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See You There!

Artvoice's weekly round-up of events to watch out for the week, including this week's Editors Pick: the third annual Art of Hip Hop, which runs Friday through Sunday at various locations. As always, check our on-line events calendar for a constantly updated and comprehensive listing of what's going on!

AV Editors Pick

Friday, September 26 - Sunday, September 28

Art of Hip Hop 3

The third annual Art of Hip Hop will be held this weekend, beginning at the Albright Knox on Friday, and extending through Sunday night at various locations. There will be live breakdance demonstrations, DJ and producer workshops, emcee performances, graffiti art, fashion displays, and more. The official after-party will be held Friday at Cozumel VIP Lounge at 10pm. Saturday afternoon’s event will be held at the Rock Harbor Yard in Riverside; that evening a break-dancing battle will be fought at Verve on Main St.; and at Merlin’s a Krush Groovin’ Ol’ Skool Tribute Party will provide an opportunity to dig out 80’s hip-hop clothes (discount at the door for those sporting authentic B-Boy duds). Sunday night the festival will move to Broadway Joe’s. Featured performers include 6 Lenses, A.L. Third, Askew Artistry, the DFC B-Boys, Dali’s Climax, Depree, Eimaj, It Smells Like Laundry, Kool Taj, Masterpeace, Mad Dukes, Miss shing-a-Ling, Pseudo Intellectuals, Simple Sons of the King, Sons of Style, Vast Aire, and DJs Lopro, Cutler, Universal, and Tiger.

justin sondel

Friday, 5-10pm at Albright Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave.; 10pm at Cozumel, 153 Elmwood Ave. Saturday, 4-8pm at Rock Harbor Yard, 31 Tonawanda St.; 7-11pm at Merlin’s, 727 Elmwood Ave. $5. Ages 21+. Sunday, 9pm at Broadway Joe’s, 3051 Main St. $7. Ages 18+. Contact 553-8155 or www.dtr45.com for details

Friday, September 26

Dar Williams and Shawn Mullins

Highly acclaimed singer/songwriters Dar Williams and Shawn Mullins will play at Ani DiFranco’s restored church on Delaware Ave. this Friday, adding to the list of esteemed performers coming through the venue. Williams’ story-telling style of songwriting covers a wide range of topics such as gender, religion, and anti-commercialism. She first earned recognition through hard work and self-promotion, using coffee shops, public radio coverage, and word-of-mouth to spread her message. Through her efforts she has gained great popularity—even having one of her songs covered by Joan Baez. Williams is touring to promote her new album Promised Land, with opening act and tourmate Shawn Mullins, a Grammy-award winner for the 1998 hit single “Lullabye.” He is touring in the wake of his most recent release, 2008’s Honeydew.

justin sondel

7pm (doors); 8pm (show). Asbury Hall at Babeville, 341 Delaware Ave. (852-3835 / www.babevillebuffalo.com). $25 at the box office, www.Tickets.com (888-223-6000), and Tops Markets

Friday, September 26

The Evangelicals

It probably makes sense that the next act to carry on the Flaming Lips’ shaggy but grand widescreen psychedelia would be one from their own backyard. There’s little doubt that part of the magic of the Lips’ wide-eyed, spacey rock lies in geography: only a conservative, wide-open prairie state such as Oklahoma could spawn a band so against the rules, so beautifully weird and out there as the Lips. And yes, it’s happened again with the Evangelicals. Hailing from an Okie town called Norman, the Evangelicals owe a clear debt to Wayne Coyne & Co., with singer Josh Jones’ lysergic ringmaster’s howl and a penchant for delving into damaged emotions, while backed by a band ready to put everything and the kitchen sink into the mix to get the mood right. The band’s second album, The Evening Descends (Dead Oceans), is a pulsing mini-epic strewn with glorious rock songs that are ripped apart and then seemingly perfectly patched back together through a psych-stew of harmonies, acoustic and electric guitar interplay, off-kilter beats, synths, sci-fi theremin, and a host of sound effects.

donny kutzbach

9pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (www.bigorbitgallery.org / soundlab). $8/advance or $10 at the door

Friday, September 26

Poco

It’s unprecedented in the history of the audacious Sportsmen’s Tavern private party series, for any act to be booked three nights running. But then, Poco isn’t just any act. It’s been 40 years since they formed from the splintered Buffalo Springfield and released the seminal country rock album Pickin’ Up the Pieces in 1969. Like any band with that kind of longevity, there’ve been some changes along the way. Original members Richie Furay and Jim Messina are long gone, but multi-instrumentalist and original member Rusty Young remains, along with Paul Cotton, who replaced Messina 38 years ago. Bassist Jack Sundrud—a newcomer who’s only been playing with the band for the past 20 years—backs them up. (He came in to replace Timothy B. Schmidt, who had taken a gig with a little band called the Eagles, remember?) Poco became synonymous with the southern California country rock sound that was buoyed by soaring, tight harmonies. Friday’s date was only added when the first two nights sold out, and it’s doubtful you’ll have another chance to experience this legendary act in such an intimate setting any time soon. Don’t miss out.

buck quigley

8pm. Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst Street. $50 (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.com)

