Southtowns Live•American Legion Post No. 928 Newcomb Long — 7353 Erie Road, Derby (947-0928) Fabulous Fifties Band Thursday, May 17 at 2 p.m.•Armor Inn Tap Room — 5381 Abbott Road, Hamburg Harper Friday, May 18 at 9 p.m.•Braymiller’s Lanes — 39 Buffalo St., Hamburg (649-1413) Roger and Annie Saturday, May 19 at 9 p.m.•Hideaway’s Bar and Restaurant — 5440 Camp Road, Hamburg (649-0500) Open Mic with Lana and Dustin from Black Widow every Wednesday at 9 p.m.; every Thursday and Friday Karaoke with DJ Barney at 10 p.m.; Still Tryin’ Saturday, May 19 at 10 p.m.•Jack Devine’s South —4170 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg (649-9190) Ray Wood Friday, May 18 at 6 p.m.•Mason’s Grille 52 — 52 Main St., Hamburg... more

Robert and Dianne Misiak have a hard time referring to their customers as anything other than friends.“Most of the people that come through here are repeat customers, people we have grown to known through the years and people we’ll sadly miss,” said Dianne about their jewelry business in the Village of Hamburg, which will be permanently closing their doors at the end of the month. After 16 successful years at their Pine Street location, the husband and wife team decided to retire to spend more time with family.“It was a difficult decision to come to,” said Robert, who has been in the jewelry business for 45 years. “I kept asking myself, ‘What time is the right time?’”Robert’s passion for designing... more

• The Palace Theatre, 31 Buffalo St., Hamburg (649-2295) Playing from Friday, May 11 through Thursday, May 17:- The Avengers (PG-13) Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12 at 6:30 and 9:15 p.m.; Sunday, May 13 at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.; Monday, May 14 through Thursday, May 17 at 7 p.m. New Angola Theater, 72 North Main St., Angola (549-4866) Playing on Friday, May 11through Tuesday, May 15:- The Avengers 3D (PG-13) Friday, May 11 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 12 at 2, 6 and 8:15 p.m.; Sunday, May 13 at 2 p.m.; Monday, May 14 at 7 p.m.; Tuesday, May 15 at 10:30 a.m.• McKinley Mall Theater, 3701 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg (824-3479) Playing from Friday, May 11 through Thursday, May 17:- Five Year Engagement... more

•Armor Inn Tap Room — 5381 Abbott Road, Hamburg Boneshakers Blues Band Friday, May 11 at 9 p.m.•Buffalo Street Grill — 61 Buffalo St., Hamburg “Luke’s Last Stand” Doug Yeomans Friday, May 11 at 8 p.m.; Alison Pipitone Band Saturday, May 12 at 9 p.m.•Hideaway’s Bar and Restaurant — 5440 Camp Road, Hamburg (649-0500) Open Mic with Lana and Dustin from Black Widow every Wednesday at 9 p.m.; every Thursday and Friday Karaoke with DJ Barney at 10 p.m.; Michael Bly Friday, May 11 from 7 to 10 p.m.; Envy Saturday, May 12 at 10 p.m.•Jack Devine’s South —4170 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg (649-9190) Free Burma Friday, May 11 at 10 p.m.•Mason’s Grille 52 — 52 Main St., Hamburg (649-7519) Bob Santi Saturday,... more

[photo1]D.J. Kuras shakes a lock of blonde hair out of his eyes as he concentrates on the ball coming his way down the soccer field.Oblivious of the biting April wind and unafraid of the players twice his size barreling toward the goal, D.J. darts out to meet the ball, weaving through players as he deftly steals the ball from his opponents.On the sidelines, D.J.’s family and friends cheer, perhaps unusually loud for what is a simple maneuver. But D.J.’s fans are not just celebrating the game, they are rejoicing over D.J.’s determination to never give up, no matter how high the odds are stacked against him.The 14-year-old Eden resident has been fighting for his life for as long as he can remember.... more

Movie Listings•American Legion Post No. 928 Newcomb Long — 7353 Erie Road, Derby (947-0928) Screaming Pineapples Friday, May 4 at 8 p.m.•Hideaway’s Bar and Restaurant — 5440 Camp Road, Hamburg (649-0500) Open Mic with Lana and Dustin from Black Widow every Wednesday at 9 p.m.; every Thursday and Friday Karaoke with DJ Barney at 10 p.m.; Guilty Party (Acoustic) Friday, May 4 from 7 to 10 p.m.; Underground Stampede Saturday, May 5 at 10 p.m.•Jack Devine’s South —4170 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg (649-9190) Ray Wood Friday, May 4 at 6 p.m.•J&M’s West End Inn —340 Union St., Hamburg (649-9940) Forever Acoustic Friday, May 5 at 9:30 p.m.•Romanello’s South — 5793 South Park Ave. , Hamburg (649-0450)... more

