Erie never has any great concerts.

And this wasn’t always the case. Two of my stubs are in fact shows I saw here in Erie – the Mighty Mighty Bosstones at Gannon’s Hammermill Center in 1996 (aka the height of this band’s popularity) and Tool at the Civic Center (nee Tullio Arena) in 2002. And these aren’t the only big name rock acts that have graced Erie. I vividly remember seeing side-by-side ads in the Showcase circa 1997 for concerts for Stone Temple Pilots and Marilyn Manson (both huge draws at the time) yet as I tell people today about all of these aforementioned shows, they stare at me like I am making this up (hell these acts aren’t even far enough from relevancy yet to be even considered to headline Celebrate Erie – more on that in a second).

Our decline into mediocrity may actually begin on April 1, 2003, when the Planet (Erie’s only new rock station) abruptly changed its format to country western, leaving us with either the Rocket (who is apparently obliged to play Journey every hour on the hour) or Gannon radio (which is an impressive station, but at the end of the day is still just a college station with limitations) to fill the void. With a few exceptions it seems that once the Planet left, so did any hope of getting some quality rock acts to come to Erie (and no I will not count Train as an exception as they are little more than generic musicmakers for doctors’ waiting rooms and crappy romantic-comedies). Ever since then, our “big name acts” have looked more like a playlist for every classic rock station (of which we unnecessarily have two), minus the meaty acts like Aerosmith, Zeppelin, and the Stones.

Celebrate Erie’s annual announcement of its headlining act has become an annual joke among the 20-something crowd as the anticipation (sarcasm) builds for what big name act (sarcasm) they have somehow managed to convince (sarcasm) to come here in the midst of touring the globe (sarcasm) in support of their latest hit album (heavy sarcasm). In recent years this distinguished list has included Kansas, Three Dog Night, Foreigner, and the former singer for Styx. Meanwhile Roar on the Shore is touting Great White and Slaughter as appearing at this year’s festival with Grand Marshall Vanilla Ice – that entire paragraph reads like a Who’s Who of VH1’s Celebrity Rehab.

I’m not asking for a band on the scale of Radiohead or Foo Fighters to come to Erie, but there has to be acts out there that would be down for coming to our unique little city for a night. And it’s not a question of having the venues. As previously mentioned, the Tullio has staged shows of a big scale so why not try to cash in on your upcoming  renovations and start seeking some major talent for 2013? The Warner Theatre could definitely house a band like the Decemberists, who would seek a smaller, more intimate crowd and could utilize the theatre setting for some epic stuff. Or how about have a little fun and try to mix it up by doing something like a stripped down acoustic show from Rufus Wainwright or the Cold War Kids at the Crooked I (one of the few places around here anymore that seems to still try)? Cleveland and Pittsburgh both have smaller-scale clubs that have brought memorable performances to those cities so it’s not a question of having the proper amenities; it’s who wants to step up?

Of course there is one positive to this dilemma and it is the requisite trip to Cleveland or Pittsburgh that comes from trying to see a quality show in this area. And while this has become a pilgrimage of sorts and part of the fun of the experience of going to a show (and besides who doesn’t like a good road trip with friends?), I’ve noticed as I get older the travelling time has become a deciding factor of whether or not I can actually go to a show. When I was in school it was just a matter of whether or not I had a test or paper due the next day, but now it’s whether or not I can take the time off work, whether I need to be at the top-of-my-game the next day, or simply do I feel like going four hours round-trip for this particular show…and I can’t believe I just said that. Now imagine if that travelling consisted of 10 minutes downtown? I may be older, but I still want to rock, plus I am nowhere near finishing that collection of ticket stubs.

Mark Toriski’s all-time favorite concert was a Stone Temple Pilots and Red Hot Chili Peppers double-bill at Darien Lake Center for the Arts near Buffalo. He can be reached at mtoriski@gmail.com.

