Past Cover Stories
2009: Volume 8
The Juddites: an interview with Jason Segel and Paul Rudd (by M. Faust, Artvoice v8n11, March 12, 2009)
I’ve been trying to come up with a clever word or short phrase to describe the effect of Judd Apatow on current film comedy, which is dominated by people who have cut their chops working with him. “The Juddiverse” doesn’t quite make it.Capital Punishment (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v8n10, March 5, 2009)
I will not stand for your tyranny!” shouted Masten District Councilmember Demone Smith, while Council President Dave Franczyk pounded his gavel and shouted, “You are out of order! You are out of order!”Action/Abstraction: Highlighting The City's Cultural and Intellectual Legacy (by Dean Brownrout, Artvoice v8n9, February 26, 2009)
Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940-1976 opened February 13 at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. The show is the first important museum exhibition of the 21st century to explore the Abstract Expressionist movement.We've Got Your Stimulus: Artvoice Mardi Gras 2009 (Artvoice v8n8, February 19, 2009)
Everyone is talking about stimulation and regulation, the louche past and the austere times to come. Our economy is suffering mightily for the greed and wantonness of a relative few, and now we all must prepare to do without, to sacrifice for the greater good. But that grim, puritanic prospect is brightened somewhat, as it is every spring, by the promise of one more drunken turn round the carousel.The Year of Magical Thinking (by Bruce Fisher, Artvoice v8n7, February 12, 2009)
Two scholars with Buffalo connections are among the observers who have compared Buffalo and other Upstate New York communities to the Third World. In separate papers delivered many years apart, David Perry (formerly of UB) and now Buffalo State’s Douglas Koritz have each taken a look at the local ownership of the big commercial and industrial institutions here and found that, mainly, there isn’t a lot of local ownership.The Perfect Date (Artvoice v8n6, February, 2009)
Every Valentine’s Day, the same question returns: What to do, what to do? A dinner reservation? A show? A quiet dinner at home?Viva La Revolucion (by Ted P. Schmidt, Artvoice v8n5, January 29, 2009)
Letter from the Galapagos: Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa and his country’s Bolivarian Revolution.Pictures From a Drawer (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v8n4, January 22, 2009)
After 30 years, photos from Cummins prison in Arkansas result in two new books and a photo exhibition at the Albright-KnoxObama in Black & White (by Bruce Fisher, Artvoice v8n3, January 15, 2009)
My eldest daughter came home to Buffalo, New York, to cast her first vote for a candidate for president this past November. Afterwards, we drove her the 60 miles back to her college in the village of Geneseo, just east of the Genesee River. That village is not such an old place by New York standards.Sugar City Gallery Opening (Artvoice v8n2, January 8, 2009)
"See You There" feature on the Sugar City Gallery opening event, held on January 9th.
2008: Volume 7
2008: The Year, Briefly (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v7n52, December 24, 2008)
A sampling of stories we covered in 2008 and their (lack of) impactSpecial Issue: Last Minute Gift Guide (Artvoice v7n51, December 18, 2008)
Artvoice's annual last minute holidy gift guide.The Prosecution of George W. Bush For Murder (by Cy Alessi & Dr. Susan Feneck, Artvoice v7n50, December 18, 2008)
There are plenty of folks who are looking forward to the beginning of George W. Bush’s career as an ex-president. Vincent Bugliosi is among those eager to see an end to the Bush administration, but for reasons more sanguine than most: He hopes an indictment for murder awaits Bush as soon as he leaves the protection of his office.Patterson's Choice (by Bruce Fisher, Artvoice v7n49, December 4, 2008)
New York State just lost another major employer last week when another Wall Street titan was laid low. The state comptroller has a new report out that suggests that the current recession will see more than 200,000 jobs lost in New York City alone.Retreat! (by Buck Quigley, Artvoice v7n48, November 27, 2008)
Robert Gioia tells a lie, health executives have a secret party, and one doctor throws up his hands and asks where all the money for hospital consolidation has goneSpecial Issue: Artvoice Gift Guide (Artvoice v7n47, November 20, 2008)
Artvoice's annual holiday gift guide.Interview with Jon Stewart on the end of the Bush Administration (by Adam Bulger, Artvoice v7n46, November 13, 2008)
It’s official. According to a 2007 Pew poll, Jon Stewart is one of the five most-respected broadcast journalists in America. It doesn’t seem to matter that he began his career not as a sleeves-rolled-up, coffee-swilling print journalist but as a comedian whose resume includes residency at Manhattan’s Comedy Cellar, a cameo in the film Half Baked, and three short-lived MTV shows.The President for Cities (by Bruce Fisher, Artvoice v7n45, November 6, 2008)
