I tend bar at a jazz club in Buffalo, NY called Tralf Music Hall. Every year, the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame holds their awards ceremony on our main stage. I was surprised to learn just a week before the event was scheduled, that Cannibal Corpse would be receiving the coveted President's Award, which is reserved for the most prestigious Buffalo musicians including (but not limited to) Rick James.

Naturally, I brought my boyfriend's (who regretted being unable to attend the gala because he was in Colorado for a college football game) copy of the Torture LP and my camera with me to work that night. I set up my station early at the back bar (from where I had an amazing view of the stage) and admired all of the sharply dressed honorees and families sitting at our candlelit round tables. I was in the company of jazz saxophonists, classically trained pianists and elegant women in long sequined evening gowns. At a long table about ten feet to the front left of my bar, I observed Alex Webster, Paul Mazurkiewicz and Rob Barrett sitting with their families and looking very much themselves. Paul Mazurkiewicz's father, a slender white-haired man with glasses came to the bar to order drinks. He wore a Cannibal Corpse workshirt tucked into his Levi's. It was kind of adorable. I also met his mother later that night during a break. She was very sweet and referred to herself as a "Cannibal Mom".

The ceremony honored blues and jazz musicians, as well as radio personalities and t-shirt printing companies in Western New York. Joe Public received a performance award as well as Natalie Merchant (who had someone else accept the award on her behalf). The introductions for the inductees were quite lovely, as many of the artists in the Buffalo area have worked together their entire careers. The last award of the night was presented to Cannibal Corpse by Rick Matthews, President of The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame to honor their contributions to various charities, the Western New York music scene and the international metal scene. Their acceptance of the President's Award was met with a generous round of applause from everyone in the room. I, of course, threw them the horns before meeting them offstage to get my LP signed. They were very busy, so I did not ask to have a picture taken with them. I did, however, take some pictures of them accepting their award.


Alex Webster accepting the President's Award for Cannibal Corpse.

I didn't get my picture with Cannibal Corpse, but I did get one with Joe Public!

It's awesome you got the LP signed. Who would expect to see Cannibal Corpse while tending bar at a jazz club? Lucky bastard!

It was really surprising to hear about in the first place. I'm really happy that the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, even being as conservative as they are, decided to give a death metal band their highest award for their musicianship and achievements. It was quite lovely.