The breaking headline on CNN the morning of February 27 was a familiar one, albeit one that was strangely (or perhaps morbidly) nostalgic – “Shots reportedly fired at Chardon, Ohio high school.” The scene that morning was also familiar. A mass of students standing in a parking lot, police cars and ambulances everywhere, parents and teachers trying to comfort them while barely keeping it together themselves, all huddled together, unknowingly forming a vigil for the unspeakable tragedy that had just unfolded before them. Their innocence forever shattered.

The wound is still raw with Chardon – even as I write this, news is just coming in that a third victim in the shooting has died – and yet it feels like that same Band-Aid that has been on for the past 20 years is getting ripped off again. I was a teenager throughout most of the ’90s and one thing that remains vivid today is the images like the one in Chardon that would play on a rather routine basis each night on the news. In fact, it had become such an all-too-common occurrence that it actually left me and many of my
peers too numb to respond with any sort of emotional resonance. I’m not saying there wasn’t any empathy rather it’s like rewatching a horrormovie for the 15th time. Revisiting it over and over again takes away some of the shock that made it so terrifying. Sadly, that’s what happened with this real-life horror story as the U.S. map became
littered with pinpoints of locations that are no longer rural communities, but locations of senseless tragedy.

I feel sympathy and remorse for the people of Chardon, not just for what has befallen them, but because their small community is now thrust into the very public media spotlight and they will forever be a trivial point in a long list of other unfortunate towns who went through the same horror story, something our region shares. I grew up 35 minutes from Edinboro, but was the same age as the students of James W. Parker Middle School who were attending the dance at Nick’s Place where Andrew Wurst opened fire, killing science teacher John Gillette. When I started college at Edinboro University, I unknowingly made friends with one of the students who were at that dance. And when I found out who she was, the topic was always broached carefully. Her demeanor would shift. She would become almost tense and uncomfortable. And she would say what she had to say before moving on. She told me her and her then-classmates preferred to let the matter be in the past – to just keep quiet on matter like a state of perpetual mourning. This seems to remain today, even as local media tried to mark the anniversary of the shooting. They chose to stay out of it. It is their badge to wear and they chose to do so with quiet dignity.

But one who can’t stay mum on the matter is the media. Coverage of Chardon has been rather comprehensive, going as far as to find a rather ominous message on Lane’s Facebook page posted clear back in December 2011. The post is a poem of sorts referring to “a quaint lonely town, (where there) sits a man with a frown (who) longed for
only one thing, the world to bow at his feet…He was better than the rest, all those ones he detests, within their castles, so vain.” Lane then wrote about going through “the castle…like an ominous breeze through the trees,” past guards – all leading up to the post’s dramatic conclusion. “Feel death, not just mocking you. Not just stalking you but inside of you…Wriggle and writhe. Feel smaller beneath my might. Seizure in the Pestilence that is my scythe.”

The post concluded with, “Die, all of you.”

In the previous issue of the Marketplace Gazette I talked about how social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have become fundamental in how we access breaking news stories. Now we have to look at another use the sites have shown to be quite beneficial for – a portal into the mind of madness. If there is one thing I can say about just how far we’ve come since the school massacres of my youth, it is that it is refreshing to not see any advocacy groups trying to blame this on Marilyn Manson (and I understand that statement makes as much sense relevantly as blaming the Columbine massacre on KISS), violence in video games, or any other coincidental third party. Today investigators have enough common sense to examine a Facebook page before an iPod for any telling (but sadly all-too-late) signs to help answer the most important question in situations like this – why?

That being said, warning signs like these always seem to crop up as an after-thought in situations like Chardon and Columbine. T.J. Lane came from a broken home, was a social outcast, had a history of violence, and was a deeply-disturbed individual. I’m not saying every at-risk youth is a risk to their peers and school, but when the writing is on the Facebook wall for more nearly two months perhaps it is time to be more diligent, to be more cautious, and to stop ignoring the warning signs.

