Ah yes, the holidays. Time for family, child-like pleasures like homemade cookies and presents with your name under the tree... and of course, screaming rock and roll. Due to the holiday falling on a Monday this year, Friday, 12/22 and Saturday, 12/23 are shaping up to be Thanksgiving Eve II in terms of the sheer number of shows. This is the first in a three part series on all the shows happening over the weekend.
First off, down the street at Mode, (formerly Le Metro) Terry Sullivan will be performing a special holiday edition (Friday, 22nd) of the Low Lamp Sessions. Watching Terry perform with hIs tall frame leaning on a barstool and his hands gently cupping the microphone is an exercise in the unexpected. The intensity in his voice belies his relaxed pose, and you can see, especially in an up-close-and-personal venue like Mode, that his full being is going into his songs.
A show from Terry is always more than just a performance -- it's an intimate look into the heart of a musician who gives of himself to his audience. Sure to be a packed night, it's a good idea to get there early if you want seats. The show starts at 11 PM. Thanks to BFLORome for the email. Mode, 84 W Utica St, Buffalo, 14222, 716.885.1500
Then, it's the Fems 2nd Annual Christmas party (Saturday, 23rd) at Club Diablo. Second at Diablo, but no less than the 26th Annual Event for the Fems, which tells you a fair amount about the show to begin with. The Fems, including Buffalo's own New York Doll Mark Freeland, have been in existence since 1979. They were one of the lockdown bands at the Continental for years, and if you ask any Buffalonian rocker over the age of 35, the Fems probably started more fashion trends and inspired more thrash dancing than anyone except Black Flag. The show this Saturday at Diablo will undoubtedly be a family reunion for the Buffalo punk scene. Club Diablo, 517 Washington Street, Buffalo 14203, 716.842.0666.