Music is Art is a festival started by Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac – a Buffalo native. You might be aware of it from previous years and you might even be aware of their struggle to find a venue. What you may not be aware of is that since the festival was started in 2003, they have done three musical instrument drives.
The musical instrument drives take donations of gently used instruments. The instruments are then cleaned and refurbished, then placed in area schools. Since its inception, the drive has placed over $200,000 in refurbished instruments into local schools. This year, the drive is going to be partnering with Starbucks.
At 12 Starbucks locations all over WNY, patrons will be able to hear live acoustic music while donating their used instruments. Though 12 Starbucks will have live music, 18 total stores are participating in the drive. The customers who donate an instrument will also receive a coupon for a future purchase at Starbucks. The donations are also tax deductible.
The best part about the drive is that there is no one particular school or type of school that benefits. Public, private, parochial, and charter schools all benefit from the drive, which is being made possible by Starbucks Make Your Mark Foundation. The foundation is donating the stores time and space as well as the means to help refurbish the instruments before they go to area schools.
The series of musicians will play in select Starbucks from August 2 until the 17. The musicians include several Buffalo Music Hall of Fame inductees, which includes Alison Pipitone, Anatara, and Doug Yeomans. Some of the other performers are TJ Zindle of Last Conservative, Davey O of 53 Days, Donna Andreef & Winney Bergner, Still Fighting It, Ali Critelli with Frank Grizanti, Ellen West, Grace Stumberg, and Dee Adams.
You can learn more about the program at the Music is Art website and you can also keep up-to-date by befriending them on their MySpace page. Below is a list of the participating Starbucks stores.
Donations And Musicians:
+Hamburg – TJ Zindle of Last Conservative – 8/2 8-10 p.m. 3540 McKinley Parkway Blasdell, NY 14219
+Lockport – Davey O of 53 Days – 8/4 7-9 p.m. 5774 South Transit Rd Lockport, NY 14094
+Galleria Palms – Anatara – 8/6 7-9 p.m. Galleria Mall (2nd floor) Cheektowaga, NY 14225
+Delaware & Kenmore – Donna Andreef & Winney Bergner – 8/16 6-7 a.m. 2730 Delaware Avenue Buffalo, NY 14217
+Elmwood – Still Fighting It – 8/8 7-9 p.m. 933 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo, NY 14222
+East Aurora – Alison Pipitone – 8/9 3-5 p.m. 160 Main Street E. Aurora, NY 14052
+Eastview Plaza – Doug Yeomans – 8/9 8:30-10 p.m. 8250 Transit Rd. Williamsville, NY 14221
+Transit & French – Ellen West – 8/10 2-4 p.m. 4770 Transit Road Depew, NY 14043
+Delaware & Chippewa – Ali Critelli with Frank Grizanti – 8/12 8-10 p.m. 235 Delaware Ave Buffalo, NY 14202
+Transit Commons – Grace Stumberg – 8/14 7-9 p.m. 9660 Transit Road E. Amherst, NY 14051
+Main Street – To Be Announced – 8/15 8-10 p.m. 5429 Main Street Williamsville, NY 14221
+Jamestown – Dee Adams – 8/17 1-3 p.m. 944 Fairmont Avenue Jamestown, NY 14701
No Musician But Still Taking Donations:
Walden & Anderson – 1775 Walden Avenue Cheektowaga, NY 14225
Galleria Kiosk – Galleria Mall (1st floor)
Williamsville Place – 5395-5495 Sheridan Drive Williamsville, NY 14221
University Plaza – 3500 Main Street Amherst, NY 14226
UB Commons – 520 Lee Entrance Amherst, NY 14228
Niagara Falls Blvd. – 1703 Niagara Falls Boulevard Amherst, NY 14228