Lee Ranaldo and the Dust

Wednesday, October 9

In the wake of Sonic Youth’s demise came the birth of several new projects from the legendary no wave band’s major players. Bassist Kim Gordon recently announced a new project called Body/Head, guitarist Thurston Moore’s new band Chelsea Light Moving is beginning to take off, and now Lee Ranaldo is taking his new band, the Dust on the road. Ranked one of the “Greatest Guitarists of All Time” by Rolling Stone and Spin magazines, Ranaldo has a melodic side—as demonstrated on Sonic Youth songs like “Hey Joni”—but he’s also not afraid to get weird with it. On solo albums like his 1987 debut From Here to Infinity the guitarist dove deep into amp feedback and stombox oblivion on slowly erupting tracks like “Time Stands Still” and “Destruction Site.” This week Lee Ranaldo and The Dust released a new cut from their upcoming album Last Night on Earth titled “Ambulancer,” which reconciles his melodic and far out styles with psychedelic melodies and screaming guitar solos. The Dust isn’t a comeback for Ranaldo though. The 57-year-old guitarist has been consistently releasing solo records for nearly three decades, from his aforementioned debut to his 2012 Matador Records release, Between the Times and the Tides. Last Night On Earth will be released one day before Lee Ranaldo and the Dust come to the Tralf Music Hall on Wednesday (Oct 9) so it should be a celebratory experience for the band and fans alike.

- cory perla

7pm The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $12 advance, $14 day of show

Thursday, October 3

Béla FLeck's NY Banjo Summit

When you hear of a meeting being touted as a “summit,” you’re likely to picture world leaders arriving in bulletproof limousines before being cloistered away behind heavy security forces to discuss important global issues—at least until the talks break down and every leader switches focus to gaining political points at home. Don’t expect the participants of Béla Fleck’s NY Banjo Summit to become similarly distracted. Tonight in Asbury Hall at Babeville, many of the world’s top banjo players—all but one with ties to New York state—will meet for a concert that will explore many musical styles on this uniquely American instrument. Performances will include solos, duets, and “full-tilt banjo blowouts” backed by a top-notch acoustic band, in genres ranging from bluegrass to old time country to jazz, classical, and rock. High level participants will include Fleck, whose groundbreaking recordings dating back to the 1970s have earned him 15 Grammy Awards; Syracuse native Tony Trischka, who taught Fleck and was exploring rock and avant-garde jazz as long as 40 years ago; Bill Keith of Woodstock, who initially left his mark with Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys; Manhattan native and Woodstock resident Eric Weissberg, whose “Dueling Banjos” from the film Deliverance is the most widely recognized bluegrass instrumental; Richie Stearns of Ithaca, who brought the clawhammer banjo sound to a new generation through his work with Donna the Buffalo and the Horseflies; Brooklyn resident and Punch Brother Noam Pikelny, whose résumé includes stints with Leftover Salmon and the John Cowan Band. Special guest picker is Rounder recording artist Abigail Washburn, from Illinois via Nashville. If only more high-level “summits” were like this, the world would be a better place.

- Buck Quigley

7pm Asbury Hall at Babeville, 341 Delaware Ave. (852-3835 / babevillebuffalo.com/events) $39.50 advance, $44.50 day of show

Thursday, October 3 - Saturday, October 5

Pablo Francisco

Pablo Picasso is known as one of the founders of the cubism art movement, where objects are broken down and reassembled into another form. Pablo Francisco is a comedian who works in a similar vein as he begins his craft with deconstructing as well. Francisco is widely known for his impressions, and like the painter, he analyzes who he wants to imitate, breaks them down, and reuses the voices. He doesn’t just do one impression after another to get a laugh, but cleverly intertwines them in different bits throughout his routine. If he needs a narrator for example, he can quickly pull out his Don LaFontaine voice, which you would recognize as the narrator in movie trailers. He has a pretty deep bag of tricks to pull from with the ability to voice over twenty different characters, beatbox, and utilize various sound effects as well. His routine just doesn’t sound like it could be pulled off with one guy and a microphone. This Thursday through Saturday (Oct 3-5), Pablo Francisco will be headlining at Helium Comedy Club in downtown Buffalo. The event will be hosted by Dan Fisher and opening the night will be Doug Mellard. With five different shows this weekend, there’s a great opportunity to catch the comedic Picasso in action.

- jeremiah shea

8pm Thursday, 7:30pm and 10pm Friday and Saturday Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi St. (853-1211 / heliumcomedy.com) $20-$30

Saturday, October 5

LehrerDance Opens New Season

Since its founding in 2007, Jon Lehrer’s touring, Buffalo-based dance company has received international acclaim for it innovative choreography and unique amalgam of modern and jazz dance idioms, and for the artistry and athleticism of its dancers. LehrerDance is, in short, another feather in the region’s cap, a must-see. As they did last year, the troupe will open its new season at UB’s Center for the Arts. Saturday’s program includes two world premieres: a company piece, Pantheon Rising, with original music composed by Buffalo native Damien Simon, and a romantic duet, Here in This Eden. Four other pieces are also on the program, which the company will take on a three-week, 15-city tour of Europe beginning at the end of October. See it here, before the rest of the world—and catch the debut of LehrerDance’s newest member, Clarence native Ryan Moguel. Moguel is one of three Western New York natives in the company.

