Allison Mitchell from Velvet bethany visited the Flamingo Lounge on September 7 to talk about her view on life and music. Born from dreams and dissonance in 2014, Velvet Bethany is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Allison Mitchell. Joined by Nathan Weise and Kameron Plotner in 2023, the band crafts music that transcends genre. Allison’s lyrics, inspired by the vivid landscapes of her dreams and nightmares, explore worlds existing between the cracks of reality. Imagine each world as a unique harmonic frequency, bleeding into the next. Velvet Bethany’s sound reflects this exploration, weaving through various influences while staying true to their rock and roll roots. Their goal? To write a song that resonates with everyone, one head-banging anthem at a time. Catch their latest sonic adventure on the album “C'est Bon!”

This week’s episode explores the next generation of talented artists. We pursued the musical journey of four high school students from the Buffalo (Ken-Ton) area who are involved in their respective music programs. From songwriting workshops to band practice sessions, we explored the ups and downs of pursuing a musical dream while balancing school, friends, and life’s other demands.

This week’s guest, Judd Sunshine, visited the Flamingo Lounge on August 21, 2024. Judd is a pianist and vocalist with over 30 years of experience as a professional musician and entertainer. An extensive repertoire of well-known popular music from the 40’s to the present as well as special styles such as children’s music, jazz standards, classic rock, blues, country, and bluegrass music makes him the perfect fit for any occasion.  From 1976-1984, Judd was a member of The Pointless Brothers Band. They presented a mix of bluegrass, swing, acoustic rock, and originals music presented with humor and arranged w/ intricate lead lines and 4-part harmony. They recorded an EP on the legendary BCMK Records. He currently books talent and performs through his company, Sunshine Productions.

This week’s episode is for all the audiophiles out there. And yes, there will be math. This week's guest, Chief Engineer at Harmonic Resolution Systems, Mr. Michael Latvis, has over forty years of engineering and product development experience with a specialty in vibration, noise, and control systems. Prior to founding HRS in 1999, Mr. Latvis held a number of key positions with industry leading companies. These positions included Design Engineering, Engineering Management, and Business Development Management positions. Mr. Latvis has six issued patents related to shock, vibration isolation, and high-performance audio products.  He has worked for a number of leading companies on the development of isolation products for audio systems, commercial aircraft, military aircraft, industrial applications, and missile defense systems.  Mike sat down with Rockabilly Greg on August 1, 2024, to discuss audiophile equipment and the types of gear Harmonic Resolutions Systems engineers and produces.

This week’s guest, Mike Pinelli, founder and lead guitarist and vocalist from Kickstart Rumble, brings some high-energy rockabilly into the Lounge. Mike visited the Flamingo Lounge on August 15, 2024 to talk Rockabilly music and about our experience seeing Stray Cats live in concert at Artpark on August 13, 2024.   Kickstart Rumble is an All-American Rock and Roll band with a sound that blends a potent mix of country twang, rock 'n' roll swagger, and a relentless percussive drive. With a whirlwind of rebellious energy, their music transports audiences back to the rebellious spirit of the 1950s while injecting it with a modern-day adrenaline rush. Playing originals and songs from yesteryear including covers from Elvis, Stray Cats, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, Kickstart Rumble delivers its own brand of music with a vintage sound.

This week’s episode celebrates the timeless art of barbershop singing and pays tribute to the legendary Buffalo Bills Barbershop Quartet. Peter Hart, a remarkable 45-year member of the Barbershop Harmony Society (formerly the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, or SPEBSQSA and now the Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS) joined Rockabilly Greg In the Flamingo Lounge on July 24, 2024 to talk about the Bills Quartet and Barbershop singing. Peter brings a wealth of information as his barbershop journey began in 1972 with the Chorus of the Genesee. He joined the Amherst, NY Chapter Friends of Harmony Chorus in 1979. We’ll also delved into the history of the 1950 SPEBSQSA champions, the Buffalo Bills Barbershop Quartet. We focused on the quartet’s baritone, Dick Grapes, whose talent was instrumental to their groundbreaking success in 1950. To cap off the episode, we revisited a special 2008 conversation between Dr. Jim McDonnell and Mr. Dick Grapes talking about his experience with the Bills Quartet.

A member of Buffalo's rock royalty, singer/songwriter Alison Pipitone has fanned the rock flame since the mid-1990s. Her devotion brought standing as “high priestess” of the Buffalo rock scene and membership in the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.   Alison picked up the guitar at 18 and launched her career in the 1980's with The Monas in LA. When the grunge movement took hold of the West Coast scene in the 1990s, Pipitone returned to Western New York and launched her career as a solo artist with 1995’s "Life in the First Person".   Since 2005, she's fronted the Alison Pipitone Band, winning awards and releasing four albums including her latest album "Best Things" which came out in May of 2024. Their music blends thought-provoking lyrics and catchy hooks with pure rock energy. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, kids.   Allison joined Rockabilly Greg In the Flamingo Lounge on July 11, 2024.

