Buffalo Rising Online

It’s 8 PM on Sunday night in downtown Buffalo. A group of girls are milling about outside the Mohawk Place waiting for doors to open.

“I’m taking a picture of Voxtrot’s trailer!” one of them shrieks as the others anxiously await the chance to see their favorite band in person.

This scene played out in various forms throughout the night during Voxtrot’s stop in Buffalo with Au Revoir Simone and Favourite Sons. Voxtrot’s intensely loyal fan base has until recently been built mainly through word of mouth and web. A glance at their MySpace page (a must have for any up and coming band these days) reveals swarms of comments ranging from ‘your music changed my life’ to ‘you’re totally my band crush of the year’ (in addition to good music, they’ve got that ‘not only are they talented but they’re cute hipsters too’ look going for them). Prior to the rele…

In potentially one of the best-named fund raisers ever, The Infringement Festival will be holding the Bizarre Bazaar this coming Saturday at Soundlab, and trust me, based on the line-up alone, it's going to live up to its name.

For a mere $5, audience members will be treated to 6 bands, 4 performers, short films and animations, and, with great potential a 50/50 raffle and an indoor garage sale. All proceeds will benefit the 2007 Infringement Festival, and even the door money will co cover printing costs for the festival brochure and other important festival expenses, so be generous if you're in a position to do so.

Why? Well, with the Infringement, you're not getting your normal, comfortable night out. These people are pushing the limits, not for some additional number of myspace friends or a potential contract, but simply because they can. As a result, the work is pure – y…

Thursday at the Square is going to be major this week, with about-to-be huge band Augustana headlining a three-band line-up including As Tall as Lions and in a slight change-up, the Brakes (Army of Me has cancelled due to illness).

Starting off the night will be the satirical Brit-pop group the Brakes, famous for such punchy little numbers like "Hi, How Are You," a 30-second number mocking judgmental imagists with lyrics like: "What do you do? What do you listen to? Where do you go? Are you with them or are you with us? How do you dress? Who are your friends?" Sure to keep the crowd rolling with their light-hearted, enthusiastic punked-up sceneterism, The Brakes are a fun addition to a night that will progress to an evening of super-melodic soulful alt-rock.

Long Island's As Tall As Lions is coming into their own, with a better reaction to their second, self-titled album tha…

Gallery 141 is hoding a pecial event during the Allentown Art Festival's Anniversary. The gallery will be open with six featured artists, including Tammy Wetzel, Marie Wonch, Dan Mardana, Christopher McGee, Gene Witoski, and Jimi Beaudin. The artwork ranges from painting and mixed media to digital 3D artwork. there will also be several types of photography (high dynamic range included) displayed. Adding to the live flavor of the show will be working artists in the driveway, and a body painter.

Stop by and get to know your local galleries, bringing you art all year 'round!

Saturday and Sunday, June 9 and 10 Free Gallery 141B 141B Elmwood, (in the back), 14201

While the purpose of the Allentown Art Festival is, of course, art (as the group so adamantly declared this year), music has been, and always will be, an integral part of most large social gatherings. Walk west of Allen Street this weekend to fill that need -- you actually enter a separate festival, the aptly-named Allen West Fest, run by the Allentown Association, which "hosts a diverse group of street vendors, music, and local cuisine," according to their website. Look for more on that and more local music offerings this weekend in a later post.

Some of the offerings of the Allentown music scene during the Festival are the Allen Street Hardware Cafe, the College Street Gallery, and of course Nietzsche's, which has live music on two stages for twelve hours a day, changing on the hour, both Satur…

Today's edition of Thursday at the Square brings us the Americana-laced rock of Son Volt with local up-and-comers Dali's Ghost as the opening act -- a perfect pick for the after-work wind-down and upgroove we all know and love as the Square.

Son Volt is comprised of Jay Farrar (vocals), Dave Bryson (drums), Andrew Duplantis (bass), Derry deBorja (keyboards) and Chris Masterson (guitar). Considered one of the lock-downs of the alt-country scene, Son Volt made the rounds last year at Bonaroo and Letterman, and followed up this year with their release of The Search on Transmit Sound/Legacy. The Search expands their sound, adding organs and electric pianos and blending new guitar tones and effects, moving from mellow alternative country to straight-ahead rock. On the road since March of this year…

It was a busy and well-attended organizer's meeting tonight at Staples' of Allentown. Fresh on the heels of an Artie Award, Lead Scheduling Dude Kurt Schneiderman Publicity Dude Ron Ehmke and Treasury Dude Scott Kurchak met with a team of approximately 20 performers and organizers, and outlined upcoming meetings, events, and positions still needing to be filled. The festival itself will be held from July 26 through August 5, 2007 at various locations throughout Allentown. Roughly 110 performances, workshops, films, and other happenings are anticipated throughout the eleven-day celebration.

Not familiar with the Infringement? Well, if you liked Artists and Models, you're bound to have a great time at the Infringement Festival – eleven times as much, right?. As briefly described by puppeteer Michelle Costa, the proper response to "W…

Fancy light show? No. Microbrews and girly drinks? No. Tickets with high service charges? No. Straight up Celtic rock from the winners of 5 (count 'em 5) 2007 Artvoice Music Awards? YES. Jackdaw, Buffalo's proudest musical band of brothers continues its wrecking ball throughout the city with their return to the legendary last bastion of rock itself, Mohawk Place on Saturday, June 2nd at 10pm. $5 at the door gets you two sets from the best pint-swilling and rocking band this side of mother Ireland. The collision of these two Buffalo icons is a show surely not to be missed, so get there early and be ready to raise your glass to the sounds of Jackdaw......"

Saturday, June 2, 9PM Doors, 10PM Show $5 Mohawk Place 47 East Mohawk 14203, 716.855.3931

Buffalo Rising has two tickets available to the first caller for the Opening Night Gala of the Buffalo International Jewish Film Festival tomorrow night. The Festival begins Saturday Night, at 7:30 PM, at the Market Arcade Film & Art Centre with two feature films, complete with a dessert reception and live Klezmer music! First reader to call the Buffalo Rising offices at 923-7603, extension 207 will get two free passes.

The feature films are West Bank Story followed by Three Mothers. West Bank Story was the Academy Awards' choice this year for Best Live Action Short Film, and will most likely be Buffalo's only showing of this cinematic gem. The full description is below, but the tagline "A musical comedy set in the fast-paced, fast-food world of competing falafel stands in the West Bank," pretty much says it all. Following is the feature film Thre…

There is usually a fun, lively, sizable crowd for opening nights in Shea’s Broadway series. Last night (Tuesday, May 24, 2007), was the opening of Chita Rivera: A Dancer’s Life, the final production touring through here for this theater season. The crowd included more of Buffalo’s theater community than usual… our own actors, directors, writers and so on, which made for a special kind of noise from the audience in response to the show.

You don’t have to be theater-savvy (just normal savvy) to read into the title and understand the gist of the show: Chita Rivera, a performer who has enjoyed a career of more than fifty years and is still going, relates to the audience her life as a dancer and the life that all dancers endure in their effort to make audiences happy . Again, just the gist, the essence, the idea. The seed--a simple thing--until planted.

The richn…