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You Get What You Need

A Happy Heron, indeed — in spite of all the rain.

This year marked my third visit to the Great Blue Heron Music Festival, but there were still a few firsts to experience.

For starters, I attended this year’s festival strictly as a casual observer. The previous two years, I’d performed at the Heron with The Elektra Kings; but this year my admission came courtesy of my pal Marc Scapelitte, who performed with Dirt Track Racing and was kind enough to make me his plus-one.

The other first-time component to my 2017 Heron experience was that I spent my first night on the grounds. It was nice to be able to stick around to see all of the evening’s performances knowing that I was a brief walk away from the campsite where some friends graciously erected a small tent for me — the ever unprepared and often unwilling outdoorsman. It beats having to haul out of Sherman at 1 a.m. for a late-night jaunt back home.

The only thing that could have made the whole overnight excursion better would have been if it hadn’t rained nonstop for eight consecutive hours after I hastily entered my tent shortly after midnight. Thankfully, the precipitation largely held out for most of the evening, but when it started to come down more heavily about halfway through the last band’s set I decided to cut my losses, take some shelter and hope for a drier morning.

Also, having the tent not leak at the seams would have been nice for both myself and my sleeping bag, which sustained a healthy amount of water saturation over the course of the evening. Luckily my belongings and I remained fairly dry through it all, so I can’t complain too much.

In any event, both of these aspects afforded me an opportunity to really explore and witness firsthand much of what the Heron grounds and its titular music festival are all about. From my own personal experiences, I feel the festival gets a bad rap; particularly from those who have never themselves attended one. Sure, there will always be a few bad apples at this particular event — or any large gathering of people, for that matter — but by and large they don’t end up spoiling the whole bunch.

The Heron experience is all a matter of perspective that mostly depends upon who you choose to surround yourself with. If you come for the music and the vendors, that’s what you’ll get. I saw some amazing musicians, had some amazing food and witnessed several families dancing and enjoying the general vibe of the venue. None of these experiences were tainted by any of the individuals and their contraband that often make for an expanded police report section in the week following the Heron.

All in all, just walking around aimlessly and without purpose gave me an entirely new impression on a Western New York staple that we should be glad to have in our own backyard. I’d like to thank Dave Tidquist and Julie and Steve Rockcastle, along with the innumerable number of volunteers who donated their time and resources, for putting on another successful Great Blue Heron Music Festival.

I’m already looking forward to the 27th annual; hopefully, once again, as a performer!

And now, here’s some of what you can expect to find in the area this week.

HIGHLIGHTS

Infinity To Present Kaleidoscope Cafe Performance Friday: Students from the Infinity Visual and Performing Arts Center will be showcasing their talents at a Kaleidoscope performance on Friday from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Infinity Arts Cafe. Kaleidoscope nights are an ever-changing but interesting mix, featuring a wide variety of performers such as Infinity music, poetry, dance or theater students, Infinity instructors, or invited guests from the community. Every show is different. This event is free, family friendly and open to the public.

The Infinity Arts Cafe is located at 300 E. Third St. in Jamestown. For more information, call 664-0991 or visit infinityperformingarts.org.

Jackson Rohm To Give Area Performances This Week: Jackson Rohm, an area native and highly-regarded national recording artist, will give two Chautauqua County performances this week — including today at Mayville’s Lakeside Park from 6:30-8:30 p.m., and Friday at the Village Casino in Bemus Point at 10 p.m. Rohm has been performing as a solo performer for more than 20 years. Now a resident of California, he comes back to his home area in the summer to perform at different venues. He has created a catalog of original songs that he has recorded on albums, including “Twisted and Misguided,” “Sink or Swim,” “Red Light Fever,” “Blindsided,” as well as others. His performances feature not only music from artists such as Pure Prairie League, Jim Croce, Don McLean, Creed and Lifehouse, but also his own original songs.

For more information on Rohm’s upcoming area performances, visit jacksonrohm.com/tour/.

