The Rockin' the Knox annual fundraising event for the Albright-Knox Art Gallery was held on September 7th. The event aimed to raise money for the gallery's operating budget through an evening of music and art that attracted over 5,000 people. Headliners included Brett Dennen, Paolo Nutini, Feist, and Elvis Costello. The multimedia event was held both inside the gallery, where guests could view exhibits, and outside along Elmwood Avenue, with various musical performances. The successful event raised much needed funds for the Albright-Knox Art Gallery through ticket and vendor sales.

1. I
f the point of Rockin’ the Knox on
September 7th was to raise money
to support the Albright-Knox Art
Gallery; if it’s purpose was to offer
a delectable smorgasbord of entertain-
ment melding art and music; if it’s goal
was to attract more attention to the
Gallery from a younger sector of our
population, then their aim was not only
true. . .it rocked the expectations of
fundraising-dom out to the ionisphere.
Rockin’ the Knox has been an annual
fundraising event fusing music and art for
10 years. In 2005, gallery director Louis
Grachos, whose “shoot-for-the-stars”
mentality took it outside the gallery and
added national acts like Blondie in 2006
and Wilco and My Morning Jacket in
2005. For the past 3 years the talent for
the event has been procured by Artie
Kwitchoff and Donny Kutzbach of Fun
Time Productions. The challenge is to
find musicians who appeal to the masses
and yet also have some connection to
the art world. Elvis
Costello was the per-
fect fit. Costello’s inno-
vative, cross-genre style
was just the ticket for its
first sellout.
The multimedia event
took place inside the
gallery and outside along
Elmwood Avenue. It goes
on, rain or shine, and pre-
sale tickets were $40 each.
Walking into the Elmwood
Ave. entrance, we passed a
couple of performance
artists; one silver-coated “statue”
turned toward me as I snapped a photo
and another group of artists, wearing
artwork on tent cards, played a game
of changing places with one another
when a whistle blew, to bring home the
“Remix” concept of seeing the perma-
nent gallery collection re-shuffled.
Vendor, drink and food booths lined
the parking lot selling
T-shirts, posters, liba-
tions and noshes to
the 5000+ crowd for
the 5-11pm stretch.
Inside the gallery
guests were treated to
seeing “Remix the
Collection” and “Be-
yond / In Western
New York 2007.”
Jazz was cookin’ in
the Sculpture Garden
from 5-8pm with per-
formances by Billy
Baroo Jazz Trio fea-
turing Andrew
Wegrzyn, Annie
Philippone & Pat
Mudd, and the Allen
Street Jazz Band fea-
turing Rose Bond.
Outside, on the smaller of the two
soundstages, the crowd boogied to 3
local bands, The Stay Lows, Mark
Norris and The Backpeddlers, and The
Great Train Robbery. The main stage
lit up when the red-headed, west coast
folk/pop singer, Brett Dennen, kicked
things off with his acoustic-based set.
The crowd began to assemble and
momentum picked up as 20 year old,
Paolo Nutini, took the stage next, giv-
ing us several UK chart-topping
hits like “Jenny Don’t Be Hasty,”
which prompted the girls in the
crowd to scream “We love you
Paolo!” Next came Feist, fresh
from releasing her third solo
album, The Reminder, and a world-
wide tour. The sound was perfect
and the pump was primed when
Elvis Costello, returning to solo
outings after 12 years, took the
stage and really got the crowd
jazzed when he blasted off his 90
minute performance with one of his
classics, “Accidents Will Happen”
and then another, “The Angels
Wanna Wear My Red Shoes.”
Costello was nothing short of mag-
nificent. He played to the crowd,
gave us what we wanted and then
some more. The evening ended
after the encore, and appropriately
timed “What’s So Funny ‘Bout
Peace, Love and Understanding”
which warmed our hearts and sent
Costello on his way to begin his
tour of the east coast with Bob
Dylan for 13 dates this fall.
Rockin’ the Knox has become a
highlight of the Buffalo summer
concert season, and reminders of
what a hip, world-famous art col-
lection we have in our midst were
everywhere. . . from the number of
smiling volunteers. . .to the smiles
on the faces of the sold out crowd.
ROCKIN’ THE KNOX
By Leith Chamberlain
Their Aim Was True
BY THE NUMBERS:
$65,000,000
A/K Endowment
Money earmarked for the acquisition of new artwork.
$45,000,000
Increase in the A/K Endowment
Controversial sale gives the gallery some art world clout.
$7,000,000
A/K Operating Budget Staff, utilities, etc. to open the doors.
Proceeds of concert go to this line item
$25,000
Cost of Largest A/K Corporate Sponsorships
M&T and Independent Health ponied up
5000
Tickets Sold. . .All pre-sale
$1000
Cost of two V.I.P. Tent tickets
Muse/Solé appetizers and free-flowing
Moet Champagne
300
Active A/K Volunteers
200
Volunteers at the Event
70
A/K Employees
$40
Rockin’ at the Knox
pre-sale ticket price
5%
Percentage of the A/K Endowment allowed to be spent each year
1
Art Gallery deserving of our support
Feist
Brett Dennen
Paoli Nutini
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEITH CHAMBERLAIN
Costello layout 9/22/07 10:45 PM Page 1