They live more than 2,000 miles away, performing under the bright lights as one of Las Vegas’ most popular acts. But today, in town for a five-night run at the Seneca Niagara Casino, the Scinta family was honored before the Common Council for their continuing dedication to their hometown, our Queen City.
Mayor Brown and members of the Common Council declared today, July 24, 2007 and each year hereafter Scinta Day in the City of Buffalo. The family of singers was also presented with a key to the city, just the fifth Brown has presented since taking office.
Blending comic interactions with their stellar vocal stylings, the Scintas have captivated Vegas crowds for seven years, and the entertainment world for more than three decades. And at each show, they pay homage to their hometown, whose tough-guy attitude they attribute to the unique style of their show.
“People are very forward in Buffalo, and we always reacted,” Frank explained. “That’s what made us entertainers, that’s how we honed our talent.”
The audience interactions and snappy on-stage responses that brothers Frank and Joe developed on the stages of local piano bars like McGuire’s Arches (since closed) gave them a refreshing and lively style. They added their sister Chrissi and “adopted Scinta” Peter O’Donnell to the mix, and quickly wowed audiences across the country.
“We got that tough Buffalo attitude on stage, which is humorous but not cocky,” Frank added. “We made people laugh, and from that everything just happened.”
The Scintas have taken their show to the road, and this week became the first act to be booked at the Seneca Niagara Casino for more than two nights in a row. All tickets to their five-night run, ending tonight, were sold out in 45 minutes.
“Buffalo is known for its many treasures, and one of those is our people,” Mayor Brown said. “The Scinta family is one of those treasures. For the many people who view their shows from around the world, the Scintas have served as ambassadors to Buffalo.”
Though the family now lives across the country, they have never forgotten the Buffalo roots planted firmly by their mother, affectionately known as Mama Scinta, and their father, Joe “Bucko” Scinta, a former city firefighter. Proving that they haven’t lost touch, the entire family headed out after our interview to grab lunch at LaNova.
When they tire of the bright lights and the big city, perhaps the singing Scintas will return home. For now, we can feel confident these Buffalo ex-pats are out there showing people from around the world that Buffalo is indeed somewhere to be proud of.
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