[INDIE] It’s early yet to be making statements about the best things that happened in 2018, but Sunflower Bean’s sophomore set, Twentytwo in Blue, is liable to show up on some year-end lists. The New York City-based trio wowed with their 2016 debut, Human Ceremony (and played a well-attended gig at the Tralf in August of that year, opening for – and inadvertently upstaging – Best Coast). But it’s amazing what a few years of life experience can bring.
My admiration for Buffalo’s poetry community and women artists is no secret, given the theme of most my articles. So when I heard about the talented poet Skyler Rutkowski’s most recent endeavor, I was ecstatic. Come Friday, May 4, her new monthly series, Poetry at Perks, will launch. This event will be the first ever recurring poetry event to happen in the theatre district, and is one of the few open mic events catering towards poets.
Activists just dropped a banner at the corner of Elmwood and Bryant, where a partnership between developers Nick Sinatra and Carl Paladino has proposed a five-story building requiring variances under the city’s Green Code, which has many neighborhood residents up in arms. The organizers of the banner drop sent this explanation to The Public:
You may have heard that very unusual, and rare for this area, birds are visiting. In recent weeks tremendous numbers have shown up. Common Loons, Horned Grebes, and Snowy Owls have been seen in abundance. This week we are on the cusp of the annual neotropical spring migration which brings millions of songbirds into our area includng warblers. Radar shows that they are nearby.
PAULA SCIUK’s Caelum, 2018, is part of the artist’s exhibition titled Evanesence, on view at PAUSA art house (19 Wadsworth Street) through April 28.
Video: “Pabst Blue Rhythm” by Witty Tarbox
Recommended if you like: The Black Angels, Foxygen, Dr. Dog
Western New York-based psychedelic rock band Witty Tarbox released their first music video, and first single from their upcoming EP, The Adventures of Schmitty: issue #1 v RARE, earlier this month. The single is titled Pabst Blue Rhythm and is paired with a video-game inspired music video directed by artist Brandon Kempisty.
In the summer of 2007, VARSITY GAY LEAGUE was created as an alternative for the monotony of the bar scene. Varsity Gay League’s goals are to provide inexpensive sports leagues, recreational activities, and social events for the LGBT+ community and our straight allies! We are a non-discriminatory organization focused on support and fun. We cater to residents across the United States. With 13,000+ members and counting — join the fun!
Any young entreprenuer learns very quickly that taking the leap into your own business is the toughest part. Bridget Mansour took the leap this year, leaving her job of nine years as an event planner for a major local sporting event, to start her own wedding design and planning company, Buffalo Event Essentials, with her husband Mario, who is a professional artist.
[POP] Buffalo-based experimental pop artist Hop Hop returns to Buffalo to celebrate the release of her new EP. A new live band joins the artist for a late night set at Milkie’s on Elmwood this Friday, April 27. Expect music from DJ Handsome Dan and DJ Reason, as well as a photo booth.
[INDIE] The relatively young indie-folk band, Beams, hailing from Toronto, have a clever way of pulling together the past, present, and future in their music. They’ve done this by working with producers like Peter Moore, who has worked with Bob Dylan and Neil Young, and John McEntire, who has worked with Broken Social Scene and Tortoise. They’ve done this by covering Kate Bush and creating weirdo-futuristic music videos from their usually stripped back folky indie rock songs that often bring banjos, xylophones and other non-traditional rock instruments into the mix.
[TRIBUTE] Known for his tribute to Simon and Garfunkel, singersongwriter AJ Swearingen returns with a new show, this time with guitarist and vocalist Jayne Kelli, that covers much more territory. The duo’s show, Fire and Rain, delves deep into the music of 1970s singer songwriters such James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, Carole King, Neil Young, and more. Stefan Sanders leads this nostalgic trip to the days of rich harmonies and beautiful melodies, Friday, April 28 at Kleinhans Music Hall.
[JAZZ] The final installment in Pausa Art House’s National Jazz Appreciation Month is a tribute to the 2018 featured jazz artist, Norman Granz featuring Sal Andolina, the principal clarinetist and saxophonist for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.