If he is bold enough, the politician known as the president of the United States can influence social and economic history for decades to come.The New Wild West: Interview With Guy Ritchie (by M. Faust, Artvoice v7n44, October 30, 2008)
Timing, as you may have heard, is everything. While I would never imply that a married couple would get divorced simply to publicize a movie, it can’t hurt the box office potential of Guy Ritchie’s new RocknRolla to be mentioned in every one of the far too numerous tabloid stories about his recently announced breakup with his unimonikered wife.The Halloween Issue (by various, Artvoice v7n43, 23, 2008)
Special Issue: The story of Halloween at Murder Creek, Revisiting the Eerie Haunts of Our Youth, and interview with Gregory Lamberson: The Halloween KingFederman at 80 (by Buck Quigley, Artvoice v7n42, October 16, 2008)
This weekend friends and colleagues celebrate former UB professor Raymond Federman's 80th year.Trans-Evolution: Examining Bio Art at CEPA Gallery (by Lucy Yau, Artvoice v7n41, October 9, 2008)
Bio art is the fusing of contemporary biochemical and medical research with visual art. Though it may seem like a new conceptual fad, bio art has a long tradition. Over the centuries the division between the arts and sciences has grown wider, where once they were tied closely together, as in the artwork and scientific discoveries of Renaissance luminary Leonardo da Vinci.Crude (by Jed Morey, Artvoice v7n40, October 2, 2008)
Or, How Wall Street investment banks manipulated oil prices to try to save their hides, screwing American consumers and the rest of the world and breaking the economy anyway.The Shpere (by Geoff Kelly & Louis Ricciuti, Artvoice v7n39, September 25, 2008)
This is going to seem complicated and take a long way to get where it’s going. So here’s the gist, right upfront: Possibly, in Lewiston, are buried the remnants of an experimental nuclear reactor dating from the 1940s. This reactor would have been part of a secret program to weaponize poisonous materials—a program with roots in the study of poison gases in the First World War and whose culmination is found today in the use of depleted uranium munitions around the world.Comedy Rules & Posture Lessons from Ricky Gervais (by M. Faust, Artvoice v7n38, September 18, 2008)
It’s the first weekend of the Toronto Film Festival, and everything is in full swing. Celebrities are being ushered in and out of rooms, each containing a new handful of caffeine-sated journalists praying that the batteries in their tape recorders will make it through the rest of the afternoon. By the time comedian Ricky Gervais, creator and star of the hit Britcoms The Office and Extras, makes it to my room, everyone is a bit on the giddy side.The Aftermath (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v7n37, September 11, 2008)
Tuesday’s primary in brief: Hoyt wins, Lenihan stays, Brown/Casey’s committee races fail—and everything stays pretty much the same.Artvoice Fall Guide (various, Artvoice v7n36, September 4, 2008)
Special Issue: All the best in film, food, music, theater, and more to keep an eye out for this fall.100 Things I Tried To Do This Summer (by Matt Chandler, Artvoice v7n35, August 28, 2008)
The Summer of 74: One man's quest to tackle the Artvoice 100Dreams of Obama (by Tom Hayden, Artvoice v7n34, August 21, 2008)
Barack Obama, it is true, is a transformational leader. But he needs a transformational movement to become a transformational president.Eight Days in Guantanamo (by Julia Hall, Artvoice v7n33, August 14, 2008)
A Buffalonian observes the trial of Salim Hamdan and the degradation of American justiceLa Nova's Special Delivery (by Lucy Yau, Artvoice v7n32, August 7, 2008)
Last month, in a rarely seen bit of political maneuvering, the Common Council voted 7-2 in favor of a transfer of property from the city to La Nova Pizzeria. In doing so, the Council voted against Niagara District Councilman David Rivera, and against the wishes of members of his community who had advocated for the parcel to be converted into a neighborhood garden and park space for local children.Empty Parcels, Emptying Cities (by Bruce Fisher, Artvoice v7n31, July 31, 2008)
The scariest story in Buffalo originates in Omaha, Nebraska. That’s where Buffalo News owner Warren Buffet lives. That’s where Buffalo News publisher Stan Lipsey hails from. The scary news for Buffalo is that Omaha, Nebraska, is thriving as a regional economic hub city in part because Omaha has a regional government.Infringe Yourself (by Anthony Chase & AV Editorial, Artvoice v7n30, July 24, 2008)
With 11 days and over 300 events, the Buffalo Infringement Festival may seem difficult to navigate, but it’s not. Basically, there are two ways to do it—with a meticulous plan or haphazardly. Each method offers rewards.The Food Issue (by AV Editorial, Artvoice v7n29, July 17, 2008)
Special Issue: Artvoice takes a look at what's hot in local eats.WNYBAC: A New Chapter (by Mark Norris, Artvoice v7n28, July 10, 2008)