Seneca Allegany To Host Terry Fator Saturday: The Seneca Allegany Events Center will host the multi-faceted entertainer Terry Fator in a Saturday performance beginning at 7 p.m. A ventriloquist, impressionist, comedian and singer from Dallas, Texas, Fator does ventriloquial impersonations, and uses 15 different puppets in his act. He was the winner of Season Two of “America’s Got Talent,” and received the million-dollar prize. The following year, he was signed on as the headliner at The Mirage hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a five-year, $100 million contract. Tickets to Saturday’s performance start at $25.

The Seneca Allegany Events Center is located at 777 Seneca Allegany Blvd. in Salamanca. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 1-877-873-6322 or visit senecaalleganycasino.com/events/terry-fator/.

HAPPENINGS

To include an upcoming show or event in this column, email gpaterniti@post-journal.com or call 487-1111, ext. 243 by Monday.

Tonight

Pulse! Poetry Slam: 6 p.m., Infinity Arts Cafe, 301 E. Second St. in Jamestown

Bob Campbell: 6 p.m., Lakeview Hotel, 13 Water St. in Mayville

Comedy Open Mic: 7:30 p.m., The Q, 104 W. Second St. in Jamestown

Karaoke with DJ Xcite: 9 p.m., Bullfrog Hotel, 1414 E. Second St. in Jamestown

Karaoke with Felony Entertainment: 10 p.m., Forte, 114 E. Third St. in Jamestown

Friday

Greg Ford: 6 p.m., Lakeview Hotel, 13 Water St. in Mayville

Charity Nuse: 6 p.m., The Wine Cellar, 309 N. Main St. in Jamestown

Short Bus: 7 p.m., Vikings Lake Lodge, 4923 Route 430 in Maple Springs

Smokehouse: 8 p.m., Lakewood Legion, 174 Chautauqua Ave. in Lakewood

Strange Kind of Sunshine: 9 p.m., Big Shots, 674 Route 394 in Kennedy

Karaoke with Felony Entertainment: 9 p.m., Shawbucks, 212 W. Second St. in Jamestown

Black Widow: 10 p.m., Lakeview Hotel, 13 Water St. in Mayville

Screamin’ Lou: 10 p.m., Bullfrog Hotel, 1414 E. Second St. in Jamestown

Saturday

Terry Foody book signing: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Off the Beaten Path Bookstore, 28 Chautauqua Ave. in Lakewood

Smilo and the Ghost: 2 p.m., Southern Tier Brewing Company, 2072 Stoneman Circle in Lakewood

Bill Ward: 6 p.m., Lakeview Hotel, 13 Water St. in Mayville

The Probables: 7 p.m., Hadley House, 3328 Hadley Bay Road in Stow

Jules-R-Us Karaoke featuring Tami T: 9 p.m., Good Time Saloon, 590 Fairmount Ave. in Jamestown

DJ and Karaoke: 9 p.m., Big Shots, 674 Route 394 in Kennedy

Space Junk: 10 p.m., Mojo’s Music Bar, 104 E. Second St. in Jamestown

Widow Maker: 10 p.m., Bullfrog Hotel, 1414 E. Second St. in Jamestown

Two For Flinching: 10 p.m., Village Casino, 1 Lakeside Drive in Bemus Point

Sunday

Jamie Smith: 2 p.m., Lakeview Hotel, 13 Water St. in Mayville

Charity Nuse: 3 p.m., The Cooler, 114 W. Main St. in Sherman

Steelhorse: 2 p.m., The Vegas Pad, 1064 Route 394 in Kennedy

Bill Ward: 4 p.m., Hadley House, 3328 Hadley Bay Road in Stow

Open Jam: 9 p.m., Bullfrog Hotel, 1414 E. Second St. in Jamestown

Monday

Greg Ford: 6 p.m., Lakeview Hotel, 13 Water St. in Mayville

Bill Ward: 6 p.m., Andriaccio’s, 4837 W. Lake Road in Mayville

Wednesday

“E.T. The Extraterrestrial” screening: 7 p.m., Reg Lenna Center for the Arts, 116 E. Third St. in Jamestown

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