Artvoice B.O.O.M! Round 2 Live Show

Saturday, March 9

Four more local bands have won the opportunity to strut their stuff before a live crowd of local music fans this Saturday (March 9), by virtue of collecting the most votes during our online Battle of Original Music (BOOM). Each week Artvoice features two local acts on the boom.artvoice.com web page. There, listeners can read a brief band bio and check out an original song. Then, they can click on the band they prefer. Those votes are tallied every week, and the band with the most votes wins a slot in the live show. At these shows, each audience member receives one ballot on which to cast a vote for his or her favorite act. When those paper ballots are counted at the end of the night, one act wins a spot in the BOOM Grand Finale—which is scheduled for Friday, June 14. The winner that night gets bragging rights as Artvoice BOOM Grand Champions, as well as $5,000. The contest works democratically. There is no phony panel of judges to impress, no applause meter—just the sheer ability of a band to cultivate a loyal following that will vote for them online, and turn out at the live event to show support. At our last live battle in January, Randle and the Late Night Scandals came out on top. Saturday’s event features CrashFuse, Sic Sin, Savannah King, and Den of Lions. Which act will convince a packed house that they are worthy of a shot at all the marbles? Come see what all the excitement is about—and may the best band win.

- buck quigley

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

Friday, March 8

Consider the Alternatives: Dani Leventhal

As part of their documentary series “Consider the Alternatives,” the Burchfield Penney Art Center presents an appearance by experimental filmmaker Dani Leventhal, whose autobiographical videos have been screened internationally in festivals and museums including the The New York Film Festival, the Ann Arbor Film Festival, the LA Film Forum, PS1 and Anthology Film Archives. Her work is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. Leventhal will be showing Show and Tell in the Land of Milk and Honey, (2007), a record of a trip to Israel with her father, during which she observed some of the harsher aspects of Israeli society; Draft 9 (2003) a study of animals (cats, birds, bears, and more) in life and death; along with several other short videos and a look at a new work in progress. Admission is free for Burchfield Penney members, with a $10 suggested donation for non-members.

- m. faust

7pm Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave. (878-6011 / burchfieldpenney.org) Free for members, $10 suggested donation for non-members

Friday, March 8

Caspa

Caspa, aka Gary McCann was in it when dubstep permeated London, moving from South London to West London and throughout the region. This was in the early 2000s when the whole scene was still considered underground, but Caspa continues to lurk what is left of the underground scene with his mid range sound. Caspa’s hard sound, sometimes mixing in aspects of rock and metal, is the result of his roots in jungle and hip hop. His 2007 FabricLive release with fellow dubstep pioneer Rusko was one of the first commercially available dubstep releases—a record that introduced the genre to many listeners—and one of his biggest to date next to his 2009 release, Everybody’s Talking, Nobody’s Listening. He’s also put together remixes for the likes of Deadmau5, Miike Snow, Swedish House Mafia, Depeche Mode, and more. For something fresher, check out his video for “On It” a bassy hip hop track featuring Mighty High Coup. On the other side of the coin is Hulk, alter ego of producer duo Claw and Richie August, a product of the American dubstep scene with a glitchier, more aggressive sound. Caspa and Hulk come to the Town Ballroom this Friday (March 8) with support from Buffalo bass hound Stuntman, and young Jamestown producer Notixx.

- cory perla

8pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $20 advance, $25 day of show

Friday, March 8

Celebration!

A birthday bash like no other, “Celebration!” is a dance party-slash-fundraiser started two years ago by Buffalo First, our hometown chapter of a national network for independently owned businesses known as BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies). This year’s event not only marks the 28th birthday of Buffalo First’s executive director, Sarah Bishop, but it will also support a scholarship to send a Buffalo LGBTQ business owner to the 2013 BALLE Business Conference, coming this June to the Queen City. With her non-profit as guest of honor, Bishop hopes to encourage the community to shop locally and uphold the Buffalo First mantra of “people, planet and profit” that supports sustainable, ethical economic development. “The goal is to root more dollars in Buffalo, preserve community and create a healthier environment,” writes Bishop. We’ll hit the dance floor for that—and for her. With DJs Cutler, LoPro and Yama, and artistic documentation by local photographer Max Collins.