[photo1]Singer, songwriter and guitarist Doug Yeomans will join the Rev. Frances Manly on Sunday, May 6, at 10:30 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Hamburg for "The Holy and the Broken Hallelujah." This special service will weave together music, story, and message based on Canadian musician Leonard Cohen's song, "Hallelujah." Yeomans has toured the country as lead guitarist for the Broadway show Ring of Fire, was inducted in 2004 into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, and plays a variety of music in area venues. The Unitarian Universalist Church is located on the corner of Union and Center streets. Religious education and child care are provided. Yeomans and Rev. Manly will be available... more

[photo1]“If music be the food of love, play on,” wrote Shakespeare. On Saturday, April 28, over 23 bands will play on through the day and well into the night at the fourth annual Hamburg Music Festival.From noon until 1 a.m., festival goers will enjoy a variety of music throughout the town and village. The purchase of a $10 wristband will allow access into all venues. The cost translates to less than 43 cents per band. “It’s one of the best parties in Western New York,” said Luke Mumbach, who co-founded the fundraising event with Mary Jo Duggan, Patrick McKee and Alison Pipitone. Four “music buses” will travel two separate routes to take those with wristbands to the venues outside of the village... more

Southtowns Live•Armor Inn Tap Room — 5381 Abbott Road, Hamburg Drive House Union Friday, April 27 at 9 p.m.; Mark Winsick Saturday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m., Leeron Zydeco at 9 p.m.•BeHealthy Institute — 40 Main St., Hamburg Lindsay Burgio Saturday, April 28 at 6 p.m.•Braymiller’s Lanes — 39 Buffalo St., Hamburg The Jim Band Saturday, April 28 at 5 p.m., Rich and Famous at 9 p.m.•Buffalo Street Grill — 61 Buffalo St., Hamburg The Albrights Saturday, April 28 at 9:30 p.m.•Carrubba’s — 4552 Clark St., Hamburg 4in Tune Saturday, April 28 at 8 p.m.•Comfort Zone Cafe — 17 Main St., Hamburg Vince Martino Saturday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m.•Coyote Cafe — 36 Main St., Hamburg The Diva Show Saturday, April 28... more

[photo1]It could be the busboy who seems to work every shift, or the tired, quiet maid you met during your last hotel stay. Victims of human trafficking walk among us every day, often seen but rarely noticed. Though misunderstood to be just a problem of eastern, less-developed countries, human trafficking occurs across the United States, including the Western New York area.In an effort to raise awareness and stop the atrocities of trafficking, the Franciscan Federation and Hilbert College will sponsor “Slavery in our Modern World: Conference on Human Trafficking,” on Thursday, April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.; and Friday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to noon at the college, 5200 South Park Ave. in Hamburg.... more

Southtowns Live•Armor Inn Tap Room — 5381 Abbott Road, Hamburg Road to Recovery Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m.; Patti Parks Band Friday, April 20 at 9 p.m.•Hideaway’s Bar and Restaurant — 5440 Camp Road, Hamburg (649-0500) Open Mic with Lana and Dustin from Black Widow every Wednesday at 9 p.m.; every Thursday and Friday Karaoke with DJ Barney at 10 p.m.; Black Widow Saturday, April 21 at 10 p.m.•Jack Devine’s South —4170 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg (649-9190) Route 66 Friday, April 20 at 9:30 p.m.•J&M’s West End Inn —340 Union St., Hamburg (649-9940) Brad Dialy Saturday, April 21 at 9:30 p.m.•Romanello’s South — 5793 South Park Ave. , Hamburg (649-0450) Randy Milligan and Mike Skowronski... more

[photo1]Throughout his high school years, Ross Warhol washed dishes in a hot, crowded restaurant kitchen. Though he came home most nights exhausted and reeking of grease and food scraps, Warhol was inspired. It was the beginning of an incredible culinary career that has taken the Hamburg native across the United States and Spain, where he was a chef for the best restaurant in the world.“The chaos of the kitchen was a drawing point for me,” said Warhol, who, at age 24, is the executive chef of the Athenaeum Hotel on the Chautauqua Institution.“I just stood back and took it all in,” said Warhol, adding that simply being present in the kitchen provided him with tips and techniques that he would... more

•Braymiller’s Lanes —39 Buffalo St., Hamburg (649-1413) Acoustic Roger and Smokin’ Annie Friday, April 13 at 9 p.m.•Hideaway’s Bar and Restaurant — 5440 Camp Road, Hamburg (649-0500) Open Mic with Lana and Dustin from Black Widow every Wednesday at 9 p.m.; every Thursday and Friday Karaoke with DJ Barney at 10 p.m.; Envy Saturday, April 14 at 10 p.m.•J&M’s West End Inn — Laughin’ Bandit Saturday, April 14 at 10 p.m.•Mason’s Grille 52 — 52 Main St., Hamburg (649-7519) Frank Gerard Quartet Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.•Romanello’s South — 5793 South Park Ave. , Hamburg (649-0450) Randy Milligan and Mike Skowronski from Heard of Buffalo every Wednesday starting at 6:30 p.m.; Jack Civiletto... more