The past few weeks have been a particularly busy time for Rich Kegler and Carima El-Behairy, founders of the nonprofit Western New York Book Arts Collaborative (WNYBAC). Along with running their business, P22 Type Foundry—an internationally known, locally based computer font company—and raising two children, Rich and Carima have accepted the daunting challenge of renovating a downtown building and bringing a major conference to the area.Iowa Dispatch: After the Flood (by Victor Verney, Artvoice v7n27, July 3, 2008)
It goes without saying that these floods are double-edged swords, as seen recently in Iowa. But unlike, say, wildfires that destroy houses in California or tornadoes that level mobile homes in Arkansas, there are compelling reasons why Buffalonians—and everybody else—should take an interest in last month’s Iowa floods.What The Market Will Bear (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v7n26, June 26, 2008)
Noon on a Tuesday at the Broadway Market. Outside a man is hawking athletic socks, while another challenges passersby to a chess game in the scant shade of a maple tree in a concrete planter. About a half dozen people stand in line at a hot dog stand. The corner is a meeting place, alive with action and conversation. Traffic is brisk, on the street and on the sidewalk.Karen Finley Talks About Eliot Spitzer & the Cult of Apology (by Caitlin Crowell, Artvoice v7n25, June 19, 2008)
It must be at least a bit satisfying for Karen Finley to have so many politicians apologizing. About sex. At the very least, it has provided her with a treasure trove of source material.M&T Boss Wilmers Named New York State Economic Czar (by John McMahon, Artvoice v7n24, June 12, 2008)
Last week New York Governor David Paterson, a liberal Democrat, named Robert G. Wilmers, chairman of M&T; Bank and prominent anti-union activist, as his pick to run the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), the state’s main economic development arm.Summer Guide 2008 (by Artvoice Staff, Artvoice v7n23, June 6, 2008)
Special Issue: Summer Guide 2008! Check out our staff suggestions for 100 things to do this summer. You'll also find the most comprehensive listing of area events, festivals, fairs, concerts anywhere. We've also got previews of all the summer blockbusters, some summertime music recommendations, and a special feature on the Griffis Sculpture Park.Are Lunatics Running The Asylum? And the Buffalo Public Schools, too? (by Jamie Moses, Artvoice v7n22, May 29, 2008)
With great fanfare, Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent James A. Williams withdrew his name two weeks ago from consideration for the job of Memphis school superintendent. He had been a finalist for the position. “I need to stay here and continue…to offer the children of Buffalo the best education possible.”Grandmaster Block (by M. Faust, Artvoice v7n21, May 22, 2008)
Best-Selling crime novelist and Buffalo Native Lawrence Block takes a stab at the movies.Dig The Tomato Man (by Peter Koch, Artvoice v7n20, May 15, 2008)
Richard Price could be known for many things. Among other things, he’s a talented singer; an accomplished portrait photographer; a home brewer of beers, ciders, and wines; an experienced electrotechnologist in genetics; a green thumb; a do-it-yourselfer and traditionalist.Blockheads (by Peter Koch, Artvoice v7n19, May 8, 2008)
The city continues to abuse its community development block grant—HUD is fed up.Who Shrank the Peace Bridge? (by Bruce Jackson, Artvoice v7n18, May 1, 2008)
How a bird-brained notion has put us in the weeds again.The CPO Club Needs Saving From Demolition and Itself (by Peter Koch, Artvoice v7n17, April 24, 2008)
On a recent Friday evening, several other Artvoice staffers and I enjoyed a delicious, cheap, sit-down meal on Buffalo’s waterfront. Such a thing does still exist. Our table, directly adjacent to a large bank of windows, was bathed in the warm pink and orange light of the setting sun as we tucked into generous portions of beer-battered fish accompanied by heaping piles of macaroni salad, french fries, and cole slaw.Best of Buffalo 2008: We Have Our Winners! (by AV Editorial, Artvoice v7n16, April 17, 2008)
It was an affair to remember, no question. On Monday night, thousands of Artvoice readers converged on the Town Ballroom to celebrate the region’s best—the best restaurants, the best shops, the best music, the best artists. The best of everything.Best of Buffalo 2008: The Nominees (by AV Editorial, Artvoice v7n15, April 10, 2008)
Special Issue: See the full list of top-5 vote getters in each of the Best of Buffalo 2008 categories.Saving Sankofa (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v7n14, April 3, 2008)
A once faltering charter school is staging a dramatic turnaround. Now it needs a chance to keep that turnaround going.Govindan's Brave New World (by Buck Quigley, Artvoice v7n13, March 27, 2008)
Technology makes music free, but at what cost?The Wizard of Gore (by M. Faust, Artvoice v7n12, March 20, 2008)
I thought they’d discovered a new planet or something,” was Herschell Gordon Lewis’s initial reaction to people asking him if he’d seen Juno. To the contrary, he soon started getting a lot more comments from people who saw the popular Oscar-nominated film with its scenes in which Juno and the guy looking to adopt her baby bond over Lewis’s 1970 film The Wizard of Gore.Unity Force (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v7n11, March 13, 2008)
