You know the music of our Canadian neighbor Gord Downie but what you may not know is that His Tragical Hipness is also a big environmental booster. Like Natalie Merchant helping Western New York put the kaibash on logging in Allegany State Park, Gord isn't afraid to put his cred on the line for the cause of Green. And in a summer where even southern Republican governors have publicly thrown their arms around the environment, we would expect nothing less than some environmental Big Love from Gord on his next visit our way. And visit our side of the border he will, this Saturday night in Niagara Falls, with environmental message in tow.
Calling Gord a "genuine Canadian treasure," Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster said that "many people may not know that Gord has been a leader in protecting our environment -- on both sides of the border -- through his work with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and other grass roots environmental efforts. We are going to recognize Gord Downie -- certainly for his talent as a performer, but also for his work to protect our water, air, and land."
One of a series of free concerts and other public events being held in the region's coolest outdoor venue since the Commercial Slip, Gord and the rest of the lineup put together by the Hard Rock Café will thump Old Falls Street, which opened to public fanfare and acclaim as our region's Greenest Street a month ago. Unlike his yearly gigs at Artpark with The Hip, on this visit Gord will be fronting for Country of Miracles, this year's collaborators on his first solo album since 2003.
One has a sense that "The Falls" is at long last getting its act together -- no thanks to the casino which sucked up (in every sense) a big swath of downtown with as yet little discernible revitalization effect. Instead, the difference is being made by smart redevelopment projects such as Old Falls Street, a renewed emphasis on the Niagara River and gorge, efforts to remove the parkway, investment in neighborhoods, and preservation of historic resources. If you never get off the tourist-beaten paths in the Falls -- or if you just hustle on through on your way to the Canadian side -- you're missing the city's rich trove of historic buildings and neighborhoods. And the arts -- with places like the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center that rival what you'd expect to find in cities like New York, Toronto, or Chicago.
In efforts to find a better day for the city, Mayor Dyster is clearly a mayor who gets it (see some of his comments on the opening of Old Falls Street here). Also the USA Niagara Development Corporation, an arm of Empire State Development, which is now thankfully led by a no-nonsense guy from my neck of the woods who knows what it takes to make things happen on this side of the soda-pop line. It's great to see Niagara Falls getting less tragic and more hip -- and more green.
And about the green: at some point in the concert (perhaps around 7PM), Mayor Dyster will be honoring Gord for his environmental advocacy with a proclamation and a key to the city (mayors do these things). And as Gord is a big supporter of the Waterkeeper Alliance -- an international network of organizations which work to keep their local water bodies "swimmable, fishable, drinkable," and which includes WNY's own Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper -- Julie Barrett O'Neill, executive director and Riverkeeper, will be speaking as well.
The concert starts at 6:15 PM, and is free -- but bring some extra "green" for drinks and fun. Gord is slated to go on about 8:30, and fireworks scheduled for 9:40 will put the exclamation point on the end of the concert.
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Calling Gord a "genuine Canadian treasure," Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster said that "many people may not know that Gord has been a leader in protecting our environment -- on both sides of the border -- through his work with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and other grass roots environmental efforts. We are going to recognize Gord Downie -- certainly for his talent as a performer, but also for his work to protect our water, air, and land."
One of a series of free concerts and other public events being held in the region's coolest outdoor venue since the Commercial Slip, Gord and the rest of the lineup put together by the Hard Rock Café will thump Old Falls Street, which opened to public fanfare and acclaim as our region's Greenest Street a month ago. Unlike his yearly gigs at Artpark with The Hip, on this visit Gord will be fronting for Country of Miracles, this year's collaborators on his first solo album since 2003.
One has a sense that "The Falls" is at long last getting its act together -- no thanks to the casino which sucked up (in every sense) a big swath of downtown with as yet little discernible revitalization effect. Instead, the difference is being made by smart redevelopment projects such as Old Falls Street, a renewed emphasis on the Niagara River and gorge, efforts to remove the parkway, investment in neighborhoods, and preservation of historic resources. If you never get off the tourist-beaten paths in the Falls -- or if you just hustle on through on your way to the Canadian side -- you're missing the city's rich trove of historic buildings and neighborhoods. And the arts -- with places like the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center that rival what you'd expect to find in cities like New York, Toronto, or Chicago.
In efforts to find a better day for the city, Mayor Dyster is clearly a mayor who gets it (see some of his comments on the opening of Old Falls Street here). Also the USA Niagara Development Corporation, an arm of Empire State Development, which is now thankfully led by a no-nonsense guy from my neck of the woods who knows what it takes to make things happen on this side of the soda-pop line. It's great to see Niagara Falls getting less tragic and more hip -- and more green.
And about the green: at some point in the concert (perhaps around 7PM), Mayor Dyster will be honoring Gord for his environmental advocacy with a proclamation and a key to the city (mayors do these things). And as Gord is a big supporter of the Waterkeeper Alliance -- an international network of organizations which work to keep their local water bodies "swimmable, fishable, drinkable," and which includes WNY's own Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper -- Julie Barrett O'Neill, executive director and Riverkeeper, will be speaking as well.
The concert starts at 6:15 PM, and is free -- but bring some extra "green" for drinks and fun. Gord is slated to go on about 8:30, and fireworks scheduled for 9:40 will put the exclamation point on the end of the concert.
This was a good show. Timing was good between concert and fireworks. Plenty of 'blue bathrooms'. Good choice between some different beers or Jack D. mixed drink.
Casino is an easy target to bash, but no a night like this it's obvious that their deep pockets help fund at least some of it.
Apparently the world is full of monsters we need the left to nag us about at every opportunity - the casino that people are forced to spend money at, "southern Republican governors", logging, drinking water that would be filthy if not for musicians saying it should be clean, ....
At least Downie gets some credit for skipping the green message during his show. There was plenty before it, from others. Kind of expected him (or at least would have put up with it... it being a free show) to lecture a bit, but he gets points for sticking to the music, and showing a pretty good sense of humor.