Buffalo Rising Online

The demolition of the limestone, late Deco facade is a crime and a complete missed opportunity.

thanks for the pictures.

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I loved the Aud. Many concert memories. Genesis, Yes, Chicago, Jethro Tull, The Police, Rush, Triumph, Phil Collins, Robert Plant, etc... . Remember the smell in the Aud at a concert? Many Sabres memories also. May Day, May Day, May Day!

The Aud was a great place. But it is time to move on. Knock it down and move forward, Buffalo.

No other Venue will ever be like the Aud, it will be greatly missed. I know everytime I go to HSBC arena now I think of how much different it is compared to the Aud. In the Aud you were part of the action because you were so close to everything and the place was so loud, HSBC arena will never have that feel, for better and worse.

Favorite memories of the Aud any one? Prior to professional sports putting such a financial strangle hold on their loyal customers?

My personal tops were: The French Connection, Rick Martin's hat trick in the NHL All Star Game Fans chanting "Thank YOU Sabres" Schoenfeld vs. Cashman, going through the boards Randy Smith Stones concert Bowie concert Gilbert going end to end (so many times I can not count) That God awful roasted, toasted beef at the Aud Club

Yours?

I was just about to mention the Aud Club.

Sabres games, and feeling like I was in the front row despite being up in the blues.

My fondest Aud memory? Aside from May Day, 13-3 win over Ottawa, Calgary brawl, Bandits/ roller hockey championships, first playoff game, etc. there are a few that stand out.

I was 10 years old and got a certified letter in the mail. Any mail is exciting for a kid, especially one that needs to be signed for - ok, my parents were probably a little less enthused.

Anyways, the letter was from the Sabres. I won a contest and had been chosen as 1 of the kids who would each represent an NHL team during a 75th anniversary ceremony before a game. Before the game they gave us a behind the scenes tour, we got to go into the locker room to meet the players. They handed out our jerseys (i represented the Islanders) and our 75th anniversary flag. We marched onto the ice as they announced our name over the PA and stood there proudly for the national anthems. Oh, we won the game too.

Another time my pestering paid off with a program. As I was flipping through I noticed one of my pages had a stamp and that could only mean 1 thing - I won a prize. (trust me I dont win everything, these are fond memories for a reason) I could care less about the prize, it was on an Avis Lube ad and I knew it was car related (guess the $3 paid off for my dad with a free tune-up/oil change) The only thing i cared about was that I knew it meant I got to go up to the pressbox. As any normal kid would do when presented the opportunity, I siezed the moment and ran over to meet Rick Jeanneret while my dad was signing whatever paper he needed to. I was officially the luckiest person in the world.

Finally, my very first trip to the Aud really stands out. Was nothing glamourous, rather just really special. It was either my 7th or 8th birthday, Mom woke me up that morning and said she had something special planned and told me to make sure I didn't get on the bus after school. I can still remember that anxious feeling I had all day. After school she picks me up and we drive downtown. Trust me, I wouldve been happy as day with just that. See, when I was a kid I used to beg my parents to drive me downtown. Not for any particular reason, I just liked looking at all of the tall buildings and feeling the buzz of the traffic. I knew this trip was different the second she parked the car. We got out and walked around looking at the buildings and talking (now my birthday is in January, so she was really going out of her way to make it special for me) We had dinner someplace and I was the happiest boy in the world. She gave me my present, a pair of binoculars, how cool! I assumed this was my suprise until she threw in 'you'll need those where we're going.' Very confusing and as hard as I tried she wouldnt spill the beans. We drove over to the Aud and she said that was it. I had no clue what the building was but there sure were lots of people walking into it. Now let me tell you, those electric atmospheres during a playoff game don't compare to the feeling I had as a young child walking into the Aud for the first time. I was completely mesmerized. The event was Disney on Ice. And it was truly the perfect birthday.

1. When I was 8, my cousins and I bought season tickets for the Stallions. They cost something ridiculous like $20, and we sat in the first row of the oranges. As budding soccer hooligans, we'd make paper airplanes and throw them down at the crowd below. I also remember that there was something hilarious about Stallions GK Paul Maxi's name, but I wasn't sure what it was.

2. Security at the Aud was terrible, thankfully. I remember simply walking into the press box to grab programs, stat sheets, etc. And one time, a friend of mine were able to follow Wayene Gretzky down the tunnel outside the locker rooms, letting him know how much he sucked. We were 9 or 10 at the time, so maybe we can be forgiven for such sacrilege.

3. I loved the old black and white tvs in the upper blues.

Speaking of great birthdays... My Dad and I attended a game on my 10th or 11th Birthday. I wanted to stay and get an autopraph or two, Craig Ramsey was in his first season, might even have been his first game. I approached him in the lobby to tell him it was my birthday and could I get an autograph. He was carrying his game stick and he immediately signed it for me and gave it to me, he was a childhood hero ever since

I can still see Buffalo Jack kicking those balls up into the crowd.......good times for sure. Thank you

As it gets ripped down my feelings are mixed. I had so much fun there watching the Sabres when I was a kid and going to the Shrine circus with my grand parents. I'm excited to see something done with the site but still sad to see it go. Part of me didn't even want to look at these pictures. Its like having a family member pass away and not wanting to see the body. Just want to remember them the way they were.