This week's events list and other swell news

Buffalo.com photo by Jeff Noto.

Here is this week's events list. You may notice that it is short - being a holiday week, there is not a ton of organized activity in WNY - but each event is a potential goldmine in terms of popularity. Check the list closely! Also, you are always welcome to suggest your own stuff...in fact, I recommend it.

• I just wanted to take a quick second to thank everyone for the outstanding transition you're making to the new site. I know everything doesn't always work perfectly, and that the learning curve can be a pain in the neck, but by and large you are all getting a hang of everything and powering through. Fantastic work, everyone. And if you haven't been active...get active! There's a few of you I haven't heard from in a while. It would be great to get everyone back into the flow.

• I want to organize some kind of social event so the Buffalo.com team can hang out once again - anyone have any suggestions? The Bisons seem like an idea, but people weren't exactly swiping tickets out of my hand last year to sign up. Want to go to a bar? The beach? The Square? Let me know you suggestions and I will see if we can get something planned.

• I have been a bit of a slacker lately, but I do try to update the blog - http://buffalospotted.blogspot.com/ - make sure you're checking it every day or couple days, new stuff does float in there from time to time...

• Deanna is on vacation this week, so I am your man if you have any questions.

Alright, that's all for now - please let me know about this week's event, some volunteers would be great - and have a terrific week.



Tuesday


· Bisons Baseball: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Erie County’s 6th Annual Night at the Ballpark. A great event – support our hometown ball club and the hard work of the BB/BS team all at one event. A fun and fulfilling night of professional baseball with one of the hardest-working agencies in town. Plus, you get the experience of roaming the ballpark as an accredited media member. The BB/BS party begins at 6:30 PM, first pitch is 7 PM at Coca-Cola Field, Buffalo.

· Elmwood Village Free Summer Concert Series: Neville Francis & the Riddim Posse. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Neville Francis and his outstanding reggae band perform live in one of the funkiest, coolest parts of the city. Expect a fun, eclectic crowd and some genuinely groovy music from Francis and company. The show is slated to begin at 7 PM in Bidwell Park, which intersects Elmwood Avenue, in Buffalo.

· Summer in the Parks 2009: Maestro Paul Ferington and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Catch a performance by the acclaimed Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra out of doors at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. The concert begins at 7 PM.


Wednesday

· Shakespeare in Delaware Park: The Tempest. One of William Shakespeare’s most beloved plays comes to life in the heart of Delaware Park for a mellow crowd of pleasant outdoor theatre-goers. Expecting a stuffy theater crowd? Think again – Shakespeare in the Park is all about lawn chairs, blankets, and a couple bottles of wine under the warm evening sun. Check it out for Buffalo.com – shows begin at 7:30 PM, and the best way into the area is heading into the park by the Rose Garden behind the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

· Gateway Harbor Park Concert Series: Scott Celani and The Boys of Summer. Two of the area’s favorite local musical acts take the stage in North Tonawanda – singer/songwriter Scott Celani starts off the show at 6 PM, while The Boys of Summer take over at 8 PM. The shows will be at Gateway Harbor Park, Sweeney and Webster Sts., North Tonawanda.


Thursday

· Thursday at the Square: Zappa Playing Zappa. Dweezil Zappa’s project performs the work of his father, Frank, in this high-energy concert that is sure to be packed with thousands of Zappa fans and the usual assortment of party people. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain this week! Deanna is on vacation and I would welcome some help with this show – I’ll be shooting video and will do photo if needed, but it would be great to have a couple photogs and a writer on hand, too. Free concession tickets can be yours! Let me know if you can make it. Meet at Lafayette Square, Buffalo, at 6 PM.

Friday

· Lockport Molson Concert Series: Our Lady Peace. One of the most popular Canadian acts to crossover into the American market in the past 20 years, we here in Western New York were some of the first fans to latch onto OLP – and now they’re coming back with a free concert at the always-popular Molson series in Lockport. Great event for photos, should also be an interesting story opportunity. Gates open at 5 PM, Ulrich City Centre Courtyard, Lockport.


Saturday


· Buffalo’s 4th of July Celebration. Live music, vendors, fireworks, and thousands of people getting together to celebrate this wild place we call America. The city of Buffalo will begin its celebration at 5:15 PM at the Erie Canal Harbor site, but feel free to get there anytime before dark.

Also – if you are attending 4th of July festivities in your own hometown, but don’t necessarily want to write a comprehensive story or take dozens and dozens of photos – please feel free to a.) compose a blog on your own thoughts of the events and your feelings about the USA as we enter its 233rd year, or b.) bring along your camera and shoot some photos of the event, or even c.) break out the video camera and take a half-minute of fireworks or something along those lines. Relax and enjoy – it’s a holiday – but feel free to share some of your Independence Day with us at MyBuffalo, too.


Sunday


· Kiss 98.5 Beach Party/Beauty & The Beach Bikini Contest. And so begins the hardcore beach season in Western New York – the annual bikini contest and WKSE parties are staples at the Sunset Bay Beach Club. Feel free to head on down for the sun, the sand, and to represent Buffalo.com at what is always a wildly entertaining event. The bikini contest usually begins around 4 PM at Sunset Bay Beach Club in Irving. Oh, and the Malibu Rum Mod Squad and Sue O’Neil from 102.5-FM will be at Cabana Sam’s (right next door) from 6 PM to 8 PM.

Miscellaneous

I don’t specifically endorse this event – I’ve heard mixed reviews – but if you are interested, the Friendship Festival takes place throughout the week. Let me know if you’d like to go…

Weekend stuff for photographers

There are three relatively big events that we would love to see photographed this weekend...if you are available, please let me or Deanna know ASAP.

