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Steelfest 2015

[FUN] Since 1984 Buffalo’s Steel Plant Museum has been offering residents a look back to the industry that put the WNY economy on its back during the postwar years. On Saturday, May 16 the museum will celebrate its collection in the first ever Steelfest and call upon local craftsmen and food trucks to provide goods for sale.

Kyle Butler: Lilt

[ART] Make a plan to find yourself out and about in Allentown this Saturday because the Nina Freudenheim is presenting new works by up-and-coming artist Kyle Butler. Lilt is composed of a series of abstract paintings made with acrylic and spray paint that evoke a sense of communication and movement. Freudenheim has dedicated herself to the arts and Buffalo for over 35 years with a keen eye for seeking out talent, and this exhibit is no exception.

Amid/In WNY Part 3

[ART] The crew at Hallwalls (John Massier, Kyle Butler and Rebecca Wing) are at it again, presenting Part 3 of their ambitious survey show of contemporary artists working in Western New York. By now they have visited more than 90 studios and spent countless hours conversing over the theme of each show. Successfully done, each exhibit has had its own distinct feel and presentation with the gallery transforming into their sought-out vision.

Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan

[FUNK] For those familiar with Alan Evans and have caught his various bands in Buffalo, you may already be familiar with Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan. The guy whom the group is named after, Beau Sasser, was the longtime keyboardist of the Alan Evans Trio/Playonbrother, while one of the guitarists, Danny Mayer, was also in the group. The new formation is fresh and carries some commonalities—the greatest being the rock and roll meets funk spirit.

Big Leg Emma

[FOLK] One of the perks of being a Western New Yorker is having great music being created right in our backyard. Regardless of your preference, the area has a great mix of bands. One gem in the scene is Jamestown’s Big Leg Emma who hunker down in Americana and mix in the likes of folk, bluegrass, and rock. The band is coming to Buffalo Iron Works this Friday, May 15, with the one-man-band opener, the Suitcase Junket.

What the Beck?: A Tribute to Beck

[TRIBUTE] Say what you will about Beck Hansen—Kanye West certainly has—but the man is in search of something…a seeker. Arguably, seekers make more compelling artists, and even his head-scratching devotion to Scientology is evidence that Beck is after some greater truth. Throughout his career, Beck has shape-shifted through personas that, while perhaps not as dramatic as Bowie’s, have showcased different aspects of his musicality and viewpoint.

The Pixies

[ALT ROCK] The Pixies are undeniably one of the most influential bands to have graced the alternative rock realm. The twisted, alt-rock progenitors influenced 1990s icons from Nirvana to Radiohead. Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, they released a string of albums–Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova, and Trompe Le Monde–all marked with a sense of imminent peril.

Priory

[ROCK] Existing at the intersection where hipsters meet the masses, where pop and rock meet a slice of EDM, Priory may be on the cusp of large-scale popularity. Brandon Rush and Kyle Sears knew they were onto something, quitting their day jobs shortly after meeting to focus on making music full time. Warner Bros. took a chance, releasing an EP last fall and “Weekend” became a promising hit.

Melt Banana

[PUNK] This Japanese collective is proof positive that punk energy transcends cultural barriers. Based around two central figures—vocalist Yasuko Onuki and guitarist Ichirou Agata—Melt Banana churns out a mind-bending sonic assault that’s experimental and noisy one minute, then listenable in the punk tradition the next. Agata’s distorted loops and pedal-borne skronk provide suite-like gateways into more standard song structures played at dizzying speeds. Onuki quips, yelps and squeals—mostly in English—giving the uninitiated something to try and hold onto.

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