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Ramble returns to Batavia on Saturday

By Howard B. Owens

It's Ramble time, so ramble on down to Jackson Square this Saturday for good music, good art, good friends and good food.

Batavia's premier music and art event opens at 11 a.m. with remarks by local author Bill Kauffman.

Here's the music schedule:

On the electric stage (in Jackson Square):

11:00 - 11:15    Opening Ceremonies
11:15 - 11:45    The Ghost Riders
11:50 - 12:20    Warren Skye and Friends
12:25 - 12:55    Bluesway
1:00 - 1:30    Dave Reynolds Band
1-35- 2:05    Get It Ensemble
2:10 - 2:40    Little Trolls
2:45 - 3:15    Verse
3:20 - 3:50    Rich Lullo Band
3:55 - 4:25    Pigeon Post Stringband
4:30 - 5:00    Sierra
5:00 - 5:15    Memorial Celebration
5:20 - 5:50    Buffalo Road Show    
5:55 – 6:25    Savage Cabbage
6:30 – 7:00    General Disarray
7:05 – 7:35    Russ Peters Group (RPG)
7:40 – 8:10    Double Image
8:15 – 8:45    Taken
8:50 – 9:20    Keaton

Acoustic stage (on Center Street, next to Adam Miller):

11:20 -11:50    Good Morning Helen
11:55 – 12:25    -1 (Minus One)
12:30 – 1:00    Rockabully’s
1:05 – 1:35    Uncle Rog
1:40 – 2:10    Not Far From The Tree
2:15 – 2:45    Sierra Unplugged
2:50 – 3:20    ADub and Timmy P
3:25 – 3:55    Michael Disanto
4:00 – 4:30    Dave Armatage
4.30 – 5:00    Kate Francis

5:25 – 5:55    Brent Persia
6:00 – 6:30    Old Hippies
6:35 – 7:05    Four Dead Trees
7:10 – 7:40    Shotgun and Gator
7:45 – 8:15    Crosstown
8:20 – 8:50    Apostle
8:55 – 9:25    Dave Hollenbeck & Friends

In the photo: Kauffman, Michael Murray, Bill Pitcher, Tim Pitcher, Bill McDonald, Kay McMahon, Tom Tescott and Kevin Moyles.

Reviews starting to come in for Bill Kauffman's 'Copperhead'

By Howard B. Owens

"Copperhead," the movie with the screenplay by local author Bill Kauffman, opens in theaters around the United States today and the film has received mostly positive reviews so far.

A screening in Gettysburg, billed as the world premiere, earned director Ron Maxwell a standing ovation.

Writer James Simpson, in a piece of PJ Media, takes a detailed look at the historical and political context of the movie and concludes,

This is a movie well worth seeing; both for its accurate depiction of the times, its rich narrative, and the unique, rarely discussed subject matter, which was in fact a major component of the days’ controversies. It is also completely family friendly – a rarity in Hollywood these days.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the L.A. Times critic comes off as a bit of a snob and calls the film "lugubrious."

Another Hollywood-based critic says the film is purely for history buffs (while too narrowly constricting the scope of the audience, may be a bit of a left-handed compliment -- this isn't "Fast & Furious 6").

That writer, John DeFore, seems to believe only "Tea Party" types care about the Constitution, writing, "Beech is a dairy farmer who's opposed to slavery but, in language that will resonate with Tea Party-affiliated viewers, argues that Lincoln's war is unconstitutional."

Apparently, one must not color outside of the lines in Mr. DeFore's world.

Though, one of the more favorable reviews has come from Katie Kieffer, writing for the conservative Web site Town Hall.

Copperhead is worth seeing because it re-tells American history with an intimate, engaging and non-textbook approach.

It will be interesting to watch the different reactions to the film from America's various political factions -- especially the simple-minded red state/blue state divide -- to a film that challenges pat answers to questions about the Civil War.

Kauffman has said the movie isn't intended to be preachy or a message movie, except maybe to reinvigorate the lost notion in America of the value of dissent.

In his own lengthy piece about the film for Front Porch Republic, Kauffman writes about the constricting nature of political debate in the country these days.

