For his latest record, Vega Intl. Night School, electronic music producer Neon Indian, a.k.a. Alan Palomo was able to transcend the sound of his previous two records. He did this by merging his two musical identities, Neon Indian, and his lesser known moniker, Vega. The result: a dance record that combines the acid-soaked dream rock of his debut, Psychic Chasms, with the slick electronic dance pop of his Vega records.
[ELECTRONIC] Ed Rush & Optical have been the face of new school drum and bass for as long as the genre has existed. The two Londoners have been working together since as early as 1998. Not only have the duo represented drum and bass on a worldwide scale, they’ve also helped spawn subgenres such as neurofunk—a heavier, harder form of drum and bass that incorporates techno, house, funk, and even jazz influences—and techstep, which plays heavily upon sci-fi themes.
[FOOD] Grab the kiddos, grab your costumes, and head on down to the third annual Haunted Food Tuck Rodeo this Friday, October 23, 4-8pm. Proceeds from this event benefit the Island Preservation Society and Museum Restoration Fund. A list of the participating food trucks can be found on the Iron Island Museum Facebook page. Face painting and physic reading will be available.
[DRINK] The Niagara Wine Trail hosts their annual weekend-long murder mystery, Hallowine, this Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25. Follow the wineries along the trail to collect clues and interview suspects in hopes of finding out who “expunged” Princess Dana. Tickets can be purchased for all three days of the event on the Niagara Wine Trail website. All participants must come with a valid photo ID. If you are not drinking or are a designated driver, you may enter the event at no charge.
[LIT] “You are you even before you / grow into understanding you” Claudia Rankine writes in the second stanza of “Citizen,” a lucid, free-verse poem that spaciously weaves between modes of diaspora (“you are here, fighting off the weight of nonexistence”) and universal affinity (“The patience is in the living.
[PARTY] Q: Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew, cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two? A: The Candy Man, of course—and this Saturday, October 24 you can head right down to the Dnipro Ukrai
[GAMING] In the congested world of gaming, it is easy to lose sight of the hard work and effort it takes to create a unique product based on an original concept. Mainstream developers such as EA and Warner Bros. leave fans waiting for the next reiterated prototype, as gamers spend countless hours with the current version they already own and big companies delve into their big budgets, rehashing concepts. Gamers think they’ve seen all there is to see in the gaming world. Buffalo Game Space is a humbling reminder that new ideas are coming out on a local level.
[HIP HOP] Mat Kearney’s fourth disc, Just Kids, is a meditation on childhood and adolescence, inspired by his coming of age in the Pacific Northwest. The 36-year-old songwriter, known for his hip-hop-ish spoken-word style, recorded the album with a portable studio while on the road, experimenting as his own producer and pushing himself in new directions. What comes across is a bittersweet longing for youth and a healthy respect for the trials of growing up, giving Just Kids unexpected depth of feeling.
[FOLK] Willie Nile is one of those musicians who was repeatedly poised for a breakthrough that never quite happened. Now might be his time. At 67, he’s finally producing an ongoing stream of new music, which has allowed his career to gain momentum after multiple derailments. And he’s one of our own: Despite being thought of as a product of New York City’s musical environs, Nile was born and raised here in Buffalo.
[COMEDY] Craig Ferguson is arguably the most fascinating specimen in comedy. He lives his life as an open book, unafraid of controversy and grateful for every opportunity. He succeeded Craig Kilborn as the host of The Late Late Show, boasting an unconventional approach. Ferguson quickly made it clear that his brogue wasn’t his only quirk that set him apart from his contemporaries.
[HISTORICAL] Spiritualism has strong roots in Upstate New York, from Lily Dale—the oldest surviving Spiritualist society in the United States—to the Fox Sisters, who played an important role in the spiritualism movement of the 1800s. This weekend—Friday, October 23 —will conclude the Victorian Séance Series at the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village.
[ELECTRONIC] The Gypsy Parlor will reverberate with breakbeats this Saturday, October 24 as the Igloo Music crew brings in Toronto’s Marty McFly. Rarely does Buffalo host a night dedicated to breaks, so if you’re into it, this is the night to “Break Out.” M