It's going to be another hot and entertaining summer on Buffalo's Waterfront, with the newly re-named Thursday at Canalside and Buffalo Place Rocks Canalside. The 18 concerts are firmly rooted on the downtown's waterfront, continuing to move away from the former Thursday in the Square concerts once held at Lafayette Square.
The Thursday free concerts range from the opening act of The Hold Steady on June 6 through Lotus on August 29.
Buffalo Place board president and vice chairman Anthony Colucci said organizers expect crowds large enough to have two entrances.
"With one, where we previously had it over the bridge in front of the Commercial Slip. The other one will be on South Main Street. So folks will be able to take the Metro Rail down to what is the Memorial Auditorium or now the First Niagara Center special events stop, get off, and enter the park from that side, which should provide for a much better flow of people through the space and much easier ingress and egress," said Coluci.
Weekend shows range from Counting Crows on June 28 to Pat Benatar featured on August 30 with an opening performance from Eric Burdon.
Weekend concerts July 26 will be headlined by The Wailers. July 27 Bel Biv Devoe will perform and both shows are free.
Colucci and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said there will be some problems because of construction. They say visitors will also see the massive changes underway at Canalside, construction of Sabres owner Terry Pegula's Harbor Center and the Phillips-Lytle building.