Here's the list:

• Buffalo Place Rocks The Harbor concerts. Friday: Umphrey's McGee. Saturday: Yonder Mt. String Band and Joan Osborne. These are going to be big concerts - and we can definitely help you out with some extra tickets if you want to bring a friend or two. It would be fantastic to get photographers out to these concerts. I'd do it myself but a.) I'm playing Gus Macker on Friday and b.) I've been promising my wife I'd paint the apartment since February...guess when I finally said I would do it. The gates open at 5 PM for these shows at Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo.

• Citybration Parade. I'll let the Citybration folks explain this one...
  
  "Come alone, bring the family. or gather as a team or organization. Walk, ride your bike, jazz up your stroller, wear a costume, decorate your car, or build a crazy make-shift float. Just come and join the parade and have a truly memorable Sunday morning as we strut our love for this great city, and celebrate the many Buffalonians who are making a difference to our community. Come one, come all!
  
  Citybration invites all community organizations, residents, and visitors to march in celebration of all that's good in Buffalo. The "We Are Buffalo Parade" will start at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 28 at Delaware Park's Meadow ring road near the corner of Parkside Avenue and the Scajaquada Expressway. We will march to the Buffalo Zoo and enter to enjoy the Buffalo Ambassadors Luncheon at Noon."
  

This would be a pretty easy event to shoot...and it looks like you may be able to wrangle a lunch out of the deal, too (I'll get the details if you're interested). Another event where you would be welcome to bring along a friend or well-wisher.

Anyhow, let me or Deanna know if you can pick up any of these events - we can use the assistance!

Photographer/Writer Needed

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, there's an event this weekend called Citybration. They are having a bunch of events this weekend...and the one we're most interested in is the parade on Sunday.

So calling all photographers & writers! If you'd like to take photos or write an article about the parade on Sunday - please let me know!

Thanks,

Deanna

Everyone Loves a Parade & Calling All Softball Players

The Buffalo Niagara Homecoming Citybration is taking place this weekend. Here's a snippet from their website:

Citybration is a four-day festival with a heart. And it’s fun! Discover opportunity at the Investor & Entrepreneur High Tech Forum on Thursday and at the Career Fair on Friday. Discover the region’s many assets from the Observation Deck of City Hall on Thursday evening, at Spotlight on Buffalo’s Successes at the Albright-Knox on Friday afternoon, and by participating in any of nearly a dozen tours, markets and events all day Saturday. On Sunday, celebrate those who are making a difference in our City by being part of the We Are Buffalo Parade in Delaware Park and enjoying a fabulous Luncheon at the Buffalo Zoo!

The crowds are likely to be large at these events, and we'd love to send a writer or photographer to any of the Citybration events, especially the parade on Sunday...so if you're interested please let me know.

As most of you know, I started Crusade Against Impaired Driving a couple years ago, it's dedicated to my sister who was killed in a drunk driving crash.



Our largest fundraiser is the CAID Softball Tournament. Last year, a Buffalo.com team took part and this year we're hoping for a bigger and better showing from our contributors. So even if you can't play, this is a charity event which is lots of fun. It's a one-pitch, double-elimination tournament, meaning you have one pitch to swing at and your team has to lose twice before you're eliminated.

Softball is the primary reason for the event, since my sister played for 12 years, but we'll also have a silent auction with a ton of great prizes (autographed sports memorabilia, gift certificates, etc.), coffee, donuts, water for participants, and pizza too. If you know of a business willing to donate, check out karenscrusade.org.

If you'd like to be part of the Buffalo.com softball team at the CAID Tourney, please contact Ben. If you don't want to play but still want to come out to the event, everyone's welcome.


Thanks to all!

Deanna

Events 6-22-09 - 6-28-09

Tuesday
Tuesday in the Park Concert Series featuring: America: This is the folk rock band you remember from the 70's and 80's with their multitude of hits like "A Horse With No Name," "Ventura Highway," "Lonely People," "Sister Golden Hair," and "You Can Do Magic," plus many others, 6:30pm

Wednesday
2nd Annual Run in the Mist 5K: Goat Island, Niagara Falls NY, Starts near Top of the Falls Restaurant. Race will be held rain or shine, 7:15pm

2nd Annual Stiletto Half-Mile Run: Runners and walkers will line up at the Shoefly Store on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo. All proceeds of the run benefit Ovarian Cancer research. 7pm

Thursday
TATS: Once again Buffalo.com & MyBuffalo.com will be all over Thursday at the Square, beginning at 5pm. This week’s main event is Los Lobos with special guest the Billy McEwen Band. Join us to take photos, write an article, and hand out plenty of tickets, cards, and stickers to adoring fans!

TBN Publisher & Artist: Affinity of Form: Photographs by Stanford Lipsey: Reception for the Artist and Book Signing. Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 5–7 pm (please take photos or write an article so we can keep our jobs)

Friday
TBN Publisher & Artist: Join Publisher Stan Lipsey in The Buffalo News lobby, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. where he will be signing his new photography book, “Affinity of Form” for News employees, retirees and the general public. (please take photos or write an article so we can keep our jobs)

Rock at Extreme Wheelz: Every Avenue with special guests Valencia, Cash Cash, The Morning Light, Sparks The Rescue, Extreme Wheelz, 356 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo, NY, 6pm

Fit For Fire 5K: Runners and walkers will raise money for the Buffalo Firefighters Guardian Foundation – Fit for Fire Program. Race takes place in the Delaware/Chippewa area, 6:30pm
TBN Publisher & Artist: Affinity of Form: Photographs by Stanford Lipsey: Artist Lecture, Gallery Auditorium, 7 pm (please take photos or write an article so we can keep our jobs)

KENNY G: The Grammy award winning saxophonist makes a stop at Seneca Niagara Casino, Niagara Falls, NY, 8pm


Saturday
Gus Macker Basketball Tournament: Over 1,000 basketball games per day in a fun filled family atmosphere in the heart of Downtown Buffalo; 40,000 people flooding the city. 8am-5pm

Ride For Roswell: The Ride For Roswell is an annual celebration of community support for Roswell Park Cancer Institute and its core mission to understand, prevent and cure cancer. There’s a traditional route that starts from Baird Point or another shorter route that extends from Roswell Park to UB in Amherst. Race times vary, let me know if you’re interested.

