Editor's Pick: Artvoice B.O.O.M. Bash

Friday, February 13

Come on down to the second live quarterfinal of our ongoing Battle of Original Music (BOOM). Here’s how it works: At the show, each person through the door will receive one ballot on which to place his or her vote for his or her favorite band. At the end of the night, the ballots will be counted and a winner will be announced. The four winners of these live quarterfinals will receive a recording package from our friends at Audio Magic, CDs of that recording from the great folks at ESP CD & DVD Manufacturing, and the opportunity face off in our Grand Finale in May. Our current contestants include (pictured clockwise from bottom left) Fashion Expo 1990, The Nepenthe, Marlon Brando, Pocahontas & Me and Paul’s Grandfather. These acts qualified by collecting the most votes during our weekly online contests at Artvoice.com. The live show is a great way to catch just a sample of our vibrant original music scene in western New York, and when you cast your vote for your favorite, you might just be helping them record some music and gain further exposure when they win. If you’d like to check out the contestants or if you’re in a band that would like to compete, visit the BOOM page. The next round of BOOM starts February 19.

p.s. Come back to Nietszche’s the following night (Saturday, Feb. 14), for the “Rebirth of Anal Pudding,” one of those all too rare “reunion shows” that tends to come along about one year after the “farewell show.” In this case, the band’s farewell was exactly one year ago—on Valentine’s Day 2008—making this something of a tradition. And romance doesn’t get much better than an Anal Pudding show. Also playing on Saturday are Axis Of Evil , Coitus, and Like A Panther.

10pm both nights. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / www.nietzsches.com). $5 at door

Thursday & Friday, February 12 & 13

V-Day 2009

In honor of V-Day, there will be a local production of The Vagina Monologues to benefit Buffalo’s own Crisis Services. Every year V-Day’s non-profit organization stages benefits to raise money for grassroots, national, and international groups fighting for women and against violence. Volunteers put on over 4,000 events in 120 countries last year, speaking candidly about women’s realities of abuse, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation, and sexual slavery. The original V-Day affair featured The Vagina Monologus, an award winning play written by Eve Ensler, the movement’s founder (pictured). It is based on her interviews with more than 200 women. Through anecdotes of women’s inspirational epiphanies and horrifying tales of survival, performances combine humor with stark realism to celebrate women’s strength, sexuality, and to remind the public of the oppression women continue to face.

—lindsay berman

7:30pm. Unitarian Universalist Church, 695 Elmwood Ave. & W. Ferry (834-2310 x123 / www.crisisservices.org). $15 pre-sale by phone or at door

Friday, February 13

“We’re Not Beating Around the Bush Anymore!!”

This Friday night (Feb. 13), Gateway Gallery will host “We’re Not Beating Around the Bush Anymore!!.” a multifaceted show that will include live music, audio visual shows, andart exhibitions. The show will feature the music of Jason Pfaff (pictured) and compatriots Brian Gorman, Fran Kirby, Kelly Cornelious, Alexis Joyce, Gary Rutkowski and Bird, with accompaniment by dancers Chik Mason, Sarah Serriani, Angela Christina Lopez, & Melissa Campbel. The Fractal Project will provide a DJ set with visuals, Shapes of State, a synth, drums, and loop pedal one man show will perform, Fourem which consists of dueling synths with a lap top and drum kit will play, and Imagephonic, an AV installation by Seon Hyoung Kim will be on display. So come out and help these artists give “Bushie” a proper send off as they pay tribute to our 43rd President (wink wink).

—justin sondel

8pm. Gateway Gallery 141 Elmwood Ave. $7 suggested donation

Friday, February 13

The Trews

Most recently nominated for Independent Music and Juno awards, Nova Scotia natives and Canadian alternative rock band the Trews will perform on this day ripe with superstition (Feb. 13th), alongside openers Son of the Sun and Turn it Up. The group’s latest record No Time for Later (Bumstead) was released in 2008 and highlights the Trews’ style that leans towards the heavy side with its mixture of classic rock and head-banger metal. Noting influences ranging from CCR to REM, the band has solidly established themselves in the Canadian music scene with two Gold albums and six Top 10 singles. As one of the hottest live shows according to our neighbor to the north, the Trews have performed with Guns N’ Roses, Nickelback, Robert Plant, Status Quo, and The Rolling Stones. They have played on over 500 stages and are a tight-knit group whose dedication to the genre has led to solid shows and mounting industry success.

—lindsay berman

7pm doors. Town Ballroom, 681 Main Street (852-3900 / www.townballroom.com). $13 advance at box office and Tickets.com/$15 day of

Friday, February 13

Chuck Mangione with the BPO

If you are still looking for Valentine’s Day weekend plans, a romantic night of the smooth stylings of Chuck Mangione may be the perfect way to impress your significant other. Mangione, who grew up in Rochester, will be performing at Kleinhan’s Music hall with a pretty impressive back up band in the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Mangione was surrounded by musical talent from a very young age. Dizzy Gillespie was a friend of his family and influenced Mangione’s decision to pick up a trumpet. He started off playing in a series of big bands (Woody Herman and Maynard Furgeson) but quickly came into his own fame. Friday (Feb. 13) night he will perform many of his classics including “Chase the Clouds Away”, “Children of Sanchez”, and “Feel So Good”, and he will even take his turn at conducting the BPO. So for all you last minute guys and gals, this concert could be a great way to spend your Valentine’s Day.

