Artvoice B.O.O.M! Live Show

Saturday, April 7

The Artvoice Battle of Original Music caps off its fourth and final round this Saturday (April 7) at Nietzsche’s, with four local acts left to duke it out in a battle royale for the last slot in the Grand Finale. The people have spoken on the interwebs, clicking away and voting for bands during our weekly online head-to-head polls. This week’s show brings in the leading online vote-getters, Sleepless City, Bryan Johnson & Family, Sleepy Sparrows, and Ten Cent Howl. When the dust settles and the votes get counted, one of these bands will be one step closer to the $5,000 prize and a marble bust in the pantheon of BOOM Grand Champions, which includes such luminaries as Dali’s Ghost, TypeRelevant, Photos of Wagons, and the Etchings. And so it’s up to you, wise voter, to attend the show, cast your ballot and send one of these BOOM hopefuls off to the main event, scheduled for Friday, April 20th at The Tralf. Patrons of Sweet, the Tins, and ‘92 Bills have already won their spots, and there’s room for one more...but only one. —jon wheelock

10pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com / boom.artvoice.com) $5. 21+.

Friday, April 6 - Tuesday, April 17

Kraftwerkers of Buffalo: From Grain Elevators to Pocket Calculator

No, Kraftwerk is not coming back to Buffalo. I say back, because the legendary synthpop band made their way to Buffalo once, long long ago, back in 1975 when they played the New Century Theatre. Tickets were $5.50. This month Kraftwerk will do a series of shows at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, but if this is the first you’re hearing about this event, you’ve already missed out because tickets sold out instantly and are now going for about $1000 a piece from scalpers online. Luckily though, there is a contingent of die-hard Kraftwerk fans in Buffalo who are taking this opportunity to celebrate the robotic band from Düsseldorf, Germany. Beginning on Friday (April 6) and going through Tuesday, April 17, GaleriesNFS will present a series of concerts, screenings, and performances for which local artists have been invited to interpret the albums and artwork of Kraftwerk. Kraftwerkers of Buffalo: From Grain Elevators to Pocket Calculator will kick off at Hallwalls on Friday with a media presentation followed by a live music concert for a $5 donation. The rest of the week will feature a series of performances of all 11 of Kraftwerk’s albums from 1970’s self-titled debut, to Ralf and Florian, Computer World, The Man Machine, and all the way through 2003’s Tour De France Soundtracks at various venues throughout Buffalo, like the Vault and Sugar City. For a complete listing of events search Kraftwerkers of Buffalo on Facebook or see the Artvoice Exit Music blog at artvoice.com/exitmusic. —cory perla

Various locations. For more information search for Kraftwerkers of Buffalo on Facebook.

Friday, April 6

Margot & The Nuclear So and So's

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s have been just as productive, or maybe even more productive than their Canadian counterparts the Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene in making baroque indie-pop records in the past five years, so it’s a wonder why they haven’t met the same kind of popularity. The band from Indianapolis, Indiana capture a genuine sense of suburban depression, nostalgia, and teenage regret on songs like “Broadripple Is Burning” and “Skeleton Key,” that the previously mentioned kings of indie-rock have built their careers on, but Margot have not met the same kind mainstream exposure. Instead, they’ve built a cult-like following. The reason is partly due to the band’s refusal to bow down to the wants of a major record label—specifically Epic Records—choosing instead to self-release their last two albums, Buzzard and their latest album Rot Gut, Domestic on their own record label, Mariel Recordings. This isn’t the move of a band who is tapped-out or that has been dismissed by label execs, it’s the move of a band who chose artistic integrity over arena tours. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s will come to Babeville’s Ninth Ward on Friday (April 6) with support from Writer. —cory perla

7pm. Babeville’s Ninth Ward, 341 Delaware Ave. (852-3835 / babevillebuffalo.com). $12 advance, $14 day of show.

Friday, April 6

Jefferson Grizzard

Influenced by his father’s records, spinning greats such as The Beatles and The Band, Jefferson Grizzard’s debut album, A Crack In The Door brings a refreshing alternative folk sound that contrasts the often predictable scene of up and coming artists. Grizzard’s rustic and honest voice compliments his song writing talent, offering listeners modern day serenaded stories intertwined with bluesy Americana melodies. The opening track, “Forces They Fail,” pours out lyrics that fill the relatable backdrop of coming into one’s own (“If all forces that fail are originally good and if nothin’ is real, how can I make myself feel like I know I should”). The short and precise verses Grizzard smoothly belts out on each track blends a rich range of emotions without being too heavy. Other tracks, such as “I Got The Spirit,” play with the melodies of 1960’s and 1970’s rock and roll, and are an easy, enjoyable listen. Throughout the album, Grizzard hints at similarities to Bob Dylan and Neil Young, in tracks like “Horseleg Road” and “Don’t Wanna Lie,” but with a fresh edge that shows promise for creating something substantially great. If you’re looking to check out a unique new artist and sway to the beat of a soulful style that deserves recognition, Grizzard plays this Friday (April 6) at Sportsmen’s Tavern. —stacie duderwick

9:30pm. Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.com). $8.

