Archival Buffalo News feature articles

  The heaviest Rich Stadium rock show to date. June 20, 1977 Superfest Survives Bad Omens              The Superfest 11 rock concert in Rich Stadium Sunday proved all the ominous forecasts wrong.           First there was the weather. Saturday’s prediction of thundershowers changed into bright midsummer sunshine, perfect for getting a tan.           The skimpy advance sale, which had the promoters, Festival East and Belkin Productions, bracing for a new low in Superfest attendance, swelled into a healthy 28,600.           The hordes of hard-guy rockers expected for the hard-rock lineup of Blue Oyster Cult, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ted Nugent and Starz turned out to be pretty much your basic crowd of late teens and early adults, free from parental supervision and out to have a good time.           Policing was low-profile, but firm. Sheriff Kenneth Braun gave radio traffic reports, while deputies and Orchard Park town police answered complaints primarily for trespassing and disor

  This Crosby , Stills and Nash tour lit the fires in us old hippies. Plus they finally released a new album for the first time since their break-up in 1970. June 11, 1977 Stills Still Energizes Threesome From ‘60s              It’s been a long time coming, this Crosby , Stills and Nash revival. Their best tunes, the ones that everybody knows, date back to those furtive years around Woodstock when the world closed in on the youth culture of the ‘60s.           They begin by invoking that era Friday night in Memorial Auditorium. Hotels and midnight coaches. High harmonies and tinkling triple guitars. It all comes back with a vengeance.           When one considers the personality clashes that mark the history of this happy threesome, it’s significant that the second tune belongs to Steve Stills. No football jersey this time. He wears faded denim and delivers one of his finest renditions of “Love the One You’re With.”           Stills is critical to CS&N. His high harm

The folks at locally-based Amherst Records were distributing this funky Texas guitar wizard’s records for the DJM (Dick James Music) label out of England in the mid 1970s and promoting the hell out of him. For this date, they gave him the royal treatment. June 4, 1977 Fans Love Watson’s Sassy Style             Johnny Guitar Watson brought his gangster jive to town Friday and the fans loved it.           They oohed and aahed over his gold Rolls Royce (police escort, of course).           They just adored his monogrammed glasses and his color-coordinated three-piece suits with the matching shoes and hats.           And they cheered like crazy as he came out to get the first two gold records of his 22-year career in nearly-full Shea’s Buffalo before his evening concert.           “Now Buffalo has become my hometown,” he said, grinning as he held the plaques. “I’ll be right back. I’m just gonna put these up.”           An announcer heralded his return in the old “It’s s