Veterans honored at Tioga Downs during Jefferson Starship Concert

By JoAnn R. Walter

Writer

NICHOLS — Veterans and guests were treated to an extraordinary concert on Thursday evening at Tioga Downs Casino Resort. One of the most successful bands of the classic rock era, Jefferson Starship, performed a selection of their popular hits going back to the ‘70s to a seated and standing crowd that completely filled the venue, and took to the stage just before a captivating sunset.

All ticket sales are to benefit the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group (STVSG), and Tioga Downs owner, Jeff Gural and his wife Paula, will again match ticket sales as they have since 2011.

The STVSG is celebrating 15 years of service this year, and today works with more than seventy affiliated organizations to provide a network of resources, a broad range of services and financial assistance to veterans, service members and their families, and often under life-changing circumstances.

Director of Marketing at Tioga Downs, Jim Weed, opened the concert with remarks.

“We’re here this evening to honor our veterans. Let’s hear it for our vets and the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group,” Weed said. He then asked attendees to stand for the National Anthem.

Weed introduced Anthony Pedro, President of the STVSG, and Pedro shared, “Our organization serves 55,000 veterans across fourteen counties in the Southern Tier of New York and Northern Tier of Pennsylvania,” and added, “About 120,000-140,000 veterans and their families receive direct assistance each year.”

 

Weed then introduced Jeff Gural, and Gural remarked, “This is my way of paying back to all of the veterans. I love seeing the big crowd here tonight, and it’s really a thrill to be here.”

Jefferson Starship opened the concert with the song, “Find Your Way Back,” and performed several other of their iconic hits including, “Jane,” “Miracles,” “Count on Me,” “Sara,” and “We Built this City,” among others.

Tioga Downs concert-goers were also treated to one of rock history’s most indelible songs, “White Rabbit,” originally released by Jefferson Airplane. Jefferson Starship also performed their new song ahead of its release on Aug. 21 called “Jet Pack.”

“We love our vets and service members, and dedicate this show to them, and thank their family members as well,” said lead singer and guitarist Cathy Richardson, who joined the band in 2008. 

The band also features drummer Donny Baldwin (and whose Jefferson Starship roots go back to 1982), keyboardist Chris Smith (who joined in 1998), guitarist Jude Gold (who joined in 2012), and co-founder and singer/guitarist, David Freiberg. Freiberg reunited with the group in 2005

and is a co-writer of the song, “Jane.”

Richardson shared a couple of personal tidbits about the band members, such as drummer Donny Baldwin’s first performance on a hit song when he was only 19, and that being Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” released in 1975. A fun interjection to their set list, the band performed a couple of verses from that song.

Richardson then shared a story about Freiberg’s transition from Airplane to Starship, and said Freiberg hung out with some of rock music’s most endearing rock legends back-in-the-day like Janis Joplin and David Crosby. Richardson wished him a happy birthday which was on Aug. 24, as Freiberg turned 88.

At the end of the show, the band took a well-deserved bow amongst a standing ovation, and then returned to the stage to perform a rendition of “God Bless America” in honor of veterans in attendance.

The band closed the concert with Jefferson Airplane’s 1969 timeless hit and high-energy anthem of the Vietnam War period, “Volunteers.”

Prior to the show, veterans were also welcomed to visit with representatives from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and who had an information table set up near the stage.

The Southern Tier Veterans Support Group is available at any time to assist veterans, and welcomes veterans to call them at (607) 205-8332. You can also visit their web page, https://www.stvsg.org.