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See You There!

Artvoice's weekly round-up of events to watch out for the week, including our editor's pick: Shemekia Copeland, who performs this Friday at the Tralf. As always, check our on-line events calendar for a constantly updated and comprehensive listing of what's going on!

Shemekia Copeland

Friday, April 24

This Friday (April 24) acclaimed blues singer Shemekia Copeland will visit the Tralf. Copeland was born into a blues family in Harlem. Her father, famous blues guitarist and singer Johnny Copeland, helped to kick start Shemekia’s career by taking her on what would be his final tour as his opening act. At 16 she toured the country with her father gaining the performance experience that many musicians never see by the age of 17. Since then Copeland has put out four albums. She is currently touring in support of her latest album Never Going Back. Copeland has had worked with famous entertainers such as Dr. John and Steve Cropper. While Copeland’s powerful voice is well suited for blues music she contends that she is capable of branching out. “In order for an artist to grow—and for a genre to grow —you have to do new things. I’m extremely proud to say I’m a blues singer, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing I’m capable of singing, or that’s the only style of music I’m capable of making.” Opening up for Copeland will be Buffalo’s own blues man Mark Winsick. Winsick has won a litany of local music awards including a 2002 Buffalo Music Award, the prestigious 2004 Artvoice Best of Buffalo Award, and the 2005 BluesBeat “Muddy” Local Artist of the Year award. “There’s no substitute for a band rockin’ out live. When I perform, I always give it everything I’ve got,” says Winsick who is a mainstay on the live music scene. Winsick will also perform the follwing night (Saturday, April 25) at Mammoser’s taver, 16 S. Buffalo St., at 9pm.

—justin sondel

Friday & Saturday, April 24 & 25

Framptonia

Not Peter Frampton, thank god. Hollis Frampton, the pioneering filmmaker who was one of some many groundbreaking artists who worked in the University at Buffalo’s Department of Media Study. Frampton taught there for just the last few years of his short life (he died in 1984 at age 48) but made a big impression while he was here, not only for his eccentric teaching methods but for his bizarre clothing. UB hosts two screenings of Frampton’s work this weekend, including his epic seven-part film series Hapax Legomena on Friday (April 24) at 5pm. The celebration of Frampton’s work continues on Saturday (April 25) at 7pm, with a screening of The Secret History of the Dividing Line.

—geoff kelly

5pm Friday, 7pm Saturday, UB Center for the Arts, University at Buffalo North Campus (645-2787 / www.ubcfa.org). FREE.

Saturday, April 25

Runway 2.0

It’s all about being “either in or out” this Saturday (April 25) for seniors in the Buff State Fashion Program, who will stage a red carpet extravaganza at the Burchfield Penney Art Center featuring original collections by student designers and choice works by Buffalo-born international design sensations Mara Hoffman and Adam Lippes. Titled Runway 2.0: The Romance of Urban Decay, this year’s version of the hugely popular event utilizes the Charles E. Burchfield exhibition of the same name as its conceptual inspiration. Beginning early this semester, young aspiring designers were encouraged to “make it work” by embracing the city’s rough grandeur in their designs, the developed versions of which will debut on a professional runway stage set against the awesome backdrop of the Burchfield-Penney’s sleek East Gallery, with music by the Shock and Awe Djs. So, if you’re channeling your inner fierceness or just want to bask in the fabulosity, throw your zubas onto the fire and see and be seen at the Burchfield this weekend!

—greg gannon

4-5pm (student show). $5 presale/$7 at the door. 7:30pm evening show. Burchfield-Penny Art Gallery, 1300 Elmwood Ave. $40. Tickets available at the Burchfield or by calling 878-3254.

