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Following this, round two of the Augustyniak attack, and the return to a Buffalo stage of Jamestown's pride and joy, 10,000 Maniacs, whose new drummer is shared with the Innocent Bystanders. When we left them last November, the Maniacs had followed up on their valiant effort to upstage the Psychedelic Furs by fleeing to Atlanta for a couple of months of gigging there and around the South. In January of this year, they came back north for a week of shows at such noted Toronto clubs as the Rivoli, the Cameron Hotel, and 100 Bond Street. Bolstered by the response of the Toronto audiences, but less happy with the difficulty of bringing home from a gig anything resembling a living, the Maniacs retired to Jamestown for that period of internal bickering and rumored breakup through which all groups must pass. The outcome in this case was a renewal of enthusiasm and inspiration. Replacing drummer Bob-o-Matic with Jerry Augustyniak, the Maniacs are back in their Fredonia studio recording songs like Death of Manolete, Pour de Chirico, My Mother The War, and Katrina's Fair. They also plan another jaunt into the South toward the end of next month. So go to see them: they're the most underexposed of local bands one takes seriously, and the Continental is not so intolerable on a Thursday night when the rude and drunken hordes aren't there. (Bob-o-Matic, who was always a hardcore kind of guy, is in a new outfit named The Victim's Family, and should be appearing on the next Fems plus nine bill at McVan's.)
And speaking of victims, the Innocent Bystanders, skin-slapper Augustyniak's other band, are also well worth viewing. They pack the peppy rythmic punch of the old Elements, which isn't terribly surprising since Aug once played (so well) for that band, and Bystander bassist Doty Hall continues to make the Elements a most pleasurable experience. During recent opening gigs for the Elements the I. Bystanders have acquitted themselves in fine fashion with poppish originals liberally laced with, if not awe-inspiring, then at least often exciting vocal harmonies. Lead singer/writer Rose seems a trifle nervous, or perhaps she's just naturally unobtrusive, but her talent is undeniable. (We'd print your last name Rose but we don't know it, haven't been able to contact anyone who does, and deadline has arrived, as deadlines will.)