Artvoice Presents: Exile on Allen Street

Saturday, June 18

Keith Richards once said: “You’ve got the sun, you’ve got the moon, and you’ve got the Rolling Stones.” This couldn’t be truer for the bands in this year’s version of Exile on Allen Street, a tribute to the Rolling Stones. Some of Buffalo’s most talented bands come together for this event—for a few, only this one time each year—to choose their favorite Stones tunes and show their love for Mick, Keith, Charlie, and Ronnie. This year’s performers include the Jim Crean Band, 2nd Time Around, Fred Mann’s Curve, the Trend, the Ignitors, Dead Flowers, the Squints featuring Tory Arena, No Apologies, the Travesties, and the Theresa Quinn Band playing all of the classics from the Rolling Stones extensive catalogue, which includes over 1,000 songs and dates back to 1963. From “Under My Thumb” to “Sympathy For The Devil” and “Satisfaction” to “Gimmie Shelter,” no hit will be left behind. There will also be solo performances in the front room by Chances R, Doc Licata, and Michael Abbatoy between sets. Let’s spend the night together at Nietzsche’s this Saturday (June 18). —cory perla

9pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com). $5. 21+.

Thursday, June 16

Cults

It is hard to tell you who or what Cults is. Some of the information that we do have: they’re a very fast rising indie-pop duo from New York City, via San Diego, who signed up to release their debut full-length album on Columbia Records after the release of a brief, but well received EP last year. There is no back-story here. No tales of epic challenges or past failures that led to their rise. Nope, just a mysterious buzz that has followed them from SXSW to Cochella and now to Buffalo. That buzz was fed by last week’s proclamation of “Best New Music” by Pitchfork for their self-titled album, and a four-star review from the Guardian. And that, folks, is the hype-machine report. What this boy/girl duo really sounds like is a mixture of the Go! Team’s cheery beats, Sleigh Bells’ noise pop, and Yacht’s happy strangeness. Their hot single, “Go Outside” hits on all cylinders, firing off reverberated group vocals, do-wop guitar flaps, and sun soaked bells that lay the groundwork for the rest of their 1960s girl-pop inflected album. Join Cults when they perform at Babeville’s Ninth Ward on Thursday (tonight!). —cory perla

7pm. Babeville’s Ninth Ward, 341 Delaware Ave. (852-3835 / babevillebuffalo.com). $13.

Thursday, June 16

36th Season of Shakespeare in Delaware Park

Dust off your picnic baskets and take out your wine glasses, the 36th season of Shakespeare in Delaware Park will soon be underway. The Merchant of Venice, directed by Brian Cavanagh, is the first production of the summer, opening Thursday (tonight!) at 7:30pm on the Delaware Park Hill. The show is, as always free, and runs Tuesdays through Sundays until July 10. Beginning July 21, SDP is performing As You Like It through August 14, directed by Eileen Dugan. There’s more to SDP than just plays, too. Show up to the Hill every Thursday at 5pm, for Summer Breeze By The Lake, a free concert series with guests such as Meghan Callahan & Friends, Soulis, the All-Star Band, 4-In Tune, Neville Francis, the Albrights, and more. On two Mondays this summer, June 27 and July 25, SDP founder and artistic director Saul Elkin, as well as some production directors and actors, will host an informal chat onstage to discuss the past, current season, and future of SDP. And if you’re into baseball, consider buying a ticket for “Bases Merlot-ed,” a fundraiser set for Saturday, July 16 that will include live performances and a wine tasting at Coca-Cola Field. For more info go to shakespeareindelawarepark.org. See you tonight for the start of another summer of Shakespeare in Buffalo—and don’t forget your bug spray. —ian carlino

7:30 pm tonight (June 16). Performances June 16–July 10 and July 21–August 14. Delaware Park Hill. Free.

Friday, June 17

Comedian Rich Vos

Doin’ Time Comedy, a showcase for comedy in Buffalo since 2006, has snared another national act, comedian Rich Vos. The comedian from Plainfield, New Jersey, starred in seasons one and three of Comedy Central’s Last Comic Standing, is the first white comic to perform on Def Jam, and even wrote for Chris Rock when Rock hosted the 2005 Academy Awards. He is a regular guest on both the Joy Behar Show and the Opie and Anthony radio show, and is known for his ability to perform well for many different audience types. In 2006 he released a one hour comedy DVD, titled Vos, which, as it says on his website “has just sold over 35 copies.” He followed that with his CD I’m Killing Here, in 2007. Doin’ Time is responsible for weekly open mic sessions at Nietzsche’s, and as part of its attempt to bring bigger and better comedy to Buffalo, it welcomes Rich Vos to the stage on Friday (June 17). Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. —ian carlino

8pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com). $12 advance, $15 day of show.