Saturday, April 25

Chain & the Gang, Hive Dwellers

Down With Liberty...Up With Chains! Such is the title of Chain & the Gang’s latest album (VICE Magazine’s Album of the Month, if it matters), but don’t think for a second that they mean it—unless “Liberty” is code for one of the multitudinous things that irritate C&G’s frontman Ian Svenonius. Formerly of Nation of Ulysses, Svenonius is a self-styled cultural critic who uses irony as shamelessly as he mocks it. Nation of Ulysses was heavy, in a punk parody kind of way. Chain & the Gang is not—it’s more fun. Consider the players: Calvin Johnson, Karl Blau, and others from Dub Narcotic Sound System and Old Time Relijun. Songs are catchy, and some are just silly, while others are dark and plain weird. Svenonius is in good company with Calvin Johnson (formerly of Beat Happening), who comes along with his new band the Hive Dwellers on this tour that lands in Buffalo on Saturday (April 25). Johnson is the head of K Records, new home to Chain & the Gang and dance/punk band Mahjonng, who’ll also be along for the ride. This is an early show starting at 7pm, followed by Shock & Awe at 11pm.

—k. o’day

9pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl St.

Sunday, April 26

ACF: Taste of Culinary

Got taste? The Statler Hotel’s gas might be shut off, but on Sunday (April 26), its Golden Ballroom will be open for business as it hosts a tasty sampling of Buffalo’s culinary stars and local food products. The Buffalo chapter of the American Culinary Federation’s annual Taste of Culinary event gives area restaurants and culinary professionals the chance to strut their stuff to the public while raising funds for the ACF’s Chef and Child Foundation, a charity that supports nutrition education for inner-city youth. This year the ACF is partnering with the Field & Fork Network, a non-profit local foods group whose membership of farmers and chefs are building a local foods system in the eight counties of Western New York. You can try European-style yogurt from the nationally recognized White Cow Dairy, pasture raised beef from Raisin Acres farm, gourmet sauces from Buffalo’s own Taste of the World, and more. There will be lots to try from 40 restaurants, culinary schools, wineries and breweries, as well as a “Premiere Chef Auction” and several raffles.

—lauren newkirk maynard

12-3pm. Statler Golden Ballroom, Statler Towers

Sunday, April 26

City Kitty II

There’s a world of feral cats in this (and in any) city, and that world continually intersects with the world we humans navigate—sometimes for the worse, sometimes for the better. The City Kitty II fundraiser this weekend aims to make those encounters overwhelmingly positive, funding care for abandoned and stray cats and kittens. The money raised will be used to spay and neuter cats, to give them shots, to feed them, and hopefully to find them homes. Lagniappes will feed the cat-lovers who come, and music will be provided by Joni Russ, Mark Webber, Ann Philippone, Charlie Reed, Tina Crapsie, Rob Falgiano, Noa Bursie and Emile Latimer, Africa, Twisted Gratefyl, and Rose Bond and the Allen Street Jazz Band. Because it’s a fundraiser, there will of course be raffles and 50/50 splits.

—geoff kelly

4-8pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen Street (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com). $5, $3 w/ cat food donation

Tuesday, April 28

Marnie Stern

I once saw Juliana Hatfield play when I was a teenager—I think it was with the Blake Babies—and right before she launched into a cover of the Stooges’ “Loose,” she mentioned something about how the industry believes that no female could ever be as good a guitarist as a male, and how that prejudice inspired her to become as good as she could. And although Hatfield usually ranks among the “top female guitarists of all time” on any given list, there’s always that gender qualifier. Now along comes New York City’s Marnie Stern, who has been shredding up a storm. Her songs are as simultaneously complicated and straightforward as her album titles—2008’s This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That is a case in point. Stern is incredibly skilled on guitar—a virtuoso, some say—but ultimately, the music is about the songwriting, and self-exploration, and so on. So just because she’s an awesome guitarist—and she really is—doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a softer, female singer/songwriter side. It’s just layered between some incredible riffs.

—k. o’day

9pm (doors). Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3500 / www.townballroom.com). $19/advance at box office and Ticketmaster locations; $24/day of show