2nd Annual St Mary's Of The Lake 5K: St Mary's of the Lake, 4737 Lake Shore Road
Hamburg, 10am

East Aurora Art Society's 55th Annual Outdoor Show & Sale of Fine Art: Over 100 fine artists display and sell their fine artwork in oils, acrylics, watercolor, pastels,
graphics, photography, sculpture and mixed media at the EA Middle School Campus. 430 Main Street, East Aurora, 10am-5pm

80th Anniversary of the Buffalo Central Terminal: Music by the Vignettes “featuring songs in the style of the Andrew Sisters” and the big band sound of Dick Riederer’s “Empire State Express” - a gathering of WNY musicians playing the music of Glen Miller and Tommy Dorsey.

Real Wild Girls TV: hosted by 103.3 The Edge and “Six Pack” from the VH1 show “Daisy of Love” Click here for more info. Sunset Bay Beach Club, South Shore Drive, Irving, NY., not sure what time this starts


Sunday
Gus Macker Basketball Tournament: Over 1,000 basketball games per day in a fun filled family atmosphere in the heart of Downtown Buffalo; 40,000 people flooding the city. 8am-5pm

2nd Annual Quakerman Triathlon: Yates Park (Green Lake), South Buffalo Street
Orchard Park, 8am

Bemus Point 10K: Long Point State Park Bath House, Bemus Point, NY, 9am

East Aurora Art Society's 55th Annual Outdoor Show & Sale of Fine Art: Over 100 fine artists display and sell their fine artwork in oils, acrylics, watercolor, pastels, graphics, photography, sculpture and mixed media at the EA Middle School Campus. 430 Main Street, East Aurora, 10am-5pm

Buffalo Homecoming Citybration’s We Are Buffalo Parade: 10:30am-12:00 pm, Meet in Delaware Park, at the parking lot on Ring Road & Parkside Celebrate the many Buffalonians who are making a difference. Silly costumes, fancy floats and big banners welcome!

Big Toys, Trucks and Bikes Event: Variety of trucks, emergency vehicles, cars, buses, antique vehicles, motorcycles, etc, available to view and have photos taken, fossil collecting, view sunspots and solar flares, toy and gas card raffles, family event & fundraiser, Penn Dixie Site, Hamburg, 11am-4pm

Slow Server & The List

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. Let the sun shine and the workweek begin!

Lots of great stuff was posted this weekend on MyBuffalo.com - including a TATS 90s trivia video featuring photographer turned interviewer Gabrielle Farah.

We've been hearing from quite a few of you regarding the slow server on MyBuffalo.com. First of all, you have our apologies. Second, we ask for your patience as we work on the problem. The site's only been live for two weeks, and as you can imagine there are still a few bugs to work out, speed is at the top of our list. Thanks.

I'll be working on this list in between meetings today, but will hopefully have it up by 3 or 4 this afternoon.

Thanks!

Deanna

TGIF and Happy Birthday Ben!

First, I'd like to wish Ben a very Happy Birthday. He's got the day off (well deserved!!!), so if you need anything this afternoon feel free to email or call me at 849-4527.

We had a great team effort at TATS last night. It really couldn't have gone any better, well we could have had sunshine and 80 degrees but besides the cool weather everything went well. Ben, Dan and Marc took many pics, Ben got lots of video, and Gabrielle hosted our first video trivia contest in the crowd...some of this stuff is already on MyBuffalo.com, and all of it will be there within the next few days.

The fun doesn't end there. We are going to be at more stuff this weekend: the No Doubt show tonight, Buffalo Beatdown tonight, and basking in the rays on Sunday. (There are a few others on Ben's list but I can't read his writing :))

Have a great weekend!

Deanna

Creative gala, new cards, uploader update and The Square

Buffalo.com photo by Ben Kirst.

A few quick notes -

1.) We FINALLY have new cards. I'm going to start mailing them out later today. Let me know if you want to pick them up from me directly.

2.) The folks at Camp Good Days have specifically requested a photographer for their Creative Gala at The Hyatt in downtown Buffalo on Saturday night. The theme is Star Wars. Although it is a black-tie event, there will be folks in costume, and you personally will not be required to wear a tux or an evening gown - although if you go, please dress appropriately (business style). This is a great cause, these people are good sports and they like getting their pictures taken...so please feel free to volunteer if this seems interesting or important to you. They'd love the coverage.

3.) An update on the bulk uploader: well, there are a couple things holding it back right now. First of all, we're abler to make it work on our network and some outside networks...but not all outside networks. Obviously, that is a problem.

Second, we want to make sure all of the proper functionality is built into the uploader because it doesn't make much sense to release it to you incomplete.

Anyhow, I believe that is all...just a reminder that we will be at The Square tonight, rain or shine, and all are welcome to come hang out and help us with photos, contests, handing stuff out, etc.

Photo contest, if you are interested

The National Wildlife Federation is sponsoring a wildlife photo contest with prizes $25,000 in prizes. If you have any particularly powerful wildlife photos you want to share, you might want to try taking a shot at this one - it's a $15 investment.

6-16 to 6-21 events and a whole lot of notes

Buffalo.com photo by Tom Kuenzi.

