Gathering of the Tribe

I didn't stay through the end of the Music Is Art festival behind the Albright Knox museum in Buffalo Saturday afternoon. It was just starting to rain when I left during the afternoon during the 12-hour event.

I was there long enough, though, to appreciate once again what MIA serves as in the Buffalo rock and art communities -- as a tribal gathering.

It doesn't happen often. Too often it has been for the funerals of its high priests -- the wakes, funerals and get-togethers after the deaths of Mark Freeland and Tim Switala spring to mind.

But MIA has taken on the role of an annual reunion, where the non-blood relatives who make up the Buffalo music family in particular come out to play brief sets and reacqaint themselves.

That it mixes together kids bands ( like teen band winners Inlite) and the weird (Those Idiots -- a horn-powered band with a Meatloafian lead singer that finished off their set with a reworking of the Kiss song into "Rock 'n' Roll All Nite [and Polka Every Day]") is a great bonus. And the art is WAY more interesting than the Allentown Art Festival.

The site was new, after a year's exile at the Erie County Fair (sorry, the vibes didn't mix) and following several years on Franklin Street. The Albright Knox site was good ... the only drawback being that the bands on two of the three main stages were a little removed from the crowd. It was harder for the bands to connect with their audience.

But music was only part of the show. Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls is the spark behind the event (along with his father, who handles a lot of the prep), along with a host of volunteers. So thanks, Robby, for a chance to assemble the tribe ... without need of a funeral.