[CELEBRATION] It’s “The Big Easy in Buffalo,” for the 9th annual Mardi Gras Jam, one of the premiere annual New Orleans musical events here in New York State. The Marc Stone Band is headlining this year, making for a perfect combination of bluesy swagger and singer/songwriterly chops. Stone plays guitar and sings, and he’ll have keyboardist Josh Paxton with him, as well as Terry Scott Jr. on drums and Phil Morin on Sax.
[WORLD] Local eight-piece world-beat wizards, Outer Circle Orchestra, will be celebrating Bob Marley’s birthday this weekend with a gig at Buffalo Iron works. Known for their Afro-Caribbean beats and ability to keep a crowd on its feet, the set will be a mix of OCO staples with Marley tunes peppered in between. Get your international feel-good groove on, Saturday.
[BLUES] It’s a hot night of blues scheduled for Friday, February 5 at the Tralf, where the Tommy Z Band will celebrate the release of the new Blizzard of Blues CD. Let’s hope there’s no blizzard for the show.
[FUNK] An enticing band by the name of Rhubarb will be at the Gypsy Parlor on Saturday, February 6 starting at 9pm. Every first Saturday of the month, the funk band will honor the classy speakeasy vibes that the Rendezvous on Niagara Street cultivated years ago. The venue will offer dinner, drinks and dancing along with some original live music. Be sure to head over to the Gypsy Parlor on Grant Street for some great entertainment.
[HIP HOP] Ever hear of a group by the name of Mobb Deep? How about the rapper Busta Rhymes? Or even the “Smooth Operator” himself Big Daddy Kane? Well, on Saturday, February 6, a legendary underground rapper and producer who influenced all those artists and more, Large Professor, will be spitting bars of flame all night long at Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar as part of their Legends of Hip Hop series. Large Professor aka Large Pro started off his career in 1989 by joining the famous rap group Main Source.
[DJ] Starting February 5, DJs Malik von Saint and Marcos Udagawa will team up for a weekly set live from Allen Burger Venture each Friday night beginning at 10pm.
[HARDCORE] Information about Household is scarce. So much so, that any press online about them is split between them, and a trio from Brooklyn of the same name. What I did end up finding was a hardcore punk band from Minneapolis with a modest, but undeniably loyal following.
[COMEDY] Andrew Schulz is a regular on the NYC comedy scene, and known for starring in MTV2’s “Guy Code” and “Hip Hop Squares.” His observational wit is as entertaining as it is thought provoking, but his true wisdom ironically comes out in his podcast, “The Brilliant Idiots,” wherein he and co-host, Charlamagne, discuss poignant subjects of modern times, including race, politics and social media. Catch Andrew Schulz at Helium Comedy Club on Thursday, February 4
[THEATER] Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage beams down at Shea’s Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 6. This musical event features the greatest sounds and visuals spanning five decades of the cult phenomenon.
[AMERICANA] Americana comes to the Daily Planet Coffee Company as the Healing Committee play their own quirky blend of “folk and roll.” The trio is made up of Kathryn Koch on vocals, harmonica, and saxophone, Timmy P. Pitcher on guitar, banjo, and mandolin, and Alan “A-Dub” Whitney on guitar and vocals.
[ACOUSTIC] Multi-talented singer/songwriter Mary Beth King will be at Daily Planet Coffee Company for what is sure to be a sweet, soulful, but energetic lunch hour. A Buffalo native, King plays rhythmic guitar, keyboard, and ukulele, accompanied by spot-looped percussion and backing vocals. King performs both originals and covers, in a style many have compared to Sarah McLachlan.