Saturday, April 7

Blockhead

After the sudden cancelation of his show scheduled in February, Blockhead will be back to make up the date on Saturday (April 7) at Soundlab. Blockhead a.k.a. Anthony Simon is a lot smarter than his title would imply. It takes some brains to stitch together tight soul-hop tracks like “The Music Scene,” with it’s mechanical but humanized clacking dance beats and hooky vocals. “We call that a joint, we call that a joint” a trembling voice repeats toward the end of the song. It’s heady music from a heady guy. Blockhead’s focus is on rhythmic and body moving hip-hop beats with a wildcard edge: usually something like bouncing string samples, a small soliloquy, or a funk bassline (see “The Art of Walking” from his 2005 album Downtown Science). The Ninja Tune Recording artist, who grew up in downtown New York City, spent the beginning of his career as a producer, crafting beats for artists like Aesop Rock, who’s critically acclaimed album Labor Days, he produced. Now he’s focused on his own tunes though. His latest album, 2009’s The Music Scene, is a head bobbing mixture of 1970’s influenced soul melodies and intricate hip-hop beats. —cory perla

10pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (440-5907 / bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab). $12.

Sunday & Monday, April 8 & 9

Yours in Struggle

This Easter weekend, Burning Books (420 Connecticut Street) presents two programs that offer their own tales of sacrifice and rebirth. First, on Sunday (April 8), the Never Alone tour will examine the cases of Eric McDavid and Marie Mason. Mason was sentenced to nearly 22 years for property destruction; betrayed by her partner to the FBI, she confessed to taking part in destroying a piece of logging equipment and the office of a lab that experimented with genetically modified organisms. McDonald was sentenced to 20 years for conspiring to commit an act of property destruction that never actually took place; he, too, was turned in by an FBI informant. Then on Monday, (April 9), three speakers will discuss Love & Struggle, a new memoir by David Gilbert, a member of the Weather Underground currently imprisoned at the Auburn Correctional Facility. The principal speaker is Naomi Jaffe, Gilbert’s former comrade in SDS and the Weather Underground. Jaffe will be joined by Brooke Reynolds, Karima Amin, Leslie James Pickering, and Sheila Hayes, the wife of Robert Seth Hayes, a member of the Black Liberation Army imprisoned at Wende. —geoff kelly

7pm Sunday and Monday. Burning Books, 420 Connecticut Street. (881-0791 / burningbooksbuffalo.com).

Monday, April 9

Dyngus Day Buffalo

The prevalence of Polish culture is a large and colorful part of Buffalo’s identity. Over 10 percent of our population has Polish ancestry and Buffalo’s historic Polonia district thrives with Polish influence. Given this, it is no wonder that Buffalo is bustling with activity to celebrate the Polish-American tradition Dyngus Day, which celebrates the end of Lent and the beginning of Easter. Buffalo is home to the world’s largest organized Dyngus Day celebration. This Monday (April 9) there will be many festivities to choose from. Spend the day sampling Polish beers, filling up on pierogi and kielbasa, and switching with pussy willow branches.

Dyngus Day Celebration. 12pm. Adam Mickiewicz Library & Dramatic Circle (612 Fillmore Ave). $10. Best kielbasa in Buffalo contest & Polish beer tasting. Live music with True Colors at 5pm & live polkas w/ Hocus Polka at 8pm.

6th Annual Dyngus Day Party. 3pm. Buffalo Central Terminal (495 Paderewski Dr). Polka Meltdown. Music by Hocus Polka & Those Idiots. Polish food, Tyskie Polish beer, & Sobieski Polish vodka. $10/$2 with a Pussywillow Pass.

Dyngus Day Celebration. 3-9pm. The Old Polish Veteran’s Post (The Polish Cafe) (617 N Fillmore Ave). $5. Homemade Polish food, pastries, coffee, wine, Polish music, theme baskets, & more. Benefits the creation of a Polish Museum in WNY. Sponsored by the Polish Legacy Project.

23th Annual Dyngus Day Party. 5pm. Millenium Airport Buffalo Hotel (2040 Walden Ave). $10. 800-323-3331, 777-2455. Music by Polka Family, Jimmy K & Ethnic Jazz, John Valby the Doctor, Courtyard Poolside Classic Rock Party, & Joe & the Shmoes. Polish food. Hotel room package deals.

Duke’s Dyngus Day Party. 10pm. DBGB (253 Allen St). DJ Owski, complimentary Polish buffet, specials on Tyskie, Sobieski, & Krupnik.

View pre-Dyngus Day event information and the full schedule of events at dyngusdaybuffalo.com. —a.v.

Tuesday & Thursday, April 10 & 12

Snow Shark

“We are all chum.” As someone who has seen way too many horror movies, I’ve grown pretty jaded about the genre over the years. But the premise for Snow Shark: Ancient Snow Beast just tickles me. That’s right, I said tickles, as in causes silly giggling: An earthquake frees a monstrous prehistoric shark, which lives in the snow and preys upon—and I quote—“unsuspecting teenagers, strippers, and hunters.” Of course “unsuspecting” is superfluous there—who would expect to encounter a shark while cross-country skiing? On the other hand, I’m eager to see how filmmaker Sam Qualiana will arrange a shark-stripper encounter in the snow. The Lockport native produced his debut feature locally last winter (when the Western New York feature named in the title was in its usual abundance) with the aid of some folk who worked on Slime City Massacre and other local horror films. Full disclosure: the microbudget includes some funds from this correspondent, who now understands how George Harrison felt when he helped produce Monty Python’s Life of Brian, just because he wanted to see it. Snow Shark will have its world premiere on Tuesday (April 10) at the Amherst Theater, followed on Thursday by a night at The Screening Room. And if you have friends downstate, it will be at the South Bronx Film Festival in May. —m. faust

7pm, Tuesday at The Amherst Dipson Theatre, 3500 Main Street. (834-7655 / dipsontheatres.com). $9.

7pm, Thursday at The Screening Room, 3131 Sheridan Dr., Amherst (837-0376 / screeningroom.net). $9.