The Real Dream Cabaret ends its run of The Shell of Sense this Friday (Sept. 22). The Real Dream Cabaret—a group of imaginative performers and writers, whose improvised performance art is, to say the least, non-narrative in nature—draws its inspiration from current media, politics, art, social culture and whatever else pops into their consciousness. Sometimes funny and sometimes serious—well that’s nonsense: They are always funny. (To give you a sense of the troupe’s jumping-off point: The castmember are listed as Lieu-Lieu Deux-Flores, Kitty Jung, Sigmund the Satisfactory, Ronawanda, Dora, Jack Papier, Piaget the Mute Swine and special guest Corbeau Morreau. The Shell of Sense takes place at Rust Belt Books, a pleasant place to browse the stacks and drink a glass of wine. Each week a different house band and guest artists are featured. This week’s guest performers are Kristianne Meal, Nimbus Dance, members of the gypsy jazz combo Babik and Raw Deal.

Pity the poor tribute band. In the cutthroat world of live music, it’s a sure way to generate some steady gigs—but at what cost to your artistic integrity? On some cruel night you’re liable to realize that you aren’t really ZZ Top. Instead, you’re just a guy in a false beard and sunglasses playing in a trio called The Sharp Dressed Men at a strip mall bar where they won’t even give you free draft beer. But then there’s the Canadian band The Musical Box, who for 15 years have been re-enacting vintage Genesis performances circa 1973-1975—with an official license from Genesis and Peter Gabriel to do so. This kind of tribute is more akin to Borges’ fabulous character Pierre Menard, who undertook the absurd task of rewriting Don Quixote—word for word—purely on the strength of his own creativity. No mere nostalgia trip, the band will recreate in excruciating detail the theatrical concerts that supported the albums Foxtrot (October 12 & 13) and Selling England by the Pound (October 14 & 15) at the historic Riviera Theatre and Performing Arts Center in North Tonawanda. Complete with original slides, masks, set design, lighting, musical gear and choreography faithful to the original productions, The Musical Box will thrill graying fans of real progressive rock and enlighten those who were not yet born when this dramatic music first came out.

Over the past 11 years, Shai Hulud has earned their place in the hardcore scene, and their use of technical hardcore style, complex melodies and emotionally driven vocals influenced the entire metalcore scene and earned them the title of legends. Since the band signed to Crisis Records in 1996, they’ve released seven original works, including splits with Indecision, Boysetsfire and Another Victim, only adding to the critical claim and accruing a committed fan base. They also gained a level of infamy for their frequent lineup changes, but many fans took vocalist Geert Van Der Velde’s 2003 departure as the end of Shai Hulud. These Poughkeepsie, New York transplants are clearly back in business, however, and they’re armed with new vocalist Eric Dellon, a new deal with Metal Blade Records, and reissues of their 1997 debuts A Profound Hatred of Man (EP) and Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion (full-length). These hardcore heavy-hitters decided to mark their triumphant return by touring with equally-acclaimed Dead to Fall, who released their most recent album The Phoenix Throne earlier this year, and that tour hits Buffalo on Tuesday at Club Infinity. Also playing are Twelve Tribes, One Dead Three Wounded and label-mates Phoenix Mourning.

The San Jose group Xiu Xiu is an experimental band (it takes its name from the Chinese experimental film of the same name) based in San Jose, CA. Founded by Jamie Stewart, the group has had an ever-changing line up since its inception in the year 2000. Xiu Xiu now includes Stewart and his cousin, Caralee McElroy, along with sometime member Ches Smith (who also plays in Good For Cows). Lyrical themes tend to deal with taboo subjects that can be morbid and somewhat shocking— much like the film— as is the music when it swings from lush melody into alarming cacophony. For a band that exists in the realm of pop, this is as “experimental” as indie rock can get without alienating the fan base. But Xiu Xiu is far from doing that, as the September release of the band’s 5th CD, The Air Force, proves. The album, which was produced by Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier (who also performs on it) has been a popularly and critically successful “sleeper” hit. Xiu Xiu plays at Soundlab with Cong For Brums and the Dirty Projectors.