Buffalo Niagara International Antiquarian Book, Paper & Epherma Fair

Saturday & Sunday, May 19 & 20

Whether you’re a wizard who spends his days cloistered in a dungeon studying the esoteric, a big fan of the smell of mildew, or just someone who really likes cool old books, the Buffalo Niagara International Antiquarian Book, Paper & Ephemera Fair, presented by Old Editions (man, that’s a mouthful) is sure to meet all of your old-time-y paper and ink needs. Don’t let the ampersand and use of the word “ephemera” in that lengthy title scare you away—the fair promises a little something for everyone. Boasting about a hundred book vendors from all over the northeast U.S. and southern Canada, this first-time event will feature everything from children’s books to Civil War paraphernalia, hyper-vintage posters, yellowed historic photographs, autographs from long-gone celebs, and volumes rare enough to make Umberto Eco a bit jealous. Be sure to catch this one-of-a-kind book emporium on either Saturday (May 19) from 10am to 5pm or Sunday (May 20) from 10am to 4pm at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. With the price of admission less than half of what a new hardcover might cost you, it’s sure to be more than worth your time. —edward a. benoit; photos by jill greenberg

10am. Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin Street. (802-464-8438 / mail@austinbooks.com). $8 day of show.

Friday, May 18

The Arrington De Dionyso / Thollem McDonas Duo

“Relentlessly ecstatic” is a good way to describe the Arrington de Dionyso / Thollem McDonas Duo. Bizarre and disturbing are also good words to describe the pair, but “relentlessly ecstatic” is the phrase they’ve chosen to delineate their often extreme, discordant and improvisational jazz sound on a series of recordings. As the duo performs, with Thollem McDonas on the piano and Arrington de Dionyso on bass clarinet, they often head into a strange territory of interlocking, repeating phrases that create the plane of insanity on which they like to reside. They achieve this often uneasy yet complexly technical sound through the use of not only their instruments of expertise, but also with unnamed homemade instruments and the Tuvan throat singing of Dionyos. The two have collaborated regularly since 2002 in various forms, playing everything from punk clubs, to elementary schools, and museums. Their latest album Ten Thousand Tigers would be a good place to start for anyone interested in checking out their experimental music before the duo comes to The Vault on Friday (May 18) to perform along with Buffalo’s own Steve Baczkowski on saxophone and Ravi Padmanabha on drums. —cory perla

9pm. The Vault, 700 Main St. (884-7172). $5 advance, $10 day of show.

Friday, May 18

Drop-In Sessions featuring DJ Cutler & Brownman

Turntables and horn unite this Friday (May 18) as acclaimed Toronto-based trumpeter Brownman joins forces with Buffalo’s own DJ Cutler for Merge’s monthly Drop-In Sessions. This isn’t the first time the twosome has paired up, having played together with local hip-hop group TypeRelevant, as well as in Brownman’s own jazz hip-hop outfit, Gruvasylum. Now, the combination of Cutler and Brownman form the newly dubbed Omega Men, with a jazz-hip hop dynamic that truly becomes a spectacle of improvisation and creativity as the two feed off each other’s unrivaled talent. On trumpet, Brownman draws his inspiration from Miles Davis’ electric years and continues to push jazz-fusion into new realms. As one of Western New York’s most prolific DJ’s, Cutler has proven that his mastery of the turntables is indeed an art form, using them as his platform to project his killer mixes to the masses. Together, Brownman and Cutler are capable of just about anything, and Omega Men are sure to push the improvisational envelope in what promises to be a truly unique display of where jazz and hip-hop are headed. Look out for future Drop In Sessions featuring Universe Shark (June 15th) and Free Henry (July 20th). A percentage of the cover charge will benefit Drop-In Nation Education, helping to serve out of school youth as well as unemployed or underemployed adults. —jon wheelock

10pm. Merge Restaurant, 439 Delaware Ave. (842-0600 / mergebuffalo.com). $5.

Friday, May 18

Lee Scratch Perry

Lee “Scratch” Perry has worn many hats in his lifetime. Aside from the flamboyant king’s crown, or flappy voodoo hats he wears on stage, he’s worn the hat of disc jockey, producer, singer-songwriter, and pioneer in reggae and dub music. Throughout his over 40 year career Perry has produced tracks for legends like the Wailers, the Heptones, Gregory Isaacs, and even the Clash. Clashing has always been a trait of the 76-year-old musician too. His huge personality often clashes with his physical appearance, as he is only 4’11. His genius often clashes with his madman tendencies, but these eclectic attributes are what have caused him to last so long. Scratch is just one of the pseudonyms Perry has worked under over the years, using names like Jah Lion, Pipecock Jakxon, Super Ape, and the Upsetter to release an astonishing amount of work. Born in Jamacia in 1936, Perry began his career writing ska songs and selling records before he really started to break ground with the lazy, bass-driven beats that would become the foundation of roots reggae. There aren’t very many producers around these days as prolific and pioneering as Lee “Scratch” Perry, so take this opportunity to catch a legended live when Perry makes a stop at the Town Ballroom this Friday (May 18) with support from Subatomic Sound System and local reggae DJ extraordinaire DJ Universal. —cory perla

8pm. Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com). $20 advance, $24 day of show.

Friday, May 18

Happy Birthday Bob Dylan featuring The Robert Zimmerman Philharmonic

Bob Dylan—possibly the most important American songwriter of the past century­has a birthday coming up. On May 24th, he’ll turn 71, and the Sportsmen’s Tavern plans to celebrate the man in epic fashion with The Robert Zimmerman Philharmonic on Friday (May 18). This five-piece band is extremely dedicated to recreating the tone and feel of Dylan’s legendary songs and albums. They play 16 different stringed instruments, and cover songs from every point in Dylan’s extensive back catalog. The band focuses on staying true to Dylan’s originals, but also on adding their own touch of sophistication to the proceedings. The band’s name comes from the aforementioned heavy usage of string instruments, as each band member plays several instruments over the span of the show. Considering the diversity of Dylan’s musical styles, the band’s capacity to play his music in multiple ways can certainly come in handy. There could be lots of instrumentation for Dylan’s bluesy rave-ups like “Tombstone Blues,” or more recently “Thunder On the Mountain.” Conversely, when performing some of the more mellow Dylan tunes, like “It Takes a Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train to Cry,” “Just Like A Woman,” or “I Believe In You,” you could picture fewer instruments being needed for the job. The band seems have to capacity to accurately approximate any of Dylan’s compositions, regardless of how complex or simple they might be. Anyone with an appreciation for Dylan’s work, who would like to see it performed with a maximum level of reverence, should get a serious kick out of this show. Oh, and happy birthday Bob! —john hugar

9pm. Sportsmen’s Tavern, 326 Amherst St. (874-7734 / sportsmenstavern.com). $10.

Friday, May 18

Pearl & The Beard

I was introduced to Pearl and the Beard through a very funny music video (as most introductions happen these days). The trio, of Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price, and Jeremy Styles, who share the duties of playing instruments like cello, guitar, glockenspiel, drums, and accordion, were singing a medley of Will Smith songs. That’s right, these three talented musicians were performing songs like the theme song to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, “Miami,” the theme song to Men In Black, “Just The Two of Us,” and “Summertime,” (I think I heard someone whisper the words “wild wild west” in there too) all interwoven to the beautiful bowing of cello rhythms and layers of vocal harmonies. It instantly seemed like a very strange way to display such talent, but it was actually really funny and I played it on repeat—mostly because I know these Will Smith songs entirely too well (as do most in my generation) but also because they slayed the performance. Pearl and the Beard might not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for some fun and lighthearted entertainment that will leave you smiling—and if you missed them when they opened for Ani Difranco last month—check out the three-piece band from Brooklyn this Friday (May 18) at Babeville’s Ninth Ward with support from Sarah Rose and the Storyville Players. —cory perla

7pm. Babeville’s Ninth Ward, 341 Delaware Ave. (852-3835 / babevillebuffalo.com) $8 advance, $10 day of show.

Friday, May 18 & Saturday, May 19

Go Bike Buffalo's Bike Month Celebration

Even if you have never heard of GO Bike Buffalo (formerly Green Options Buffalo), you have seen their blue buffalo silhouette bike racks around the city. GO Bike Buffalo aims to create healthy, environmentally sustainable, community friendly transportation options in the City of Buffalo. They have been working toward this goal through their programs such as community workshops, Recycle-A-Bike after school programs, Bike to Work survival guide, Safe Routes to School, Complete Streets, and more. This month is National Bike Month and GO Bike Buffalo is celebrating the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride. This Friday (May 18) from 7-10am cyclists who bike to work will receive a Bicycle Breakfast including a free coffee and a Five Points Bakery treat from Café Taza (100 Elmwood Ave.). To shake off their post-work haze from 5-8pm cyclists can enjoy a Bike Away from Work Happy Hour at Cantina Loco (191 Allen St.) and enjoy a bike valet and discounts on food and drinks. The GO Bike Launch Party on Saturday (May 19) at 7pm at the Essex St. Art Complex (30 Essex St.) will cap off the celebration. There will be a Bike Olympics, $1 drafts of Rusty Chain beer, and live music by Ginger James, Ten Cent Howl, The Bear, London vs. New York, and ABCDJ. The party is free for current members and $20 for admission and a discounted one-year membership to GO Bike Buffalo. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet fellow cyclists, get active, and become involved in your community. For more information on workshops and events visit gobikebuffalo.org. —jill greenberg

Various locations. (Gobikebuffalo.org).

The Maine with Arkells

Tuesday, May 22

The Maine may be a pop-punk band, but it is far from mainstream. Singer John O’Callaghan, guitarists Kennedy Brock and Jared Monaco, bassist Garrett Nickelsen, and drummer Pat Kirch were mostly in high school when they formed their 1990’s radio-rock-influenced band in 2007 in Tempe, AZ. Their sound—a mesh of indie and pop—creates infectious, catchy, and uplifting sounds. The band signed to Fearless Records and released a five-song concept EP in the same year it was formed. The Maine’s dedicated fan base has helped the band grow from a co-headlining band on the Vans Warped Tour to number 40 on the Billboard charts a year later for its first full-length album, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. After the record peaked on the charts in 2009, Warner Bros. Records signed the Maine to a major-label contract. The band released its sophomore album Black and White in 2010, and is now headlining an international tour in promotion of their third album, Pioneer, which features the popular songs, “Don’t Give Up On Us,” “My Heroin,” and lead single “Some Days.” Next stop: Club Infinity on Tuesday (May 22), where fellow-Arizona-indie-rock-band Lydia and Canadian rock band Arkells will open up for the Maine. —lisa khoury

7pm. Club Infinity. 8166 Main St., Williamsville (565-0110 / infinityconcerts.com). $17 advance, $20 day of show.