photo by Todd Roeth

Langhorne Slim

Friday, September 21

Put a feather in his cap, call him Langhorne Slim. He’s a groovy dude. The Pennsylvania-born singer-songwriter has teamed up with his band the Law to release The Way We Move earlier this year. The Law is made up of Jeff Ratner (bass), Malachi DeLorenzo (drummer), and David Moore (banjo, keyboards). The Way We Move is a gem of beautiful American folk-rock. Each of the album’s 14 tracks were written to be brutally catchy and are performed with an amount of energy unparalleled in today’s folky music scene. It actually sounds like Langhorne and the Law are having real, ruckus fun on this record: from the gang-vocal sing-along’s on the title track and “Found My Heart,” to the wonderful whistling on “Wild Soul”—which may be a top candidate for “Best Song of the Year,” in this writer’s humble opinion. The Way We Move was recorded over the course of a few days in a century’s old house in the Catskills, NY. Interestingly enough, the first stop of the band’s current tour was here in good ole Buffalo way back in January. This Saturday (Sept 29), Langhorne and the boys will pay their second visit to the Queen City this year at The Tralf with opening act River City Extension. Langhorne Slim & The Law will surely release their wild souls all over the place. Righteous. —peter vullo

7pm The Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (852-2860 / tralfmusichall.com) $13 advance, $15 day of show

Friday, September 28

Cheap Time

Boasting performances from the likes of Nobunny, Thee Oh Sees, and Ty Segall, the month of September has been particularly kind to local lovers of alt-garage-psyche-punk music. One could well be forgiven for expecting the “must-see” concert calendar to be all wrapped up with a bow and sent down the trail of fuzzy memories by now. What’s that you say? There’s still one more present left under the tree?! Rejoice! Tennessee-based trio Cheap Time will park its well-worn van at Mohawk Place’s curbside on Friday (Sept 28) to make sure no one forgets this month anytime soon. While steeped in the sounds of early punk and raw garage rock, Cheap Time’s music is beholden to neither genre. Led by songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Jeffrey Novak, the band has explored new styles with each new long player. The band’s latest, Wallpaper Music (In the Red Records), offers a bracing dose of uptempo anthems recalling the glories of the Saints and Magazine. Novak’s solo forays have dipped into psychedelic and prog rock (his uber-limited 2009 LP After the Ball is an essential purchase for any self-respecting rock nerd) and his frontman sneer and swagger have helped earned Cheap Time “band to watch” status. Three-weeks into a three-month-long national tour, Cheap Time arrives at Mohawk Place for a show with local openers the Backpeddlers and Plates. —j.e. sanford

9pm Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. (465-2368 / themohawkplace.com) $8

Friday, September 28

Almost a Dynasty: A Fan Story

I was four years-old when the Buffalo Bills went to their first Super Bowl. I watched it at my aunt and uncle’s house because both of my parents were at the game in Tampa. All I remember is that it was good that our Buffalo team was in the Super Bowl, and it was bad that they lost. 21 years later, I still think it is bad that they lost, but not that bad—we still have our place in history—and I still think it was good that they made it that far because, well, it’s been 12 years since they last made the play-offs and even that would feel like a Super Bowl win these days. That is my fan story. Over two decades later, the perspective of four straight Super Bowls has settled in and local filmmakers Stephen Butler, Peter Tasca, and Phil Gangi have put together a documentary about the Bills epic run, titled Almost a Dynasty: A Fan Story. “20 years later, the memories are often sweeter and more profound the further we travel from them,” said Executive Producer Steve Butler. “It was admittedly crushing and the last 12 years have only added to the burden, but the thing about Buffalonians and Bills fans is that we never quit and we do believe that our time is coming.” The movie, which features interviews with ESPN’s Chris Berman, legendary former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, former Bills General Manager Bill Polian, and, of course, the die-hard fans of Buffalo, the Bills’ 12th man, will debut this Friday (Sept 28) at the Market Arcade. “For over two years we poured our heart and souls into writing, developing, producing, directing, editing and funding this project,’ Butler said. “We like to call it an odyssey, but whatever it was, we would not trade it for the world and we hope Bills Nation will be inspired.” Watch the trailer on Artvoice TV. —cory perla

7pm & 8:30pm Market Arcade Film & Arts Center, 639 Main St. (855-3022 / dipsontheatres.com) $9