Public Enemy’s Professor Griff comes to Buffalo next week to lecture at the Freedom Film Festival.Food Not Bombs (by Peter Koch, Artvoice v7n10, March 6, 2008)
Tucked away in the shiny, industrial kitchen at the back of Elmwood’s Unitarian Universalist Church, three volunteers—Megan, Amanda and Dave—are clanging and banging away, preparing a moveable feast. This particular feast—a steaming vat holding five pounds of spaghetti, several loaves of garlic bread, roasted potatoes, baked apples, fruit salad and piping hot tea—was considered trash only last night.Shadows & Fog (by Lucy Yau, Artvoice v7n9, February 28, 2008)
The first thing you’ll notice about Christina West’s sculptures is that they feel a little off-kilter. Although they are sculpted realistically, their color and size will immediately put you off balance.FOILed Again (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v7n8, February 21, 2008)
In late November, Artvoice associate editor Peter Koch wanted to review the minutes of several meetings of the City of Buffalo’s Preservation Board. So Koch visited the Preservation Board’s Web site, where the minutes are generally available online. But the links to the minutes were broken.This Is Not Your Grandmother's Bingo (by Marcus L. Wise, Artvoice v7n7, February 14, 2008)
Despite 30-degree weather, 285 people brave the winter wind to stand on line to play bingo. Only 225 make it in. Finding a good seat within earshot of your friends is chaos, but a good seat is key to enjoying the cabaret show that unfolds at Buffalo Gay Bingo.The L Word (by AV Editorial, Artvoice v7n6, February 7, 2008)
A simple “I love you” is never trite or tired, but come Valentine’s Day more individual and evocative expressions of affection seem required.Artvoice 13th Annual Mardi Gras Event (by Geoff Kelly, Artvoice v7n5, January 31, 2008)
The Artvoice Mardi Gras is one of the largest philanthropic Mardi Gras events in the country—and growing.Artshorts (by Geoff Kelly & Lucy Yau, Artvoice v7n4, January 24, 2008)
Happenings at the Albright Knox Art Gallery and Hallwalls.Weekend Rush (by Lucy Yau, Artvoice v7n3, January 17, 2008)
There is a sensual if ethereal quality to Sharon Kalstek’s photographs. They are staged with a theatrical flourish. A theme of concealment underlies her dreamy portraiture.The Nature of Nature (by Gerald Mead, Artvoice v7n2, January 10, 2008)
Art professors take pride in the accomplishments of their former students and, conversely, artists frequently acknowledge a teacher who significantly influenced or inspired them.
2007: Volume 6
Strange Investigation (by Dorothea Braemer, Artvoice v6n52, December 27, 2007)
At a hearing on December 18 in the Federal Courthouse in downtown Buffalo, US District Judge Richard Arcara postponed legal arguments in the more than three-and-a-half-year-old case against UB professor and internationally acclaimed artist Steve Kurtz because the prosecution lacked a key piece of evidence.The Age of the Loan Drones (by Ken Ilgunas, Artvoice v6n51, December 20, 2007)
At first glance, recent college graduate Dave Antonelli has it all. Nested in a cozy hamlet of rural-suburban Wheatfield, Antonelli, 23, and his fiancé Liz Baker, 28, live in a country home, cheerily stocked with symbols of the American dream.Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide (by Artvoice Staff, Artvoice v6n50, December 13, 2007)
At press time, Christmas was two weeks from yesterday. And that means you’re too late.You're Getting Warmer (by Bill McKibben, Artvoice v6n49, December 6, 2007)
I remember so well the final morning hours of the Kyoto conference. The negotiations had gone on long past their scheduled evening close, and the convention-center management was frantic—a trade show for children’s clothing was about to begin, and every corner of the vast hall still was littered with the carcasses of the sleeping diplomats who had gathered in Japan to draw up a first-ever global treaty to curb greenhouse-gas emissions.Dylan Times Seven (by M. Faust, Artvoice v6n48, November 29, 2007)
The standard career path for serious young filmmakers is to make an attention-getting short or, if they can raise the money, an independent feature; parley that into some big studio assignments; and then use their acquired clout to get back into making the kind of films that interest them. Especially in the last two decades we’ve seen lots of talent go through the first two parts of that formula, only to find that part three isn’t as easy as it seems.Lackawanna Soccer Blues (by Barry Zellen, Artvoice v6n47, November 21, 2007)
Abdulsalam Noman is the coach and director of the Lackawanna Yemen Soccer Club, a not-for-profit community organization founded in 1975 to serve the community’s youth through sports, dedicated to providing “a safe, healthy environment in which children can learn teamwork and sportsmanship.”
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