Guitar strings and more, wonderfully arranged by Mark Doyle

I had a vivid dream last night, in color and stereo. I was in a 200-seat theater filled with people thrilled to be there on a Friday night, smack dab in the proud little upstate New York city of Auburn. The air was charged by wonderful music set forth by the guitar and mind of…

Here’s to another 500

Big wheels keep on turnin’, Proud Markie keeps on churnin’ … Rollin’ on the WordPress. I received the Big Blue 500 this morning. My story about Syracuse veteran guitarist Mark Doyle got me to that nice, round number. Not bad for a writer who pushed the button for his first markbialczak.com piece — “Yeah, I’ve…

Mark Doyle ready to set the mood with ‘Guitar Noir’

When I moved from suburban Washington, D.C., to Syracuse in the late summer of 1983, I was always on the lookout for good live music. I mean, during the six years I lived in suburban Maryland, I got to see local players like sizzling guitarist Danny Gatton, and blues kings The Nighthawks with top guy…

That Crawfish of Louisiana comfortably opens fest season in Syracuse

Five months worth of available dancing, drinking and eating in downtown Syracuse’s Clinton Square kicked off yesterday afternoon. The spring gray broke for a stretch, my dear wife Karen and I took off our jackets, the good friends were chatty, and my very favorite Syracuse band was on the stage. I enjoyed the Crawfish Festival.…

A small business can still swing for the fences

A small business conference was my dear wife Karen’s assignment Thursday afternoon for the Syracuse Media Group, the company that was born from the big daily. As I was sharpening comments right here, Karen called. She suggested I drive downtown to the Oncenter and take a walk through the aisles. There were plenty of folks…

Americana from Montreal sounds good on a Sunday night

Why would an alt-country band from Montreal be a favorite over the border, way down yonder in Syracuse, N.Y.? Further, why would this four-piece golden outfit love to play in Syracuse so much? Those questions were answered emphatically Sunday night in Shifty’s, the neighborhood bar that opens its corner stage to live music five nights…

How’d you like to see B.B. King play guitar for free?

Every time this gentleman walks to a stage to perform, he’s introduced the same way. He’s played a lot of shows and heard a lot of introductions. And, really, he’s a man whose recognizable face, ringing guitar sound and gritty vocals need no introduction. That’s “Mister B.B. King” to you and me. There’s been a…

Catching up with Kaitlyn Jackson as ‘American Idol’ goes on without her

Kaitlyn Jackson has put her moment in the national eye to very good and wise use. The 16-year-old from Norwich, N.Y., had just finished presenting her program “Dream Big” to a big room full of kids, Jackson says during a phone conversation Friday morning. “I’m basically a motivational speaker,” says the teen. She talks about…

The biggest star at this concert was the Dalai Lama

Just the other day when I was reading a post from my friend at Peace, Love & Great Country Music, recounting a blog conversation we’d had about the band Train, the thought hit me again. I had some truly great moments in the 21 years that I covered music and entertainment for the big daily.…

At the end of the line was a Train concert

I thought my days of standing in line to buy concert tickets were decades in my rear view mirror. Then the announcement that Train was coming to the New York State Fair Grandstand this August flashed before us. And I saw the look in my dear wife Karen’s eyes. I was No. 3 in line…