Mark Toriski believes to be a teacher you have to be bulletproof emotionally, sadly it appears they also have to be bulletproof physically. He can be reached at mtoriski@gmail.com.

As a young child and throughout his adolescent years, Fallon spent a significant portion of his time on stage doing what he loved best … performing, specifically DANCING!! Fallon studied jazz, tap, ballet, and hip-hop in his hometown of Erie, PA … where he participated in local dance troupes and youth theater. He thoroughly enjoyed entertaining crowds whenever and wherever the opportunity might arise.

Attending Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA to earn his degree as a dance major was a natural stepping stone on the path to his performance career. After all, dance had always been his true passion; and he intended on “living the dream”!

In 2005, Fallon founded Dance Elite* Performance Company whose mission encompassed providing quality entertainment to those who otherwise might not receive it. Along with fellow performers, Fallon entertained at numerous events and venues, including senior facilities, private clubs, and public festivals. The asterisk (*) in the company’s name represents that extra spark that Fallon strives to deliver each time he dances for an audience.

Events began to suddenly change course in 2006 when Fallon encountered a major obstacle … a groin injury which limited his ability to dance. Unable to remain physically fit, Fallon became depressed and gained weight. Being rejected after a cruise ship audition because he was “too big” was a major catalyst in the downward spiral that followed. Faced with the possibility that he may never actually be able to fulfill his career aspirations, Fallon became 60 pounds overweight and stopped dancing … for the first time … EVER!

Feeling utter hopelessness, Fallon sank into a severe depression. Fallon’s soul withered and died with the absence of music and dance. “The emptiness I felt inside was gut-wrenching“, says Fallon. “The overwhelming sadness I experienced caused me to cry until no more tears could flow. I was dead … mentally, socially, intellectually, and spiritually.” Fallon felt that everything he had worked for was gone and never coming back. Life was slipping through his fingertips … the clock of opportunity ticking away!

In the midst of this dark time of his life, Fallon’s close and persistent friend (as well as fellow dancer) insisted that he get himself back into shape and snap out of his unhealthy mindset.
Reluctantly, Fallon agreed to give it a try. After all, his friend’s mom operated a dance studio where he could not only take fitness classes, but also work as a dance instructor. And so, this was the
necessary first step taken on his long road to recovery.

As Fallon started to become physically active again, the pounds began to drop and his body gradually strengthened. Along with the weight loss and physical conditioning, his injury also began to heal; and he eventually regained the ability to dance. For the first time in years, Fallon was experiencing a renewed sense of energy … both in his body and in his soul. The hope of “living his dream”
returned … Fallon felt ALIVE! Dance … Fallon’s passion … had literally saved his life!

Grateful for this second chance, Fallon dedicated himself to creatively sharing his gift of dance with others. He revamped his performance company, Dance Elite*, whose mission is “to provide high-quality entertainment to those who may otherwise not receive it”. Taking his shows and interactive programs into places such as senior facilities, mental health institutions, and childcare centers soon led to the development of two distinct branches of his company … the Therapeutic Dance Project and Dance Outreach. Fallon’s Therapeutic Dance Project focuses on advocating mental health awareness through shows, classes, and workshops; while his Dance Outreach provides youth with a positive creative outlet and encourages artistic growth through exposure to music and dance.

Despite the unexpected detour Fallon encountered on his way to a productive dance career, he has achieved success. Fallon has danced for Paula Abdul on the CBS show, “Live to Dance”, and his full story has been featured in the national “Dance Studio Life” magazine.

Fallon’s “true success” lies not in reaching a specific destination, but in his daily journey which allows him to touch, motivate, and inspire others through his dancing. From his personal experience,
Fallon realizes the “healing power” of music and dance in stimulating and maintaining a healthy state of mind … not just for dancers, but for EVERYONE!

More details on Brett’s story and Dance Elite* Performance Company can be found at: brettfallon.com and danceelitecompany.com