Archival Buffalo News feature articles

  Weird and powerful, right from the get-go. March 15, 1979 Compelling, Energetic B-52s Bombard Area Rock Fans           Just when it seemed like we’d seen the last New Wave rock sensation, the B-52s have come along to keep the spirit alive.           Mobbing the quintet for their first appearance here Wednesday night at McVan’s were about 200 fans – most likely all the same people who bought out their single, “Rock Lobster,” at the local underground record stores.           It was the usual vivid New Wave crowd, plenty of leather jackets, earrings and other strikingly sleazy fashions. Among those present were the Vores, singer Fred Mann of the Enemies and singer Mark Freeland, who was distributing homemade Electroman badges.           None of them, however, were quite as weird as the B-52s themselves, a most improbable ensemble of three front singers and two instrumentalists.           Though two of the singers were women, this was hardly a New Wave Fleetwood Mac. Dres

  One of the all-time greats on a club date. March 12, 1979 Dire Straits Guitarist Reaches Back to ‘50s           Sold out several days in advance, Lockport’s After Dark club is jammed to 900-plus capacity Sunday night for rock ‘n roll’s first overnight sensation of 1979 – a modest four-man guitar band from London, England, called Dire Straits.           On the strength of their sudden success, they might have scrapped this club tour of the U.S. in favor of bigger halls and bigger money. But they want a different kind of payoff and it starts coming the moment the crowd stops buzzing at the sound of the guitar.           That’s Mark Knopfler’s melancholy red Stratocaster outlining the melody for “Down to the Waterline” and it’s one of two reasons why Dire Straits shot into the Top 10 in less than a month.           Knopfler is a guitar player’s guitar player. His style stretches back to Scotty Moore, Presley’s guitarist in the ‘50s, and James Burton, who did the same for Ric

  Offbeat, but not entirely forgotten. Feb. 22, 1979 review British Rockers Delight in the ‘60s           “All I can say is there’s not many of you out there, so you better enjoy it,” says Tony de Meur as the Fabulous Poodles start their set Wednesday night in Lockport’s After Dark. “This first song is about throwing yourself off a bridge in North London.”           Doubtless the cold, corrupted waters of the Thames would look good after this American tour. A week ago, all their instruments and stage clothes were stolen in Boston. Tuesday in Cleveland, de Meur was conked on the head with a beer bottle. Here they’ve drawn a paltry turnout of about 200.           Despite these setbacks, the Fab Poos remain undaunted in their mission to bring ‘60s-style fun back to a world beset by punk-rock and disco. Just as the Blues Brothers are foster children of early rhythm and blues, the Poodles are sons of the British Invasion – particularly the Kinks and the Who.           Their song