I first saw The Police in 1981 during the "Ghost In The Machine" tour at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse. At this point the band was transitioning from the post-punk-textured reggae pop of its first three albums and getting more technical, more orchestral, more arena. It was my first big concert, and though I've grown to enjoy things more on the sweatier, in-your-face, up-your-butt level that smaller clubs deliver, it was an amazing show.

Flash forward 27 years to Saturday night and I was back in front of The Police at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. On a simple stage with no backing musicians, no pyrotechnics, or assorted bullshit older bands use to spackle the cracks, The Police delivered a magnificent set. Opening with a quasi-acoustic rendition of "Bring On The Night," it was the music that did the talking while the packed house did the screaming - though it was seated for the most part, well behaved, and a little khaki. I guess charging upward of $250 a ticket weeds my kind of element out.

Known more for his sonic wash, atmospheric chording, and reggae vamps, guitarist Andy Summers opted to wail on the guitar with aggressive glee. Sting seems to have misplaced his razor for at least a week, but still looked amazing. His voice still occupies that upper register unchallenged. And Stewart Copeland? Simply put, he is one of the best drummers of all time. This trio's synchronicity is still magic.

And by breaking up while on top of its game, The Police have nothing to live down (some of Sting's solo stuff may be another story). So the band picked up where it left off. And I hope it doesn't stop here.

Yeah, opener Elvis Costello doesn't have the hits that The Police do. But for a music fan who grew up in the 80's, having this cat on the bill was amazing. If they'd added The Jam I would've come in my pants. Costello and his band were rough and raw, delivering a stack of tunes off his new vinyl-only release "Momofuku" and classics like "I Don't Want To Go To Chelsea" and "Allison" as the Arena slowly filled. It didn't seem to faze Elvis; all these years later and his aim is still true.

I hustled to the Dryden Theatre Friday night to catch Dreamland Faces accompany a rare showing of short films exclusive to the George Eastman House. The accordion-and-saw-playing duo (Karen Majewicz and Andy McCormick) often accompany old cartoons, and on Friday, among other films (including one of trippy kaleidoscopic images, one on record-making, and another about a haunted hotel) it brought life and voice to Felix the Cat and his cohorts. The accordion could be raucous at times, as when McCormick, in a fit of emotion, stood and seemed to shake the instrument at the screen. When he gave a long yell during Felix's fall from Mars to Earth, it was unexpected and delightful.

Majewicz's sweet warble lent warmth and whimsy to what would have been a cold, clinical short: at one point, she made a skeletal image sing. The saw's singular "woo" and bend made images bend and sway, too.

During a short about a head-in-the-clouds poet, the use of Dreamland Faces' song "Beautiful Soup" made me laugh out loud; it appeared a harp-strumming woman onscreen was singing the words, too.

Saturday night, Apostles of the Hidden Son and Handsome Jack played to a kinda sparse crowd at the Bug Jar. Herman (the bartender) thought it was because people are broke, and some "goofy party" was going on elsewhere; I attributed it to Lilac Festival happenings (the Hi-Risers played earlier in the night) and a Monty's Krown show.

Anyway, the Apostles and Handsome Jack just didn't do it for me that night, which was too bad, because I usually enjoy them both. It had something to do with the on-floor setup, I think; instead of meshing with the audience, an invisible barrier somehow seemed in place. The Apostles' set ended with the drummer pushing his drums to the floor, cymbals crashing; it could've done without, as the use of smoke and strobe lights amid the cacophony of never-ending guitar noise was big enough (and loud enough) on its own.

The barrier dynamic continued through Handsome Jack's set, with most of the audience kind of rigid, though El Destructo did wander in at one point and wiggle around closer to the band. The bass player's dancing feet had my attention when the rest of the band didn't.

By the time The Electric Prunes came on, the room had almost filled, and I'd hit my stride with the Genny Cream Ale...so suffice it to say the band played a lotta new stuff, and it was great. We all danced. And as  the band filmed each other and the audience from the stage, between its music and banter, the barriers melted away. This, lead singer James Lowe said, is what clubs were like in the 60's. -JEN GRANEY

In many cases it goes way beyond fandom. When one artist influences another to the point of emulation, you cross over into disciple territory. When you're a fan, you're fond of; you dig; you enjoy; you dance to; you sing along to in the car. When you're a disciple, you carry the message further. Ithaca's Revision is undoubtedly influenced by Medeski Martin & Wood; the trio cops the same guitar/organ/drums assault steeped in acid and jazz. I'm sure the band members are fans, but it's gone beyond that. And now more than ever the whole jam-band idiom has stopped looking for a post-Jerry savior and opened its arms to encompass Southern rock (Gov't Mule), Delta blues (North Mississippi All-Stars), and jazzy, bordering-on-prog-rock funk like MMW. These bands - like Revision - take their various influences in, digest 'em, re-tool 'em, and make 'em their own.

I've seen Revision a few times, and have to say, now as a trio, the band was astounding. The musical interplay and symbiotic energy was slick. Nick Bullock's guitar playing floored me, as he seemed unable to decide which end of his big red guitar's neck he wanted to wring. I swear, at one point he played both. The drums didn't get overplayed and the organ - besides bringing up the bottom end much less obtrusively than electric bass - was a musical interpretation of soul food. It was a deep-fried, B-3 wail.

Tonally this band is much sharper than its contemporaries, and not afraid to put a little grit into it. On Thursday night the band celebrated the release of - and featured cuts off of - its new CD, "Amplification." Revision entertained a High Fidelity full of fans, and won at least one more disciple: me. Wait'll you hear me plug my old 350 in next time. You might hear some Nick Bullock blasting out through the tweed.

Homeboys Macro Meltdown warmed up the affair with a similar jazzy groove, and with a lot more soul than I remember off the band's recordings. It was still exploratory and curious, but man did it ever Sam Cooke.

CMAC will feature yet another rock 'n' roll  legend -- John Fogerty -- to this, its best season in years. The show will take place Thursday, August 7. Show details are pending. Check this website for more details in the future.