Here is your weekly events list...you will notice that it's a lot shorter than usual. We're going to be focusing on fewer but bigger events in our weekly lists from now on...the old style was getting really unwieldy. HOWEVER you are, as always, welcome to suggest events that may interest you - this list is not the be-all, end-all of activity in WNY - just a starting point, and stuff we'd like to see covered.

Some notes after a wild first week at MyBuffalo.com:

1.) Thanks to everyone for hanging in there through this transition - it's been tricky for all of us, but I feel like the new site is starting to take shape. In the long run, I guarantee you will like MyBuffalo better than the old products - but there is going to be a learning curve. Your comments, suggestions, questions, and ideas are always welcome - help us make a better site for you!

2.) Photographers - the bulk uploader is coming, I swear to you. I don't want it released until it is just right, so we are holding off for another couple days. If the bulk uploader doesn't ultimately make uploading and organizing your photos easier, then what is the point, right? So please be patient while we get the bulk uploader finished...it really is coming soon.

3.) Also - the photos from 2007 and 2008 do, in fact, still exist - they just have not been added to the site yet. More news on this is coming soon...but your pics aren't gone.

4.) Keep checking this blog. I have been updating it a lot lately, and I'd rather have you check stuff out at that blog rather than host one at MyBuffalo.com where everyone can see it...this one is a little more removed from the hustle and bustle. But remember, take a look at it daily!

5.) We had new cards to hand out...and now they're gone. What can I say, we had a great weekend. More are on the way - a lot more. I will do a mass mailing when they get in...which will hopefully be within a few days.

I really welcome everyone to be active at the site! MyBuffalo.com is more than just a passive site where you look at stuff and leave. Get involved - friend your fellow users, send messages, make snarky comments, post your pics, etc. it's somewhat addictive once you get rolling. We have some neat personalities on the MyBuffalo.com site, and this is a great chance to connect with a lot of different people in the program, people who work on Buffalo.com, and other people, as well.

I believe that is it for now...but if you ever have questions for me, just let me know.


Wednesday


· Concerts on the Canal Series: The Strangers and The Diva Show. Check out a total of four – that’s right, four – sets from two of Western New York’s favorite party bands. The Strangers play at 6 PM and 8 PM, while The Diva Show hits the stage at 7 PM and 9 PM. Lots of people love these bands – it would be great to get some coverage – photo, video, story, or otherwise. Let me know! The shows are at Gateway Harbor Park on Sweeney Street in North Tonawanda.



· Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. The underground icon from Washington, D.C. has an extremely loyal following in Buffalo, and it would be great to capture some scenes from what is sure to be an upbeat, positive, and rollicking indie rock show. Doors open at 7 PM, Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St., Buffalo.


Thursday


· Thursday at the Square: Better Than Ezra. Another big week at the Square – opportunities for photo, video, and giveaways. We have lots of concert tickets and concession tickets to giveaway – and you are welcome to some of those goodies for helping out, as well. We even have our own home base at the merchandise tent. Whoever wants to help out is welcome! 5 PM to 9 PM (try to get there between 5 PM and 7 PM), Lafayette Square, Buffalo.



· Sir Paul McCartney Birthday Bass Ball Gathering. Celebrate the former Beatle’s birthday with a bunch of Buffalo best bassists! The low-end sound will be rattling the windows of Lancaster as bass players from around Western New York gather for a bone-rattling jam session. Starts at 7 PM at the Ellicott Manor, 16 Ellicott Place, Lancaster.



· Shakespeare in Delaware Park: The Tempest opening night. The first performance of the summer for the always-popular outdoor theatrical production in beautiful Delaware Park. Mingle with the laid-back crowd before and after the show, and enjoy a quality production of one of The Bard’s greatest works. Showtime is 7:30 PM near the Rose Garden/Casino in Delaware Park, Buffalo.



Friday


· The 9th Annual Buffalo River Fest. Opening night of the Valley Community Center’s annual party in the heart of South Buffalo’s Old First Ward. In addition to all of the other fun stuff that comes with a Buffalo festival, Friday night will feature a performance by WNY’s #1 party band, Hit-n-Run, from 8 PM to midnight. The River Fest begins at 6 PM. The event will be held in Father Conway Park, which is located between Louisiana and Ohio Streets in Downtown Buffalo, just one mile south of HSBC Arena.



· Buffalo Beatdown Boxing. Want to be ringside? Want a chance to see what happens behind the scenes at a prizefight? This is your chance. X-Cell Worldwide presents the Buffalo Beatdown at the Buffalo Convention Center. Featured boxers will be “Hands of Gold” Nick Casal, Meacher “Major Pain” Major and Buffalo's Lionel Thompson and Excell Holmes. The event begins at 6:30 PM at the Convention Center, located on Franklin Street in the heart of downtown Buffalo.



· Nylon Magazine Summer Music Tour. Want to see some of the hottest cutting-edge bands in the country? Check out Patrick Wolf, Living Things, The Plasticines, and Jaguar Love live in the heart of downtown Buffalo. You may be asking yourself, “Who the heck are these bands?” – but these are the musicians that you’ll be hearing about next year, and the years after, and the year after…a great opportunity to see some edgy and interesting indie music. Doors open at 8 PM at The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St., Buffalo.


Saturday


· The 9th Annual Buffalo River Fest. Day Two of the Valley Community Center’s annual party in the heart of South Buffalo’s Old First Ward.

Tons of interesting stuff happens today – the Rigidized Metals River Regatta with canoes, kayaks, and homemade boats begins at 11 AM (head over to the DEC Canoe Launch on Ohio St. to catch the end); live bands will be playing from noon to midnight; there will be a neighborhood reunion at 6 PM; and an 8-team slo-pitch softball tournament will be on the diamonds all day long.

Head over any time from 11 AM to midnight, and you’ll get a good story or great photos. The event will be held in Father Conway Park, which is located between Louisiana and Ohio Streets in Downtown Buffalo, just one mile south of HSBC Arena.