We live in a time and in a country which finds principled dissent of the sort exercised by Eugene V. Debs and Abner Beech almost incomprehensible. In one sense, freedom of expression knows no bounds: Internet pornography, snuff-game videos, libelous tweets – laissez faire, man. But with respect to politics, art, culture…seldom in American history have the limits of permissible speech been so narrow, so constricting. True, our Eugene Debses aren’t usually thrown into gaols, but nor do they become cause célèbres, like Debs. Their prison is the red state-blue state idiocy under which the limits of acceptable opinion are demarcated by Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, and writers live in the fear (which, I can tell you as one who has long worked with members of the DC punditocracy, absolutely paralyzes careerists) of saying the wrong thing and running afoul of the hall monitors and tattletales who police American discourse.

In media coverage closer to home, Jay Moran interviews Kauffman for WBFO.

"Copperhead" is playing in Pittsford and Williamsville.

Previously:

'Copperhead' hits all of Kauffman's themes, and is a big hit with screening audience

By Howard B. Owens

If Bill Kauffman sat down to write a screenplay, the result would surely be the movie "Copperhead."

The ideal Kauffman film would take a look at a side of history that is little known and rarely discussed. The lead character would be a dissenter, the holder of unpopular opinions who won't bow to conformity. The major themes would be love of family, community before nation, and fealty to the Constitution. It would show how war rips asunder these values as brutally as it maims bodies and damages souls.

This is, indeed, the movie "Copperhead," based on the 1893 novel, "The Copperhead," by Utica-born Harold Frederic. The screenplay is by Batavia's (and Elba's) own Bill Kauffman.

A packed house at Genesee Community College's Stuart Steiner Theater of Kauffman partisans -- friends and family, mostly -- viewed a special screening Thursday night of "Copperhead." We applauded when Kauffman's first film credit rolled across the screen and clapped again for his daughter, Gretel, whose credit was for one of the two "giggling girls" at a barn dance.

We also all applauded in appreciation as the final scene faded to black and credits for all the grips and technicians and wardrobe staff rolled across the screen.

It is a very good movie.

The story line -- without trying to give away too much -- is about a small Upstate New York farm community in 1862. The town is largely Republican with a view of the war in line with the Lincoln Administration.

Abner Beech opposes the war. He's a Democrat. He's no "slaver" he says, but he considers Lincoln's war unlawful.

"It is Abraham Lincoln," Beech tells Avery (played by Peter Fonda), "and his Republicans tearing us apart, and the Constitution. Closing down newspapers, putting critics in prison, enlisting mere boys to fight in his unconstitutional war."

The scene is near the start of the film and Kauffman said during the Q&A after the screening that it's a critical scene. It sets the themes of the entire movie.

Avery's character wasn't included in Frederic's original novel, but Kauffman said one of the faults with the original story was it was rather one-sided in its point of view.

"He never gives the pro-Lincoln, the pro-war side a fair shake," Kauffman said. "It's only about Abner Beech and in the film we made the community more of a character, so I introduced the Fonda character to be an articulate advocate for that point of view."

Near the end of the exchange, Avery says, "The union, Abner, doesn't the union mean anything to you?"

Abner, played by Billy Campbell, looks at Avery with sad eyes, but also affection.

"It means something. It means more than something. But it doesn't mean everything. My family means more to me. The farm. The Corners means more. New York State means more to me. Though we disagree, Avery, ye mean more to me than any union."

A good portion of what Bill Kauffman has written in his nine books could be summed up in those eight sentences.

Asked how closely the Kauffman-esque polemic aligned with Frederic's own work, Kauffman laughed and said, "it's a seamless and harmonious melding."

Director Ron Maxwell, in Batavia for the screening, picked up the question.

"It's what we choose to do," said Maxwell, whose previous screen credits include "Gettysburg" and "Gods and Generals." "It's why this novel, instead of that novel.

