If you were a regular watcher of Late Night with David Letterman, you’ll remember a recurring segment called “Dave’s Record Collection,” in which Letterman played excerpts from oddities culled from record store bins usually labeled “Miscellaneous.” The actual culler was staff writer Steve Young, and his hunts for new material to mock introduced him to a variety of records made for very limited audiences, the employees of a corporation.
Was 1979 one of the great years for American movies? Judge for yourself starting this week as the North Park theatre begins a new series commemorating the 40th anniversary of that year. Opening the series are two of that year’s most popular comedies: Blake Edward’s “10,” the film that made Dudley Moore a star, sold millions of copies of Ravel’s “Bolero,” and made cornrows a brief fashion trend, on Friday and Saturday; and The Jerk, Steve Martin’s solo debut, Sunday through Tuesday. Other films under consideration include Moonraker, Kramer vs.
Michael Cohen, convicted felon and former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, is no longer in the thrall of Trump or the eponymous MAGA cult. Liberated through his admissions and pleas, Cohen is now free to tell the truth and “rat” the President out. In the past, Cohen lied to protect the President. He now has no such mandate.
[ROCK] Emerging some 15 years back as one of the most impressive artists from Boston’s indie scene, Sarah Borges released a striking debut, Silver City, in 2005, attracting enough attention to get her singed to Rounder-subsidiary, Sugar Hill, for her next two discs, Diamonds in the Dark (2007) and The Stars Are Out (2009). Produced by former Blackhearts, Yayhoos, and Del Lords guitarist Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, her latest, Love’s Middle Name, chugs on like a punchy Stones album, combining the rough-hewn intensity of her live aest
[ROCK] Nearly 52 years ago, The Association kicked off the Monterey Pop Festival, the first true rock festival in the tradition that still carries on today. With a trio of million-plus selling singles that still get plenty of oldies radio airplay (“Cherish,” “Windy” and “Never My Love,” the latter of which is apparently the second most played radio and TV-played song of the 20th Century, according to BMI), The Association remains one of the era’s most fondly remembered bands with its special blend of baroque pop and psychedelia.
[AMERICANA] Having gotten swept up in some #metoo accusations of sexual coercion, Pinegrove frontman Evan Stephens Hall agreed to take a year off from touring and, essentially, put his band on hold at a time when the indie world was watching intently: the band, which had already recorded the just recently released Skylight—the impetus for their visit to the Rec Room on Thursday, March 7—was blowing up.
[ROCK] Most are familiar with Winston’s solo piano recordings for Windham Hill, which have collectively gleaned him five gold and three platinum or multi-platinum albums between 1980 and 1999—making him one of the most commercially successful solo pianists of all time. While those records (and the Windham Hill label on the whole) are most closely associated with the “new age” genre, Winston is more than that. His interest in rock and blues is what got him playing, originally, and he started out on the organ, inspired by Ray Manzarek of The Doors.
[FOLK] It doesn’t get much rootsier than a band playing a mix of homemade instruments and depression-era guitars. The joke’s on us, though, since the “big damn band” is only sizable in the sound it makes – Rev. Peyton and company are a trio. A trio that, as it turns out, almost never happened. After playing a party following his high school graduation, The Reverend – a happily grinning beardo usually in overalls named Josh Peyton – was told he’d permanently injured his fretting hand and would never be able to play guitar again.
[BLUES] If you’re a blues fan then Tab Benoit is likely a very familiar name. As a contemporary bluesman, Benoit (pronounced ben-wah) is known to champion the swampy Delta style with his electric Stratocaster, sweetening the stew with soulful bits along the way. It’s this combination that’s set him apart from other electric blues contemporaries, along with his passion for his home state of Louisiana, which landed him work on the Katrina-focused IMAX documentary film, Hurricane on the Bayou.
[BLUES] A globally celebrated guitar god known for his innovative approach, Adrian Belew was originally plucked from obscurity by none other than Frank Zappa.
[ROCK] If the band name strikes you as oddly familiar, then it’s an effective metaphor for what they do. This Canadian collective simulates a trip around the radio dial, pulling from multiple eras and genres to provoke a sense of nostalgia that touches on just about everything.
[COMEDY] If you think you’d survive Armageddon, Christopher Titus has some bad news for you: you won’t. Learn why you’re definitely screwed in the event of an apocalypse when the 54-year-old comedian comes to Buffalo’s Helium Comedy Club for five shows, Thursday, March 7 through Saturday, March 9.
[POP] It’s been two years since Lucy Dacus released her debut album No Burden and graced the stage of Buffalo’s Tralf Music Hall. This time she will be performing at Babeville’s 9th Ward on Tuesday, March 12.