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Williamsville Choir rocks the crowd with the Rolling Stones

Courtesy of Eileen Koteras

"What a rush!"  That's how Alex Benestelli describes the experience of his Williamsville church choir appearing with the Rolling Stones Saturday night at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park.

Keith Richards appears on the big screen during Saturday's Rolling Stones concert.

The Calvary Episcopal Church choir, led by Benestelli, belted out the first song of the encore with the Rolling Stones, "You Can't Always Get What You Want." 

"I think everybody's knees were shaking a little bit," notes Benestelli as they looked out and saw tens of thousands of people in the crowd. 

Benestelli says the choir was able to rehearse with the Stones in the afternoon.

"The band couldn't have been nicer," says Benestelli. "They were absolute professionals. We did get to meet them in the afternoon at rehearsals and of course we saw them in the performance in the evening. They were a class act. I can't say enough about them."

Credit Courtesy of Eileen Koteras
The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger at Ralph Wilson Stadium

Did you get to talk to Mick Jagger? "He did come over and say hello," says Benestelli. "It was very nice of him."

Benestelli adds, "We're really appreciative of all the love from everyone out there in Buffalo that has supported us."

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Jay joined Buffalo Toronto Public Media in 2008 and has been local host for NPR's "Morning Edition" ever since. In June, 2022, he was named one of the co-hosts of WBFO's "Buffalo, What's Next."

A graduate of St. Mary's of the Lake School, St. Francis High School and Buffalo State College, Jay has worked most of his professional career in Buffalo. Outside of public media, he continues in longstanding roles as the public address announcer for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League and as play-by-play voice of Canisius College basketball.
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