—justin sondel

8pm. Kleinhans Music Hall, 71 Symphony Circle. $40-$60 at www.bpo.org or 885-5000

Saturday, February 14

Valentine’s Day Massacre: QCRG

The Queen City Roller Girls, who keep on popping uo in our ‘See You There’ section due to a major fan base here and among our readership, are a group of female athletes that showcase the best of what the roller derby has to offer. A mixture of intensity and humor, the teams that compose the QCRG are able to compel the crowds and transport them into a world that is a cross between retro-charm and gladiator duels. Powerful, tough, and imaginative, this is a fun for the whole family kind of event. This Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14)—with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Planned Parenthood—the reigning Devil Dollies will compete against the newly-formed rookies the Alley Kats. Barring any lovers’ quarrels about which team to root for (don’t get too adamant, they are in the same league after all), a romance-filled evening at the roller rink with them should not disappoint.

—lindsay berman

6:30 pm doors. Rainbow Roller Rink,101 Oliver St, N. Tonawanda. (693-1100 / www.qcrg.net). $10 advance online, at rink, Village Beer Merchant, Shoe Fly, Cowpok, Terrapin Station, or $15 day of.

Saturday, February 14

Rob Crow’s Goblin Cock

Many guitars and amps? Check. Black hooded cloaks? Check. A goal to bring back the real metal? Check... well, sorta. When indie rocker Rob Crow—famed for leading underground darlings Pinback—wanted to start a side project his aim was to create a “band from beyond time, beyond space, beyond your naive concept of dimension in METAL.” Renaming himself “Lord Phallus” and dipping into doom, drone, and stoner rock with just enough of a hidden grin and taste for the absurd, he unveiled the glorious Goblin Cock. The band’s just released Come With Me If You Want To Live (Absolutely Kosher) a record that relishes riffs, drop D tunings, dragons and everything metal to the Nth degree. They will unleash their heaviness upon Buffalo this Saturday with special guest Warship. What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than Goblin Cock? And hey, before you start sending me emails, it’s the band’s name and double entendre so don’t blame me. It was just too easy.

—donny kutzbach

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

Monday, February 16

M. Ward

Matt Ward spent most of 2008 as part of She & Him —his duo with actress Zooey Deschanel—releasing Volume One (Merge) and basking in the critical glow that came with it. It looks like 2009 is all about getting back to his regular gig, which is being M. Ward. Since emerging in the Portland, Oregon scene around the turn of the millennium, Ward’s gift for songcraft and his uniquely colored, sweetly worn voice have made him a star in the indie rock underground. His modern bend on traditional folk music stylings, ace guitar work, and boundary-pushing nature have been key in the creation of masterful records like the 2003 breakthrough Transfiguration of Vincent (Merge) and 2006’s Post War (Merge) which found Ward artfully and subtly tackling how America can heal in a post 911/Iraq war world. All of it has also made Ward a premier collaborator for like-minded artists including Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes, Norah Jones, My Morning Jacket, and Cat Power. The anticipated full-length Hold Time (Merge) comes out this Tuesday, and Ward starts his tour to support the album here in Buffalo this Monday (Feb. 16)

—donny kutzbach

8pm. Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / www.tralfmusichall.com). $21/presale; $23/day of show at Ticketmaster

Tuesday, February 17

Bitch & the Exciting Conclusion

Formally one half of notorious duo Bitch & Animal, musician/actress/activist Bitch has struck out on her own to pursue her own musical path. Forming Bitch & the Exciting Conclusion, Bitch’s music is a combination of sad ballads and angular funk intertwined with both personal and political lyrics, which, in turn, are simultaneously humorous and thought provoking. Outside of her own music, Bitch has collaborated with legendary folkie Ferron, with whom she performed with at Pride Buffalo’s Pride Weekend this past summer, as well as appearing in the cult film Shortbus. This time around, Bitch & the Exciting Conclusion come to Buffalo in a stripped down manner, offering her music in a more sparse, but no less fun, interpretation. Bitch & the Exciting Conclusion perform on Tuesday (Feb. 17). Opening are Needle Up! and Devin Carman.

—eric boucher

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

Wednesday, February 18

Pomegranates

Hailing from Cincinatti, Pomegranates formed in late 2006, and things began to snowball immediately. Within a few short months of working together, Pomegrantes had already recorded their debut EP, Two Eyes, and a week after its release, the band had signed to fledging indie label Lujo Records. Suddenly, Pomegranates were sharing the stage with such acclaimed acts as Peter, Bjorn, & John, Jimmy Eat World, Headlights, and Islands. With their debut full length, Everything Is Alive, they invoke such influences as the Beach Boys and the Kinks to create a wondrous hybrid of “art pop” that is not unlike Modest Mouse or the catchier elements of Built To Spill. Another record is already on the way. They play on Wednesday (Feb. 18) with the Thermdors and Thee Electric Magi Chippie.

—eric boucher

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