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Dyngus Day Feature

East Side Story

by Peter Soscia

Dyngus Day is considered by many as the Polish Fat Tuesday, celebrating the ending of lent instead of the start. Though it might be fitting to consider it as the original Valentines Day as well. Young Polish men and woman have been showing their affections for each other on Easter Monday for centuries; because what says, “I love you” more than dumping a bucket a water over your head and spanking you with a pussy willow branch?

Dyngus Day Feature

Polonia on Parade

by Jeff Czum

While the smaller ethnic festivals like Buffalo Greekfest and the Lebanese Festival have held tightly to their cultural heritage at their events, larger ones like the Italian Festival and St. Patrick’s Day have wandered far astray from any representation of their former homelands. It seems the bigger you get the harder it is to stay on point. That’s not true for the Polish, however.

Dyngus Day Feature

Stephanie Pietrzak remains the queen of Queen City Polka

by Peter Soscia

One of the greatest central European traditions is polka music. The sounds of concertina/accordions, bass, and horns originated in Bohemia during the 1830s, the music and dance made its way to the United States with Polish and Czech immigrants.

Dyngus Day Feature

Harmony Polish Folk Ensemble

by Cheryl Gorski

A collection of photos by Cheryl Gorski

Dyngus Day Feature

Venue Menu

Dyngus Day 2015 Event Schedule and Venue List

News Feature

Movement Against Standardized Testing Continues to Gain Momentum

by George Sax

At last week’s Wednesday night Buffalo school board meeting, board member and former president Barbara Seals Nevergold shared something from her private life with the other members and the audience. Her daughter, she said, was considering keeping Nevergold’s granddaughter from taking this year’s round of state-mandated standardized tests. The context and tenor of Nevergold’s comment indicated she would not disapprove of such a decision.

Puck Stop

What if "McEichel" Doesn't Pay Dividends?

by Andrew Kulyk and Peter Farrell

It’s been the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel for the past two miserable seasons for Sabres fans. Finish with the worst record in the NHL this season and the Sabres will be assured at least the second overall pick in the NHL draft, and if they win the Draft Lottery later this month they’ll be getting the first overall pick.

Beer Feature

Buffalo Beer

by Brian Campbell

Before Community Beer Works and Resurgence Brewing, before Flying Bison even, Buffalo was once a hub, a thriving mecca for brewers and malters alike. With Buffalo currently in the midst of a craft beer renaissance, what better way to look forward than to look back, a tall task accomplished by Buffalo historian Mike Rizzo and CBW’s own Ethan Cox in their collaborative read, Buffalo Beer: The History of Brewing in the Nickel City.

What's Brewing

Presented by Consumer Beverages

by Paul Marko, Willard Brooks, Chris Groves

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Bam Biére, Woodcock Brothers Hoppy Pilsner, Otter Creek Over Easy Hoppy Session Ale

Art Scene

A Satori of Sorts

by Jack Foran

The wonderful opening image--first thing you see--at the current Amid/In WNY show at Hallwalls is a drawing by Bobby Griffiths of a bottle--Mason-type jar, mostly full--labeled Epiphanies. Precisely what you want from an art show.

Classical Music Notes

Pianist Eric Huebner Tackles Charles Ives' Monumental Piano Work

by Jan Jezioro

Buffalo will host a festival devoted to the music of the American composer Charles Ives next week. A highlight of the first part of that festival will be the performance of his daunting Concord Sonata for piano by Eric Huebner, staff pianist for the New York Philharmonic and a professor of piano at the University at Buffalo, at the Burchfield Penny Art Center on Friday April 10 at 7:30pm.

Theatrically Speaking

Alleyway and BUA Feature Big Things in Small Packages

by Anthony Chase

It’s short play season down at the Alleyway Theatre complex on Main Street. Alleyway and BUA are both offering short works festivals, Alleyway is hosting their annual “Buffalo Quickies” on the Main Stage; and resident guest company, Buffalo United Artists is offering their annual festival of short GLBT works, “BUA Takes Ten” in the cabaret space.

Film Review

It Follows

by Jordan Canahai

David Robert Mitchell’s refreshing contemporary horror film It Follows seems to have emerged right out of a nightmare and onto the cinema screens. While more recent films of the genre might be more thoughtful (The Babadook) or innovative (Kill List) or down-right scary (Sinister) they all tend to fall back on jolting sensation.

Artvoice B.O.O.M!

Round 3 Quarterfinals are Set!

Congratulations to the four bands that have won a slot in our live Battle of Original Music: Wild Things, Sara Elizabeth, Ruthless Tom, and our most recent Week 4 winners, Luanjie!

Featured Events

See You There!

AV Hit List: Top Event Picks for This Week

Listings

On The Boards Theater Listings

Film Now Playing

Movie Listings (Friday, April 3 - Thursday, April 9)

Letters to Artvoice

Bring Back the Music

by Elise Golove, Buffalo

RE: WNY Developers as Opportunistic & Undeserving as NYC Counterparts

by Arthur J. Giacalone, East Aurora

Graphic Traffic

The Fade Out: Vol. 1

by Brian Kearney

Prince of Pieces

by Carolyn Marcille

Offbeat News

News of the Weird

by Chuck Shepherd

Researchers are now preparing a study seeking to confirm that dog slobber, by itself (and not just the psychological advantages of playing with and petting a dog), might provide human health benefits (such as relief from asthma, allergies and inflammation).

Horoscopes

Free Will Astrology

by Rob Brezsny

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Choconiverous” is an English slang word that’s defined as having the tendency, when eating a chocolate Easter Bunny, to bite the head off first. I recommend that you adopt this direct approach in everything you do in the coming weeks.