Events

[METAL] A staple on the local music scene for years, Tony Lorenzo passed away in March. Now his friends and family are coming together to celebrate a life gone too soon. On Sunday, May 7, friends, family and a huge line up of bands will gather at the Waiting Room to celebrate the life of Tony Lorenzo. 

Lorenzo, who was 30 years old, was known as former guitarist of the popular death metal band Sons of Azrael. He also played guitar for another popular Buffalo-based metal band, It Dies Today, on one of their European tours. 

In 2011, Lorenzo was shot and paralyzed not far from his house in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village. The incident resulted in Lorenzo having to use a wheelchair, and at first he was unable to move his right arm and hand—a devastating diagnosis for a talented guitarist.

However, through hard work and patience Lorenzo regained the use of his hand, which allowed him to once again pick up a guitar—and eventually perform on stage again with his band Ritual Quarantine. 

Lorenzo’s friend, Brian Butch Hulin, organized this memorial show.

“I decided to organize this celebration to bring all of his friends and family together to celebrate and honor his life,” says Hulin. “He was a great person, friend, and brother and we had a very special bond. We weren’t best friends but we were very close and I felt like I had to do something in his honor. I have two medically fragile, special needs kids who are also in wheelchairs, and Tony and I could relate to each other because of that situation.”

For a complete list of the bands performing, see the Waiting Room website or the Facebook event page.