Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Follow Ridgeway Rd. south to Waterfront Park.
Bring a blanket or your lawn chair and enjoy a wonderful evening of music by the lake.
2008 Summer Schedule
Sunday June 22nd - Chill
"Chill" will kick off our 2008 Concert Series with songs from Motown to Muddy Waters and back again. These guys will have you thinking back to your days "Under the Boardwalk", "Up on the Roof", singing along to "My Girl" and "Just My Imagination". This will be a great follow up to the all day Crystal Beach Art Festival that same day in our lakeside Waterfront Park.
Sunday July 6th - Steve Burnside and the Marquis
Steve Burnside is the “Real Deal” in Canadian Blues. His recordings go from vinyl 78s to mp3s played in 17 countries world wide ... He received “Entertainer of the Year” from NY's Blues Beat Magazine and was given the coveted "MUDDY" award ... 2008 is the groups 50th anniversary ... "The Real Deal"
Steve has performed shows with:
Mel Torme Robert Klien
Frankie Avalon The Flamingos
Billy Joe Royal Johnny Winter
Rich Little Johnny Johnston
Mel Brown Mighty Sam MacLain
Freddy “Boom Boom" Cannon
The Orlons Jimmy Ray
Marty Allen Tom Jones
Joan Rivers Vic Damone
Sunday July 20th - James Doolin and the Mob
"James Doolin and the Mob" number 11 dynamic entertainers across the stage. They are one of the Niagara Regions most popular bands. James who fronted and led several bands throughout Toronto has put together a talented group of singers and musicians that create a special energy from the time they take the stage till the time they play and sing their last note. The band features a lead singer(James himself), a three piece horn section, a three girl singers, and a four piece rythm section. This will definitely be a night to Rock, Roll and Remember. You can check out the band at: www.jamesdoolinandthemob.com
Sunday August 3rd - Patti Parks Blues Band
Patti Parks won 5 nominations at the 2007 Buffalo Music Awards. Patti and the band gets steady airplay on Buffalo/Toronto Blues Radio. Patti and her band won the "2006 Memphis Bound Competition" earning them a trip to Memphis to represent New York State in this international competition. Ms. Parks has armed herself with some of the top musicians in the Buffalo/Toronto area. Patti and her band always deliver with high energy performances that leave the audience asking for more. The bands music is well known throughout the Buffalo/Toronto blues scene. Patti currently has two songs "Cheatin Man" and "Happy You're Mine" playing in regular rotation on Buffalo Blues radio WBFO 88.7 FM. You can check out Patti and her band at www.pattiparks.com.
Sunday August 17th - Ladies First Big Band
In Concert Number 5 we are bringing the Big Band sound to Waterfront Park. The beach is known for the top Big Bands both locally and nationally that would play on the boat and in the dance hall each summer. We are very pleased to bring one of the areas top big bands to Waterfront Park to celebrate the musical tradition of Crystal Beach.
The Ladies First Big Band is a 16-pc. all-female group formed by bassist Jennifer May. The band has its roots in a six piece ensemble, started in 1994, by Jennifer, saxophonist Jennie Jones, and drummer Peggy Scalzo.
In March of 2003, Jennifer assembled a Big Band around this original septet for a show she was producing in celebration of Women's History Month. The show, "An All Female Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald," was performed at Allen Hall on the University of Buffalo South Campus and was very successful. Encouraged by this success, Jennifer and the other musicians decided to stay together as a big band.
Since that first appearance, the Ladies First Big Band has celebrated Women's History Month every year with a new production of "Women of Jazz by Women of Jazz", a tribute to female jazz performers. The band perfoms at area venues such as the Tralfamadore Music Hall and Riviera Theatre as well as events such as the M&T Noontime Summer Concert Series, Canal Fest, and Taste of Buffalo. You can check out the band at their website: www.ladiesfirstjazz.com
This Concert is sponsored in part by the
Bay Beach Property Owners Association.
Our Waterfront Concerts are co-sponsored by:
and the
Crystal Beach Improvement Area
The Bay Beach Property Owner's Assn.
Concerts at Crystal Beach have been around for a long time as you can read in the 1899 and 1954 newspaper articles above.
This article appeared in the December 2006 "International Musicians Newspaper". It is a review of our final concert of 2006 featuring the Can-Am Big Band.
The Can-Am Big Band performing at Crystal Beach Amusement Park August 27.
The venue, long popular with big bands, is swinging again thanks to the efforts of The Friends of Crystal Beach.
Crystal Beach Keeps Memories Clear
Music, laughter, and applause can still be heard on the site of Crystal Beach Amusement Park, even though it was abandoned 17 years ago. The sounds aren't the echoes of ghosts haunting the deserted grounds along the shore of Lake Erie, but noise from an eager-to-please crowd listening to what hasn't been heard there in years--live music. "The park closed in 1989, but they had a ballroom there that was absolutely fantastic," says Robert Long of Local 298 (Niagara Falls, ON). "Every big band you can think of played there." But the ballroom and dance hall, like many of the parks other structures--the gaming booths and wooden roller coaster--were demolished years ago. Long says that this was a true shame. In 2002, a group called The Friends of Crystal Beach was started. The larger goal of the organization is to enrich the local community through various events ranging from arts shows to marathon runs. Another annual event, the Waterfront Park Concert Series, served as the perfect way for Long to remind folks about the area's rich musical history. "We tried to keep the nostalgia going and it seems to be working," he says. Long is one of the founders of the Can-Am Big Band, a group whose members are citizens of both the US and Canada. "The last time we played, in August, well over 1,000 people showed up," he adds. "It was the biggest crowd yet." Long also takes joy in knowing that his efforts have brought people together. "The idea behind the Can-Am Big Band is that the relations between the US and Canada are strong," he says, adding that a raised awareness of Crystal Beach's past enhances his joy. "The concerts are really catching on, with people coming from all over." And while proud of the efforts he has made to preserve the past and entertain the people, Long remains humble about his skills. "I'll be honest, we're not going to Vegas," he says of the band. "We're all older guys. But we love this."
Bob Long passed away this year doing what he loved so much, rehearsing for the "next gig". We will always remember Bob Long for his love of music, his dedication to the art, and his desire to get it out so all may enjoy it. We will miss you Bob.
Our last concert of the year featured the Can-Am Big Band playing the music that so many people remember from the days of the beautiful dance hall in the Crystal Beach Amusement Park. We also included a media show to go along with the music in hopes that it would take those in attendance on a stroll back through time and help recapture some of the magic of past summers here on the shores of Lake Erie. Prior to the start of the concert there was a formal dedication of the Memorial in Waterfront Park honoring the Canadiana. After the concert we showed a video of the Park in its heyday. This was truly a night celebrating "Music and Memories of Crystal Beach".
Our Concert dates for the 2008 season are as follows:
