Junkie XL

Sunday, May 24th

This Sunday (May 24) Factory Nightlife presents “Sudoku: The Memorial Day Party” featuring the Grammy-nominated Junkie XL. JXL is a Dutch musician named Tom Holkenberg who first came to international fame by taking on that most American of icons, Elvis Presley, with his 2002 breakthrough remix of The King’s relatively little-known 1968 tune “A Little Less Conversation.” “Elvis Presley vs. JXL” soared to number one in over 20 countries, and arguably started the mash-up craze that continued with Danger Mouse’s “The Grey Album” in 2004. We’re now hearing artists like Girl Talk and the Hood Internet flourish with some frenzied combinations. Currently signed to LA label Artwerks, JXL dropped his fifth studio album in 2008, Booming Back at You, a disc that builds on his back catalogue but highlights the new school of dance music all the same. His notorious live performances are feats of sound and energy, a mix of rock and dance beats that drives audiences wild. Lending support at the show (‘cuz the guy does have to rest) are Factory Nightlife artists Jarvis, Cory Downey, Nate Howell, and Jesse Aaron, with special guests Mike Parker, DJ Dubbs, Active 8, and Rob Decker. The show is happening at Chippewa’s Pure Nightclub, celebrating the one-year anniversary of its “Sudoku” party series. The club boasts a bar and outdoor sky patio with full sound for partying into the wee hours. This show may fall on a Sunday, but it’s Memorial Day Sunday, so go ahead and dance ‘til you drop. Then get up and do it again.

—k. o’day

Doors open at 9pm. Pure nightclub, 75 W. Chippewa (www.purebuffalo.net)

Thursday, May 21

The Hayseeds

Things keep getting lost along the way: Once upon a time, country music was populist, bluesy, alternately heartwrenching and good-timey. Nowadays its slickly packaged, highly pasteurized messages are indistinguishable from anything else programmed for radio. There are some exceptions, to be sure, a healthy subculture of roots musicians who keep true country music alive. Holding up their end are the Hayseeds—a band of urbanites from Rochester dressed in granny dresses and overalls, toting banjos, fiddles and conrcob pipes—who bring their foot-stomping act to Allentown tonight (May 21). Is there irony in their hokiness? Sure. Would the act go over in East Tennessee? Maybe not. Are the Hayseeds a lot of fun? You bet they are.

—geoff kelly

8:30pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen Street (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com).

Thursday, May 21

Red Hot Mess

This Thursday (May 21) Rochester’s Red Hot Mess will take the stage at Merlin’s. This newly formed band has exploded onto the WNY rock scene, playing their high-energy punk rock across the region. The band is made up of the members of three other bands (The UV Rays, The Hound Dogs of Hell, and Man Vs. Moon). These guys all knew each other from the Rochester music scene and have been waiting to work together for a long time. Joining Red Hot Mess will be the Orland, Florida psychobilly group the Beverly Chillbillies and Buffalo’s own punkers Able Danger. Particularly amusing is Able Danger’s Buffalo anthem “Beef on Weck”, which pokes fun at our tradition of greasy, unhealthy, but often delicious food. So head to Merlin’s tonight to hear some loud, fast, fun music that will leave you feeling like you just got your ass kicked. .

—justin sondel

10pm. Merlin’s, 727 Elmwood Ave. (886-9270)

Friday, May 22

The Helio Sequence

For a duo that looks a bit like the second coming of Simon & Garfunkel with their soulful eyes and pensive expressions, Portland, Oregon’s the Helio Sequence can actually generate a pretty good racket when they want to. Though they generally ride the wave of shoegaze/indie/electronica appeal, vocalist/guitarist Brandon Summers belts it out hard enough that he damaged his vocal chords a few years back—badly—and the group took a hiatus while he brought his pipes back to life (with lots of therapy and Throat Coat tea). The other half of this duo is drummer/keyboardist Benjamin Weikel (who also plays with Modest Mouse), and the two have an obvious bond that dates back to middle school. After almost a decade of playing together and Summers’ nearly career-ending injury, they are finally realizing success, especially after the release of their second album for Sub Pop, last year’s Keep Your Eyes Ahead. It certainly looks like that’s what they’re doing. The Helio Sequence plays on Friday (May 22) with Toronto’s Rural Alberta Advantage and local favorites the Stay Lows.

—k. o’day

8pm. Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. (855-3931 / www.mohawkplace.com). $12

Saturday, May 23

Her Space Holiiday

Marc Bianchi was a pillar of the hardcore scene in the 1990s with bands such as Indian Summer and Calm, but it was in 1996 that he found his own unique voice with his one man project, Her Space Holiday. Ditching the trappings of his previous bands, Her Space Holiday was an electronic dream pop experiment that mainly came out of Bianchi’s bedroom. After a few releases on tiny indie labels, Her Space Holiday signed to Tiger Style, where they released Home Is Where You Hang Yourself. The album received vast critical acclaim and won him a new and devoted audience. Bianchi then released a string of various albums and EPs while also working on remixing tracks by such bands as Super Furry Animals, Stereolab and Matmos. Her Space Holiday’s most recent recording, XOXO, Panda, and the New Kid Revival, is an extreme turn in his music. Instead of the lush electronics of the past, he goes for a more organic and full-band approach, full of poppy hooks and awkward yet rewarding,rhythms. Her Space Holiday performs on Saturday (May 23). City Light and Pennsylvania & Gold open the show.

—eric boucher

8pm. Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. (855-3931 / www.mohawkplace.com). $10

Monday, May 25

Kylesa

The Savannah, Georgia metal band Kylesa will be performing at Mohawk Place this Memorial Day (Monday, May 25). The band formed in 2001 and features former members of the bands Damad, Cobra Kai, and the Mugshots. Kylesa is hard to categorize, in part because the structure of the band is less than conventional. The band features two drummers, a fact that allows them to create a unique sound with the two drummers often playing counterpart to one another. While they are considered metal, the band pulls influence from many genres, including hardcore punk and psychedelic stoner rock. Kylesa is currently touring in support of their 9th album Static Tensions. The new album has earned them the accolades of many critics and has drawn a comparison that seems to be a recurring one: Black Sabbath. They will be joined by fellow metal heads Rebreather and Avulsion.

—justin sondel

8pm. Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. (855-3931 / www.mohawkplace.com). $12.

Thursday, May 28

Thursday at The Square: Gomez

Next Thursday (May 28) the ever popular free concert series will kick off with the English indie rock band Gomez. The band members met in college and found great success in a very short time. After distributing their first demo to record labels they began a bidding war for the rights to their music, eventually signing with the Virgin Records subsidiary, Hut, in 1997. The band has been making music and touring since then. They are currently making the rounds on a tour to promote their new album A New Tide which dropped at the end of March. This year Buffalo Place, the non-profit that funds the free concert series, has decided to cut the number of TATS events. In place of the missing shows Buffalo Place will put on four two-day concert events known as Rock the Harbor. These concerts will not be free, but they will be cheap ($10 per day), and boast some serious talent including Black Crowes, Government Mule, and Umphrey’s McGee. Visit www.buffaloplace.com for more .

—justin sondel

5-9pm. Lafayette Square, Downtown Buffalo