Welcome the ReConnecter to our site! One of the things The Buffalo Hive is seeking to do is to collaborate with great people already doing great things around Buffalo and the entire Western New York region. One of them is Seamus Gallivan, who has been tirelessly dedicated to bringing the communities of the region together, whether it’s for music, bicycling or social change. His weekly roundup for the “The ReConnecter” is an always-enthusiastic look at some of the things going on in our community. — Elmer Ploetz, Editor-in-Chief, The Buffalo Hive

Notes and Events for Social Connection

By Seamus Gallivan

This email will be shorter once the website fully launches
Sharing is caring!
Reflecting on last week’s events – a new mesmerizing music group?
Musings on Music – I love a reunion!
Featured Events – 31 this week, submissions welcome!
Listening Links – the threats to democracy, continued
Reading Rundown – local, international

Welcome to the Reconnecter Roundup! This free weekly email connects people, places and causes by featuring events, news and notes.

Happy Monday, y’all! Another week of peak engagement here – thank you all for opening, reading and clicking through! If you’re appreciating this content, would you please share this with others who might enjoy it and encourage them to subscribe as well? Sharing is caring, thanks in advance!

This section is again a bit thin this week, as I’m now unpacking from a move.

Last week I invited everyone to join me on a blanket front and center at the Bidwell Concert Series, so glad that a bunch of folks came through, thank you all! Afterward, at Jack Rabbit on Elmwood, Tuesday night resident musician Grace Lougen was joined by monthly featured artist and Grosh bandmate Megan Brown along with guests Alex McArthur fresh from the Bidwell stage and longtime friend and bandmate Grace Stumberg for a slew of impromptu songs guided by heavenly harmony, both from the singers’ voices and the vibe between them.

Grace Lougen is the anchor of it all, holding down the sound with percussive finger-picking and a deep well of songs along with an inviting personality that brings people together on and offstage. Her Tuesday residence at Jack Rabbit – recently relocated after seven years at KO Bar & Grill before the owner there retired with a grand closing jam – is such a celebration of friendship and music, growing in wonderful ways.

And what happens at Jack Rabbit jumps onto other stages – come Thursday, when Grace and Megan were joined by singer Sue Kincaid for a July 4th jam at the Harbor Walk, formerly The Hatch at Erie Basin Marina and now booked by Jeff Miers as the Music Matters summer concert series, their joy and power in the moment made the videographer below shake like a boat on the lake, and left the crowd calling for more than just an encore, an outright new group – more to come? I’ll do my part!

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Musings on Music

Son of the Sun set to shine again!

I love a reunion! And I love the band Son of the Sun, which had a great run around the turn of the 2010s – we put on shows together from here to Toronto and Austin, and they put their all into them with carefully-crafted songs and a cathartic rock n roll show, before calling it a run while staying friends and forming other bands.

Frontman Zak Ward moved into an array of solo projects and the band First Ward, along with founding a 90s cover band brilliantly called Kurt & the Loders along with guitarist Jeremy Franklin – who’s known more now as dance DJ J Victor, though he recently joined the band Deadwolf. While drummer Brandon Delmont stayed prolific including new bands The Lindbergh Babies and A House Safe for Tigers while staying a first-call ringer for tribute bands such as Pastmasters and the Black Rock Beatles, fellow Sons Joseph Stocker (Bureau) and Stevie Matthews (Brickyard BBQ & Brewing) have made more waves in brick and mortar businesses by day.

Thanks to the folks at Buffalo Place for stirring the Sons back onstage to relive “The Good Ole Days,” with the Tigers opening this Thursday – starting the trip down memory lane here with a 2010 video interview before a Nietzsche’s show by Ben Tsujimoto for The Buffalo News that I sat in on, followed by the studio version of the song I mentioned in it, and a live cut for that catharsis – if you dig it too, join us Thursday downtown!

Events in the Week Ahead

Thanks to all submitting their events – click on each image for more info! Welcoming event submissions with a flyer and link to seamus@reconnecter.org.

Slow Roll is in need of new board members – click here to inquire.

Listening Links

As we prepare to launch the Reconnecter podcast and a section for podcasts on our website, adding weekly listening links that align with the intentions of Reconnecter.

Staying on the subject of After That Debate, the Risk of Biden Is Clear, the Ezra Klein Show continues with, What Is the Democratic Party For? and Is Kamala Harris Underrated? while replaying a February episode showing Ezra’s been on this issue all year – How an Open Democratic Convention Would Work.

What’s Next? | Reconnecting to Prevent Social Unrest – WBFO – Leaving this link up for a while, as I’m honored to have been invited onto this profound program – this went real deep from the jump, please listen! Here’s how they described it: “Seamus Gallivan’s latest endeavor is Reconnecter, a ‘social connection space’ that aims to bring people together in person and online ‘by illuminating the ties that bind us.’ That means music showcases, variety shows, and media elements — all to help provide a need that he believes can help prevent social unrest. Gallivan sits down with Thomas O’Neil-White to speak about the power of reconnection and his plans for the new project.”

Reading Rundown

With intent to connect, inform, and inspire action, every Reconnecter Roundup closes with links to other sources and stories that deserve more attention. Always welcoming links to read and share at seamus@reconnecter.org.

Political gains for foes of Kensington Expressway project– Investigative Post – “A slate of progressive challengers won seats on the Erie County Democratic Committee. All support restoring Humboldt Parkway rather than covering a portion of the expressway.”

Buffalo Council member calls for city to establish gun violence prevention office – The Buffalo News – “The Tops mass shooting that killed 10 people was a catalyst for the creation of the White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, but the city still lacks a similar office.”

GOBike Buffalo is continuing its effort to make our streets safer and more accessible – Buffalo Rising – “GOBike Buffalo, which built out its new headquarters at 313 Broadway in April of last year, is a bustling sphere of activity and collaboration.”

Most state permits for Western New York’s biggest air polluters expired years ago – The Buffalo News – “And some of those polluters with expired permits have been producing skyrocketing greenhouse gas emissions…”

Loads of Love wants to help Masten Park with new laundromat, apartments – The Buffalo News – “Brandi Barrett and Jackeysi Benitez are feeling loads of love for the East Side and the environment.”

What happened to The Buffalo News? – Four Bites – “On this Independence Day, the first without a print edition of The Buffalo News since 1880-ish, here’s my answer”

Music is Art Festival moves to Outer Harbor – Miers on Music – “‘After months of planning, Music is Art Festival organizers and AKG staff have agreed that too many challenges stand in the way of presenting our annual music festival on the grounds of Buffalo’s AKG and Buffalo State University without compromising the energy and character of the event,’ a Music is Art press release reads.”

Looking back on my first year at SAMF – Sportsmens Americana Music Foundation – “Over the past year, we’ve had some pretty exciting initiatives and programs going on, and we’ve got much more planned for the rest of the year, and beyond.”

French left coalition comes out on top in elections, in shock upset over the far right – NPR – “The far-right National Rally party did not receive the majority of the parliamentary seats pollsters had predicted. It didn’t even come close.”

Thank YOU for reading this far and being part of it all – extra thanks to everyone supporting this work with a membership at www.reconnecter.org!

Please share with friends to sign up for next Monday’s Reconnecter Roundup, and reach out with any feedback, all ideas welcome – we’re just getting started!