"Having spent as much time as I have tilling these fields, going on 30 years of these Civil War movies, for myself, it was a completely different exploration. Where the previous two movies were, to generalize, they were cinematic meditations on what good, powerful, ethical men should be when they go to war. When you look at those films, you have a strong, full-throated point of view for the men who wore the blue or the men who wore the gray.

"Along the way," he continued, "the question is, what about the good, honorable, ethical men who chose not to go to war, and in fact, the very same war? This is one of the very few novels that raises that question about the Civil War."

Abner's opposition to the war is not without consequence. It becomes a wedge between him and his son. It leads to bitterness, hatred and violence among the townspeople.

The home front has rarely been portrayed by Hollywood, and certainly not from a dissenter's point of view during the commonly accepted "good wars" (the Civil War and World War II).

Maxwell and Kauffman have been friends since the mid-1990s and one day a few years ago they discovered they had both read "The Copperhead" and thought it an interesting and largely unexplored aspect of the Civil War. They agreed it might make a good movie, so Kauffman set about writing the screenplay.

It was no easy task -- and it never is -- getting the film funded, but eventually cast and crew were dispatched to a settlement town in New Brunswick, Canada, where all of the scenes take place.  It looks very much like Upstate New York.

Maxwell said in shooting a movie like this, you don't think about the politics of it. He doesn't like to make, he said, movies with overt political messages. He would rather explore questions and not give answers. When cast and crew are in production, they're in 1862. They're not even thinking about what happened in 1863, let alone 2013, but he knows others will apply today's current events to the issues raised in the movie.

Just the same day, he noted, President Obama has made a military commitment to Syria, so now the U.S. is involved in three wars.

"This movie is going to go into this world where we already have neighbors who are in Afghanistan," Maxwell said. "We all know military families who are suffering. This movie is to a large extent about the families who are home, worried about their relatives, so the context may be 1862, but it is relevant to our world and those kinds of inferences will be made and they probably should be made."

"Copperhead" opens nationwide June 28.

Top photo, Bill Kauffman; bottom, Ron Maxwell.

Stage production of Charlotte's Web opens Friday at GCC

By Howard B. Owens

GCC's Forum Players Theater Company presents "Charlotte's Web" this week, opening at 7 p.m. Friday in the Stuart Steiner Theater.

Alumna Jaime Arena directs the production, which also shows at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

From a press release:

The show is being produced with the support of The BEST Center at GCC by special arrangement with the Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Ill. Originally published in 1952, E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web” chronicles the life of Wilbur the pig  (played by 2010 GCC alumnus Robert Reiss). Born the runt of the litter, Wilbur is saved first by 8-year old Fern Arable (Brianna Jones of Batavia) who stops her father (played by GCC English Professor Norm Gayford) from killing the pig and nurses him to good health. In the barn at the Zuckerman farm, Wilbur encounters a spider named Charlotte (Margaret Gayford, of Warsaw High School), who spins magic when Wilbur’s life is again in danger. A timeless tale of bravery, selfless love, and the true meaning of friendship, the play is adapted for stage by Joseph Robinette.

Other cast members include: Kayli Wilson (Canastota) and Jordan Griffiths (Milford) as narrators; Sania Hyatt (New York City) as Templeton; Courtney Amesbury (Bergen) as Mrs. Arable; William Rupp (Batavia) as Avery; Christian Hoffman (Hilton) as Homer Zuckerman; Alayna Zimbrich (Hilton) as Edith Zuckerman; Tony E. Heard (Fillmore) as Lurvy; Emily Jones (Waterloo) as Goose; and Norm Gayford as Old Sheep. William Rupp, Norm Gayford and Emily Jones will play fairgoers while Brianna Jones, Tony E. Heard and William Rupp will appear as spiders.

All tickets for the show are $5. An autograph session will be held after each performance. Tickets can be purchased by cash, check or credit card from the GCC box office at (585) 345-6814 or boxoffice@genesee.edu.

Photos from today's dress rehearsal by Howard Owens.

