Colin Stetson

Sunday, April 1

Imagine you’re at a job interview. Your potential employer scans your resume and sees names like The Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Bon Iver, TV on the Radio, Feist, David Byrne, and Lou Reed. Odds are you’re Colin Stetson. His full-time job is for the Arcade Fire…and Bon Iver…so more like two part-time jobs. The rest can be considered “freelance,” and just in case Colin’s list of references seems sparse, Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Magnum, curator of 2012’s All Tomorrow’s Parties festival invited Colin to perform this year. Okay, so the references check out, but what about Colin’s skills and qualifications? Known primarily for his woodwind chops on the oversized bass saxophone, the flute, and the clarinet, Colin has also had experience with the brass family, primarily the French horn and cornet. Sounds a little overqualified for his position at Soundlab on Sunday (April 1), where he’ll perform tracks from his latest jazz album New History Warfare Volume 2: Judges, which topped both Pitchfork and NPR’s ‘best of 2011’ lists. Joining Colin for some group work on Sunday will be Arcade Fire co-worker Sarah Neufeld. Neufeld, a violinist and backing vocalist seeks to promote herself from corner office to center stage as she opens the show for Colin. Work begins at 8pm, dress sharp. —brett perla

8pm. Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (440-5907 / bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab). $12 advance, $14 day of show.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, March 30 - April 1

Buffalo Comedy Sportz 5th Annual Improvathon

A marathon for the comically inclined and a true test of endurance will be on display as Buffalo ComedySportz, WNY’s longest-running comedy show, presents their 5th annual Improvathon, beginning this Friday (March 30), and running until Sunday (April 1). Set in the Buffalo Comedy Sportz Arena in Amherst, the Improvathon boasts a jam-packed 49 1⁄2 hours of continuous improvisational comedy. Running in the vein of Whose Line is It Anyway?, the show pits two teams against one another as the abiding referee pitches scenes, games, songs and takes suggestions from the audience. Two local ComedySports teams, the appropriately named Blue Cheezes and the Red Hot Wingz, will square off in an epic battle of on-the-fly comedy that will take you through the wee hours of the morning and beyond. The event will also feature live auctions and theme baskets raffles in the effort to fundraise for the World Comedy League Champion, which will be hosted in Buffalo next year. “Teams from England, Germany, and cities throughout the United States will descend upon Western New York for one giant improv spectacle,” says Buffalo ComedySportz board member Richard Satterwhite. “We’re hoping hometown audiences will support our local ‘act-letes’ as they prepare to take on their national and international counterparts in the spirit of comedic competition.” —jon wheelock

6pm. Buffalo Comedy Sportz Arena 4476 Main St., Amherst. (393-8669 / buffalocsz.com). From 4 am to 12 noon, all Improvathon tickets are $1. Otherwise, tickets range from $1-$10 for two-hour blocks throughout the event. All-access passes are available for $35-Adults, $28–Students/Seniors/Military, $18-Children. Tickets can be purchased online at buffalocsz.com in advance or at the door during the Improvathon.

Saturday, March 31

The Devil Wears Prada & Every Time I Die

There has got to be an interesting dynamic going on for Buffalo’s Every Time I Die and Dayton Ohio’s The Devil Wears Prada as they share the stage together every night for the Dead Throne Tour. The bands reside on different extremes of the hardcore scale, with TDWP bursting out with guttural screams and surgical metalcore breakdowns while ETID stick to slick finger contorting guitar riffs and witty lyrics. The differences run deeper still, as The Devil Wears Prada are known as a band of Christian members and tend to delicately insert related themes into their music, while on the contrary Every Time I Die has recently and outwardly expressed strong atheistic themes on their latest album Ex-Lives. Heavy metal can be a religion of its own to many people so it is not surprising that both of these hardcore acts have used it as a source of inspiration for their music. The two bands will face off again on the stage of the Town Ballroom on Saturday (March 31) with support from Oh Sleeper and Let Live. —cory perla

6:30pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com). $20 advance, $25 day of show.

Saturday, March 31

Buffaloblog 2nd Birthday Party

Since March 2010 buffaBLOG has been dedicated to providing current and interesting local music information in Buffalo through concert previews and reviews, interviews, and artist spotlights while occasionally covering national and international music news. Founded by Bill Wright and Katie Africano, buffaBLOG “...began with just a of couple writers trying to cover the growing local scene in Buffalo. At the beginning of 2011, we had six writers, including myself, but now we have close to 15” said Editor-in-Chief Mac McGuire. BuffaBLOG has been involved with events such as Thursday in the Square and the Infringement Festival and last December they coordinated their first annual holiday party at Nietzsche’s. To celebrate their connection to the Buffalo music scene, buffaBLOG will be throwing their 2nd Birthday Party this Saturday (March 31) at 10pm at Nietzsche’s. McGuire exclaims, “We are very excited about our eclectic lineup for this Saturday. From alt country (Andrew J. Reimers’ Country Punk Extravaganza) to moody, ethereal post-rock (Early Attic), keyboard led indie rock (On Beta) to jazz/jam/funk/grunge/kitchen sink (Ramforinkus) and synth and sample driven soundscapes (VooDoo Friends), we feel we have a great representation of the variety of sounds that can be heard on any given night in the city of Buffalo.” Make sure you are a part of this vibrant celebration of our well-rounded music community. —jill greenberg

10pm. Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen St. (886-8539 / nietzsches.com). $5. 21+.

Saturday, March 31

Rob Schneider

Rob Schneider is primarily known for his bizarre but hilariously funny roles in movies such as Deuce Bigalow - Male Gigolo, Grown Ups, The Waterboy, and The Hot Chick, but he is also known to divulge deeper into politics and American culture in his stand-up performances. Schneider has been making us laugh for decades, beginning as a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1988 and later cast in the early 1990s—which for long-time SNL fans, should remind you of skits with Richard Laymer (“The Richmeister”) endlessly irritating his coworkers with ridicule and nicknames while he was stuck next to the photocopier. Aside from his work with fellow SNL bad boy alum, Adam Sandler, Schneider released his first comedy album in 2010, Registered Offender, and currently portrayed the lead role in the sitcom “Rob!” With a long list of comedic credentials it’s guaranteed that if “you can do it!” made you laugh, Schneider’s solo stand-up act will give you some comic relief from the usual mess of media and politics. You can see Schneider perform this Saturday (March 31) at Niagara University’s Kiernan Center with Rochester native Jamie Lissow. The show is sponsored by Niagara University’s Student Government Association, as a part of its comedy series, and NU’s class of 2012. —stacie duderwick

8pm. Niagara University’s Kiernan Center. (1.800.745.3000 or www.ticketmaster.com) $15.

Saturday, March 31

Christina Courtin & The S.B. Reeves Outfit

Buffalo native Christina Courtin took her impressive resume (graduate of the Juliard School of Music, appeared at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Spoleto Music Festival in Italy, The Melbourne Arts Festival in Australia, supported artists such as Andrew Bird and Suzanne Vega on their recordings, and performed live with YoYo Ma, Beyonce, and Kanye West) and channeled her experience into a self titled debut album, which was released in 2009. Christina Courtin rose to #2 on the iTunes sales chart. This album showcased Courtin’s reeling and charming vocals alongside her songwriting prowess. As evidenced from her newest single “Varsity,” Courtin’s sophomore album is shifting her style in a high-energy classic rock n’ roll direction. The album will be independently released and was produced by Mike McCarthy, who has worked with Spoon and Trail of Dead. Courtin has retained the fun, catchy feel from her Regina Spektor-inspired singer-songwriter days while adding a straight-ahead rock sensibility to the mix. This hometown musician returns to her roots this Saturday (March 31) at 8pm the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Hear the latest of Courtin’s evolving style, which is always held up by a backbone of instrumental talent and unique lyrics and vocals. —jill greenberg

8pm. Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave. (878-6011 / burchfieldpenney.org) $15.

Sunday, April 1

Teebs

Hip hop can be beautiful, but usually in a rhythmic way, not typically in a sprawling, textural way. American electronic producer Teebs bucks that trend. On his latest full length album, Ardour, the 23-year-old producer, real name Mtendere Mandowa, plays with the very idea of hip hop. Evoking tangible textures through his use of percussive folktronic glimmers, Teebs subtly mixes hip hop beats and tempos with Radiohead-esque piano vamp flourishes, Animal Collective-like rains of static, and swelling stacks of Burial influenced chimes and clacking rhythms. Not only is this Los Angeles based artist a skilled musician but he is also a talented painter too, an attribute that is actually audible, as he imbues vivid color and form into his fluid, washed-out tracks. During the creation of Ardour, Teebs found himself in a dark state with no job or money, but to balance that out he surrounded himself with like minded individuals and talented artists, sharing time with the likes of Flying Lotus and fellow Brainfeeder affilate Samiyam in their mutal apartment complex in L.A. “Teebs’ music sounds like an island vacation...The way Avatar looks,” Flying Lotus said of the young musician. Whether he is using a fabric canvas or a digital one, Teebs always succeeds in painting abstractly beautiful landscapes and shapes. MNM Presents Teebs this Sunday (April 1) at DBGBs with support from Boston’s Sonnymoon and west coast beatmaker Time Wharp. —cory perla

10pm. Duke’s Bohemian Grove Bar, 253 Allen St. (240-9359 / dukesbohemiangrovebar.com). $7 advance, $10 day of show. 21+.

Monday, March 2

The X Tour featuring Excision

Only a serious dubstep artist would lug their 18” subwoofers across the country with them. Excision does it, but you can’t blame him since his specially made speakers peak at 100,000 watts of bass (the average guitar speaker pumps out around 170 watts). The 22-year-old artist also brings with him a set of “intelligent lights” and an “intelligent video mapping system” that are also specially made to blow minds, explode brains, and shatter souls, as the producer pumps out an original mix of drum n bass, metal, and hip hop, all filtered through a bass heavy dubstep lens. His latest release, a remix of Pendulum’s “Showdown,” would be a good place to start for anyone interested in the young producer’s heavy style. Energy is the key to Excision’s set so show up with some or expect it to be forced on you by an assault of rapid mix bass tracks when the producer infiltrates the Town Ballroom on Monday (April 2) with openers Liquid Stranger, Lucky Date, and special guest Stuntman. —cory perla

8pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com). $20 advance.