Billy Bragg & Starbucks

Yesterday I saw an online post that said Billy Bragg would be coming to Buffalo to give a performance on the Elmwood Avenue Starbucks picket line for the striking workers and their supporters at 1 pm today. 

We were standing directly across the street from Starbucks when Billy Bragg first started talking about worker's rights and then he started singing. The sound was actually great and his voice was exceptionally fine. I've been listening to him since the early 80's and actually played one of his collections earlier today but today he never sounded better. Apparently he was in between gigs. Yesterday in New York and tomorrow in Toronto but today he decided to come to Buffalo and support the union workers.

We had a good view of the action from across the street. We couldn't see Billy Bragg very well but nobody could unless your were right there on top of him. He was standing there on the sidewalk right there among all the people. We could see just his head as he sang and played but we could here him perfectly through the sound system. We could see all of the people there to hear him and the traffic going by Elmwood Avenue. We could also see the police presence at the event and their attempt to keep people on the sidewalks instead of blocking traffic. People were also standing in the driveways of many of the adjacent businesses. The police actually did a good job and the entire event only lastedcro about an hour. 

Becky and I usually go for a walk around our Parkside neighborhood in the afternoon but today we decided to drive over to Elmwood Avenue, walk around that neighborhood for awhile and then make our way to Elmwood and Bidwell for the Billy Bragg performance. We parked the car in our usual spot on Byrd Ave that we use when we are going to Cole's or somewhere nearby. We walked down Elmwood Avenue to just past Bidwell and on past the Starbucks and the picket line. It was about 12:30 and there was a crowd forming on that block. We continued down Elmwood and then decided to walk up St. James and look at the beautiful homes along that street. We walked up one side and then down the other side as we enjoyed the amazing houses and the wonderful fall weather. Of course we also loved seeing all of the Halloween decorations in the neighborhood. We took our time on that street and then went one more block down Elmwood before crossing the street and making our way down to the block with the Starbucks. Then we stood across the street and watched Billy Bragg speak and sing songs of activists and workers. It was a beautiful afternoon.