[TALK] After spending years splitting time between the home and away field, doing work for publications and companies as disparate as National Geographic, the United Nations, Land O’ Lakes, the New York Times, and of course The Public, photojournalist Brendan Bannon
[CELEBRATION] The Buffalo Brunch has been flying low under the radar for 20 years now. It shouldn’t: In the last eight years alone—since the LGBTQ fundraising and community awareness events has been run by embrace Western New York—the brunch has raised and dispensed $125,000 in grants and scholarships. “All of our scholarships and grants contain elements of educating Western New York,” says Jeffrey Platt, embrace Western New York’s president. “When a society chooses to educate themselves of all manner of social injustices, better decisions are made.
[ALTERNATIVE] Lowest of the Low and frontman Ron Hawkins will be performing at events on consecutive nights this Friday, and Saturday, April 22 and 23. First, Hawkins’ long time band Lowest of the Low will perform a special benefit concert for the Food Bank of Western New York at the Town Ballroom. The Canadian alternative rock band will be joined by singer/songwriter Willie Nile and alt-country band The Gallow Walkers.
[POP] Like any good musician, Lesionread knows how to morph, transform, and evolve. Musician Shawn Lewis conceived of Lesionread as a self-contained electronic music party. At his shows he’d bring out a gang of faceless body-suit people, robots, and dinosaurs to interact with the crowd, sometimes handing them props or cameras to pass around for the purposes of social experiment and musical enjoyment. After touring the country Lesionread has returned to Buffalo as a three piece band—but don’t think for a second that their off-the-wall show has been toned down at all.
[INDIE] Essentially a musical vehicle for the songs of Michael Rheinheimer, Attic Abasement has grown into a Rochester-based trio with Keith Parkins and Joe Parker. Rheinheimer’s misfit singer-songwriter fare gets dressed in moody pop melodies with flourishes of fuzz—and there’s plenty of both on the forthcoming new full-length, Dream News, out May 27 on Father/Daughter Records. They’re at Milkie’s on Saturday night with Passed Out and Mr. Boneless.
[POP] One of the more impressive Athens, Georgia bands to achieve a larger-than-just-local profile in recent memory, New Madrid’s singular brand of psychedelic art-pop is polished, but not to the point of completely losing its edge.
[INDIE] Chicago three-piece Red Francis is on the road this spring supporting their debut full-length, which includes a show at Mohawk Place this Thursday night with locals Difficult Night and Coral Collapse.
[ROCK] Hungry for some brooding 1980’s alternative nostalgia? Then check out cult 1980s band The Church at Tralf Music Hall on Saturday, April 23, as presented by Alternative Buffalo 107.7 FM. Best known for their hit single “Under The Milky Way,” the Australian Quartet has gained a beloved reputation from fans of older and younger generations for their indie new-wave sound mixed with their more alternative 1980s appeal.
[FOLK] Cabinet, a sextet from Pennsylvania, is a mighty hardworking unit—blending skillful, bluegrass chops with occasional rocking edges. The unusual sound, delivered with old-timey authenticity, has earned them a devout following and some high profile festival spots, including upcoming appearances at Susquehanna Breakdown, Rooster Walk, Northwest String Summit, DelFest, and the Charm City Folk and Bluegrass Festival.
[COMEDY] Joey Diaz is ready for a Beef on Weck. But not without some trepidation. Diaz, who loves Buffalo and returns to our mini-metropolis for a series of gigs at Helium Comedy Club this Thursday through Saturday, has recently been striving for a healthier lifestyle. The 53-year-old comic storyteller has turned over a new leaf in recent years. But like so many of our best efforts in life, it’s not a linear process.
[REGGAE] It’s been over ten years, and Spiritual Rez is showing no signs of slowing down. They’ve garnered a cult following by way of relentless touring and captivating live shows featuring rich, yet light compositions that swallow the audience whole.
[ROCK] Dopapod’s greatest strength is the individual talent of each musician, and the explosive energy that rages when they play together—the fact that they can rock with funk and soul, and ride jazzy and psychedelic progressions like a boss is just an added bonus. The Berkley-bred quintet constructs their albums through frequent on-stage improvisation. This becomes more impressive upon listening to songs that are intricate and complex with rich textures.
[COMEDY] With all the politics that have congested New York State in the weeks leading up to the primaries, there’s no greater time to welcome a star-studded band of comedic veterans with a proven talent for picking apart today’s political landscape. Hosted by George Lopez, a master entertainer in his own right, The Comedy Get Down features two of “The Original Kings of Comedy,” Cedric “The Entertainer” and D.L.
My Congressman, Chris Collins, has endorsed Donald Trump. Since then, he has become more of an embarrassment than ever before. This weekend, he wrote an un-comical op/ed for that liberal stalwart, the New York Times.