Saturday, September 29

Indiesound

Buffalo’s IndieSound festival, comprised of memorable local act,s will grace the bars of Amherst Street in the heart of Black Rock this Saturday (Sept 29). Bands that will be participating in Saturday’s events include Black Rock Zydeco, Zak Ward, the Screaming Jeans, Roger Bryan & The Orphans, Sonny Baker, The Larkin Plan, Mikel Doktor, Steve Woolsey, Dee Adams, Geno McManus, Jim Whitford & John Martz, and Andrew J. Reimers. Contributing mainstays the Screaming Jeans sound like an enjoyable Muse funneled through the Kings of Leon production aesthetics. The funk infused Stone Temple Pilots-esque stylings of Zak Ward will also grace this weekend’s festivities, along with a number of other local bands, some established and others new, and of a more modest performing disposition. The IndieSound festival will run, with stops along Amherst Street, from noon to 5pm. Along with the musical performances is an “Art Yard” at 464 Gallery, which will feature live art installations and an artisan market. For more details and a full schedule, go to buffalofirst.org/indiesound. —tim gaughan

Noon to 5pm, Black Rock, various venues (725-6100 / buffalofirst.org/indiesound) free

Monday, October 1

Datsik

He’s like a nasty punch to the face that doesn’t hurt exactly, but actually leaves you coming back for more. Meet Canadian-based dubstep DJ/Producer Datsik. Born Troy Beetles, he began spinning hip-hop and made the transition to dubstep, eventually becoming one of the front runners of his genre today. This year alone he has joined Steve Aoki on his “Dead Meat” tour and made appearances at Coachella, Identity Fest, and collaborated with big names like Excision, Rusko, Diplo and the Crystal Method. Dishing out dirty tracks and hard-hitting bass lines, this guy doesn’t mess around. During an interview at HARD fest in Los Angeles he got to the root of what makes dubstep so insanely popular. He explains that there is a little bit for everyone from super head-banging tracks to smooth and sexy deep bass that always gets people moving. Grabbing the attention of the music industry with his album, Vitamin D, back in April he has continued making a name for himself with countless epic anthems. I was fortunate enough to catch his set at Ultra and here in Buffalo during his “Dead Meat” tour and I’m ready to get schooled on some heavy bass yet again. Come get rowdy at the Town Ballroom this Monday (Oct 1) with special guests Delta Heavy, Bare Noize, AFK and Stuntman. —jessica reinhardt

8pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $25 advance, $28 day of show

Tuesday, October 2

Frankie Rose

If the Cure or New Order had a female singer, she’d probably be something like Frankie Rose. Though the rising musician’s latest album, Interstellar, which has garnered stellar reviews, sounds a lot like those 1980s new wave bands, she’s not biting their style. Her musical career began with garage rock act the Vivian Girls, pop band the Dum Dum Girls, and post punk band Crystal Stilts, so the young musician’s new sound is the product of the gamut of indie rock influences that she has absorbed throughout her short career. Interstellar is a departure from everything Rose has done in the past, including her debut solo album Frankie Rose and the Outs, with its jangle-pop, mostly guitar driven songs full of lush vocal harmonies. Though that debut record was well received, Rose dropped the Outs, picked up a couple of synthesizers and expanded her sound into the massive dream pop area that acts like M83 and Purity Ring reside in for Interstellar. It was a risky move, and although it is still hard to tell if Rose is jumping trends or just riding their waves, she’s made all of the right moves so far. Don’t miss Frankie Rose when she comes to Soundlab on Tuesday (Oct 2). —cory perla

8pm Soundlab, 110 Pearl St. (440-5907 / bigorbitgallery.org/soundlab) $10 advance, $12 day of show

Thursday, October 4

Mutemath

Mutemath have always seemed like the arena rock band that never was. Always flying slightly under the radar the New Orleans-based quartet’s sound is a mix of alternative rock, synthy-dance pop, and experimental rock that has always had the potential to launch them up to the level of Muse or the Arcade Fire. Instead, Mutemath have only rode the fringe of mainstream success due in part to record label troubles. In 2007 their massive, guitar driven single “Typical” broke through though, with a catchy 1990s alt-rock sound combined with some implanted electronic sounds and a viral video that had them performing the song backwards. In 2009 they released a solid, but underappreciated record titled Armistice and last year they released their chef-d’oeuvre, Odd Soul, which took on a more blues-influenced sound. After appearances on TV shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live and tours with the likes of Linkin Park and Incubus, Mutemath have embarked on a headlining tour that will bring them to the Town Ballroom on Thursday (Oct 4) with special guests Civil Twilight. —cory perla

7pm Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (852-3900 / townballroom.com) $20 advance, $23 day of show