younger sister, Margaret Kovach, is the Fairy Godmother and Jayce Seely plays the Prince. Other lead roles, the King and Queen, are played by Tyler Murtha and Miranda Graham.

Sisters Grace and Margaret are excited about their experience acting together on stage.

"Grace and I are sisters, so we can take it the extra step," Margaret said. "This has made us 10 times more close than we already are."

"This is one of the greatest memories I will have of high school," said Grace, who will be graduating this year.

Jayce agrees.

"This production will be memorable because of time spent with new and old friends and the experiences we have had that don't happen everday," Jayce said.

As in any romance story, true love must be sealed with a kiss.

"My mom teases me a bit, but it's fine," Jayce said.

"After all it is just a show," Grace said.

Tickets can be purchased now and you are strongly encourage to buy them ahead of time.

  • On the school's website at www.leroycsd.org
  • By calling the main office at 768-8131
  • At the door while available

Le Roy Junior Senior High School is at 9300 South St. Road.

Authentically Local