- lauren newkirk maynard

9pm Backroom at Allen Street Hardware, 245 Allen St. $5 suggested donation; $10 annual individual Buffalo First membership

Friday, March 8

Dimension: A Call To Arms

The human race may have survived numerous proposed armageddons, but the fear and romance of a complete apocalypse is lasting, and has influenced film, video games, comic books and music. On Friday (March 8), show up to Broadway Joes and prepare for Dimension: A Call To Arms, the party before the end of the world. Like danceable beats, heavy bass and thrashing keyboards? Standard Issue Citizen is prepared to give you a healthy dose. If you’re more in the mood to brood, or exorcise personal demons, the dark, atmospheric industrial sounds of Third Realm are just what you’re looking for. Debuting their new EP, Digital Afterlife is bringing their industrial electronic music to the event, and may be executing a typewriter onstage. Armageddon Party (pictured) will hypnotize you with their psychedelic gypsy-trance music, elevating your mind to a new level of consciousness. Angel’s Blurr will haunt your very soul, and Elsa will sooth it with an ambient set. DJ Soma and Einsam Fechter will be spinning goth and industrial tunes, and clothing vendors Amy Nekrotique, Dark Matter, Nostalgik Neurosis, and Deconstructed Designs will be there in case you left your bleach stained jeans at home.

- tom etu

9pm Broadway Joe’s, 3051 Main St. $10 advance, $12 day of show, 18+

Friday, March 8

Marco Benevento

Marco Benevento belongs behind a keyboard. From there, the Brooklyn-based pianist/composer can do some extraordinary things, offering a glimpse into an imagination that is continually weaving sounds and styles in new and innovative ways. A graduate of Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Benevento is not only a gifted jazz-pianist, but proves that he’s a student of all music, using his jazz background as a vehicle for experimentation. His music is largely instrumental and improvisational, and the lack of vocals demands the listener to take in the intricacies of Benevento’s keyboard work. He’s capable of coaxing all sorts of unique sounds out of his keys, employing pedals, amplifiers, circuit-bent toys, and other gadgets to assemble layers and textures that build in energy. His versatility is boundless, taking everything from classical music motifs, indie-pop hooks, spacey post-rock, jam-band grooves and dance-rock rhythms and creating a mind-blowing mashup of sounds. It’s infectious and catchy all while maintaining an element of depth that stems from Benevento’s stellar musicianship. The fact that his music is beyond classification is what makes it so fresh and inviting, and it’s artists like Benevento who embody that spirit of originality that makes each song feel like an entirely new experience. A mainstay on the NYC contemporary/experimental jazz scene where he’s played with a number of outfits over the last decade, Benevento released his newest studio album, TigerFace, in September. Marco Benevento comes to Buffalo this Friday (March 8) at Nietzsche’s for a performance that will certainly leave you convinced that he’s one of the most talented key players in music today.

- jon wheelock

9pm Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com) $12

Saturday, March 9

Second Saturday Extravaganza at The Foundry

If you’re a regular at the Foundry’s Second Saturday events, read no further; you’ll need no convincing. If you haven’t yet made it to one of the monthly artisans market/hootenanny/pep rally hosted by Net+Positive at the old warehouse at 298 Northampton Street, then believe us: This weekend’s shindig is the one you don’t want to miss. The regaular monthly program of vendors and craft demonstartions, plus food, drink, and live music, begins at noon and runs until 5pm. (This month’s musical guest: Oscar Alston, bassist for Rick James.) Then, at 7pm, a party: swing dancing; craft beer from Community Beer Works, New Buffalo Brewing, Flying Bison Brewery, the Village Beer Merchant, and others; delicious food from the Amy’s Place food truck; DJ sets by Cutler, Shuteyes, and LoPro; live music by Doug Yeomans and the Lo Blu Flame; 50-50s and a silent auction; and much more. Why the big party? Because the folks who opened the Foundry as a haven for artisans and artists—especially those who incorporate reclaimed or alternative materials in their creations—are trying to buy the building. The noon-5pm events are free; the evening events cost $5 at the door. Bring your dancing shoes.

- geoff kelly

The Foundry, 298 Northampton Street, thefoundrybuffalo.org. Noon-5pm FREE, 7pm-? $5 at the door.

Monday, March 11

Hostage Calm with The Traditional, All Blondes Go to Heaven, and Doses

Punk is not dead! Hostage Calm is living proof that the genre is alive and well. This five-piece band will rock your socks off with their newest album titled, Please Remain Calm. The album describes every recent college graduate moving back in with their parents and their every day struggles. Their 1960’s pop, 1970s punk energy, and 1980s vibe punk is never ending, from the punky feel of “On Both Eyes” and “Impossible!” to the a capella and orchestral suite of “The ‘M’ Word.” It is further proof that their music has a timeless and entertaining sound. Playing with Hostage Calm are three local bands the Traditional, All Blondes Go To Heaven, and Doses. Punk rock bands are more alive than ever; the performances of these four bands will be confirmation that it is here to stay. Modern punk rock has been reformulated by influences of today’s culture, it can be seen through their powerful lyrics and sound styles. Armed with their own edgy styles this line up promises a show that is one to pen in on your calendar for Monday (March 11) at Soundlab.

- kendra sornberger

6pm Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (440-5907 / bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab) $10 advance, $13 day of show