- geoff kelly

8pm Mainstage Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 103 Center For The Arts (654-ARTS / ubcfa.org) $28.50, $13.50 students

Sunday, October 6

Shaken Stylus 3 Year Revelry

In the corner of a dingy rock and roll dive bar the DJ throws a Bad Brains record on the turntable, the crowd starts pogoing, the floor vibrates and that record needle shakes. My guess is that is where promoter Malik Saint got the name for Shaken Stylus, under which he has been booking punk rock shows for exactly three years now. To celebrate this anniversary some of the area’s best grunge bands, punk bands, and all around noisemakers will come together for a rockin’ show at 700 Main Street on Sunday (Oct 6). The seldom-used venue, covered in graffiti and lined with old video game cabinets seems like the perfect spot for an underground celebration like this. Psycho-Americana rockers> the Evil Things— guitarist Levi Van Cleve and drummer Andy Pothier, two small statured guys who manage to make some big noise—will take the stage at 6pm. Grunge band Ronaldraygun, who’s latest album cd two was released a few weeks ago will take the stage at 7pm followed by psychedelic rockers Second Trip at 8pm. Everyone’s favorite Buffalo rock and roll band Irving Klaws will play their set smack dab in the middle, followed by sludge metal band Malarchuk (pictured) at 10pm and Detroit alt rockers Tyvek at 11pm. The show will be rounded out by stoner rock band Ancients of Earth at midnight and Rochester metal band Woodhaven at 1am. Spiral Scratch Records owner Dave Anchovies will DJ in between sets, and some free Red Bull might be passed out, so get buzzed and come down to 700 Main Street for some fun on Sunday.

- cory perla

6pm, 700 Main Street (shakenstylus.com) $10

Sunday, October 6

Billy Talent

Along with the usual fallen leaves and cool weather this season comes the tenth anniversary of Billy Talent I, Canadian alt–rock band Billy Talent’s first studio album (however if you happen to be a fellow super fan, you will remember that even before they were Billy Talent, the Torontonians called themselves Pezz and released a jam–punk–ska album titled Watoosh!). The band’s latest album Dead Silence dropped in autumn of 2012, and their popularity in America has soared. The kick-in-the-pants record was incredibly successful, and kept up with the band’s “we aren’t gonna take it!” attitude. Singer Ben Kowalewicz says the record is about following your dreams and “realizing what’s important and what’s total bull!” Since 1993 the band hasn’t stopped writing, producing five studio albums, and of course touring. They have never lost a member, although when drummer Aaron Solowoniuk had to have heart surgery during the recording of Dead Silence, which really shook the guys up. Luckily for us, Billy Talent is back again in full punk rock force, and even singer Ben Kowalewicz’s voice is right back on screaming par to the band’s early days. If you missed Billy Talent when they hit Buffalo last year, you’d better beat feet to the Rapids Theatre this Sunday (Oct 6). Canadian indie rock band Hollerado opens the show.

- ariel peters

6pm Rapids Theatre, 1711 Main St., Niagara Falls (205-8925 / rapidstheatre.com) $25-$30

Wednesday, October 9

Herbie Hancock

When it comes to listing jazz music’s greatest trailblazers, it wouldn’t take long for any admirer of the genre to rattle off names like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk or countless others. Narrow that list down to include musicians with multiple Grammy Awards, a career that has spanned over five decades and you’re left with Herbie Hancock. A true explorer and giant of modern jazz piano, Hancock has navigated his way across the musical spectrum. Originally a classically trained pianist, a young Hancock was recruited by Miles Davis in the mid-1960’s to take part in his groundbreaking Second Great Quintet, widely regarded as one of the most influential small ensembles of all time. Those formative years with Miles Davis had a profound impact on Hancock’s playing style, adopting an “orchestral” style of piano accompaniment along with adventurous solo improvisations. His 1965 composition “Maiden Voyage” remains a timeless jazz standard, and his best-selling album of the same name planted Hancock firmly atop the list of jazz’s greatest composers. The 1970’s were equally as fruitful for Hancock as he crossed over into the fusion era as the mastermind behind jazz funk group The Headhunters. Technology has continued to foster new curiosity and creativity for Hancock in his later years, and at 73, Hancock maneuvers between iPads, computers, synthesizers, and his Fazioli grand piano with remarkable ease. If seeing one of jazz’s greatest living musicians perform live is on your bucket list, you’re in luck, as the legendary Herbie Hancock comes to the UB Center for the Arts, this Wednesday (October 9).

- jon wheelock

7:30pm Mainstage Theatre, UB Center for the Arts, 103 Center For The Arts (654-ARTS / ubcfa.org). $27.50-$77.50