At Toby Keith’s joint in Destiny USA, you’ll find a good bar, tasty food and promising music spot

The waitress was well-versed on the beer side of the menu at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill. Stella Artois, my dear wife’s order, was available in bottle. Fine for Karen, who prefers that vessel of beer delivery. For me, though, there was one and only one way that I was going to…

A soul-mate with dazzling teeth could be around the corner

A silly, little TV commercial caught my ear yesterday. I’d seen it before but the true madness behind the ridiculousness escaped me until the, oh, fourth time around. Setting the scene: A woman is at a cafe. She’s apparently eligible because a guy across the room catches her eye. She decides: He could be my…

I welcome Sammy into my life

Through two decades, I’ve been on the giving side of the Sammy. Up to the stage the smiling winners would march. I’d hand over the shiny, black Syracuse Area Music Awards trophy to the rightful recipient of the Brian Bourke Award for Best New Artist, and all was right in my world. Heck, some years…

Inside my mind on a daily walk through our Destiny

The last couple of days, I’ve taken my daily walk inside, to Destiny USA. Before I jump in the car, I have to deal with the look of disappointment mixed with just a tinge of pissed-off from my dear dog Ellie B. OK, maybe it’s just my guilt over the fact that when I decide…

Sammys Hall of Fame class proves to be a hard act to follow

Today we enter the department of ask-and-ye-shall-receive. After reading yesterday’s post about the upcoming Syracuse Area Music Awards event, Chuck commented that he liked the idea and all, but wished there had been more about the Hall of Fame induction Thursday night at Upstairs at the Dinosaur. My intention for the piece was to provide…

Time to celebrate how much good music we have in Syracuse

It’s Sammys week. Friday night at the Palace Theatre in Syracuse, awards will be given to honor great work in the Central New York music scene. The night before that at Upstairs and the Dinosaur, inductions will be made into the hall of fame. A quick primer for those of you who’ve never been to…