M&T Bank’s Plaza Event Series is celebrating its 50th year of bringing music and entertainment downtown during lunchtime- and to celebrate, they’re making it easier for local students to develop their own musical talent.
A musical instrument drive will be held during the daily weekday concerts for the first week- starting June 10.
The drive will continue in M&T’s branch on the ground floor of One M&T Plaza throughout the series, which runs through Aug. 23.
The instruments will be donated to students in the Buffalo Public School District next school year.
“When you have a great team, you think about how music is a way to teach leadership and listening,” Peter Eliopoulos, chief marketing and communications officer for M&T Bank said. “Kids will always have a need for instruments,”
Gently used instruments of any kind will be accepted- from violins to bassoons.
They will be distributed to students in the BPS District, mainly among elementary and junior high students.
“It depends on the instrument and where the need is,” Eliopoulos said.
The instrument drive is one of several things M&T is doing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Plaza Concert Series.
The employees who organized this year’s series created a playlist of “songs of the summer” from the past 50 years, which can be found on Spotify.
A special celebration party will be held for the series’ kick off, June 10 at noon.
Eliopoulos said that the series has expanded over the years, incorporating more of a variety of acts.
“Everything from quartets to breakdancing,” he said.
One M&T Plaza, which opened in 1967, was designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki with community in mind.
“This plaza that you’re on, Yamasaki designed this plaza for that reason, so we’re psyched to be able to do it for 50 years,” Eliopoulos said.
Events are held from noon to 1 p.m. each weekday at One M&T Plaza, except for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on July 23, which begins at 11:45 a.m.
Acts for the 2019 series are as follows.
Monday, June 10 – Joyryde & The Hitmen Horns
Tuesday, June 11 – Ramblin’ Lou Family Band from WXRL Radio
Wednesday, June 12 – Westminster Community Charter School
Thursday, June 13 – The Frankfurters
Friday, June 14 – Big Wheelie & The Hubcaps
Monday, June 17 – Old School B-Boys
Tuesday, June 18 – Beatlemagic
Wednesday, June 19 – The Doug Yeomans Band
Thursday, June 20 – Only Humen
Friday, June 21 – West of the Mark
Monday, June 24 – The Bobby Militello Quartet
Tuesday, June 25 – Mark Mazur and “The Little Big Band”
Wednesday, June 26 – SuperCharger
Thursday, June 27 – Flipside
Friday, June 28 – XOXO
Monday, July 1 – Lithium
Tuesday, July 2 – The Scott Celani Band
Wednesday, July 3 –Mike Randall & Friends / Zoomobile
Thursday, July 4 – Bank holiday to observe Independence Day, no performance
Friday, July 5 – Quintessential Phunk
Monday, July 8 – Will Holton
Tuesday, July 9 – Allykat
Wednesday, July 10 – The Chicago Authority
Thursday, July 11 – Breakaway
Friday, July 12 – Carnival Kids Steel Orchestra
Monday, July 15 – Boys of Summer
Tuesday, July 16 – Dave Constantino Band
Wednesday, July 17 – Tom Stahl and The Dangerfields
Thursday, July 18 – Bar-room Buzzards
Friday, July 19 – Unity Band
Monday, July 22 – Disco Duck
Tuesday, July 23 – Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (Note: Show begins at 11:45a.m.)
Wednesday, July 24 – Broken Strings
Thursday, July 25 – Caribbean Extravaganza
Friday, July 26 – Angel Vox
Monday, July 29 – JJ Swing
Tuesday, July 30 – Queen City Swing
Wednesday, July 31 – The Kensingtons
Thursday, August 1 – “In Jest” Comedy Variety Show with Nels Ross
Friday, August 2 – Denzel Ward & The Cool Platinum Band
Monday, August 5 – Back to the Bars
Tuesday, August 6 – Jim Tudini Big Band
Wednesday, August 7 – The Lake Effect
Thursday, August 8 – Creek Bend
Friday, August 9 – African American Cultural Center’s Dance & Drum Performance Company
Monday, August 12 – The Soul Providers
Tuesday, August 13 – Pointless Brothers
Wednesday, August 14 – Colleen Williams & The Bobby Jones Trio
Thursday, August 15 – McCarthyizm
Friday, August 16 – Terry Buchwald’s Tribute to Elvis
Monday, August 19 – David Kane’s Them Jazzbeards
Tuesday, August 20 – Joseph Michael Mahfoud Band
Wednesday, August 21 – The Tommy Z Band
Thursday, August 22 – Taylor Made Jazz
Friday, August 23 – Total Eclipse & The Buffalo Horns
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