'Sound sculpture' musician to perform at Masonic Temple, hosted by Blue Pearl Yoga

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

"Matt Venuti's performance opens the heart, quiets the mind, and deeply touches the soul" ~ Arun Gandhi, author, lecturer, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

Multi-instrumentalist/composer Matt Venuti is one of the world's premier players of the Hang, the most exciting new acoustic instrument of the 21st Century and one of the most captivating and versatile of all time. Better described as a sound sculpture than a typical instrument, Hang means hand in Swiss -- pure magic!

Matt's compositions and performances have been commended by worldwide fans of his original music. He has a history of performing at progressive happenings like the TED Conferences and gala events worldwide, either as a soloist or with his San Francisco based ensemble, The Venusians.

He tours throughout most of the year performing solo Hang concerts and FreeFlow Yoga events.

CLICK HERE to read a recent article written about Matt for the Huffington Post about FreeFlow.

CLICK HERE videos of him playing.

For pre-sale tickets buy on line or stop in the studio call : 585-230-5430​ or visit our Web site: www.bp-yoga.com

Thursday, June 20 | 7 p.m. | $15/ pre sale | $20/ door

Photos: Acoustic duo at Center Street Smokehouse

By Howard B. Owens

After covering Section V playoff baseball at Dwyer Stadium, I stopped in Center Street Smokehouse to warm up and found myself enjoying the acoustic duo the Steve Balisteri Band. Since I had my camera with me, I thought I'd make a couple of photos.

I'll have coverage of the baseball games in the morning. Batavia won 1-0 and Notre Dame won 2-0.

Harvester Artisan Market 56 Harvester Ave, Batavia

By lucie griffis

The Harvester Artisan Market will be a unique selection of local &regional artisans/ crafters, food, and entertainment varying Saturdays from 10am -4pm.

You never know what you might find at the market!

We are looking for artisans/crafters, food, and entertainment. For more information call 585-768-8147 or email griffewsclan@yahoo.com.

Event Date and Time
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Photo: Cast of 'On Broadway IV' presented by the Batavia Players

By Howard B. Owens

Batavia Players opened "On Broadway IV" tonight with a dinner theater production at Terry Hills.

The show offers selections from several Broadway musical hits, such as "The Heights," "Footloose," "Jersey Boys" and "Mamma Mia!"

The show continues this week at the 56 Theater, 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday.

"On Broadway IV" is directed by Scott Laird and choreographed by Nikki Lanich.

The cast includes Brenda Andrews, Shellene Bailey, Alex Balbi, Aryn Bielski, Gabrielle Henry, Teressa Hirsch, Nash Johns, Kim Laird, Scott Laird, Nikki Lanich, Trevor Lee, Andrew Magin, Amy Martin, Paul Spiotta, Erin Stamp, Brianna Strassner, Anita Strollo, Serena Strollo-Dicenso, Amanda Melissa Taylor and Keara Zerillo.

Big Time Rush and Victoria Justice added to Darien Lake concert line up.

By Howard B. Owens

Live Nation announced two more shows today for their annual summer concert series at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, with Big Time Rush and Victoria Justice performing locally July 28.

Big Time Rush will be touring in support of the band's third album, scheduled for release this summer.

Already announced for the season are:

  • Tim McGraw, May 26
  • Zac Brown, June 23
  • Dave Matthews, July 3
  • Vans Warped Tour, July 6
  • Train, July 13
  • Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, July 14
  • John Mayer, Aug. 13
  • Maroon 5, Sept. 4.

Trailer for Bill Kauffman's 'Copperhead' released, film opens June 28

By Howard B. Owens

A screenplay by local author Bill Kauffman has been turned into a major motion picture and today the official trailer was released by the studio.

"Copperhead," set in Civil War-era Upstate New York, deals with the wars effects on people far removed from the battlefields.

The film opens nationally in theaters June 28.

The subject matter of the film -- a seldom portrayed aspect of Civil War America -- may be well-timed following the box office and critical success of the movie "Lincoln."

Copperhead stars Billy Campbell, Peter Fonda, Augustus Prew and Angus Macfadyen and is directed by Ronald F. Maxwell. The screenplay is an adaptation of a novel by Harold Frederic. Frederic, of Utica, wrote "The Copperhead" in 1893.