· Creative Black Tie Gala. A huge party featuring cool costumes and swanky outfits to benefit Camp Good Days. The theme this year – “A New Hope,” taking a page out of Star Wars. A very photo-friendly event – and they like having our people out at this event. Begins at 5 PM and goes until midnight at the Hyatt Regency, 2 Fountain Plaza, Buffalo.


Sunday

· Go to the Beach! There’s no specific event scheduled, but Sunday is a popular beach day at Sunset Bay and Angola on the Lake. Go to the beach…bring your camera…I guarantee you’ll end up with a wildly popular gallery. Or writers – head down to the seaside and report back on what music, fashion, and fun is in vogue on the sunny shores of Lake Erie this summer. Let me know if you’re interested!

Archive updates

Two issues of note:

1.) All of our old Spotted videos are now online at MyBuffalo. Thing is, they are currently posted "last to first..." The oldest videos are showing up as the most recent.

This will change...our vendor is going to re-map the videos to account for original date of posting. But, bottom line, your old videos are now on the site and should be associated with your account.

2.) I said that we had 50K photos at MyBuffalo...well, that accounts only for 2009. Oops.

We have A LOT more photos from 2008 and 2007 that have not even been added to the system yet. I had no idea! I undershot how many photos we had by, well, a few hundred thousand.

Good thing our programmers are a little more conscientious than I am. The guys are working on how they're going to add all these pics...so I will let you know.

The good news, though, is that your old photos are still alive.

We have new cards

The new cards are in - I repeat, the new cards are in!

So are the new stickers with the MyBuffalo logo...

If you have an event this weekend and need cards (and won't see me at The Square tonight), let me know ASAP and I will see about getting them to you tomorrow...otherwise, I will mail them out to you. I'm going to have to order another batch - we only have 1K right now - so if you don't get any in the first wave, I'll get you in the second.

Tonight at The Square

If you're going to help out at The Square tonight for the Robert Randolph Band concert, please send me a confirmation email...all are welcome! We have Joan Osborne concert tickets and concession tickets to hand out (and for you to enjoy), so that should make the whole "smile for the camera" process a little easier...so come on down.

Here are the instructions for this evening:

1.) Meet me at the merchandise tent by 6 PM. I will give you your cards and giveaway items there, and you can go take photos from there. This will also be our staging area throughout the night.

2.) If the weather is bad, you can skip the event...although I will note that they will hold the concert, rain or shine, unless it is a lightning storm. We'll tough it out as best as we can for as long as we can if there is going to be a concert - but I certainly do not expect you to put your camera (or health) at risk by traipsing through the rain!

3.) I usually park on Broadway on the east side of Michigan Street. It's tough to find close parking, to be honest, unless you want to pay to be in one of the lots on Washington or Ellicott - and I hate to pay to park, personally.

I'm heading over there around 4:45 - 5 PM, so if you have any questions, call me on my cell at 244 2557.

Thanks everybody! I hope to see you tonight!

Where did all my photos go?

You may notice that not all of your photos - particularly your old photos - are associated with your account at MyBuffalo.

We are working on this.

The photos were migrated - but for some reason, the site is only displaying the last 10K to be posted. That leaves approximately 40K photos in the system but unable to display.

We should be kind of proud - we migrated such a huge volume of photos to MyBuffalo that the site isn't sure how to handle it...

...but please be aware that we will get this sorted out. I personally am down about two years' (and 200 events) worth of photos, and I definitely want mine back, too.

Bulk uploader is almost done...

...I just finished writing some instructional text for the bulk uploader...it's thisclose to being finished. Keep your fingers crossed, maybe it will even be done today...

Hey, by the way, thanks to everyone who has been posting at the site. My challenge to you - get active! Friend each other, post to the discussion forums, comment on other people's stuff. It's like a snowball...the more we do it, the more other people will, too.

And remember - tomorrow night - we will be out at Thursday at the Square taking photos and giving out free Joan Osborne concert tickets and concession tickets...so even if you aren't volunteering to write or take photos, track one of us down and we'll hook you up!

On posting descriptions with your photos, bulk uploading, and more

Hey photographers:

I originally wrote this in an email, and decided maybe it was something we all could enjoy...

When you post your MyBuffalo photos, you will see that there is a "Description" box where you can post a write-up. It doesn't have to win the Pulitzer! Just three or four sentences about the event - where it was, what it was about, maybe an amusing anecdote. No need to worry too much about it!

It will be a lot easier when the bulk uploader is done - and again, I'm expecting that literally any hour now. It's finished, in theory, but still needs some finishing touches.

As far as finding specific events - if the event was relatively recent, people will be able to go into the "Recent Photos" section and find them, but I think this is where tagging will be really key. You are able to be really specific with your tags in MyBuffalo, which was not the case in Spotted. My advice is to post as many tags as possible whenever you add your photos, because this will increase the power of the search tool.

Help Wanted

Just about an hour ago, the marketing director here at The News, Cindy Sterner, ran down the hall and exclaimed "GREAT NEWS!" I immediately got interested...here's the scoop:

Buffalo Place organizes Thursday at the Square (AKA "TATS") and they've given us concession tickets...free beverages for every show this season. However, this week since ticket sales are slow, they're giving us tickets to the Joan Osborne show at Buffalo Rocks the Harbor (one per person).

Here's how it works, if people pose for a picture for MyBuffalo.com, they get a ticket to Joan Osborne....and probably concession tickets too.

Unfortunately, I have a doctor's appointment Thursday and I can't be with Ben to deal with the large crowds that will be surrounding him asking for tickets.

So, long story short - we need volunteers. We need three or four people to take photos and give out tickets.

