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Tonight: Squeaky Wheel Presents Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell

May 28, 2014

Continuing their series of excellent and innovative music documentaries that I seem to always be out of town for, Squeaky Wheel will be showing Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell tonight. The movie focuses on the life of the avant garde fixture who died of AIDs at 40. Russell’s work runs the gamut of disco and more experimental cello compositions. Tonight’s documentary is an episodic look at Russell’s life coupled with a wider look at the main cultural currents around his work. As always, the work will be followed by a performance by a local Buffalo artist. In this case it will be the very active cellist, T.J. Borden. Tonight’s screening will begin at 8pm in Hardware’s back room. Squeaky Wheel members are free, non pay $7.

Tonight: Night Shift

May 22, 2014

After two DJ and dance-centric installments, Artvoice’s monthly Night Shift series switches gears tonight for a more laid back affair of jazz, folk, and art. The dinner crowd will be greeted to the sounds of the Ellen Pieroni Jazz Quartet, and once drinks start to flow, stick around for some dirty Americana courtesy of Pine Fever. In addition, the bar will be hosting the opening of the new series from local artist Justin Tartick, guitarist for the newly resurrected I Can See Mountains. Night Shift kicks off this evening at 7:30pm and is free of charge.

Tonight: Artvoice Presents Night Shift

April 18, 2014

Artvoice is presenting the second installment of its monthly showcase series tonight at what appears to be the event’s home base of Hardware. The bill is made up of some of Buffalo’s best DJs, including a handful of buffaBLOG part vets like Brooklyn via Buffalo via Rochester producer DJ Mario Bee, Medison, and Spooky Business. Despite sticking with a collection of DJs again, Artvoice has hinted that Night Shift will evolve from showcase to showcase, so keep an eye on future installments to see what the weekly publication has up its sleeve. Night Shift kicks off this evening at 11pm with a cover of $5.

Tonight: Julie Byrne

April 15, 2014

I would like to compare Julie Byrne’s music to that of a bird in flight. The chords swoop in from the clouds, barely audible to the ear. Then, the wings of the track flap, move closer, creating a delicate ripple as the sweet trill of her voice is heard. It’s like she’s constantly walking further away from you, murmuring to herself, quietly expressing what’s suppressed within her mind. The nightingale is originally a Buffalo native, recently making the move from Chicago to Seattle. 2014 brings us her latest work, Rooms With Walls And Windows, that begins with a spacious balance between strumming and plucking, her words barely coming through until a more distinct ruffle bubbles up. Not every song of hers is a tease. “Emeralds” and “Holiday” clearly define Byrne’s ability to create a captivating melody in classic singer/songwriter form. Lyrically, she poeticizes about fleeting moments that suits her singing style[...]

Just Announced: Herd Fest

April 14, 2014

Spring has arrived in Buffalo, and just like that, things are on the up.  With summer in the city nearly here, we are happy to announce our next big party plans. Rather than do another stand alone showcase, we decided to be a bit more ambitious this time around.  On June 20th and 21st, the first weekend of summer, we are proud to present Herd Fest. What is Herd Fest? Well, think of it as our own version of CMJ/SXSW. Nine showcases over a two day period in Allentown (and slightly beyond). And for this party, we invited a few of the blog’s closest friends around to be a part of the festivities by hosting their own showcases and personally selecting some of their favorite Buffalo acts to play. While final lineups and schedules won’t be released until May, here is a taste of what Herd Fest will be offering:[...]

Depeche Mode v. New Order flier

Tonight: Depeche Mode Vs. New Order Dance Party

April 4, 2014

If these dance parties are any indication, the 80’s must have been a tough time for fans of British music, you constantly had to pick a side. The Smiths vs. The Cure, Depeche Mode vs. New Order, Wham vs. Boy George. Ok, I pulled the third one out of my ass but still, tonight’s dance party is the second in a series of knock down drag out fights where the only winner is you and your need to dance. Following last months’ Smiths vs. Cure party, the team behind Transmission Dance Party and On the Wire will be hosting a Depeche Mode vs. New Order party at Hardware tonight. Legitimate heavyweights of British electronic music, tonight will be dedicated exclusively to exploring their respective catalogs. This means that, as long as they play nothing either band did in recent years (please), this dance party will feature nothing but classics. And really,[...]