Kauffman, born in Batavia and a resident of Elba, is the author of "Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette" and eight other books.

Batavia Concert Band accepting applications for conductor

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Batavia Concert Band is already preparing for their 2013 Summer Concert Series in Centennial Park.  As part of those preparations, the Board of Directors is currently soliciting applications for the position of Conductor. Interested applicants may contact President Jill Arent for more information, including application materials.  Jill may be reached at lizllij@gmail.com.

Walton signs Hollywood management deal

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Local entrepreneur Tim Walton has gotten the break he has been waiting for. Walton recently signed a deal with rapper Ya Boy to take over management details for the artist. Ya Boy, aka YB The Rockstar, is the cousin of Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson and is based out of the Hollywood/ Las Angeles area.

"It's a huge opportunity. YB called me and asked me to run his marketing and promotions and before I knew it he asked me to take over his full management detail."

Walton's duties will be to book shows, television appearances, marketing and distribution plans as well as negotiate endorsement and performance deals for the rapper. YB has been a known artist since 2005 and has recently began to expand himself to work with bigger artists including Wiz Khalifa, Akon, DJ Drama, The Game, Tyga, Far East Movement and many more.
 
"I'm excited to be able to make things happen on a much larger scale. There's a lot of potential and a lot of opportunity for me to do some big things here."
 
Although the current opperations mostly take place in California, Walton has been giving the opportunity to stay in New York for now and can explore other options in the future.

Photos: Serendipity Swing at Terry Hills

By Howard B. Owens

For music lovers, the best place to be in Batavia this afternoon was Terry Hills, where Serendipity Swing serenaded a lunch crowd of more than 100 people.

Chef Gene Hewitt (pictured below) prepared a lavish buffet lunch that featured fish, roast beaf, soups (including Terry Hill's famous seafood bisque) and salad.

Toastmasters Humorous & Evaluation Contest

By Eugenia Volino

Toastmasters Humorous & Evaluation Speech Contest on 10-5-12 @ 6 p.m. at the Genesee Community College cost is $10 includes Sandwich Bar and contest will begin promptly @ 7:00 p.m. For more information please visit our website @ www.speakuptoastmasters.orgor call 343-2640 information.

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Music licensing agency putting squeeze on local governments for fees

By Howard B. Owens

The music industry has apparently found a new source of revenue: taxpayers.

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is, according to County Attorney Chuck Zambito, asking local governments to sign a licensing agreement for public performances of music and pay an annual fee for the privilege.

The fee varies based on population.

Legislator Ray Cianfrini called the fee "shakedown money" in the Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday.

The committee voted 4-1 (Cianfrini voted no) to sign the agreement and pay ASCAP an annual fee of $637.

The license agreement will protect the county from an ASCAP-initiated lawsuit over any public performances of music on county property, but also limits what the county can allow without additional licenses.

For example, the county can't host a community orchestra or band on its property without paying an additional licensing fee.

The license agreement also requires regular reporting of any events on county property -- such as the Holland Land Office Museum or the nursing home -- where music is played along with a copy of any program that goes with the event. If a band or DJ performs, the county must disclose the performer, provide contact information, and disclose whether the performer is licensed by ASCAP to perform ASCAP-licensed music.

"This is being discussed in every county in the state and most of them are saying they're just going to do it because it's not that much money and they don't want to fight it," Zambito said. "If we don't sign it, they're going to come around and see us."

According to Zambito, local governments that have refused to sign the agreement have already received visits from ASCAP auditors.

The penalty, according to a brochure published by ASCAP, for performing copyrighted music without permission is from $750 to $30,000 per song.

According to the brochure, a public performance of music is:

The Copyright Law defines a public performance as one “in a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is gath- ered.”

The law requires a license for all public performances, whether from a recording or by a live musician. 

ASCAP is only one licensing agency and doesn't own licensing rights to all of the songs currently under copyright. There's also BMI, for example, and Zambito said so far BMI hasn't started contacting local governments.

The license fee is some formula created by ASCAP, Zambito said, based on population and other factors.

"The bottom line is they just came up with some artificial number just to get money out of you," Zambito said.

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