This week's guests, Tyler Rzemek (Drums), Jason Wright (Guitar) and Mike Jacobs (Bass), from the DIY punk rock legacy band “On the Cinder”, joined Rockabilly Greg In the Flamingo Lounge on July 9, 2024.   Together, they combine a hard nosed work ethic for touring and releasing music with a focus on sincerity in their lyrics and a complexity in song structure. With several national tours and various excursions through Canada, "On The Cinder" have claimed the road dog status, while keeping an eye on things in Western New York by hosting and promoting local shows in Buffalo and Rochester, NY.   They recently released their third full-length LP Heavy - "Handed" via Flower House Records.

This week's guests, joined Rockabilly Greg in the Flamingo Lounge on June 19 2024. Michael Mcauley and Aaron Duffy, are two of four dudes from one of Buffalo's exciting new bands: “The Midnight Feature”. United by friendship both old and new, they bring the heat with their self-titled debut EP "The Midnight Feature". This summer's hottest soundtrack features everything from screamin’ Soul to soft n sweet. Currently available out in the wild, you’ll find a song that will rock or groove you.  The midnight Feature has performed at Nietzsche's and Mowhawk Place and have been featured on WBFO's “The Bridge”.

Buffalo's own "Almost Seamus" visited the Flamingo Lounge on June 9, 2024 for a great podcast session and the recording of 3 music videos by my friends at Nickel City B-Sides!  This traditional Irish & eclectic Celtic band features three people & only two last names.  Award-winning vocalist and instrumentalist Kate Clark, has played fiddle for over 30 years and has brought her talents to numerous Buffalo bands and the local theater stages. She teaches music in West Seneca  Jayson Clark, Kate’s husband and Almost Seamus's resident audio engineer, ensures good-sounding recordings and lays down the rock-solid rhythm on bass. Jayson's an award-winning lighting designer and teaches lighting at Niagara University. He shares his love of music festivals with, Kate, and two daughters. Rounding out the band is Scott Panfil, Kate's brother and a multi-instrumentalist who contributes vocals, guitar, accordion, and more. Scott teaches music at Frontier, has a wife and two children and has been a member of multiple Buffalo bands.

This week’s guest, Eric Tyrone Crittenden, visited the Flamingo Lounge on June 26, 2024. "Critt" donned a pair of Elvis glasses and a leigh from the Elvis bust in the Lounge and engaged in an engaging episode full of insight and laughter. Critt has over 25 years as a touring performer under his belt, sharing the stage with the likes of Bob Weir and Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, Sinbad the Comedian, Michael Franti, G-Love & Special Sauce, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and so many more. He is an Award-Winning Multi-Instrumentalist, Entertainer and highly-respected Music Educator in Buffalo NY where he performs and dedicates his career to the local music scene and the youth in the community. He is also Co-Founder of IMAGE Urban Arts Workshop, CEO of CRiTT Presents and Co-Founder of the Buffalo Music Club.

This week’s guests In the Flamingo Lounge are Grace Vesneske and Josh Holtzman from Buffalo Iron Works. They joined Rockabilly Greg In the Flamingo Lounge on May 23, 2024 to talk about the promotor/venue owner side of the music business. Grace is a force within the music industry, bringing her unique blend of creativity, strategic vision, and passion for positive change to every project she undertakes. With a deep appreciation for the arts and a commitment to community and social responsibility, Grace seamlessly combines her love for music with her dedication to making a difference. Josh's career began while operating a merchandise company which worked closely with touring artists to meet their needs on the road. From there his career grew into artist management, touring, booking, and business management. In 2014 he set his sights on a newly opened business, Buffalo Iron Works, and successfully took it from a local bar into a nationally recognized live music venue hosting over 250 concerts, private events & fundraisers each year. His work within the venue has allowed a once abandoned historic building to become a valuable asset in the resurgence of downtown Buffalo, NY. Both of them own and operate Buffalo Iron Works & Twenty6 Productions keeping them in tune with both the music industry and events industry on a daily basis.

Constance and George Caldwell joined Rockabilly Greg In the Flamingo Lounge on June 10, 2024. Acclaimed jazz pianist George Caldwell found his musical home in Buffalo after a rich career across the US and abroad. A Mississippi native, he honed his skills at prestigious institutions and worked as a teacher, composer, and performer on Broadway and beyond. In Buffalo, Caldwell became a pillar at the University at Buffalo, shaping future jazz musicians. A Grammy winner and "fully tenured jazz piano legend" (Buffalo News), Caldwell's impact on the city's music scene is undeniable. JAZZ SCENE BUFFALO, an OFF BEAT CINEMA presentation on the set at WBBZ TV, is a celebration of fiery jazz talent, passionate presenters, and jazz supporters here in Buffalo, NY. Executive Produced on WBBZ TV by Constance Caldwell, the show premiered May 5th, 2024 at 10:30pm on WBBZ TV. Constance invites everyone to tune in and celebrate Buffalo's rich musical heritage.

