With the success of 2009's Tunes4Food events, Event Organizer Bob James continues his mission of using music to reach out to those in need, in 2010. March 19th will see the third Tunes4Food event at 8PM, at Mohawk Place. Instead of a 25-hour marathon of music as in past events, T4F 3 will be a CD release party for another longstanding project of James': the music compilation THIS IS IT, now on the 4th volume.
THIS IS IT volume 4 is the third release in a line of discs celebrating the rich alternative rock scene in Buffalo from 1975 through 1989. The first release,

Belle is a play by Florence Gibson, directed by Lorna C. Hill for Ujima Theatre.  It is the extraordinary story of two recently freed slaves, husband and wife, journeying to the north in search of a new life. When they encounter a white woman fighting for the suffrage movement, they become entwined in the social upheaval that epitomizes post Civil War America. Belle is one woman's story but it expresses the circumstances of a nation in the midst of social evolution. We see how black women were overlooked

BRO submission by Eric Crittenden:

Ok, so by now I KNOW you've heard of the Powder Keg Winter Festival going on right here in Downtown BFLO and I KNOW you're going to be there, but what I'm pretty sure you don't know is what's happening musically. Well, I can assure you that the groove and vibe is equally as chill, as the Powder Keg itself.

As we planned our music program we wanted to be sure that we weren't just "selling beer", as is often the case with these types of events. We wanted to be sure we reached across Buffalo's eclectic musical field and are pretty sure

"When Ireland Starved," is the title of a talk to be given by Veronica Hogle on Sunday, March 7, from 2:00 - 4:30PM at the Quaker Bonnet Eatery, 175 Allen, near Elmwood. An Afternoon tea of potato scones, Irish Soda bread and lemon tarts will be served.  
Mrs. Hogle, a native of Ireland, will discuss how lace making and distribution helped feed a starving nation during the Irish potato famine of 1845-1849. Her talk will also cover the origins of lace, how and when it came to Ireland, its style and beauty on the world fashion stage, political and management factors

Yesterday, many Christians had ashes on their heads as a sign of repentance.

Christians, however, are neither the first nor the only people to seek repentance.  In fact, the idea of places ashes on our head is not found in uniquely Christian scripture, but in the texts that we share with Judaism and Islam. 

Repentance is more than saying "sorry," and seeking forgiveness.  It is a turning away from one way and towards another. It represents deep change.
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While the Powder Keg Festival and Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament have all the City of Buffalo steeped in snow and ice and everything winter on the weekend of February 27th...consider thawing out with the eternal Latin hottie, Rita Moreno, at Kleinhans Music Hall.
This Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award winning actress and singer (West Side Story, The King and I, Singing in the Rain) will be at Kleinhans on February 27th, at 8PM.  Born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York since the age of 5, Moreno was a talent scout discovery at an early age, and she went on

There are few things that can come together as well as this indie rock outfit. Comprised of four members from different backgrounds, they meld each others unique styles to produce one of the most powerful albums to come out of this city.

Rocco DellaNeve (vocals, guitar) grew up beating up on a bass guitar and traveling the country with acts like BeArthur and Jimmy Van Zant. Though he thoroughly enjoys tearing up jazz standards on the piano or laying down the funk on the bass, he was asked to step out of his comfort zone in order to be the guitarist for the Etchings. He jumped at the

The Lenten season begins this Wednesday, February 17th. To celebrate Lent, the Buffalo Choral Arts Society (BCAS) will present "A Choral Evensong & Sacred Concert." All are welcome to attend this special musical event on February 28th at 4 PM. St. Joseph's University Church, a Catholic church on the University of Buffalo's South Campus, will host the concert.
The event is also presented by BCAS Music Director and Conductor Marcia A. Giambrone and Accompanist John Mitton. St. Joseph's pastor, Reverend Jacob

Whether you've attended a Pecha Kucha (Pay-chach-ka) or not, Saturday Night's event, held at Western New York Book Art Collaborative (WNYBAC), was both informative and amusing.
In this simple exercise in presentation, artists and presenters are given the ability to show 20 slides, for 20 seconds each, giving viewers a concise idea of what they're working on, or toward.  Mark Dytham, a Tokyo-based Brit who is

Library Staff Review by Suzanne Colligan Don Cherry's Hockey Stories and Stuff by Don Cherry as told to Al Strachan.
Love him or hate him, Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada's "Coach's Corner" is an institution. Dapper Don plays raconteur, while hockey writer Al Strachan provides clarification when it's needed. This works well because it allows Cherry's voice to shine through as he recalls his hockey careers (player, coach, and commentator).
Cherry talks about his days in the AHL, with special

"A Musical Feast" will present the premier of the video "Shamayim," music by David Felder, with images by Elliot

PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers and artists to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that showcases several disciplines creating a diverse and exciting display of creative work.