What time you ask? From 6-8:30pm

This was part of the conversation overheard in the Buffalo.com office:

Cindy: “Ben, why aren’t you more excited?”
Ben: “Cindy, this is excited.”

Hopefully we’ll have either Buffalo.com stickers or cards by Thursday.

We’ll probably be doing this at more TATS in the near future.

Let me know if you can volunteer - drusso@buffnews.com...or even better message me through MyBuffalo.com!!!! You can get a ticket to the Joan Osborne show for coming out too.

Thanks!

Deanna

Bylines for writers

There has been a little confusion regarding the difference between articles and blogs at MyBuffalo.

Here is the delineation:

• Blog: anyone can post a blog. You can blog. I can blog. Joe in Accounting can blog. In fact, I wish he would blog. That guy knows some dirt.
  
  
• Article: although they are written in the blog format, an article is actually a Buffalo.com-contributed piece. Deanna and I have access to administrative tags that allow us to mark certain blogs as "articles." This allows us to push content into the Articles section.

In the very near future, we will have a special interface for the Buffalo.com contributors that will allow you to directly post articles to the Articles section. This interface will also allow our photographers to bulk-upload photos. It's coming very soon! I was actually messing with some of the behind-the-scenes tools on this particular piece yesterday.

One more note for writers:

When you post an article, you obviously will no longer have the whole "Buffalo.com/YourHub John Doe" title anymore...so we need you to add a byline. At the top of each article you post, you should have a heading that looks like this:

John Doe
Buffalo.com Contributor

If you have any questions, please let me know!

...and here's the storm

I have already received some feedback on MyBuffalo - some good, some...constructive (ha ha), and as you may imagine, we are a little overwhelmed with all of the little fixes and details and issues that come out of any Web site launch. If contact is a little spotty today, I apologize in advance.

Anyhow - the most important message I can give you right now is this:

What you see is NOT the finished product.

We will be rolling out new tools and features daily - including the bulk photo uploader that you may have noticed is currently missing.

Hang in there - it's a big change for everyone - and we will make this transition as a team.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns, email me or call me - but I'd really like it if you messaged me through the MyBuffalo site! I'll try to get you answers as quickly as possible.

Calm before the storm

Buffalo.com photo by Sean Rudyk.

Well, this is the last day for Spotted and YourHub. I am tempted to get sentimental and think about all the fun stuff and interesting experiences I've had as a result of these two Web sites. Instead, I will refrain from boring you with tales of my drives through eastern Niagara County and visits to Southern Tier high schools and will look to the future, instead.

Here are some things to keep in mind as we transition to MyBuffalo tomorrow:

• There will be a learning curve for everyone. I am still learning all of the ins and outs of the MyBuffalo site, and it will take all of us a few days to really get a feel for the new project. I am humbly requesting your patience while we get the wrinkles ironed out. That being said...
  
  
• Please be active at the site. This is a great opportunity to get to know your fellow contributors a little better. In fact, in some ways, this is a real opportunity to cut out the middleman (me) and really connect with feedback, ideas, meet-ups, and the like. Please don't cut me out too much, though, as I would like to be a part of the action, too!
  
  
• The functionality is definitely different than Spotted and YourHub. Tomorrow, I will discuss some of these differences - doesn't make much sense to do it before it launches - but bear in mind that it is NOT going to look or feel like the tools we are used to using. I again humbly request that you are patient and that you have an open mind about using the site.
  
  
• We'll be a little light on events this week. There is probably a lot going on around Western New York this week - I would wager on it - but we're going to be doing a lot of sitework and not quite as much "booking" for the next few days. If there are events you are interested in attending - and there are some good ones, like the Rev. Horton Heat at Artpark, Thursday at the Square, the Allentown Arts Festival - let me or Deanna know, and we will get you out there...but the list itself will probably be pretty slim.
  

Anyhow, I hope you are having a great weekend, and I look forward to your feedback on the new site.M

Photo contest in Brant

Buffalo.com photo by Sean Rudyk.

Hey, here's something pleasantly unrelated to all of the changeover talk...a chance to win some prizes for your pics. Check it out:

The Town of Brant is having a photo contest as part of their Summer Fest on June 21. The cost is $5/photo to enter. 8x10's are suggested but not required. The categories are Faces, Places, Children & Community Life (doesn't need to be the community of Brant). A panel of judges will choose a winner in each category. There will also be a popular vote in each category. The back of the photo needs to have the photographer's name, address, phone # & Category.

I didn't get the address for where you submit the photos, but you can click over to the Town of Brant Web site and I am sure you can either find the information or find someone who can get you that info...

And by the way, I saw something online about this being "Free Doughnut Day" at Dunkin' Donuts. Is this true?

Some more news and info on the site changeover

Buffalo.com photo by Erica Morano.

Because we will be changing over from Spotted and YourHub to the new MyBuffalo.com site on Monday, please keep the following issues in mind as you post content to our sites this week:

• If you post any content, please hold onto your original copies.
  
  We will automatically upload all content from the Spotted and YourHub sites through May 31 to MyBuffalo.com , but photos and stories from this week will not be automatically loaded.
  
  Please load (or re-load) your content from this week onto MyBuffalo.com on Monday, June 8 - it will be a great way to get a hang of the new site.
  
  
  
• Please stop distributing Spotted and YourHub cards - we don't want to send people to sites that will no longer exist in five days. I will have MyBuffalo cards for you in the very near future...when they come in, I will either mail them out to you or arrange a way to get them to you.
  
  
• If you have a Spotted and YourHub ID card - let me know and I will get you a Buffalo.com ID, instead.
  
  
• If you have any questions for me, please let me know!
  

I know this is a somewhat hectic and confusing time for our contributor program, but things should settle down after we get the new MyBuffalo site launched...and thank you for your patience.

The cards....

