Wantuch's Wasteland

By: Kristen Becker

For the sake of transparency, let me tell you that I first met Brian Wantuch when I was five years old. Don't worry that I can't be impartial. I wasn't allowed to actually hang out with him until I was 24.

As kids, we lived across the street from one another. Twenty years later, after we had both moved out of state and returned to Buffalo, we ended up across the street from each other again, but this time we were kids playing grown up (and still are). Brian came up to me and said, "Hey, I know you." I tell you this because that is who Brian Wantuch is, the guy no one knows they know.

In the last twenty years, Brian has composed music for live theater (Theater of Youth, New Phoenix and Irish Classical Theatre Company) and was the owner of Wasteland Music on Elmwood Avenue (the first incarnation of which sat at the foot of Lancaster Avenue).  He has taught at Buffalo Academy of Visual Performing Arts, has been a member of IATSE Local 10 for the last decade, had done countless studio and live recordings, formed the band Elevation, had a radio show, worked at Kleinhans--and that's only a portion of his accomplishments. I literally cannot list all that he has done here because it just goes on and on. Suffice to say, this guy is woven into the thread of Buffalo arts.

Most recently, Brian is the man behind Wasteland Studios, Buffalo's newest downtown art mecca.  If you haven't heard of it, let me give you a rundown. A few years ago, 700 Main Street--a 50,000 square foot building--lost a large percentage of its tenants, along with its neighbor, Studio Arena Theater.  Brian approached the building owner with an idea to create a communal space, a home to artists in every genre and medium. "When you walk in and hear a guy practicing, it makes you want to practice," Brian says. "The people here produce, and we feed off each other."

There are currently eleven bands renting practice/studio space at Wasteland, and the development of larger business opportunities are taking shape.  Beyond Divine Machine Tattoo has opened a tattoo parlor on the first floor, offering yoga and massage; they've expanded both their services and their client base. The Vault, an art gallery that I would describe as an intersection of art, is neighbor to the tattoo shop. There is a floor for artists and a floor for photographers. The dance studio is being rented for rehearsals and a dance company is forming. There is no way to say this without sounding like a hippie, but, the energy just feels really good in this building, man.

Brian's long term vision consists of a one stop shop for the arts, able to function within itself and thereby giving birth to countless combinations of collaborations.  I met eight different artists on my visit, and when we needed a picture for this article, lo and behold, Amanda Giczkowski, curator of The Vault and a brilliant photographer in her own right, happened to show up with her camera. That's how things work here.

Another part of Brian's long term vision is the creation of the executive suites.  The creativity felt throughout the building will be encouraged in the offices as well.  Artist in residence, Jeff Vincent, is painting a mural of sky and trees on Brian's ceiling, transforming the ceiling into a giant skylight. "It's bringing the outdoors in, and it gives a local artist the opportunity to create something like a ceiling mural, which is very difficult to do," Brian told me. While I was there, he was in the basement cutting tile into cobblestone shapes. Why?  What else can you make a cobblestone hallway out of?  The executive hallway is designed in the style of a European alley, lamp posts and all.

All this fun stuff is great, but can Wasteland be successful? The building's owner referred to Brian as a "visionary" and told me that Wasteland "is doing better than I expected". Together they are working with UB to incorporate green initiatives for the future.

There is so much going on in this space, it would take 4,000 words to detail every phenomenal artist who is creating here. In addition to those I've mentioned, bands such as Baby Blue Bird and Purgatory Kings have rehearsal/studio space here, photographer Cheryl Gorski is here, as well as the Arts Council and offices for IATSE Local 10.

Wasteland is a great space for professional artists.  Brian is currently looking for music teachers and artists for the spaces that will be completed by the end of this month; only a couple of live music rehearsal spaces remain open. For information about joining the Wasteland community, contact them via email.

Wasteland Studios

700 Main Street

Buffalo, NY 14202

----------------

Kristen Becker is a comedian who started her comedy career in Toronto 8 years ago, and since then has traveled the continent performing and producing shows.  She has opened for national acts such as Doug Stanhope, Josh Blue (Winner of Last Comic Standing), and Ani DiFranco.  Additionally, Kristen beat out 60 contestants (all men) to win the 2006 Queen City Comedy Competition.  Becker was recently named "One of America's Funniest Lesbians" by CURVE Magazine, in a tie for #8 with Lily Tomlin.  Locally, Becker has been producing/hosting the Doin' Time Stand-Up Comedy Showcase at Nietzsche's every Tuesday in Buffalo for the last 4 years.

Photo credit: Amanda Giczkowski