Friday, June 17

Kevin Seconds of 7 Seconds

It’s been over thirty years since Reno, Nevada teenagers the Marvelli Brothers—Kevin “Seconds” and Steve “Youth”—were smitten by punk rock, started their band 7 Seconds, became a crucial part of a burgeoning hardcore movement, and hopped in a van to spread their brand of breakneck speed punk with a positive message. The rest is hardcore history. After all this time, Kevin Seconds is still out there with that same fervor, passion, and a van. While 7 Seconds remains semi-actively recording and touring every few years, during the rest of the time, Kevin Seconds has taken the solo punk troubadour route, blending Woody Guthrie, Joe Strummer, and his own tried and true worldview, recording, self-releasing records, and regularly touring. In addition, Seconds has put the same passion he puts on record and stage into painting. The whole scope of what he is up to these days can be found at his online home, kevinseconds.com. The basement performance space at Spiral Scratch Records—Buffalo’s last bastion of small, specialized record retail and a place with a real d.i.y. ethos—proves the perfect place for Seconds to bring his “walk together, rock together” message on Friday (June 17). Like so many times before, he returns to the roots of an all-ages show in a small, non-traditional concert venue. It doesn’t get any more punk rock than that! —donny kutzbach

8pm. Spiral Scratch Records, 291 Bryant Street (882-3200 / spiralscratchrecords.blogspot.com)

Friday, June 17

Walt Wilkins & The Mystiqueros

San Antonio-born Walt Wilkins packs the one-two punch of soulful vocals and powerful song writing abilities. The sincerity in Wilkins’ voice offers the kind of aural depth that draws in listeners, whether they are country fans or not. The Mystiqueros is made up of great singers and great songwriters, Bill Small, John M. Greenberg, and Ramon Rodriguez. Wilkins’ wife and national recording artist Tina Mitchell-Wilkins will also be sharing the stage. Mitchell-Wilkins’ vocals are smooth with the perfect amount of twang. Her next album is in the works and should be released this summer. Together their sound is reminiscent of 1970s country rock from Texas and the West Coast, mixed with blues and soul that members grew up listening to. This blend of country, rock, blues, and soul combines to create an artful Americana vibe. Catch Walt Wilkins & The Mystiqueros featuring Tina Mitchell-Wilkins as they give a rare Buffalo performance this Friday (June 17) at Sportsmen’s Tavern. —jill greenberg

9:30pm. Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.com). $15.

Saturday, June 18

Roger Bryan and The Orphans CD Release Show

Cigarettes, record collections, car accidents, and Rock n’ Roll. These are the things that interest power-pop group Roger Bryan and the Orphans. It is easy to picture guitarist/vocalist Bryan sitting in the drivers seat of something like a Chevy Chevelle, smoking a cigarette and flicking it at a cop car as he blasts past doing 80. “I can’t recall the places, but I’ll always know the faces in my life,” Bryan sings on “Can’t Recall,” from their yet to be released full length record, 37. The Orphans’, featuring guitarist Matt Smith, bassist Ryan Besch, guitarist Erik Roesser, and drummer Mike Sobieraj, are straightforward Americana rock n’ roll with the rare ability to blow the speakers out of any cabinet, while at the same time evoking nostalgic emotion with their honest words. “In the Red,” the first single off of the five-piece’s new record, takes rocking, Rolling Stones inspired electric guitar riffs and pairs them with a power-pop sensible chorus, which Bryan belts out in his uniquely coarse voice. Roger Bryan and the Orphans will celebrate the release of 37 on Saturday (June 18) with support from Ghost Shirt and On Beta. —cory perla

8:30pm. Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. (465-2368 / themohawkplace.com). $5.

Tuesday, June 21

Gay Pride Solstice Celebration

The state legislative session in Albany ends on June 20. With any luck, and a lot of hard work, Western New York’s LGBT community will celebrate a new marriage equality law the next day, the longest of the year. The best place to do that may be Temple Beth Zion, where Carol Speser of Rainbow Spirit Rising (www.rainbowspiritrising.org) has organized an evening of speakers, art, music, and dancing. Among the speakers are the Reverend Darius Pridgen of True Bethel Baptist Church and Pastor Jose A, Claudio of El Nuevo Camino, as well as Ujima Theater’s Lorna C. Hill and poet Barbara D. Holender. The Celebration of Spirit Choir, directed by David Granville and Chuck Basil, will perform, as will Daughters of Creative Sound. BUA’s Javier Bustillos is producing two musical numbers for the celebration, which will be capped by a lively processional of clergy who welcome congregants of all stripes. “Not your typical interfaith service,” Speser writes of the evening’s doings. “This is spiritual Broadway.” —geoff kelly

7:30pm. Temple Beth Zion, 805 Delaware Avenue. Free.

Thursday, June 23

Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

If there’s ever a bombshell frontwoman capable of casting a spell over an audience with her knee-weakening good looks, lusty stage presence and equally as sultry vocals, it’s Grace Potter. Adorned in sequins, with her mouth pressed tight against the microphone as if it’s an extension of her body, Grace Potter has all of the trademarks to make her a bona fide star—the sexual prowess of Tina Turner, the vocal range of Janis Joplin, and the tenderness of Stevie Nicks. It’s hard to imagine Grace Potter flourishing without her Nocturnals backing her every step of the way though, adding their own unique flavor to the blues/funk/country/pop/classic rock jambalaya that they stir up. They’ve managed to carve out their own niche with a sound inspired by 1960s and 1970s blues/rock beats and melodies, without sounding the least bit dated. Between heartfelt ballads like “Things I Never Needed,” hard-rocking “Paris,” and one-night-stand innuendo “One Short Night,” the group proves that their eclecticism is one of their greatest attributes. The Vermont-based quintet was catapulted to mainstream success with their self-titled third album, prompting Rolling Stone magazine to name them one of the “Best New Bands of 2010.” If 2010 was their breakthrough year, 2011 is most definitely their year to shine. They stole the show at this year’s Bonnaroo Festival, and come to Thursday in the Square this Thursday (June 23), in what promises to be one of the best Square shows this summer. Don’t worry if you find yourself staring longingly at Grace Potter the entire time; everyone else will be too. —jon wheelock

5-9pm. Lafayette Square (buffaloplace.com/thursday-at-the-square). Free..