Of the many officially sanctioned cities worldwide who have embraced this unique mash up

Shea's version of Bourbon Street comes alive!  Shea's Performing Arts Center's Encore Events presents the 10th Annual Martini Gras on Saturday, February 20th, from 8PM to midnight, at Shea's. Martinis and Mardi Gras are celebrated as the lobbies and stage are transformed for this annual event.  Dress in your best with a feather boa or Mardi Gras mask, and we will provide the beads, food, and more!  The event features live entertainment by The Ifs on the Shea's stage, Saxman Slim in Intermission Lounge,  psychic readings,

The VAuLT will hold a fashion show on Saturday, February 27th, from 8PM until 11.  There, DIEConstant will exhibit a line of clothing for show and sale.  Models will strut the catwalk in fishnets, high-heels and DIEConstant designs, with local musicians Mike Golner and Nick Vegas playing in the background. 
DIEConstant, featuring designs of former Buffalonian, Sean Madden, is a company that now has sales reps in Toronto and NYC, and has drawn serious interest in Australia. 
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City of Buffalo crews spent Monday watering down the Erie Basin Marina in advance of the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament taking place on February 27th and 28th*.  Meanwhile, some local and regional residents have turned to making their own backyard rinks, and the trend is growing.
This New York Times article looks at several families'

Back for another year of Fat Tuesday sounds and celebration, Jambalaya brings its New Orleans-inspired jazz to Black Rock's premier music venue on Tuesday, February 16 from 9 to 12 pm. 
With the classic Storyville-inspired three-man front line of clarinet (and soprano), trumpet, and trombone, Jambalaya recreates the music of the Crescent City in the tradition of Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, Zutty Singleton, and Earl Fatha Hines. Filling in for both Fatha and Pops on the gig will be pianist and trumpet virtuoso Jon

Valentine's Day is traditionally known for heart shaped candy, cheesy greeting cards and pressure to perform grand romantic gestures for one's significant other. Here is yet another way to celebrate the day - the St. Valentine's Day Haunted Pub Crawl of Allentown.
This Friday, February 12th at 6:30PM, all are invited to participate in this unique event. The Crawl will begin at Cozumel Grill & Tequila Bar on 153 Elmwood Ave. The event is led by author Mason Winfield and a few close colleagues. For $20 a person, one can

Looking for something "cultural" to do this upcoming Valentine's Day weekend? The Heiress, a play written in 1947 by Ruth and Augustus Goetz (originally from Buffalo), will be performed February 12th-14th. The event is co-presented by the Playhouse of American Classics (PAC) and the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.
The play is said to be based on the 1880 novella Washington Square by Henry James. It tells the tale of forbidden love between a timid girl

Celebrate China's New Year of the Tiger tonight, Wednesday, February 10th, at 7PM in the Flickinger Performing Arts Center at Nichols School with a performing troupe from Wuhan, China. The first day of the Chinese New Year that takes place on February 14th. 
This performance of lively and colorful Chinese music and dance is free and open to the public. Nichols School is located at 1250 Amherst Street in Buffalo, across from Delaware Park.
The event is organized jointly by the newly-established

Following a 10:15AM performance by headliner Preservation Hall Jazz Band for over 1600 students in grades 4 through 6 from public, private, parochial and charter schools throughout Erie County, the Mardi Gras Jam public performance begins at 7PM on Friday, February 12th.
Schedule as follows:
7 - 7:20PM: Student Battle of the Bands winners Six String Circus from Hutch Tech.7:30 - 8:10PM: New Orleans singer/guitarist/banjo player Carl LeBlanc 8:10 - 8:30PM: Intermission8:30 - 10PM: Preservation Hall Jazz