Saturday, September 27

Dub Is A Weapon

New York duo Dub Is A Weapon is not joking around with that name. With a sound the Village Voice described as “bass and drum coming so hard and dangerous you can see the competition’s bloodstains,” DIAW has earned a reputation as one of the hardest playing and hardest working bands on the circuit. Versatile enough to have opened for acts from Sound Tribe Sector 9, Mad Professor, and Jah Woggle, to (Hasidic rapper) Matisyahu and the Benevento/Russo duo, DIAW truly reached its stride last year after forming an alliance with dub legend Lee “Scratch” Perry, who chose them as his backing group and opening act. A sometimes sprawling group with fluctuating membership, Dub Is A Weapon is led by guitarist Dave Hahn and Jamaican reggae percussionist Larry McDonald, cranking out sometimes smooth, sometimes rough combination of beats, melodies, and trippy atmospherics. Special guest DJ Universal hosts the show,

k. o’day

10pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com). $10

Saturday, September 27

Say Hi

When this lo-fi “band” arrived on the indie-pop scene—as the more awkwardly named Say Hi to Your Mom—it was the concept of Brooklyn-based musician Eric Elbogen, who for the most part played all the instruments as well as providing the vocals. In 2005 Elbogan added a drummer and keyboardist and formed his own record label, Euphobia Records, on which he released SHTYM’s first four albums, including 2006’s vampire-themed breakthrough Impeccable Blahs. that was the first album to include all three band members, and the first to draw real critical attention with comparisons to indie faves of the time like Belle & Sebastian, the Strokes, and Interpol. Moving along, Elbogan shortened the name to Say Hi and moved to Oregon where he recorded the latest album, The Wishes and the Glitch, his fifth in six years and the first issued under the new name. He remains the primary force behind the band, still cranking out the sweet, synth-laden sounds he did before, but with the fresh outlook and maturity of someone who has recently left home, and said “bye” to Mom.

k. o’day

9pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (www.bigorbitgallery.com / soundlab). $8-$10

Sunday, September 28

Kathleen Edwards

Sunday night, Kathleen Edwards will give an intimate performance in Babeville’s Ninth Ward, singing her folksy brand of roots-rock. This Ottowa-born Canadian performer is on tour promoting her new album Asking For Flowers. She has gained great acclaim since her debut album Failer, and is currently nominated for the prestigious Canadian Polaris Music Prize. Rolling Stone recently praised Edwards’ latest as “her strongest album ever.” The narrative lyrics are emotional and accessible, evoking self-reflection in many listeners. Edwards speaks of love, loss, travel, and fun, giving the listener a feeling of being along for the ride. The doors open at 7pm and the show will have limited space, so if you don’t get your tickets pre-sale you may want to get there early.

justin sondel

8pm. Ninth Ward at Babeville (downstairs), 341 Delaware Ave. (852-3835 / www.babevillebuffalo.com). $18/presale or $22/at door at Babeville box office, Town Ballroom box office (681 Main St.), www.Tickets.com (888-223-6000)

Monday, September 29

Baby Dee

Some people live extraordinary lives, and some tell great stories. In the case of gender-blurring cult favorite Baby Dee (who contributes harp to Antony & the Johnsons, the Dresden Dolls, and Current 93 in addition to performing her celebrated solo work), a unique history informs an approach to musical story-telling of uncommon poignancy. Launching her career by playing harp dressed as a bear in Central Park, Dee soon parlayed a passion for Gregorian chants into a job playing church organ—although the church thing kind of fell apart when Dee, who was a born a man, decided to become a woman. After that, Dee returned to the streets and graced circuses and freak shows with her unique ability to play harp from the top of giant tricycle while wearing a bee costume. Musically, although she records for indie stalwart Drag City, Dee’s approach is entirely out of step with current pop practice, invoking vaudeville and cabaret to weave sinister tales, dramatic narratives, and grandiose emotional epics that are entirely her own.

greg gannon

9pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (www.bigorbitgallery.org / soundlab). $7

Thursday, October 2

God Made Me Funky, Among Criminals

God Made Me Funky is a nu-funk troupe from Toronto, nominated for a Juno award (Canadian Grammy) for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year. This band plays rolling funk from the great funk era and also blends in hip hop and other styles. One of their songs, “Won More Time”, was featured in the film American Pie—Beta House, where GMMF played onscreen as the house band at one of the frat parties. An energetic band capable of covering Aerosmith if it suits them, these folks give it all they’ve got. Supporting GMMF is the band Among Criminals, the reggae-Latin-rock trio that returns to Buffalo for their second visit. This summer the band played at Cozumel for the Great Buffalo Scavenger Hunt after-party, and added their hoppin’ fun to the evening. Their music serves up populist lyrics in a danceable mix, and they drop in a Wailers or Police tune to mix it up.

dave grundy

10pm. Merlin’s, 727 Elmwood Ave. (886-9270 / www.merlinsbuffalo.com). $3

Thursday, October 2

Oh My God!

For close to a decade, Chicago’s Oh My God! has been creating some of the most shizophrenic music the underground has heard. Landing somewhere between power-pop and prog-rock, the band simultanteously evokes bands as different as Weezer and Yes. With their whirling organ grinds and frenetic, freakish rhythms, the band proves they can create intricate textures without sacrificing the song or its hook. Their recordings and performances have earned endless acclaim, and with the long-awaited album The Fools Want Noise, they are sure to garner greater attention. Last year, Oh My God! was scheduled to perform at Mohawk Place when, two days prior, they were struck in a headon collision and forced to cancel the remainder of the tour. Now fully recovered, the band is touring relentlessly and already has a new recording in the works. Opening are Bearhunter and Red Tag Rummage Sale.

eric boucher

8pm. Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St.

(855-3931 / www.mohawkplace.com). $8