Gary Stones Feldman

Well it seems fashionable to get all weepy about the demolition of the Aud, and since I haven’t been unfashionable since I tried wearing cucumber slices to hide skin grafts (thanks for the burns DAD!), I have a list of my favorite nights inside our ‘Old Girl’:

Memory #3—Iron Maiden/Judas Priest Concert, 1982
This is Memory #3 though it’s the most unforgettable for several reasons. I was duped on this one! My friend, Billy Leonard got me to go to this concert, failing to tell me that neither ‘Maidens’ nor ‘Priests’ would be in attendance in the traditional sense. This eliminated my chances for meaningful conversation and heavy petting, and instead I was exposed to an awful racket! It sounded like garbage cans filled with sirens falling down the stairs. The only magnificent part of the show was when the lead singer kicked over a motorcycle and whipped it with a leather strap! He did the same thing 25 years later at the Pride Parade, “Hey Girl!!!”

Memory #2—Midnight, July, 1978
A sad day in the fashion industry. I wasn’t there, but this is when the Buffalo Braves moved out of Buffalo. I have no idea what they do with that ball, but remember the uniforms?!?! Oh, to return to the day when athletic men played ball in baby-blue and didn’t run around in droopy bloomers!

Memory #1—April 24, 1993
An event that transcended time, race, politics, age or orientation. When we walked, nay, RAN, together in complete brotherhood. An event that unified our crumbling, depressed city. For me, I belonged. And We, for a moment, became one. And because of what we saw at the Aud on this night, woke up the next day, feeling better than we were.
Because Brad May Won It In Overtime.