It’s time to shake the mothballs out of that hardly worn bridesmaid’s dress and put it to good use. Hamburg businesses The Comfort Zone Cafe and Expressions Floral and Gift Shoppe have teamed up to present the “Always a Bridesmaid, Never the Bride” fundraiser, which will be held this Saturday, April 14 at the Hamburg American Legion Post No. 527.Proceeds will in part benefit the Kathleen Mary House, a Southtowns transitional home for women and children victims of domestic violence.“We held this event a few years ago and it went really well,” said Zenia Barrett, Comfort Zone manager. “This year, we are trying to make it bigger and better.”When the benefit was first held in 2009, Barrett recalls... more

[photo1]The Buffalo Laboratory Theatre was set to begin rehearsals for its final production of the season when the unthinkable happened: one of the lead actors broke his leg. Reluctant to recast and potentially alter the chemistry between the actors, BLT decided to hold the play until next season. Instead, they used the opportunity to revisit a previous production, “Machine Stops” by BLT’s artistic director, Taylor Doherty.“This is a laboratory. We can be resourceful and reinvent when something happens,” said Kathleen Golde, BLT associate artistic director. She added that they were committed to keeping the actors they previously cast employed. “Machine Stops,” was originally performed by BLT... more

Southtowns Live•Armor Inn Tap Room— 5381 Abbott Road, Hamburg Diva Show Band Friday, April 6 at 9 p.m.•Hideaway’s Bar and Restaurant — 5440 Camp Road, Hamburg (649-0500) Open Mic with Lana and Dustin from Black Widow every Wednesday at 9 p.m.; Every Thursday and Friday Karaoke with DJ Barney at 10 p.m.; Whiplash Friday, April 6 at 7 p.m.•Jack Devine’s South — 4170 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg (649-9190) Free Burma Friday, April 6 at 10 p.m.•J&M’s West End Inn — 340 Union St., Hamburg (649-9940) Two Left Boots Saturday, April 7 at 10 p.m.•JP’s Pub — 1986 Lakeview Road, Lake View (627-3499) Kevin Lewis on acoustic guitar Saturday, April 7 at 8:30 p.m.; Dyngus Day Party Monday, April 9 at 6 p.m.•Romanello’s... more

[photo1]Over 20 pieces of Hamburg artist Britten Walker’s work will be featured in the upcoming show at Sugar City art gallery in Buffalo’s Allentown district on Friday, April 6 at 6 p.m. The exhibit, titled “Hungry for Buffalo” will feature Walker’s paintings, charcoal drawings, sculptures and photographs, along with the work of other Southtowns-based artists.His first experience headlining in an art show, Walker feels this moment has been a long time coming.“I have been creative all my life,” Walker said, adding that he recalls having a passion for drawing as early as third grade. “Art has been something that has always come natural to me.”During his years at Hamburg High School, Walker said... more

[photo1]Melvin Neal Edwards was enjoying an afternoon at the Buffalo Wing Festival with his grandson, Anthony, when the four-year-old tugged on his hand and asked to be told a story.“So I made one up on the spot,” said Edwards, from Lake View. As Edwards began telling his grandson a tale about a family of bears, the idea expanded in his mind and took on new meaning. Inspired, Edwards recently authored his first children’s book, “The Three Picnic Bears,” which can be found online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble’s websites.Though Edwards never thought about writing a book, it was an aspiration of his late wife, Felicia.“She always wanted to write a children’s book,” said Edwards, who noted she was... more

[photo1]A group of tenth graders at Hamburg High School donned costumes and glanced over scripts before taking the stage in the auditorium. Yet these students were not members of the school’s musical or drama club. Rather, they were completing an innovative project for their English class. Looking for a new way to make Shakespeare’s works exciting and relatable, Teachers Nicole Lesinski and Scott Weidmann turned their unit on “Othello” into a movie project, where students are asked to modernize the script and then are filmed acting out various scenes from the play. “We had taught ‘Othello’ in the classroom the traditional way for a few years,” Weidmann said. Yet the students were not connecting... more

Southtowns Live• American Legion Post 928 Newcomb Long — 7353 Erie Road, Angola (947-0928) Two of a Kind Friday, March 23 at 8 p.m.• Buffalo Street Grill —61 Buffalo St., Hamburg (646-9080) Theresa Quinn Friday, March 23 at 8:30 p.m.•Four Aces Bar and Grill — 3314 Lakeshore Road, Woodlawn (824-1111) Jony James Blues Band Wednesdays at 6 p.m.; Sundays is “Open Mic” at 7 p.m.•Hamburg Casino at the Fairgrounds — 5600 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg (646-6109) Live Wire Friday, March 23 at 10 p.m.; Nick Battistella Saturday, March 24 at 10 p.m.•Hideaway’s Bar and Restaurant — 5440 Camp Road, Hamburg (649-0500) Open Mic with Lana and Dustin from Black Widow every Wednesday at 9 p.m.; Every Thursday and... more