I grew up with the Shea Seneca Theater in the ‘60’s. It was the first movie theater I ever went to. It was beautiful. At some point, it closed and reopened around '64 with the help of the South Buffalo Businessman’s Association. It was managed by the beloved Harry Lotz. The seats on the sides of the theater were taken out to become dance floors. After the feature movie, local bands played onstage. Harry Lotz occasionally gave curtain speeches. I remember him asking “Do you kids want to see, 'The Trip’? (thunderous applause) I know I do!”
The theater had to close again but reopened as a music venue called Psycus. There were a lot of dayglo paintings and paisley couches in the lobby and an amazing light show. Among the bands that played there were Country Joe and the Fish, The Buckinghams, The Zombies, The Nazz, and The Bob Seger System. It only lasted a year and stood vacant for a year or two before it was demolished in 1970. I watched it being torn down. It was very sad. As it was being demolished you could see the old theater before it was gone. It was paved over into a parking lot.
I grew up with the Shea Seneca Theater in the ‘60’s. It was the first movie theater I ever went to. It was beautiful. At some point, it closed and reopened around '64 with the help of the South Buffalo Businessman’s Association. It was managed by the beloved Harry Lotz. The seats on the sides of the theater were taken out to become dance floors. After the feature movie, local bands played onstage. Harry Lotz occasionally gave curtain speeches. I remember him asking “Do you kids want to see, 'The Trip’? (thunderous applause) I know I do!”
The theater had to close again but reopened as a music venue called Psycus. There were a lot of dayglo paintings and paisley couches in the lobby and an amazing light show. Among the bands that played there were Country Joe and the Fish, The Buckinghams, The Zombies, The Nazz, and The Bob Seger System. It only lasted a year and stood vacant for a year or two before it was demolished in 1970. I watched it being torn down. It was very sad. As it was being demolished you could see the old theater before it was gone. It was paved over into a parking lot.