[ROCK] If you’re looking for some fun punk rock this weekend, head over to Milkie’s. A few colorfully named local rock bands, Denim Playground and The Sofa Kingz, will be joined by Chicago-based weirdo pop singer/songwriter Real Movement for a show this Saturday, March 3.
[ACTIVISM] A 2011 study showed that less than 10 percent of Wikipedia’s contributors were women. On Saturday, March 3 at Squeaky Wheel, there’s an opportunity to make a dent in that disparity. The Art + Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon is an all-day affair in which participant will learn how to edit Wikipedia entries and then do it, focusing on the women artists who are part of the Albright-Knox’s show We Wanted a Revolution: Black Revolutionary Women, 1965-85.
Body Buzz is dedicated to bringing you the best in life with an eye toward sustainability, and few things embody those ideals better than the Mercedes Benz W123 series, a platform for their lower-priced executive cars from 1976-1985. The relevance of these cars today is somewhat shocking; they’re so rugged that they still run as taxis around the world, especially in African countries, meaning that parts are not only available but still manufactured.
[INDIE] Originality can be somewhat rare in indie rock, but Rochester’s Cavalcade have nothing if not a distinct sound. Somewhere between math rock and new wave, or maybe indie rock and straight up rock and roll, the band tends to be able to mix all of these styles pretty seamlessly. Cavalcade comes to Mohawk Place for a show with Buffalo’s Moody Cosmos and Major Arcana on Friday, March 2.
[JAM] Athens, Georgia-based band Universal Sigh bills themselves as “metamorphic rock,” which is kind of vague, but I guess is their way of saying that their music is for fans of bands like Radiohead and Snarky Puppy. Their latest record, which was released in January is a full live set from a festival slot they played in September, in case you’d like a pretty comprehensive sample of their sound. Catch Universal Sigh live at Nietzsche’s on Wednesday, March 7 with support from Buffalo indie rockers Witty Tarbox.
[COMEDY] When your name is Preacher, it probably means that you were born to be up in front of people saying… something. Preacher Lawson chose maybe a different path than his parents intended and became a stand up comedian. But that’s good for all of us because Lawson is hilarious, whether he’s poking fun of his overly-religious grandmother, or getting catfished—always in his bombastic, high energy style.
[FUNK] Nashville-based funk band Dynamo make happy music. There’s no simpler way to put it—their groovy brand of pop-funk is designed to put a smile on your face. Lead by vocalist Dain Ussery, the 11-piece band, which includes three guitarists, two drummers, two keyboard players, a bassist, and some woodwinds and brass, formed in 2012 and in the summer of 2017 their most extensive work so far, an LP titled Celina, which bounces between Michael Jackson-esque poppy funk and soulful jazz that recalls Stevie Wonder.
[NEW WAVE] Former Talking Heads frontman, author, and musician David Byrne kicks off his American Utopia tour on March 3, and three days later brings it to UB’s Center for the Arts on Tuesday, March 6. It’s unclear exactly what shape and form Byrne’s show will take, but what we do know is that he’ll be joined on stage by 12 musicians for a choreographed show, which will feature songs from his new album, American Utopia, and “many others that will, I assume, be familiar,” according to Byrne.
[FUNK] Magic pipes, musical boots, hairy mutton chops, psychedelic funk music—it may sound like a twisted acid trip, but it’s just a That 1 Guy concert. The one-man band uses a variety of homemade instruments to concoct a strange yet funky musical experience that’s equally as sonically stimulating as it is visually intriguing. His instruments are strange and homemade—his signature instrument is a towering, crooked pipe—allowing for sounds you’ve likely never heard before.
[LIT] Philadelphia’s been a hotbed for creative poetry for decades now, so much so that the city recognizes a poet laureate honor and has bequeathed it to Raquel Salas Rivera, who brings their work to Rust Belt Books this Wednesday, February 28.
[ART] One of the area’s most unique and creative exhibitions is getting a proper send-off this Saturday, March 3 in the BOX Gallery for the closing reception for Lara Buckley’s Altars of ERIE show. The multidisciplinary exhibition will reap the multiple benefits of cross-pollinating performances from astraea beaming (Kathleen Ashwill Solo Cello), Uniflora (Britt Wagner’s Solo Project), Nola Ranallo (of Cages), and Lara Buckley (Goose Kisser).
[LIT] A recent, semi-comprehensive cross-section of Buffalo poetry released a few months ago is showcasing its spoken-word and slam poets in the same venue in which many of them honed their chops. This Friday, March 2 at Gypsy Parlor, entrants to My Next Heart are holding a Slam and Spoken Word Showcase. Readers include Venezia Appleby, Matthew Bosque, LaVerne Thompson, Janna Willoughby-Lohr, Benjamin Brindise, Skyler Rutkowski, Lissa Roads, Megan Kemple, and Brandon Williamson.
[POP] Anyone who legally changes their name to that of their musical project to avoid copyright infringement is dedicated to their craft, and that’s exactly what Canada-based Valerie Anne Poxleitner did over a decade back at the start of her career. Having been called “Lights” as a nickname for many years (a play on her last name), she wasn’t yielding to another artist who had already laid legal claim to the moniker, which is only trumped by someone that can claim the name as their own, officially, on the books.
[LIT] A new genre-bending book from writer Kevin Thurston with copious illustrations from Mickey Harmon is getting a second reading event in town, fresh off the authors’ recent performance to enthusiastic crowds in Baltimore and Washington, DC this Thursday, March 1 at Buffalo Distilling. In an adult coloring book format, the book takes apart the nature of white privilege and masculinity in a style that is simultaneously fresh, embarrassing, and blunt as all hell.
[ROCK] Classic rock fans will recognize his name in an instant. But for the uninitiated, Dave Mason is a guitar legend. As a solo artist, he has but two charted tunes to his credit—the self-penned “Only You Know and I Know,” (1970) and 1977’s soft rock-ish “We Just Disagree,” written by Jim Krueger. But as a founding member of Traffic with Steve Winwood, Mason’s contribution to the rock and roll history books is undeniable.