By Adrienne Boudreau:

It’s time to lace up your boots, and maybe your corset, and join Buffalo’s alternative scene in remembering The Continental, Buffalo’s classic alternative nightclub that ended its reign in 2006.

Town Ballroom will host the 2nd Continental Reunion Party this Saturday evening, April 26. It will feature both live music from new and old bands as well as many original Continental DJ’s.

Headlining the live music this year will be reunions of The Enemies and Tension, two classic Buffalo punk bands. The show promises to take its audience on a journey through the glory days of Buffalo’s alternative heyday.

As a youngin’ I was only in The Continental once and I assure you I was not supposed to be there. I remember nervously looking at the wall of mirrors in definite fear of running into one of my older sisters. But I’m old enough to understand the impact it had on a generation that didn’t want to follow the beaten path.

Though the alternative scene lives on through gay bars supporting new wave and goth events, Buffalo still lacks a designated home for that community. Radiation Dance Parties and On The Wire happen at The Underground and OHM Lounge respectively. Punk, metal and other alternative shows are relegated to smaller venues scattered across the city. But there is no headquarters anymore. Goths just roam the streets with almost no place to go.

The group of DJs at this year’s reunion spun at the original nightclub at one time or another from 1983 – 2006 and include Andre Frazier, Ken Cox, David Hall and many others.

Bud Redding, event organizer, observed that DJs and music fans today have become compartmentalized.

“Nowadays people go out for a night of drum and bass or some dub step. The Continental DJs mixed early techno of New Order, ska, punk and Public Enemy and people kept dancing through it all,” he said.

Live bands and DJ’s will take advantage of the multi-room layout of the Town Ballroom to pay homage to the downstairs live stage and upstairs dance floor of the former club. DJs and bands will be going in both areas all evening starting at 7 p.m.

Redding, former DJ and concert promoter for The Continental, has said this will not be an annual event for fear of wearing it out, though over 900 people were in attendance at last year’s bash.

“It was such an unusual honor to play the Continental Reunion party last year,” said Rob DeGuehery, frontman of local industrial rock band Rustworm.

“Playing with bands that played at the Continental when it was open gave us a chance to feel like we were a part of that scene even though we missed it by a few years. Our music, especially at the time of the show, was reminiscent of the type of music frequenters of the club enjoyed in the late 80s and 90s. It was for sure an honor to share the stage with those legends,” he said.

Pre-sale tickets for the event are $10. Tickets the day of are $20. Available at the Town Ballroom box office or online at ticketfly.com

Saturday, April 26th @ The Town Ballroom Doors at 7pm

681 Main Street, Buffalo NY 14203