This probably goes without saying, but please stop using the Spotted and/or YourHub cards after this weekend at events...we'll have new cards on the way. I will mail them out once they arrive.

MyBuffalo, the internship, and moving forward

The Big Change
As you should know, on Monday, June 8, Buffalo.com will eliminate Spotted and YourHub. We will be replacing those projects with MyBuffalo.com, a social network that will combine the most important functions of the Spotted and YourHub sites (photos, videos, blogs) with a dynamic social network.

You will be able to make more robust profiles, add friends, message users, use better video tools, upload audio tracks (any podcasters out there?), share content directly on Facebook, MySpace and 20 other popular social sites, and much more. It's a powerful tool and it will be a lot of fun to use - and will eventually stretch into every aspect of Buffalo.com.



What about my stuff?
All Spotted, YourHub, and Buffalo.com email users will automatically be given an account on MyBuffalo.com. Behind the scenes, we are currently in the process of transferring all of your Spotted and YourHub content over to the MyBuffalo.com site.

Keep an eye on your email, too - I will be emailing you your new MyBuffalo.com username and password in the near future. When I do so, I will put up a note on the intern blog.

But the bottom line is that your content will not be lost, and you will be able to access it with your own MyBuffalo account.



Is this going to look/feel just like Spotted and YourHub?
No. It will take some getting used-to. We are still hammering out gallery functionality on the photo section, for example. There is no "admin" section, like We Spotted, either. MyBuffalo.com encourages interactivity and connections between users - it's not as much of a "stop, stare, click" site like Spotted and YourHub.

Anyhow, we ask for your patience and open-mindedness as we introduce the new site.



How about the internship program - will that still exist?
Yes. However, we feel that it is time to make some changes.

In the past few months, Deanna and I have grown increasingly concerned with some of the problems we've seen at the site. We have seen an overall increase in apathy - fewer sign-ups, a decrease in the quality of galleries, and - quite frankly - a little bit of attitude directed towards us, our collaborators, and the venues at times.

As we bring in the new site, we are also bringing in new standards. Since we are starting a new project, we also want a fresh start to our internship program.



And how will you change the program?
Glad you asked.

1.) First of all, some of the old standards apply - 2 events a month, 60-40 on "smile for the camera" for photographers, 3 quotes per story for writers.

On the new side: A MAXIMUM of 60 photos per event. Photographers will be required to include a 100-200-word event summary in their blog after an event (written in your own voice; it doesn't have to be "newsy," but a brief summation of the event). Writers will be required to post 5 photos from their events.

2.) A 30-day limit on requesting events. A common complaint has been that the "big" events are claimed up too quickly. We will honor the current requests we have received, but beginning June 8, we will only accept event requests from activities coming in the next 30 days.

3.) The events list will be shorter. You are welcome to find events that are not on the list, but Deanna and I will be selecting the Top 20 events each week that we would recommend considering...no more massive, sprawling, esoteric events lists. I will miss writing them!

4.) "Interns" are now known as "contributors." Semantical, perhaps, but a change nonetheless.

5.) We reserve the right to remove contributors from the program for failing to meet any of the standards above.

6.) I also can not stress enough that a.) contributors must follow media instructions at events and b.) contributors are not to "book" their own events. We will immediately remove a contributor from the program for failure to comply with these particular guidelines.

7.) Term limits. As of the relaunch, all contributors will be 6-month terms. After 6 months, we will perform an joint evaluation with you, and as a group we will determine whether we all want to move forward.



Lot of rules, man!
Well, we are going to be doing more recruiting and we want everyone to be on the same page - the new contributors and veteran contributors will need to use the same playbook.

When we relaunch on Monday, I will send you a formal list of these guidelines. If you do not agree to the guidelines and would like to exit the program, please let me know.



And finally...
I don't want to come off like Johnny Rulebook. I am genuinely pleased with a lot of what I've seen at Spotted and YourHub. But I also think we have a real opportunity to revitalize the program and make MyBuffalo.com one of the biggest Web successes not only in Western new York, but in the entire nation. I'm serious - it could be that big.

I want you to be a part of a site we can all be proud of, and I hope you stay with us during this exciting time.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me immediately.

Get your motor running...if you so choose

The photo rules are not a joke

A reminder to all photographers:

When you are given instructions such as three songs, no flash - the promoter really, really means three songs, no flash.

If that rule gets broken - even if it is one single photo - and the wrong person sees you do it, then we are in a world of trouble.

Remember: your actions can potentially affect everyone in the program in a very positive way or a very negative way.

Thank you.

Late but not lost: The Weekly Events List, 6-2 to 6-7

Buffalo.com photo by Marc Wierzbowski.

Tuesday

• Jack Astor’s 14th Annual Bartender Competition. Some of the area’s top drink jockeys battle for a trip to Las Vegas in this fun competition to benefit Women’s and Children’s Hospital. 7 PM, Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill, Walden Galleria Mall, Cheektowaga.

Wednesday

• Fourth Annual Buffalo Select Chorus Concert. The finest high school singes in Buffalo perform live for a full house at one of the most unique venues in the city. Local crooner Michael Civisca plays host for the evening, 7:30 PM, Asbury Hall at Babeville, 341 Delaware Ave., Buffalo.

Thursday

• 3rd Annual Sabres Alumni Fishing Derby. Check out the weigh-in and awards ceremony at beautiful Olcott Harbor. See some favorite from days of hockey past and how well they do with the rod and reel! 1 PM, Olcott Harbor, Olcott.
• Thursday at the Square: Disco Biscuits. The Disco Biscuits are a dynamic and popular live act with a cult following around the country – but hey, the best part of The Square is the people! Hang out with thousands of men and women from all corners of WNY looking for nothing more than a good time at one of the best weekly events of the summer. 6 PM, Lafayette Square, Buffalo.
• 2009 Corporate Challenge. One of the biggest races of the summer – thousands of Western New Yorkers gather in Delaware Park for a 5K run and a long night of partying. Ben and Deanna will be there running for The Buffalo News! I’ll be doing video, too. 6:45 PM, Delaware Park, Buffalo.

