Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Sunday, November 22

Bruce Springsteen is 60 years old! Sure, he doesn’t look or act like it, but it’s reality. He can’t go out and scream, strum, sweat, and pour his New Jersey heart out for three friggin’ hours night after night forever. Could this be the last ever? It’s the last night of this tour, that’s for sure. Beyond that it’s all rumor mill grist. If the whispers and message board chatter prove to be true and this is the last show that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band ever play, at least they are going out with something of a thundercrack by taking it back to the very beginning. The Boss and his E Street brethren have been out on this run since April technically supporting this year’s release Working On A Dream (Sony), but in the latter months it’s turned into something of a career reflexive victory lap. Playing shows that include complete albums in the set lists—for example the epics Born To Run in Chicago and The River at New York’s Madison Square Garden—fans have been treated to something even more special from the man known to give the greatest rock and roll revival show in the world. For this Sunday (Nov. 22) in Buffalo it’s official: The final night will feature the entirety of 1973’s Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., the debut album that started it all. If on Monday morning, Springsteen makes like Brando and walks right into the sun, I’ll be OK with that because at least I will have been there in that building on Sunday night.

—donny kutzbach

HSBC Arena, 1 Seymour H Knox III Plz. / 7:30pm / 855-4100 / www.hsbcarena.com / $66.50-$96.50 at box office (855-4444), Tickets.com (888-223-6000), or Tops Markets

Friday, November 20

Reggae Night: Jsan & The Analogue Sons, Mosaic Foundation, DJ Universal

Charismatic frontman JSAN leads this night of reggae, roots, and rock on Saturday (Nov. 21), with his dub-rock outfit Analogue Sons, creating new grooves reminiscent of legends like Bob Marley, Ben Harper, and Gregory Isaacs. Following this gang of seven comes nine-piece roots rock group Mosaic Foundation, founded by equally charming frontwoman Eva Bless, whose political messages come off just as strong as her powerful voice. The Foundation, who’ve opened for world renowned artists Toots & the Maytals, Rebelution, and Passafire and are looking toward a tour with John Browns Body, are currently laying tracks for their first original record release. Opening for these big bands is one-man show DJ Universal, a regular on the local dance scene who is nearing his ten-year anniversary as host of WBNY’s longest running radio show; showcasing the old and new in reggae, dub, and dancehall. Universal opens the night at 9pm, followed by Mosaic Foundation at 10pm and JSAN and company at 11:30pm.

—alan victor

Nietzsche's, 248 Allen St. / 9pm / $7 / 886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com

Friday, November 20

Mir Ali with The BPO

The Classics on Elmwood concert series returns on Friday (Nov. 20) from a two-year hiatus with a performance featuring internationally renowned guitarist Mir Ali. Accompanying him will be members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Amelie Fradette (cello), Betsy Reeds (flute), and associate concertmaster Amy Glidden (violin). This concert will also function as the quartet’s release of their collaborative CD, Amistad. Mir Ali, the Pakistani-born virtuoso, has graced these pages many times, and more notable accomplishments include composing music for movies, theater, radio, and TV—most recently for the documentary “Roots and Branches” which won the Award of Excellence from the Film Advisory Board of Hollywood. Amisted is Ali’s first recording in seven years, making this event a long-awaited revival for both the muscians and the Classics on Elmwood series.

—alan victor

Unitarian Universalist Church, 695 Elmwood Ave. / 8pm / $15

Saturday, November 21

Mike Doughty

Mike Doughty, founding member of the New York City alternative rock band Soul Coughing, a, has released a new solo album called Sad Man Happy Man, which debuted in stores last October. This is Doughty’s third solo effort since Soul Coughing disbanded, and he continues with the poetic, stream of consciousness lyrics that garnered Soul Coughing its devout cult following during the mid to late 90s. Doughty, who has also billed himself as M. Doughty (long before M. Ward came on the scene), started out playing along with Ani DiFranco while they were both at Eugene Lang College studying with the likes of Sekou Sundiata. As the driving force behind Soul Coughing and a major influence on the NYC slam poetry circuit, Doughty’s solo career is not just a spin off from an influential 90s group. This singer/songwriter/poet/activist has hardly slowed his stride. Doughty will be hitting the road for a Fall/Winter tour that lands him at the Town Ballroom on Saturday (Nov.21).

-frances boots

Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. / 7pm / 852-3900 / www.townballroom.com / $16 advance at box office, Tickets.com (888-223-6000) or $20 day of show

Saturday, November 21

Reigning Sound

Greg Cartwright is one of the greatest songwriters alive, and that his band, Reigning Sound, is so under the radar should be criminal. Garage rock, country, soul, and beautiful balladry are the backbone of Reigning Sound, while Cartwirght’s lyrical meditations on love and relationships string it all together. Cartwright first came to prominence as part of the Oblivians, a straight up lo-fi garage rock trio who earned a cult following throughout the 90s after a string of albums and singles. Cartwright then re-formed his first band, the Compulsive Gamblers, which scaled back the punk aesthetic to introduce expansive instrumentation and more instrospective songwriting. By the turn of the decade the band mutated into Reigning Sound, which initially focused on country but soon reintroduced elements of Cartwright’s past projects. It was then that they released the masterpiece Time Bomb High School, fusing straight up rockers with sad and wistful ballads. Since then Reigning Sound has released two more records, the blistering Too Much Guitar and the brand new Love And Curses, both of which deserve to be in any serious music fan’s collection. Reigning Sound performs at Mohawk Place on Saturday (Nov. 21). The Backpeddlers open the show.

—eric boucher

Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. / 9pm / $12 / 855-3931 / www.mohawkplace.com

Monday, November 23

Jack Oblivion & The Tennessee Tearjerkers

Just two days after Reigning Sound at Mohawk Place, lead singer Greg Cartwright’s ex partner in crime Jack Oblivian performs. As one third of the legendary Oblivians, Jack Oblivian introduced lo-fi garage punk to a small but rabid cult following. After the demise of the Oblivians, Jack and Cartwright re-formed their first band, the Compulsive Gamblers. Since then, Jack has struck out on his own, releasing a string of albums that draw from his previous outfits while integrating new genres with more intense focus. Garage rock, rhythm and blues, and country are just part of what Jack Oblivian does, but it’s his raw, Tom Waits drawl and lowdown gutteral narratives that set him apart from the garage rock clique. His most recent LP, The Disco Outlaw, has been considered his best and led some to claim that Oblivian is the most important Memphis musician since Alex Chilton. That’s a tall claim, but not off the mark whatsoever. Jack Oblivian & the Tennessee Tearjerkers perform at Mohawk Place on Monday, (Nov. 23). Opening is John Paul Keith & the 145, and Fatal Figures, a new Buffalo trio comprised of ex members of the Blowtops.

—eric boucher

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