This week’s guest, Mark Panfil, visited the Flamingo Lounge on May 22, 2024. Mark is a multi-instrumentalist who has established himself in the Bluegrass world as an accomplished dobro player, a solid banjo player, a world-class harmonica player, a versatile piano and an accordion player.  He has been an instructor in Bluegrass academies in NY and Pennsylvania for over ten years and he has thirty-years-experience as a public school music teacher in Hamburg NY where he taught music theory, guitar, voice and ran their fiddle clubs and most recently a bluegrass club for middle and high school string musicians.  In the Creek Bend bluegrass band, Mark plays dobro and banjo. In the Emerald Isle Celtic band he plays accordion, penny whistle and banjo. His diatonic and chromatic harmonica playing is in high demand at several Buffalo recording studios. He has been a featured soloist with the Western New York Children's Choir, Buffalo Choral Arts Society, the Orchard Park Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.  In 2016, Mark and his brother, Chris were inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.

This week's guest is Buffalo Music Hall of Fame inductee, Tom Stahl. Tom joined Rockabilly Greg in the Flamingo Lounge on May 6, 2024. Tom’s musical journey started by driving around in a truck full of paint saying, "Would you like paddles and strainers with that?" One day, he hurt his back. He went to the doctor and said, "Doctor! Doctor! It hurts when I do that." The doctor said, "Don't do that." Tom Stahl then started writing songs. And the rest, as they say, is the future. Tom’s solo journey has seen him play with Buffalo legend Michael Meldrum and Through the years, Stahl and his band, The Dangerfields, have shared the stage with the likes of Don McClean, America, Three Dog Night, Buddy Guy, Osborne, and many others.

This week's guest, Jessie Galante, is no Stranger to the Lounge. She was the second guest to appear on the podcast on March 26, 2022 and was the spark the lit the fire for the starting the podcast. I recently acquired a large batch of Buffalo Backstage and Nightlife magazines form the early and mid 1980’s and came across some great articles featuring Jessie. “Checkin’ Out,” her first recording with her band “Actor,” was released just weeks following her debut on the music scene and is still played on Buffalo’s 97 Rock radio. I invited Jessie back to the Lounge on May 4, 2024 to talk about those early days and what the scene was like at that time. Buffalo Backstage Magazine was published by Marsha and Rick Falkowski who are also the Founders of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame

This week’s episode of "In the Flamingo Lounge" was recorded on-site at the Buffalo Museum of Science as part of their “SCIENCE AFTER HOURS: SCI-FI EDITION”. Music is based in science: sound is produced when something vibrates – and those vibrations are brought to the ear as sound waves. And it's mathematical, varying in pitch, volume, tempo, and rhythm. The science of sound reminds us to stop, listen, and feel the vibration.  The Buffalo Museum of Science has hosted many music-related exhibits over the years. This week I talked about those events and the science behind the music with my guest from the museum, Community Engagement Manager, Gabrielle Graham.

Dave Wedekindt, who was recently named Interim President of Artpark in Lewiston, NY joined Rockabilly Greg in the Flamingo Lounge on April 27 to talk about music and music promotion. Dave joined the Artpark team in 2018 as Director of Marketing & Sales, bringing extensive experience in performing arts marketing, sales, communications, programming, sponsorship and development to the organization. He was promoted to Vice President of Concerts & Marketing in 2021, then to Vice President in 2022, and recently as Interim President in April 2024. Previously he was the Director of Marketing for the University at Buffalo Center for the Arts in Amherst, NY for 15 years, preceded by five years as Associate Director of Marketing for the CFA. He started his career as Associate Director of Development for Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, NY. A strong advocate for the arts, he also serves on the Board of Directors of MusicalFare Theatre and is past President of the Board of Directors for Arts Services Inc. He holds an MBA from the University at Buffalo and BS in Business Administration from SUNY Fredonia. Dave resides in Amherst with his wife Susan and his interests include bicycling, playing the saxophone, and attending live performances.

This week’s guest, Bob James, is a veteran of local groups such as the Restless, the Rain, Third Floor Strangers, and many more, Bob has used basic rock and roll as a canvas to portray some of life’s deepest feelings. A member of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, class of 2008, he is known more for his contributions to area music as a promoter and producer. He owned his own studio, Maxwell Music, and produced the legendary “We Killed McKinley” and “This Is It” compilation albums. His discography spans over 50 years as a performer. He is a guitarist, producer at Buffalo Blues, LLC, Team Leader at 211Vets and Lead Trainer / Program Designer at Power of Song, Inc. He has also been spearheading the movement to get a Memorial Plaque for McVan’s Nightclub. And he’s a hell of a carpenter too. Bob joined Rockabilly Greg in the Lounge on April 25, 2024 to talk about his illustrious career and many projects he is currently managing.

This week's guests, Tom Sieracki, Trevor Jennings and Mike Bryzski from Captain Tom and the Hooligans joined RockabillyGreg In the Flamingo Lounge on Monday April, 22 2024. Inspired by local cultures, their instrumentation ranges from accordions to electric guitars, creating a unique blend of the old and the new. While performing original material, the group also puts their own spin on traditional and contemporary songs alike. They produce both up-tempo songs and ballads, reimagining favorites from across the musical spectrum, from polka and Celtic punk to Americana, Eastern European folk, folk-rock, ska, and everything in between.