Friday

• Buffalo Greek Hellenic Festival. One of the favorite festivals of the year and a true gateway to summer – the “Greek Fest.” Lots of people, traditional dancing, music, and arts and crafts, and - of course – a party that never stops. 11 AM to midnight, Hellenic Orthodox Church, 146 West Utica St., Buffalo.
• Standard of Living CD Release Party. The up-and-coming punk-pop band from Amherst celebrates the release of its latest album with a special show in the city. 7 PM, Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St., Buffalo.
• The Bash 2009. Formerly known as “The MASH Bash,” this huge outdoor tent party to support the American Red Cross is truly one of the events of the summer season. Thousands of people, tons of food and drink, bands, dancing, and more make this a raucous good time in the heart of the city. 8 PM, American Red Cross Mansion, 786 Delaware Ave., Buffalo.


Saturday

• Buffalo Feis. Irish dancing, music, story-telling, and generally a lot of people who enjoy this sort of thing (and there are many, as this is part of an international competition). A fun event – but no videotaping is allowed and they are kind of strict about photographing the dancers. Otherwise, it’s an excellent day-long event. 7 AM (you don’t need to get there that early), competition begins at 8:30 AM, Hamburg Fairgrounds, Hamburg.
• Buffalo Greek Hellenic Festival. One of the favorite festivals of the year and a true gateway to summer – the “Greek Fest.” Lots of people, traditional dancing, music, and arts and crafts, and - of course – a party that never stops. 11 AM to midnight, Hellenic Orthodox Church, 146 West Utica St., Buffalo.
• Lancaster-Depew Ponytails Coca-Cola Classic Softball Tournament. The 12U and 14U teams compete in a tournament that will draw ultra-competitive girls’ softball squads from throughout the region. 11 AM, Walden Pond Park, Lancaster.
• Crash-A-Rama…The Wildest Show on Wheels. School bus figure 8 racing, a mini-van demolition derby…all sorts of fun stuff. If you can get some video, too, so much the better. Gates open at 4 PM, racing starts at 6:30 PM. Holland Speedway, 2 N Main St., Holland.
• Traditional German-Irish Night. Two of Buffalo’s largest ethnic groups get together for a party that will certainly include lots of suds and even more fun. 6 PM, Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road, Buffalo.

Sunday

• Pride Weekend GLBT Parade and Celebration. One of the most colorful, campy, and all-around interesting parades you’ll ever see – a staple of the annual Pride Weekend festivities and a fun event that will attract hundreds to one of the funkiest parts of Buffalo. Parade runs from Main and Dodge to Bidwell Park on Elmwood Avenue and is followed by a party. Line-up begins at 11 AM.
• Buffalo Greek Hellenic Festival. One of the favorite festivals of the year and a true gateway to summer – the “Greek Fest.” Lots of people, traditional dancing, music, and arts and crafts, and - of course – a party that never stops. Noon to 9 PM, Hellenic Orthodox Church, 146 West Utica St., Buffalo.
• Superjam 2009. A star-studded outdoor blues jam – too many for me to name, but rest assured, if they play blues in Western New York, they will be at this show. Or, if you don’t want to rest assured, do a Google search. But seriously, this is a monster show. 1 PM to 9 PM, Creekside Grove, William St. and Union Road, Cheektowaga.
• Irish Wake for Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. The Aud is almost gone, but it’s certainly not forgotten – and there will be a lot of fun remembering some of those good old days at this fun, memorabilia-packed party. 5 PM, Pearl Street Grill and Brewery, 76 Pearl St., Buffalo.
• Benefit Concert for Bobby Jones. Some of the biggest names in the Buffalo jazz scene – Bobby Militello, Doug Yeomans, even Bobby Jones - take the stage to support one of their own. 7 PM, The Tralf, 622 Main St., Buffalo.

Look at the time fly

Hey, I am working on about 6 projects today and the events list may be a little late...should have it done and out by tonight (although I hope to have it done earlier) and tomorrow morning at the absolute latest. So if you don't have it by this time tomorrow...please let me or Deanna know.

Who claimed what when?

Buffalo.com photo by Darleen Stry.

I like to promote my image as the omnipotent guru of all things Buffalo.com, but I have to sheepishly admit that I made a bit of a mistake recently...I (ahem) erased the "claimed events" list and replaced it with a slightly older copy. In my defense, my computer crashed and I was slightly confused by the "Recover" options in Word. Blame Microsoft!

Anyhow, I know that stuff is missing off the list...I am just not sure what.

Please check out the list below and let me know if there is anything missing for the month of June...

Thanks!

Marc Wierzbowski Tragically Hip June 2

Gabrielle Farah Kiss the Summer Hello June 3

Darleen Stry Olympia Dukakis June 3

Tom Kuenzi Kenny Chesney June 4

Darleen Stry Tragically Hip June 5

Darleen Stry Music of Queen (BPO) June 6

Marc Wierzbowski Tour de Cure June 6

Jeff Poole Bisons June 11

Darleen Stry/Matt Brown Biggest 80s Bash June 13

Jeff Poole Bisons June 18

Darleen Stry Taste of Country June 19

Tom Kuenzi No Doubt June 19

Darleen Stry Starry Night in the Garden June 24

Galina Tolmacheva Stiletto Run June 24

Tom Kuenzi Def Leppard June 26

Sean Rudyk Gus Macker June 27-28

Jeff Poole Bisons June 27

Erica Morano Ruben’s Run June 28

Darleen Stry Blue Rodeo June 30