By Sue Porter Ottaway
The Mo Porter band fronted by its namesake, Mo Porter, (real name Chuck Sciandra), will play at The Gin Mill in Ellicottville this Friday, December 2nd at 8pm. When I asked Mo where the name Mo Porter came from, he explained, Mo Porter actually means more beer, and it eventually morphed into his alter ego.
This band has been playing live shows for 15 years. The members have changed and evolved over the years because of different situations but their current lineup has been together for five years strong. Mo says this enables them to develop a consistent playlist. Members of The Mo Porter band are: Bill Mason – drums, Rich Salomon – guitar, Steve Stempian – keys/vocals, Mike McClean – Bass and Chuck Sciandra – lead vocals. For those who haven’t heard the Mo Porter band before, they characterize themselves as a classic rock/party band.
When talking with Mo he pointed out they play a variety of songs but pride themselves on putting on a show more than just simply playing songs. He continued by saying, “We love our friends who come to see us and we want them to have the best time possible because we appreciate them.”
I made note of the long set list the band has, concentrating on some of the greatest tunes from the 70s and 80s. He explained, “We all contribute to the set list and it evolves depending on the current situation and audience responses. We play for the people and what makes them happy but we also enjoy the classics we were raised on.”
You need only to walk into The Gin Mill on a night The Mo Porter band is playing to see it full of their faithful followers dancing, singing along and having a great night out on the town.
The Mo Porter band has the reputation of being one of the most popular bands in the Buffalo region and for this reason they’re asked to play huge music events like the Lockport Music Festival and the Gateway Concerts in Tonawanda. They are constantly booking shows throughout the Western New York area as far as a year in advance. If you’d be interested in booking the Mo Porter band, Mo asks that you contact them on Facebook, their website at www.moporter.com or contact him directly at 716-578-0193.
As noted on their website, DJ services are also available for special occasions and performed by Mo. Mo concluded they’ve been playing at the Gin Mill for over five years and they appreciate the owners and staff very much.
If you’ve ever been to Ellicottville NY for any of their many festivities, you’ve probably gone into The Gin Mill located at 26 Washington St., either for a bite to eat or to hear some great live music (check out their menu on their website at, www.Ellicottvilleginmill.com). It is one of the hottest places in town. Opened in 1976, and now owned by Ed and Maribeth Rick, it remains one of the top night spots for great live music in Ellicottville. I’ve never walked in there at night when every seat wasn’t full and the dance floor wasn’t overflowing with people. The variety of bands they have varies in genre and are always great bands to dance to. This Friday night is no exception when one of the region’s favorite party bands and Gin Mill regulars, The Mo Porter band, hits the stage at 8pm! Be ready to dance and sing the night away to your classic rock favorites!
A few additional live music happenings in our region this weekend are:
Friday, December 2, 2022
Mayville: Adam McKillip, Big Inlet Brewing Co., 6 pm
Saturday, December 3, 2022
Niagara Falls: Analog Kids (A Rush Tribute Band), Star Concert Hall, 8 pm
Ellicottville: Tommy Z Band, Balloons, 7-10 pm
Jamestown: Akoostikly Challenged, Harley Davidson, 12-3 pm
Buffalo: The Probables, Southern Tier Brewing Co. Buffalo location, 7 pm