What’s Your Favorite Aud Memory?

[Amerks8796]

15 hours ago, mjd1001 said:

For me it wasn't an 'event', but what I remember most about it were things I saw, heard, and could smell...

-the cylinder shaped things hanging from the ceiling, and how they would always be swaying side by side a bit in motion

-the sound you could hear when you were in the ramps going to the upper levels..and as a little kid running down those ramps and jumping at the bottom of them and hearing the 'thud' it made echo

-the smell, right when you got through the turnstiles at the front entrance?  Was it popcorn? Other concessions?  A mixture of everything that everyone spilled that dried to the floor? Not sure, but it was distinct.

-Near the entrance, there was always a bulletin-board type sign that showed who was leading in the '3 star' points.  3 points for a first star, 2 for a second, 1 for a third...and they kept a running record.  Not sure if they even do that at the new Arena, but I remember it posted right near the entrance of the Aud and looked at it every game I went to there.

 

If I have to think of ONE memory...it was a game between the Amerks and someone else...before the game started there was a pretty vicious fight (both teams) on the ice..and with no refs or coaches there to break it up for a while...it went on for a while. The name "Andy Ristau" seems to be one I remember from that night/fight.

Amerks and Hershey playoff game in 1987. The Bears dressed several extra goons for warmups and attacked Andy Ristau. I think 3 of them had him down on the ice at one point and were kicking him. There’s a video of the brawl on YouTube. Jim Hofford won the game in OT for the Amerks and they went on to win the Calder Cup that year. 
 

True story, a couple fans in Rochester tracked down one of the Hershey goons that beat up Ristau in Rochester when he was a scratch and beat him up pretty good. 

[pastajoe]

My first memory of the Aud is from the ‘60s when my dad took me to see wrestling. My favorite match was the midget tag teams. And back then people could smoke inside, so there was this cloud of smoke hanging in the air since there was no AC.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

I forgot about U2 Joshua Tree. Great concert with Bono in a cast.

I really wanted to go to that.  But I had just started my job at Tops and, well, all the other stockboys wanted to go to that, too.  Seniority worked against me.

[DHawerchuk10]

Too many memories to mention, but here were some of my good memories/moments:

-Oilers/Sabres on MLK Jr. Day '87, Scott Arniel with the OT winner against Gretzky/Messier.  I was so excited to get my free Whopper with a Game Stub after the game.  Victory never tasted sweeter.

-The smells and sounds that have been unmatched.  Still remember that stale beer smell like it was yesterday.  Bandits championship game in '96 was so loud, I couldn't even hear my own thoughts.

-The guy who used to walk around with the keyboard, and the Sabrettes.

-Those TVs in the upper blues because you couldn't see the scoreboard.

-Sabre Carnivals.  Got to chat with Robb Stauber in the locker room, and it was a real treat to chit chat with Matt Barnaby when he was a nobody.

-The bats in the trees outside the building and parking under the highway.

-The last game at the Aud, and shedding a tear as I realized that things were really changing and I could never go back

-I was very fond of all the "original" goal songs we used to have ("Celebrate the Tradition", "Rock 'Em Sabres, "Jump/Shout", and obviously "Sabre Dance").  It would be nice to bring those back.  I associate our current goal song with losing.  I would love to get a copy of "Jump/Shout" if anybody has it.  That is the only song I can't find on YouTube outside of old Sabre highlight videos from '93/'94 and '95.

[Hawerchuk]

Man I miss the Aud. A lot of great memories.

Watching Gretzky in the mid 80's with the stacked Oilers team.

Parking off Church street and walking under the I-90 to the Aud when it was 10 degrees out and windy!

Peanuts, Cracker Jack dude in front every game.

Some fantastic concerts seen there too. YES - "Union Tour" 1990, RUSH "Roll The Bones" 1991, Neil Young/Crazy Horse w Social Distortion and Sonic Youth 1991 "Ragged Glory Tour."  My ears ringing for a full day after that one.

And the 1992 season. I swear every game I went to Mogilny had a Hat Trick and Lalalalalafontaine with a gazillion points.

The huge signs the fans would bring in with their own slogans hanging from the ORANGE seats balcony.

LET'S GO BUFFALO!!

[Kruppstahl]

23 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Would that pass code today? Could they build another Aud-like arena?

Absolutely not!  It was the first thing a bunch of my friends noticed and bitched about when they opened the new building.

I had great seats for the first ever game played in the new building..it was a pre-season game against Toronto.

The gradual incline of the seats is terrible, and it results in people who are further up being much further OUT from the ice.

And in the Aud there was no jumbo tron! If you missed a goal live, you never saw it again.  People actually paid attention to the games and were there to watch hockey.

 

Edited December 12, 2019 by Kruppstahl

[spndnchz]

Watching a drunk guy get into a fight and go tumbling down the oranges. 

[Kruppstahl]

There's some good shots of the building and some of the SOUNDS of the building in this video.

I would KILL for them to go back to a Milt Ellis style of public address announcing.  Calm, slow, professional.  Get rid of this hyped up cheerleader crap they do now.

The entire presentation nowadays seems directed toward the least interested fan in the building.  That ain't right!  

 

 

3 minutes ago, spndnchz said:

Watching a drunk guy get into a fight and go tumbling down the oranges. 

I don't think I ever saw a fight at a Sabres game in the Aud (or new building either).

I contrast that with Bills games, where I have never been to a game in which I did NOT see a fight.

 

 

[That Aud Smell]

5 minutes ago, Kruppstahl said:

I don't think I ever saw a fight at a Sabres game in the Aud (or new building either).

I contrast that with Bills games, where I have never been to a game in which I did NOT see a fight.

Agreed. Fights at Sabre games are, in my experience, very unusual. And, on the contrary, *not* witnessing or being affected by a fight (or, more likely, fights) at a Bills game is equally unusual.

[Weave]

3 hours ago, Kruppstahl said:

 

I don't think I ever saw a fight at a Sabres game in the Aud (or new building either).

I contrast that with Bills games, where I have never been to a game in which I did NOT see a fight.

 

 

 

The Bruins playoff game I referenced earlier was full of fights in the stands.  It was a crazy scene.  Watched a Bruin fan kick a guy in the head who was at the game with his 8-10yr old son.  There was a bit of brawl in one of the walkways between groups of fans.  It was nuts.

[apuszczalowski]

I think the only time I was ever able to go see at the Aud was Against teh Lightning, not long after they came into the league, the Sabres lost 6-1 I think?

I went with 2 of my friends and their dads, we sat in the upper level I believe, don't remember much else.

[klos1963]

First playoff game I went to - Chicago in the 74-75 season.

NHL All Star game

The Who 1979